Dr. Thomas Seidenberger, superintendent for East Penn School District, spoke Aug. 12 to dispel rumors concerning the Common Core and to usher the district through its transition from summer to school year.

Seidenberger cited several of the revisions occurring in Chapter 4 Regulations, revisions that determine the nature of Common Core in the state and which have recently come under fire by a couple of taxpayers outside East Penn who have twice addressed the board on their group's determination to see the Common Core ousted from state practice.

Currently Chapter 4 states curriculum will be designed by school entities to meet state academic standards. The state is not requiring schools to use a statewide curriculum or statewide reading list, despite rumors of this circulating, said Seidenberger.

The superintendent also pointed out the state declared it would not aim to expand its current collection of student data or to collect personal family data. Seidenberger was eager to refute the rumor teachers would be required to use lesson plans from the state website, and also they would be checked and held accountable for logging in. Both of these, he says, are untrue.

The Pennsylvania Core Standards, as they have been redubbed in the legislature, are due to take effect upon publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, according to the Pennsylvania School Board Association's website.

That evening the board approved a contract with Naviance for use of a software that will allow first seniors and later all high schoolers greater efficiency in college preparation. The district is investing $13,600 in subscriptions to Naviance products to connect academic achievements to higher education institutions.

The current system for college prep is slow, according to the head of guidance, Dr. Diane Flisser, who called the new program "robust" and "systematic." Up till now, a single administrative secretary has handled the bulk of the transcripts, sending them out to schools and receiving confirmation back, with some help from another assistant. The department was spending $3,200 alone on postage.

Naviance sends transcripts electronically with instant access feedback to show the transcript was received. The new system will be more cost effective and accurate, allowing students to view which colleges they have applied to and where they are in the process, says Flisser. When asked what the advantage of Naviance was over other products from comparable vendors, Dr. Tom Mirabella of Student Services spoke up, assuring the board Naviance offered far more features than the only other program like it on the market, which only tracks transcripts. Naviance gives students instant feedback on the whole process, and includes an avenue for teacher recommendations. Students can see if and when recommendations have been filled out and sent, and whether they've been received on the other end.

Flisser says this will also save time for counselors, who have been learning the new system in preparation for its launch for Emmaus High School seniors this year. Seniors and parents will be introduced through their welcome letters and at a guidance information night, and Flisser mentioned ideas her team is developing on training students in groups of 60 or so to use the system.

Naviance has access to 2,200 institutions, according to Flisser. In total the National Center for Education Statistics website reports 6,742 Title IV institutions in the country, and Naviance also interacts with schools in six different countries.

The board approved the contract unanimously.

Seidenberger also took a few moments to address some concerns raised at previous meetings about the safety of certain diving boards which have recently been returned from inspection in Nevada. Board member Lynn Donches had questioned the use of $3,000 to refurbish two diving boards and asked why it had not been done last year; Seidenberger addressed her directly Monday evening, stating she had not done her research before directing her question to the board.

The diving boards in question were budgeted for refurbishment this year. Seidenberger described in some detail the safety measures taken by two committees set up to oversee safety in the district. The diving boards were never dangerous, he said.

Safety measures at Willow Lane have also been put in place in preparation for the increase in walkers and changes in busing this year. Seidenberger reported curb placing has been finished by Lower Macungie Township and signs are to be placed soon. The district will meet with the township's crossing guards in a joint training session which will also include school faculty. The district has also been able to work with the fire department on the same site in rearranging some signage there, and Seidenberger is confident everything will be ready by the start of school Aug. 26.