The Whitehall-Coplay School Board moved the approval of the 2014-15 school calendar to the March 10 board meeting Monday.

Whitehall-Coplay School District employees and residents filled the meeting room, with few seats empty and some people standing.

Before starting the public comment portion of the meeting, district Superintendent John Corby made a statement about the differences between the 2013-14 calendar and the proposed 2014-15 calendar. He said the proposed calendar for 2014-15 includes a Sept. 2 start, after Labor Day.

"I would've liked to have staff and students to start prior to Labor Day," Corby said. "Legal issues have prevented me from doing so."

Corby said teacher's contracts ends on Sept. 1.

"We've begun the process of negotiating. If teachers do work before Sept. 2 we have to pay for column and step movement that would cost $400,000," he said.

Columns and steps are automatic salary increases in teacher contracts based on years of service and attainment of post-graduate credits and degrees.

Corby spoke about Commonwealth cases that required schools to give employees a column and step raise automatically, if the professionals worked before the terms of the new negotiations were finished.

Corby continued speaking about a memorandum of understanding that, if signed by the teachers, would allow the district to start before Labor Day.

"The district could start before Labor Day without giving up modifications of the step up," he said, if the memorandum is approved by teachers. "It's important to say that this doesn't mean teachers won't receive a raise, but they will not be given up right away."

According to Corby, throughout the years, teachers have agreed to similar requests, signing earlier memorandums of understanding.

"It's not my place to judge if people sign or not," he said. "However, it is my responsibility to make a calendar that doesn't put either of us at the mercy of the courts."

After Corby spoke, residents and employees addressed the board.

Candace Carter, a resident and parent, began with a question.

"I need some clarification. Teachers will start the same time students report?" she asked.

"This calendar would start after Labor Day, " Corby said. "Tuesday, Sept. 2, would be a teacher in-service day. Students would report on Sept. 3."

Carter continued, "So teachers would have one day instead of three – I guess, my concern as a parent is [teacher] preparation," she said. "I'm sure a teacher would want to be prepared, and I think the first day of school sets the tone for the rest of the year. I want that day to be a positive day for my son. There is no substitute for being truly prepared."

Robert Kolb, school board vice president, responded.

"The majority of the board's first choice was to have three in-service days before Labor Day," he said. "As has happened many times in the past, the contracts would be operating under the old contracts.

Speaking to the teachers attending the meeting, he said, "You will get paid. We need a memo that says you won't come after us legally before starting."

"I'm voicing my concerns as a parent," said Carter. "We may not have teachers prepared. I'm most worried about special needs children."

Kolb replied, "The only other option would be to start Monday after Labor Day. Start a week late without a memorandum."

The district solicitor Jeff Sultanik spoke up.

"It's clearly the board's preference to start school before Labor Day," Sultanik said. "It's in the hands of the [Whitehall-Coplay Education] Association, we hope they will reconsider and sign the memorandum, but the union hasn't agreed to sign the memo. This year they're taking a different kind of approach. I don't think anyone would want it to start this way. We're agreeing with you."

Corby replied, "My preference is to do exactly what we did this year."

After the residents spoke, Danny Moyer, an employee of the district, addressed the board.

"I've been teaching for 17 years and I get paid like I've been teaching for 15," Moyer said. "I've taken a decrease with a year freeze and half a year on freeze, if we were to settle wouldn't it cost more than $400,000?"

"We don't know," replied Sultanik. "We have an agreement to discuss. All contracts have been issued in good faith. If you want to get paid better, you have to take it up with your union."

"Not paid better," Moyer responded. "Paid what I'm worth, if we start before Labor day, I have to not get an increase because of the cost of living, but don't I deserve to be on the right step to what I'm doing?"

Kolb responded, "My view is that it's a mistake to tie the calendar with the contract negotiations. It'd be better for our staff to separate calendar from negations."

Association President Joe Krempasky addressed the board after Moyer.

"It's February, the district can put effort into negations. Why is this being prolonged?" Krempasky said. "The calendar should become separate from the negotiations."

"We are obligated to set a calendar no later than March 1," said Kolb.

School board president, Tina Koren, spoke at the end of the public participation.

"There's not one teacher that I don't think should earn double of what you get paid, having two kids that went through the district," Koren said. "It's because the state doesn't give us money. We can't give you what you're worth. We're trying to work with you, not against you."

Board members agreed to table the decision to approve the 2014-2015 school calendar until the March 10 meeting.

Once the board tabled the issue, the room filled with mumbles from the audience.

"There is no discussion on what the board tables, the board is done," Sultanik said.