K-12 News

The Saucon Valley School Board is set to make a decision “in the coming weeks” on whether or not to keep a school resource officer on campus, according to Lower Saucon Police Chief Thomas Barndt.

Costas Alestas, a former Bethlehem police officer and soccer coach at East Hills Middle School, intends to plead not guilty to multiple sex-related crimes involving two middle school students, his attorney said.

Parkland School Board approved a preliminary budget Tuesday that would take the millage rate from 16.30 mills to 17.12 mills — an increase of 5%. A final vote on the budget is pending.

In the midst of budget season, Easton Area School District is examining figures to trim a tax increase and bridge a multimillion dollar gap between revenue and expenditures.

The Bethlehem Area School Board passed a preliminary 2024-25 budget at a Monday special meeting. The district plans to increase taxes and pull from a surplus fund to balance the budget. The final budget will be adopted in June.

Parkland School District is likely taking on two expansion projects at Parkland High School and Orefield Middle School. More details are now coming to light about what they will look like — and how much they will cost.

Forty international students from around the globe are finishing up their school year spent in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding area soon, then will head back home to their families. International Host Family Week celebrates exchange student programs.

Pennsylvania State Police said the victim was hit by a tractor-trailer along Interstate 380 in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County. Sean Richmond, 38, was a 2004 Easton High grad and current coach and athletic director at Stroudsburg.

Nearly 45 Allentown students have participated in a new mentorship program at Lehigh Parkway Elementary School this year. The program pairs fifth-grade leaders with younger students to help them reach academic and behavioral goals.

Allentown high school students will learn about data analytics and artificial intelligence during an eight-week summer program with DeSales University in which they earn a stipend and college credits.

Community members supportive of ASD Superintendent John Stanford protested his firing by the Allentown school board Wednesday morning at the Lehigh County Courthouse. Stanford's last day on the job is Friday.

Hundreds of students were seen outside the school on Third Street in South Bethlehem as police responded to the incident on Monday. Officers blocked streets in the area and students and staff were moved to a nearby location.

Allentown school board approved a separation agreement with Superintendent John D. Stanford at Thursday's school board meeting. The terms and reason for the dismissal have not been disclosed.

The Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School is well on its way to moving in to its new location on Avenue C in Bethlehem by next school year.

The school district is expected to get two electric vehicle school buses as part of a pilot program.

School Board Director Patrick Foose said the school board harrassed him for voting against a new $80,000 scoreboard for the district's swimming pool and was not transparent about the process.

In an effort to maintain the positive atmosphere of football games, Easton police officers will be present.

Sources tell LehighValleyNews.com that the board is negotiating a separation package for John Stanford, who is 11 months into the job.

Three additional Lehigh Valley area school districts have partnered with a technology company to automatically ticket drivers who illegally pass school buses.

A high school in Allentown was designated a K-12 Tree Campus and hoisted a new flag in celebration.

The incident has prompted the Bethlehem Area School District and city police plan to ramp up security measures at future games.

Most of the children and adults rushed to area hospitals Tuesday have been released after being poisoned with carbon monoxide at an Allentown daycare facility.