K-12 News

The East Penn School Board gave final approval to its 2023-24 budget and set a tax rate lower than initial projections. The new budget retains administrative priorities such as 7 reading interventionists and 6 learning support staffers.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The Allentown School District said the STREAM Academy at the new science center at Eighth and Hamilton streets will be the first non-charter, non-private, theme-based school in the Lehigh Valley.

For 50 years, Ray Boris taught Theology at Bethlehem Catholic High School. He showed up shortly after 6 a.m. every day and didn't leave until he graded the last test.

The Bethlehem Area School District plans to appoint Maureen Leeson as assistant superintendent and chief academic officer, to take the place of Jack Silva, who will be the next superintendent. Esther Lee, president of the Bethlehem NAACP, said the district should have hired a Black candidate.

State House Democrats approved adding $1.7 billion more education spending, including more money to the poorest districts. The final budget will be negotiated with Senate leaders and the governor's office.

The nonprofit Community Action Lehigh Valley has worked for about two years to buy Cleveland Elementary School so it can turn into space for area youth.

The Lehigh County Conservation District and Dieruff High School are partnering to transform a vacant courtyard at the school into an urban garden.

A team of students from Bangor Area High School placed ninth in this year's statewide Envirothon competition, essentially a scholastic scrimmage for environmental science. The team placed first for the wildlife station.

The 21st Century program is to help students with academic support and art and music enrichment.

Two elementary schools and one middle school in the Bethlehem Area School District distributed free backpacks to incoming students on Friday.

New Nazareth Superintendent Isabel Resende will receive a prorated $205,000 salary for the 2024-2025 school year. She has worked for the district for 16 years.

The Nazareth Area School Board voted to promote Assistant Superintendent Isabel Resende to the district's top spot Tuesday evening. Resende will take over after the district approved a separation agreement with Superintendent Richard Kaskey Tuesday.

East Penn administrators heard a presentation on curriculum changes proposed to the district's Math and English programs, with the hopes they can remap to updated standards and meet learning acquisition and scoring challenges post-COVID.

Anthony Pidgeon, the former Allentown School District director of human resources, testified Jason Moorehead couldn't return to the classroom after posting distasteful political memes on social media following the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol Building.

Allentown School District's OneAllentown Back-to-School Bash was designed to show parents the caring nature of those who will prepare their children for their future.

The district is introducing new set of district policies governing the use and expectations regarding generative artificial intelligence, giving them a basis to train students and staff.

The Fountain Hill Planning Commission voted Monday to recommend approving plans for a new Fountain Hill Elementary School.

Improvements at aging Steckel Elementary School and Whitehall-Coplay Middle School will begin with window replacements.

Several Allentown schools need performance support, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. A presentation was given to the Allentown School Board at this week's meeting.

Allentown School District’s solicitor is developing a proposed policy for how ASD manages relationships with outside organizations.

Jason Moorehead, a former social studies teacher at Raub Middle School, testified for hours in this week as his lawsuit against the Allentown School District plays out in federal court.