Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education met June 11 to adopt the final budget, approve new hires and conduct other business in preparation for the 2019-20 school year.

The 2019-20 budget has general fund expenditures of $32,932,278. The anticipated revenues and expenditures are balanced with real estate tax rates of 19.5127 mills in Lehigh County and 61.1112 mills in Northampton County.

School district Superintendent Robert Spengler reported the district received $468,000 from the School Safety grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Education. These funds go toward the two school resource officers as well as the mental health professionals utilized in the district.

Spengler thanked the board members for their unending support. He noted the budget priorities focused on the 2019-20 budget are right on track with the needs assessment completed at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

There were personnel changes in the district. At Sheckler Elementary School, Brandon Keks was approved as a third-grade teacher and Jennifer Schmidt as a special education teacher. Derek Saltzgiver was approved as a physical education and wellness teacher, and Gregory Freeman was appointed assistant principal at Catasauqua Middle School.

A change of employment for Bryan Klass was approved to go from Catasauqua High School assistant principal to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) teacher at CMS. He will also work with middle school teachers to oversee further integration of technology in the classroom.

Several teachers were approved for the high school, including Megan Hinkle, physical education; Eamon Murray, special education; Alexander Hess, physics; Kelly Robertson, English/language arts; and Kyle Davies, long-term substitute. Jon Kiefer, previous CMS assistant principal, will be the accounting/business and career teacher at CHS.

Tracy Genovese was approved to go from a part-time custodian to a part-time receptionist in the district. Kristen Bloszinsky moved from an administration receptionist to a business office support specialist, and Shane Brensinger was approved as a full-time custodian.

Next year’s student representatives to the school board are Amber Kalnas and Jacob Drummer. Luis Saint Amand is the alternate.

Dr. Christina Lutz- Doemling, school district director of curriculum and assessment, reported final revisions are being made to the new graduation requirements for CHS. The board previously approved scheduling and day-to-day changes at the high school. These changes necessitated revisions to the graduation requirements. According to Lutz-Doemling, the revisions are expected to be ready for approval at the August board meeting.

The board approved extracurricular positions, the second reading of the extracurricular code of conduct and the Equal Opportunity Employer resolution.

The CMS Star Players of the Month for May are Andrew Strohl, fifth grade; Brandon Larkin, sixth grade; Reese Johnson, seventh grade; and Ryan Casey, eighth grade.

The July school board meeting has been canceled. The board next meets 7 p.m. Aug. 13 in the district administration office board room, 201 N. 14th St.