Catasauqua Area School Board member Dawn Berrigan believes districtwide math courses include unnecessary academic material not directly relevant to the study of math.

"It isn't just about math," Berrigan said during the Aug. 12 board meeting. "We're adding all kinds of things into it."

Berrigan voted in opposition to the planned courses of study for kindergarten, second- through sixth-grade math and seventh-grade pre-algebra for this academic year.

Also voting opposed to the courses was board member Sally Reiss.

Berrigan said she disagrees with the integration of other subject matters into individual math courses.

"From what I'm looking at, we're making simple things complicated," she said. "I don't understand the reasons. Just the way it's being implemented, it's just too much."

Director of Curriculum and Academics Kristina Lutz-Doemling said research has shown integrating secondary academic information into a primary course is more beneficial to the student and the learning process.

The board also passed a number of other planned courses for the 2013-14 school year, including American History II – grade 9, World Cultures – grade 10, Health/Wellness – grades 5-8, Wellness/Fitness – grades 9 and 10, Biology II, Applied Chemistry, Applied Physics, CP Physics and Honors Physics I and II.

School board member Don Panto commended the teachers who took part in planning the courses for this school year.

"They raised the level of rigor of what we're asking our students to do," Lutz-Doemling said of the teachers who wrote courses for this year.

In other business, the board approved non-resident tuition rates for this year.

The rate for half-day kindergarten is $5,286.78; elementary level, first through six grades, $10,573.55 and the rate for secondary students, seventh through 12th grade is $11,967.71.

In addition, the board approved substitute employees, removed substitute teachers, reapproved guest teachers, substitute teachers and substitute support staff, approved extracurricular positions, reappointed certified and noncertified instructional aides and approved tenure to Sheckler Elementary School teacher Daniel Kotran and Catasauqua High School teacher Ashley Mrich.

During the meeting, the board also welcomed aboard CHS student representatives Janae Matos and Rachel Sell, both seniors this year