School News

LehighValleyNews.com and PBS39 will host a community conversation on the future of Allentown School District tonight, bringing together stakeholders to address issues facing educators, students and public education.

Dieruff and Allen high schools and Trexler Middle School were locked down Monday after multiple unsubstantiated threats of mass violence were made to the district. Additional threats were made to Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, which also closed for the remainder of the day.

Muhlenberg College senior Alex Wagner praised Lehigh Valley political candidates who were present and engaged with college students well before the midterms approached. He said it helped push young voters to the polls, and made a difference in several key races.

Rangina Hamidi, Afghanistan's former Minister of Education, will give this year's Wallenberg Tribute Lecture

LCTI students were either evacuated from the building or sent back to home schools if en route

The protesters spoke on the need for transparency and worry about corruption in the Allentown School District in the wake of John Stanford's removal.

The 77-year-old motorist received two citations and will not face serious criminal charges in the death of teacher's aide Angela Yowakim, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Northampton Area School District’s inaugural Summer Career Mentorship Program exposed 50 high schoolers to careers in manufacturing, interior design, healthcare and more.

In an email, Allentown School District said mold spores were found in several elementary school classrooms. Remedial action has been taken, the district said in a release, and the classrooms will be tested ahead of the first day of school.

They will serve in districtwide administrative roles and as school building leaders.

Allentown school directors voted 7-0 Thursday to approve the project justification and design development for the school that will sit on the grounds of the former Allentown State Hospital property.

The two cultural institutions collaborated to offer a conjoined professional development experience for educators at the charter school.