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.

They payment will be covered by the school district's insurance. The amount ordered by the judge is significantly less than the amount request by the ex-teacher and his legal team.

Nazareth Area School District on Tuesday approved a $117 million budget with a 2.95% tax increase for 2025-26, though not without some opposition.

More than a dozen volunteers on Tuesday committed their service to the community’s schoolchildren who find themselves at odds with the law for the first time.

After rain damaged the contents of a time capsule buried at Dieruff High School in 2000, students on Tuesday resorted to a second capsule saved inside the building 25 years ago.

Whitehall-Coplay School Board approved a 4.6% property tax increase at its Monday committee meeting, but it will require $2.8 million from the general fund to make ends meet.

The East Penn school board approved a 2025-2026 budget Monday which will raise property taxes by 0.84 mills, the most allowed under state law without a referendum.

School directors approved the final 2025-26 budget Monday. The district increased taxes, cut spending and dipped into savings to balance the $373.2 million spending plan.

Join the Watching the Skies guys at Shankweiler’s Drive-In next Tuesday, June 17, for a special filmed presentation on the "red planet," followed by a screening of the 1985 film "Explorers."

Eileen Miller, whose son Paul Miller was killed in a collision by a distracted driver, on Friday spoke on a piece of legislation that bans the use of handheld devices while driving in Pennsylvania.

Arts Academy Charter Middle School in Salisbury Township dedicated the school building in honor of outgoing executive director William Fitzpatrick.

Through the digital equity program, students, teachers and some other staff members at the Allentown schools will get an iPad equipped with a keyboard and 24/7 internet access.

Easton Area School District is moving forward with a final proposed budget set to be voted upon in late June, though it comes with a 3.5% tax increase which will help fund the new high school.