K-12 News

Allentown School District held a kickoff event Thursday at South Mountain to tell students and families about the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program that gives each student an iPad for the school year.

The Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School in Allentown held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its $16.8 million school for fourth-to-eighth graders on Friday morning.

Commonwealth Charter Academy, a large, public, cyber charter school for all school-age children, plans to convert a nearly 47,000-square-foot, one-story building into office space for teachers and staff at 2200 W. Broad St.

Critics of the hiring process argued for a superintendent search instead of a direct appointment. Others said Karen Trinkle had more than proven herself ready to lead, and a search would be lengthy and costly.

Planned to open to students for the 2027-28 school year, the roughly $59 million project will go up on the same land as its predecessor facility, which dated back to the 1930s.

School directors voted 5-2 to approve Ethan Ake-Little’s resignation and settlement agreement. His resignation takes effect Aug. 31.

Southern Lehigh school directors appointed Karen Trinkle as chief of schools. They also approved a settlement agreement with Ethan Ake-Little, the HR director who filed discrimination and retaliation complaints against the former superintendent.

Ethan Ake-Little has been suspended with pay since June while the district investigated allegations about his job performance. Ake-Little previously filed discrimination, retaliation and fraud complaints against the former superintendent.

Additional cleaning and air quality testing remain underway at Sheridan and Ritter elementary schools, Allentown School District said in an update Sunday.

School directors are scheduled to vote Monday on whether to promote Assistant Superintendent Karen Trinkle to chief of schools. The proposed five-year contract comes a month after school directors voted to part ways with the previous superintendent.

Easton Area School District may not be able to have their classic bonfire next week, but students are engaging in a new tradition: developing their own themed floats for the parade.

The hourlong program explores the audit that found the district not committed to equity and social justice. It was conducted over four months early this year. More than 5,000 students, staff and community members participated in surveys and dozens of school district leaders participated in focus groups.

At its Nov. 11 meeting, Northampton Area school directors considered five partial renovation options for Moore Elementary.

Northampton Area school directors approved the second round of financing for the East Allen Elementary School and education center project at their meeting last week.

Easton Area School District officially canceled its Thanksgiving eve bonfire following a meeting with police and fire officials, who voiced concerns for the safety of people and property.

Bethlehem Area school directors approved the purchase agreement for 315 Columbia St. in South Bethlehem at their Monday meeting. The space would serve as a satellite campus for the Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School.

The warm weather, albeit part of a drought, gave more visitors more time to visit Lehigh Valley Zoo and learn about its purpose in 2024. Nearly 185,000 guests visited. The 11th annual Winter Light Spectacular opened this weekend.

More than 20,000 items will be on the shelves at very affordable price points.

The new heating system is expected to be finished by spring. As of now, students say temperatures in the school are "unbearable."

The operations center will be at 2619 Stadium Drive, across from Orefield Middle School.

Officials from BAVTS and its sending school districts have discussed purchasing a South Bethlehem property that once was part of Bethlehem Steel, instead of moving forward with a proposed main campus expansion.

Almost 400 students at Washington Elementary School in Allentown received new winter coats for free thanks to the nonprofit organization Operation Warm, in partnership with PPL and Accenture.