School News

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

A Children First report looked at Allentown, Pittsburgh, Chester-Upland and Philadelphia school districts.

Allentown schools Superintendent Carol Birks said she plans to form a task force find ways to enroll more young children into early learning programs, with families on waitlists across the Lehigh Valley and statewide.

Saucon Valley schools Superintendent Jaime Vlasaty took the stand for nearly three hours Thursday, defending her decision to revoke permission for an after-school Satan Club to meet on school property.

South Whitehall commissioners granted preliminary/final approval to plans for the new Parkland School District operations center at their meeting Wednesday.

University police are looking for information on a screaming incident that occurred on Lehigh's campus over the weekend.

The ninth annual Governor's STEM Competition in Pennsylvania has announced its regional winners, with two teams from the Lehigh Valley among the top 20 finalists.

Puerto Rico's electrical grid has been devastated by hurricanes due to worsening climate change. Ruth Santiago, a Bethlehem native, has a solution.

The applicant Eric Moyer said he is considering appealing the decision or proposing a different development at the 3599 Broadway site.

In June, alumni of PBS39's long-running "Scholastic Scrimmage" high school quiz show will come together for networking and a screening of a documentary to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

At the Allentown Art Museum on Saturday, Dr. James Nangeroni was gifted a painting he entered into a Crayola children's arts contest when he was a third-grade student at Dodd Elementary in 1992.

Stephen DeWeerth, professor and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, called the endowment “a testament to the commitment of our alumni community in advancing Lehigh's mission of inspiring future makers."

Staff members also said a teachers' union representative told them they could lose their jobs if they spoke to reporters about the building challenges.

A proposed 25,800-square-foot childcare center in Salisbury Township would be named in memory of Monsignor John P. Murphy, long-time cleric in Allentown who died in 2023 at age 86.

Students have been learning online since last Wednesday. Teachers are reporting to other schools throughout the district to lead their online classrooms.

Bethlehem Area, Northampton Area and Saucon Valley will all continue sending their students to the vocational-technical school. This agreement comes after months of tense debate about the school's future.

The Whitehall-Coplay School Board on Monday accepted a letter of retirement from Director of Athletics Bob Hartman. Hartman has served in that role for 23 years. His retirement is effective in August.

The donations will go toward family engagement, peer mentoring and elementary athletics programs as a long-term strategy for preventing crime and drug use.

The Allentown School Board approved the purchase of land for a new K-8 school Thursday. School directors faced critiques of the land's price tag and the construction management firm it chose for the school project.

Superintendent Carol Birks said compliance with federal guidelines will focus on the language ASD uses rather than a complete overhaul of its programs.

Cedar Crest College will use a $608,000 grant from the U.S. Justice Department for creation of an Expert Witness Training Center and Crime Scene Lab.