School News

A new program hitting Pennsylvania high schools is just one of many ways the state is responding to a teacher shortage that’s created cascading staffing challenges across the Commonwealth.

Central Bucks South High School librarian Matt Pecic said a principal told him to take down four posters with a quote from Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel.

The changes were previously criticized by one board member as 'hippy-dippy, woke stuff.' On Thursday night, they passed unanimously.

Superintendent Joe Roy says no violation of law or regulation was found. But the Pennsylvania Auditor General's Office said the district had other options at its disposal rather than relying on taxpayers.

Easton has been struggling with a shortage of school bus drivers for at least the past few years. Students were getting to school late or getting home late, so the district purchased software last year to design bus routes instead of doing them by hand to find efficiencies.

District Business Administrator Robert Saul presented a draft preliminary 2023-24 budget that shows a $7 million increase in projected expenditures, primarily driven by wage, benefits and service cost increases.

Under the proposal, history would be taught in themes instead of chronologically. ASD Board Director Phoebe Harris called it "woke" and opposes the change.

Director Patrick Foose has recently clashed with other board directors and has been the lone dissenting vote on several issues related to transparency on the board.

Lehigh president Joseph J. Helble said "racist language" was used, but the assault was not racially motivated.

Some Lehigh Valley school districts are reviewing their safety protocols for responding to injuries at area football games after Damar Hamlin's recent collapse brought renewed attention to the dangers of the sport.

The Trump administration announced in late June that it would not pay out more than $6 billion allocated through six grant programs created by Congress. For Parkland School District, that works out to $410,000 in lost funding.

Wilson Area High School Principal John Martuscelli soon will have a bit more time on his hands to focus on his grandson and his golf game.

A previous estimate for the proposed 1-million-square-foot warehouse shows the district would receive around $5 million from the property over 10 years with LERTA in effect.

As a key early vote approaches, several East Penn school board members again raised concerns Monday over plans to realign its middle grades, and how much the project will cost.

There are free summer meal sites for kids throughout the Lehigh Valley funded through the Summer Food Service Program.

Two local state representatives co-sponsored House Bill 17, which passed out of the chamber last month. It was referred to the state Senate's education committee for further review.

South Whitehall Township's planning commission voted Thursday to delay a vote to approve Parkland High School's planned expansion. Township staff gave the school district plenty to do before they return to seek land development approval.

If JOSHWAY meets its shoe drive goal, it will receive a $10,000 donation to fund its work supporting Lehigh Valley youth-focused nonprofit organizations.

Robert "Bob" Smith, 63, received enough write-in votes to secure the Republican nomination for the two-year term. He will compete against Democratic nominee Robert "Nick" Nicholoff, 29.

Proposed federal budget cuts would impact programs such as the free summer meal program for children in the Allentown School District.

The district has a two-year transition plan that includes enrolling middle schoolers at the academy in the 2026-27 academic year. Starting in the coming school year, the academy will replace Building 21 High School.

The free, two-week camp exposed Lehigh Valley teens to sheet metal, piping, plumbing and basic electrical work.