Before revisiting demographic data at the Oct. 27 regular board meeting, the East Penn School District Board of School Directors were introduced to new EHS Student Government Association School Board Student Representatives Maitreyi Kukade and Kyana Deabreu.

Alerted to an error made in the previous Oct. 13 meeting presentation, the directors were given updated data for the district’s facilities plan’s demographic report. Attending remotely, Zach Worthen from PowerSchool apologized that one of the planned housing developments mistakenly counted in the enrollment forecast had been formally canceled.

The projection team estimated the 180 unit Belle Chase/Mill Creek Pointe project would have generated an additional 54 students attending Willow Lane Elementary School by the 2029 school year. Since the new housing development was no longer in the pipeline, Worthen said the numbers were adjusted to reflect that.

While a conservative 5-year district-wide projection indicates a reduction in students from 7,709 students in 2025 to 7,401 in 2030, PowerSchool’s moderate 5-year district-wide projection predicts an increase from 7,709 students in 2025 to 7,852 in 2030.

Stephen Behrens from Breslin Architects provided an update to the district’s feasibility study. He observed a total of 23 classrooms have been reallocated to academic support use within the district‘s elementary schools. Behrens said 50 utilized spaces were not designed for their current educational use and these spaces are not equitable across the seven elementary schools. He reported there is no available space in the majority of the elementary schools to house an Innov8 program, or to expand any other additional program offering.

The assessment of the middle schools by Behrens pointed out the problems they face with space utilization. Eyer Middle School’s open-classroom design poses acoustic and circulation challenges causing distractions.

At Lower Macungie Middle School, faculty rooms and storage areas have been converted into offices and instructional spaces. The cafeteria is undersized for the student population and shared-use areas and a lack of specialized classrooms drives complex scheduling constraints.

He said he will return with a redistricting option later in the fall and high school options in spring 2026.

In her district update, Superintendent Dr. Kristen Campbell spotlighted Dr. Sue Fuller as District Employee of the Year. Fuller serves as a school counselor at Jefferson Elementary School.

Campbell announced Lehigh Career & Technical Institute’s prospective student open house is happening Nov. 14 and she encouraged EPSD Golden Age cardholders to attend the district’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon hosted at one of three schools Nov. 20.

The superintendent listed upcoming November theater productions including Emmaus High School’s “The Diary of Anne Frank,” two one-act plays, “Mascots” and “Friday Night Frights,” at Eyer Middle School as well as “Fractured” at Lower Macungie Middle School.

A resolution by the School Board urging “the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to promptly enact the overdue state budget for the 2025-2026 school year so that public school districts can receive their entitled funding to meet their financial obligations and to avoid unwanted disruption to their operations and programs,” was unanimously issued.

Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit Board Member Dr. William Whitney spoke about how Pennsylvania’s budget impasse was affecting their early intervention services that needs $3.5 million to function from the state.

In his final report, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Joint Operating Committee Member Adam Smith mentioned partnerships with local businesses, as well as drone certification and fiber optics workshops, apprenticeship and internship opportunities.

President Dr. Joshua Levinson mentioned an executive session was held before the public forum 6:45 p.m. on personnel and confidential matters.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 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.