School News

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s support has raised the state’s profile in the national school voucher debate and given advocates optimism the program will become law.

Have you been following the news in the Lehigh Valley this week? Find out how many of these questions about happenings and news around the Lehigh Valley you can answer correctly.

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 interactive event features a local author and historian discussing the birth of the U.S. Constitution for children ages 7-12 years old.

The event focused on Yusuf Dahl, an ex-con turned real estate mogul who was rejected from renting a house in Allentown due to his former incarceration.

Undergraduate students could qualify for up to four years of studies

Shelly (Jacobs) Bartolacci is retiring as an Easton girls basketball coach three years after retiring from teaching. Her retirement marks the end of a 54-year association with the Easton Area School District as a student, teacher or coach.

Lehigh Carbon Community College has gotten a $200,000 grant that will be used to help Hispanic students pursue STEM majors.

The classroom business Suds-abilities helps developmentally disabled students gain social and vocational skills in school.

DeSales University professor Elisabeth Felten is in her second year teaching non-traditional, special needs adults to give them a college experience.

In his latest budget proposal, Governor Josh Shapiro wants to allocate nearly $500 million to chronically underfunded school districts — and that includes several districts in the Lehigh Valley. But lawmakers have concerns around the fairness of the funding distribution.

H.B. 827 was proposed by State Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton. The bill aims to establish a tutoring program in which high school students could receive academic credit for being tutors

Northampton Area School Board is discussing how it will balance its budget this year and in coming years. Solutions include tax increases and the postponement of the Moore Elementary project.

Southern Lehigh Superintendent Michael Mahon remains on administrative leave after the school board president publicly criticized his performance.

Northampton Area Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik will no longer retire at the end of this school year like he planned. The superintendent said it's not the right time for him to leave the district.

Allentown School Director Lisa Conover first joined the board in late 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. She will not run for re-election in the 2025 cycle.

After a maintenance issue closed Harrison-Morton Middle School for repairs in mid-February, students and staff learned virtually for eight days. Last week, they returned to in-person learning at temporary sites throughout Allentown.

The Northampton Area School Board approved Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik's retirement last November. The board, however, will consider rescinding his retirement during its Monday night meeting.

Southern Lehigh Superintendent Michael Mahon remains on administrative leave following public criticism of his performance from the school board president last week.

Partnering with Moravian University, ArtsQuest will hold summer art camps on the south campus of the college.

WASD approved their assistant superintendent job description on Monday evening, just about a month after confirming Amy Austin for the role which entails many of her former responsibilities.

Governor Josh Shapiro stopped by Farmersville Elementary in Bethlehem Twp. Monday to rally support for a program offering stipends to student teachers.