A majority of the East Penn School District Board of School Directors passed the 2025-2026 final budget at the June 9 regular board meeting. They also were presented with a K-8 Realignment: Financial Plan Presentation which gave them pause.

Before getting down to business, a moment of silence was observed in honor of Linda Christman, who died May 19. Christman had recently retired after 34 years of service as a staff assistant at Jefferson Elementary.

The board voted 8-1 to adopt the 2025-2026 East Penn School District Final Budget with Michael Felegy voting no.

The resolution included authorization of expenditures totaling $206,098,359 and a 4% tax rate increase. While most expressed concerns about the tax increase, Felegy said it was the reason for his dissenting vote, along with a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance previously approved for a “wealthy developer” for a property in Emmaus.

The district will levy a tax of 21.8000 mills per dollar of assessed valuation on real estate. Under Act 511, a .5% Earned Income Tax and a .5% Real Estate Transfer Tax are part of the package.

The directors voted on a commitment to apply $55,200, representing the final remaining Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund offset funds, to student needs during the 2025-2026 fiscal year and will commit $1,635,800 for future technology infrastructure purchases, with $1,163,800 anticipated to be expended during the upcoming fiscal year.

An allocation of $100,000 for new band uniforms was added back in after public feedback.

To provide tax relief for residents, the board adopted a 2025-2026 Homestead and Farmstead Resolution funded by the state and continues the property tax rebate program for 2025-2026.

Updated eligibility guidelines for the property tax rebate program allows qualifying claimants having total household income of $0 to $8,270 to receive a maximum rebate of $1,000; claimants having total household income of $8,271 to $15,510 would receive a maximum rebate of $770; claimants having total household income of $15,511 to $18,610 shall receive a maximum rebate of $460 and claimants having total household income of $18,611 to $46,520 receives a maximum rebate of $380. Treasurer Robert Saul said this aligns with the state’s property tax rebate.

The approved athletics general admission fees for 2025-2026 remain unchanged. Varsity and JV games are $5 for adults, $3 students, while season tickets vary in cost. Senior citizens with East Penn Gold Cards will be admitted free while those without an EPSD gold card will be admitted at the student price for home events.

New textbooks supporting the high school’s French courses for Grades 9-12 were adopted. “T’es branché? (Levels 1-4)” is written by Toni Thiesen and published by Carnegie Learning.

Leading the K-8 Realignment: Financial Plan Presentation were Ben Kapenstein, a PFM Financial Advisors senior management consultant and Managing Director Allison Macchi from Raymond James.

As another step in the district’s grade realignment initiatives, the schematic design budget explored ways to pay for the expansion and renovation costs associated with addressing capacity issues in the elementary schools by moving the fifth grade to Eyer Middle School which will be converted to a Grade 5/6 intermediate school and Lower Macungie Middle School would become a Grade 7/8 Center.

Several board members expressed concerns over the anticipated higher overall price of the projects along with the possible effect the on again, off again tariffs threaten to increase construction costs.

So far, the total combined project cost for Eyer and LMMS is $94,787,543. This includes site work, construction, etc., as well as “soft costs” like design and permits.

Estimated remaining capital plan costs for the two sites is a total of $20,128,980.

Kapenstein noted the district’s 2026 budget shows a fund balance equaling 18% of total revenues which provides the district with an Aa rating on Moody’s Available fund balance ratio scorecard, the second-highest ranking.

Unfortunately, with the project’s high cost, none of six scenarios analyzed projected a sustainable financial plan that would not drain the district’s finances by 2031.

The consultants suggested a scenario that would keep things financially stable as long as the board is willing to raise taxes to the Act 1 Index every year for the foreseeable future, reduce annual capital spending to $6.5 million and finance the balance and reduce spending on new staff for the reconfiguration from $6.3 million to 3.4 million.

They also provided a chart reflecting the district’s future financial picture if the costs were reduced to $85 million which showed very little difference from the $95 million project cost.

Board members appeared shaken by the figures and expressed concerns about moving forward with the project. Some mentioned worries about how it would impact addressing any infrastructure issues with the high school.

With three years already invested in the K-8 Realignment Plan, it was noted that compared to the cost of redistricting and upgrading the elementary schools had been higher than taking the road they were now on.

President Dr. Joshua Levinson advised they move forward instead of backtracking or shifting priorities to the high school and see how the numbers play out with further analysis and during the bidding process.

Several agreed with this as well as with Shonta Ford’s comment that, “Doing nothing is not an option.”

A $13,498.54 donation was gratefully accepted from The GIANT Company through their Feeding School Kids initiative that provides financial support toward reducing student lunch debt.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the mid-June retirements of EHS Instructional Assistant Grant Carter, Eyer Middle School Instructional Assistant Lisa Schupp and Willow Lane Elementary Staff Assistant Jacqueline Tapler.

Campbell noted Carter’s seven, Schupp’s 26 and Tapler’s five years of service with the district.

They also acknowledged the resignations of Supervisor of Humanities Erin Murphy, Special Education Teacher Wendi Myers and Science Teacher Nicole Wack from EHS, Lower Macungie Middle School Music Teacher Erin Trautmann, Shoemaker Elementary Special Education Teacher Lena Polliard and Special Education Teacher Emma Triano from Willow Lane Elementary School. All become effective June 10 through Aug. 1.

Approved newly-hired district employees include: Miranda Ortiz for the newly-created administrative position of student services specialist, as well as Rachel Haring in a PCCD grant-funded appointment as elementary student support coordinator, Wendi Myers as an EHS assistant principal and Sarah Raber replacing Murphy as Office of Teaching and Learning supervisor of humanities. All become effective June 10 through Aug. 11.

Additional newly-hired district employees for the 2025-2026 school year are Gabrielle Hockenberry as a new school psychologist for EHS, along with Jessica Parker as a Grade 7 science teacher and Amanda Ward as a special-education teacher at Eyer Middle School to fill recently vacated positions.

In her district update Superintendent Dr. Kristen Campbell described recent events celebrating the Class of 2025’s graduation at the PPL Center in Allentown, as well as the “Parade of Seniors” held at the elementary schools.

Four members of the public addressed the directors.

Emmaus resident Thomas Beaky II reported a security breach occurred at EHS when a former student entered the building without authorization May 28.

EHS students Abigail Jeter and Madison Peters advocated for more AP and honors academic opportunities for students in all grade levels.

Ethan Amy, also a high school student, requested the district add fencing as a team or club option for students interested in the swashbuckling sport.

A third reading and adoption of updates to existing policies was held regarding organization, employment contract/board resolution, pregnant/parenting/married students, personal necessity leave, uncompensated leave, federal fiscal compliance, gifts, grants, donations and food services.

Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit Board Member Dr. William Whitney reported a third facility dog has been added to the roster with an 18-month-old black lab named “Gemma.” Whitney promoted the upcoming 32nd Annual Carbon Lehigh Special Needs Children’s Foundation Golf Tournament scheduled for June 17.

Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Joint Operating committee member Adam Smith mentioned LCTI students are participating in various skills competitions and a recent Lehigh Valley Health Network presentation on supports for students.

Levinson announced an executive session was held prior to the public forum 6:30 p.m. on “safety and security and litigation.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. June 23. The public can access documents through BoardDocs via a link on the district website. Livestreaming of meetings is available on the district’s YouTube channel.