Board Approves Engineering Courses, Earlier Start for School

In addition to , the Saucon Valley School Board approved the addition of two engineering courses to the curriculum at at its Jan. 12 meeting.

The courses are a part of an engineering curriculum called Project Lead the Way and will replace low-enrollment art electives.

“The Project Lead the Way curriculum has a total of eight courses that could be incorporated as students progress through the program,” principal Eric Kahler said in an e-mail to Patch. "Many of the courses are sequential in nature, so Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering are the first two Foundations Courses in the program. These are the two courses that we will start with, and then provide additional courses as students progress through the program."

School board member Lanita Lum questioned whether the courses would be the same as Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech classes. She said she was concerned about a duplication of courses.

“The high school program far exceeds the vo-tech program,” said Kahler in response. "It has the potential to grow to eight courses, which could earn credits toward big name (colleges)."

In addition, Kahler said the classes are “high-level classes for college-bound students” and the classes could be offered at an honors level.

“My biggest concern is enrollment,” said board vice president Susan Baxter. She suggested the administration come back each year with enrollment numbers for the courses.

“The student population will benefit from these types of courses,” Kahler said. “I don’t think enrollment will be an issue.”

Board member Bryan Eichfeld voiced concerns about enrollment and saving the district money. He asked about the possibility of eliminating the art classes and not replacing it with the engineering course of study.

“We need to look at ways to start saving money,” Eichfeld said. ”I don’t ever want to lay off a teacher because we don’t have enough money.”

Eichfeld said he would like to see superintendent Sandra Fellin prepare a report for the board to show what would happen if two, three or four retiring teachers were not replaced.

In other business at the meeting, the board approved a 2012-2013 school district calendar that requires an earlier start to the school year.

School began after Labor Day in 2011, but the first day of the new school year will be Monday, Aug. 27.

Students and staff will have a short first week, because Friday, Aug. 31 and Monday, Sept. 3 schools will be closed in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

The board voted 6-3 to approve the earlier start to the school year, with board members Sandra Miller, Sharon Stack and Edward Inghrim voting against an earlier first day.