The Bethlehem Area School Board made up for lost time at their Feb. 9 meeting. The board had cancelled the last scheduled meeting due to hazardous weather, but now covered the agendas of both the Finance Committee and the Human Resources Committee.

Among the agenda items was a proposal to redistrict Hanover Ridge in Hanover Township. The development is bound by Jacksonville Road to the east, Macada Road on the south and Stoke Park Road on the north.

"The area is cut by Route 22," said Russell Giordano, chief human resources officer. "They are a stone's throw from Asa Packer [ES]."

Giordano explained that the development was originally assigned to Hanover Elementary, Asa Packer and Spring Garden elementary schools.

A proposal written up by Dean Donaher, director of student services, said about 64 students would be affected by the redistricting. Of that group, three of the students already attend Asa Packer. There are 14 students at Hanover ES and 19 students at Spring Garden. The remaining 28 students attend private, parochial or charter schools.

The children affected by the redistricting could remain at their schools for the next two school years, Giordano explained. The district would continue to provide busing.

"For example, a current third-grader could finish at their school," he said.

After the two years is up, the remaining elementary school students affected by the redistricting who did not switch to Asa Packer would be classified as open enrollment students. Under this classification, these students could remain at the schools they attend, but their parents would have to provide transportation, Giordano said.

He said many new families who have moved into the development told him that they thought Asa Packer was the school assigned to the development.

Dr. Joseph Roy, Bethlehem Area School District superintendent, said, "I've talked to people who moved into that area thinking that it was assigned to Asa Packer."

Giordano said the school district has held one meeting with the parents whose children are affected by the redistricting. The parents were also given a tour of Asa Packer Elementary.

"The general response was they are happy," he said.

The second meeting with the parents could be scheduled if needed.

The school board agreed to vote on the redistricting proposal at the regular board meeting scheduled for Feb. 23.

Some of the other items to be voted on at that meeting include the E-Rate bid award for the district's new technology upgrade, the 2015-16 school calendar and board meetings calendar, emergency shelter agreement with Chesterbook Academy and a service agreement with Colonial Intermediate Unit 20.