- 
                Brian Myszkowski/LehighValleyNews.comEaston Area School District has joined several other Lehigh Valley schools to withhold charter school payments until the state budget is resolved.
 - 
                Brian Myszkowski/LehighValleyNews.comAbout 400 Allentown families came to The Salvation Army for The Give Back resource event Wednesday, where they received shelf-stable food, daily necessities, and more, just as federal assistance benefits are about to be cut off.
 
- 
                        Two area community colleges are expanding their dual enrollment programming, which enables high school students to better prepare for college and careers. The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded $14 million in Dual Credit Innovation Grants to 15 public institutions of higher education to increase their programming.
 - 
                        Developers behind the new Easton Area School District high school presented some refinements and updates on the project plans to the school board at their Tuesday meeting.
 - 
                        A mural reflecting the dreams of young Allentown teenagers was unveiled at the Boys and Girls Club of Allentown on Wednesday.
 - 
                        Easton Area School District's board voted in favor of a health insurance buyout option that will offer employees $6,000 in lieu of coverage, offering potentially substantial savings to the district.
 - 
                        With the increase, the average taxpayer would see his or her annual property tax bill increase about $13.99 a month, or $168 total from the year before.
 - 
                        School directors voted 5-3 for a $140.7 million spending plan that includes a 4% tax hike, which would raise $3.2 million in additional revenue for the district.
 - 
                        A new version of Bethlehem Area School District's 2025-26 school year budget presented Monday includes a tax hike and a $5.9M fund drawdown ahead of a final June vote.
 - 
                        School directors voted 5-3 to continue funding the Northampton Area Public Library at its current level.
 - 
                        Isavel Mendoza will study theater at Pace University in the fall. He began writing poetry in first grade and comes from a family of artists in the Dominican Republic.
 - 
                        State Sen. Lisa Boscola and and state Sen. Nick Miller, both Democrats, voted in favor of legislation that would prevent transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh/Bucks, also supported it.
 
- 
                        At the request of the Northampton Area School Board, the district administration provided options for where the district could save money as budget discussions for the 2025-26 fiscal year got underway.
 - 
                        School directors had to choose from seven options for updating Moore Elementary, ranging in cost from $15.5 million to $70 million.
 - 
                        There's an ongoing investigation into a sixth-grade assignment that asked students prompts about slavery, according to the school district superintendent.
 - 
                        Custodial and maintenance workers in Allentown School District voted Thursday to join Teamsters Local Union #773. They hope the Teamsters can help them negotiate a better contract.
 - 
                        Custodial and maintenance workers think the Teamsters could help them get a stronger contract when their current one expires in June. Allentown School District is recommending workers vote for no union representation.
 - 
                        Phoebe Harris, 59, first was elected to Allentown School Board in 2017. She has advocated for students and sometimes found herself at the center of controversy.
 - 
                        In the last year and a half, Allentown School District spent more than $1.4 million on new instruments and hired 34 educators to teach the related arts, which include band, choir and orchestra, among others.
 - 
                        Ice Cream Wars is described by the Da Vinci Science Center as the 'sweetest competition in the Lehigh Valley.'
 - 
                        The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, in partnership with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, is holding its 10th annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids on Saturday, Jan. 11.
 - 
                        Knowing your child and following your instincts are most important when it comes to seeking care for sick babies and kids, says one area pediatrician.
 - 
                        Allentown School District's director of child nutrition services has added more culturally diverse options to school lunch menus. Students have noticed the changes, and they're happy about it.
 - 
                        From memoirs to thrillers to historic novellas, find a title that inspires among the BAPL annual list.