School News

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

Christopher Schweikert, 27, of Coplay, who also is a teacher at Freedom High School, had a sexual relationship with the girl, whom he coached, according to Northampton County prosecutors.

The board had two vacancies due to the resignations of now-State Sen. Nick Miller and former Director Charlie Thiel.

The Allentown School Board will interview nine applicants to fill two board vacancies following the resignations of Board Director Charlie Thiel and state Sen. Nick Miller.

Some worry that supports for families at the schools could be lost.

Khalid Mumin, who has been superintendent of the Lower Merion School district in suburban Philadelphia for a little over a year, will be nominated for education secretary after Josh Shapiro is inaugurated on Jan. 17.

The appeal involves potential open meetings violations.

Workers and their dependents can now get up to $2,000 a year for tuition, room and board at any of the 10 Pennsylvania State System universities.

At the latest hearing for the proposed facility, both witnesses spoke about the need for recovery houses. "There's as much effort being made to get the drugs out there as to keep them also on the down-low, very silenced, so no one really can tell. And they're attacking our young population.” Julissa Pena, a witness for the applicant said.

The board may have violated transparency laws because key discussions about filling a vacancy did not happen in public, according to Melissa Melewsky, in-house counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

Allentown school directors approved a list of goals at their recent meeting to guide their work for the rest of the academic year.

About 40 early childhood educators gathered at a roundtable event Friday at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem to discuss their work.

Allentown school directors unanimously approved the schematic design for a new school after renderings were updated by Breslin Architects to incorporate feedback. Some on the school board previously said the building looked like a jail.

Easton Area School District may not be able to have their classic bonfire next week, but students are engaging in a new tradition: developing their own themed floats for the parade.

The hourlong program explores the audit that found the district not committed to equity and social justice. It was conducted over four months early this year. More than 5,000 students, staff and community members participated in surveys and dozens of school district leaders participated in focus groups.

At its Nov. 11 meeting, Northampton Area school directors considered five partial renovation options for Moore Elementary.

Northampton Area school directors approved the second round of financing for the East Allen Elementary School and education center project at their meeting last week.

Easton Area School District officially canceled its Thanksgiving eve bonfire following a meeting with police and fire officials, who voiced concerns for the safety of people and property.

Bethlehem Area school directors approved the purchase agreement for 315 Columbia St. in South Bethlehem at their Monday meeting. The space would serve as a satellite campus for the Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School.

The new heating system is expected to be finished by spring. As of now, students say temperatures in the school are "unbearable."

The operations center will be at 2619 Stadium Drive, across from Orefield Middle School.

Officials from BAVTS and its sending school districts have discussed purchasing a South Bethlehem property that once was part of Bethlehem Steel, instead of moving forward with a proposed main campus expansion.