At the virtual Whitehall-Coplay School Board meeting April 14, board members met via Zoom, an app for video conferencing and webinars. A link for the public to attend online was available on the district website, whitehallcoplay.org.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, the board was asked if any decisions had been made regarding student access to personal items in lockers, as well as receiving yearbooks and alternatives to prom and graduation.

“We have opened the building several times at the high school, and at all of the levels, for people to pick things up,” Dr. Lorie Hackett, WCSD superintendent, said. “At this point, since the governor has closed things, we are reluctant to continue to open the buildings, but if there is something that is absolutely needed, they should contact the building principal, and an accommodation will be made.

“As far as yearbooks, graduation and prom, since the governor just actually closed for the remainder of the school year last week, we are reviewing all of those end-of-year activities at this point,” she continued. “Our high school principal will be meeting with our senior leadership at the buildings and will be looking to do it the best that we can and provide opportunities for those students. We just need to wait to see if we can open things up or not.

“We will have student participation into making those decisions, and we will do the best that we can to make it a memorable experience, especially for our seniors,” Hackett said.

Also at the meeting, the board approved the Whitehall High School addition and renovation project, as well as the WCSD stadium and field house project, calling them “critical construction necessary to the planned continuity of education and the health and safety of the district’s students, staff and community.” The district administration and officers of the board will execute all documents required for construction to advance, subject to solicitor and administrative approval.

Also approved was the contract between WCSD and Element Environmental Solutions for environmental consulting on construction projects, subject to administrative and solicitor approval.

The board approved the resignation of Sabrina Chatih, long-term substitute at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School.

New appointments include long-term substitutes Barley Melcher, English teacher at WCMS, at the rate of $150 per day; Kaitlyn Kulp, fifth-grade teacher at Zephyr Elementary School, at $150 per day; Erin Pachter, second-grade teacher at Steckel Elementary School, at $150 per day; and Michael Maggio, math teacher at WHS, at $150 per day.

The next school board meeting will be 7 p.m. May 4.

Committee meetings on operations/transportation, finance/personnel and education/student activities will be 4 p.m. April 27 and May 26.