School News

Planned upgrades include new bullpens and batting cages and many renovations throughout the park.

To help female chess players in her native Botswana, Lehigh University graduate student Besa Masaiti established a chess tournament there — the Besa Masaiti WIM Norm Chess Championship.

Five Lehigh Valley schools have rifle teams that compete in the Northeast Pennsylvania Rifle League. Says one student: “We want to get more people involved and show it’s totally safe. Sometimes, our sport gets a bad rap because of what’s going on (in the world).”

Parkland School District Social Worker Diane Irish has begun hosting office hours for the Parkland REACH Village, a gathering space and community hub of information for anyone who lives in the district.

The Allentown School Board approved updates to programs that add new language and career training options for students. Some of the changes are the result of a survey of more than 1,800 high school students and focus groups, officials said.

Allentown City Council approved a 10-year lease that will see the college pay $15,000 in rent each year and invest up to $4 million in the stadium.

Officials from the Allentown school district spoke with hesitant optimism about the benefits the state's new spending plan could bring to the district.

Away from the fields and courts used by thousands of student-athletes, some Lehigh Valley schools for decades have maintained rifle teams. The Northeast Pennsylvania Rifle League is made up of 11 teams including the Lehigh Valley's Emmaus, Freedom, Liberty, Salisbury and Southern Lehigh high schools.

Students, who college officials said are a demographic experiencing an "epidemic" of mental health issues, say they're excited for the new space and see its potential.

Hundreds gathered Tuesday night in Dieruff’s cafeteria for a community forum on the proposal to overhaul Andre Reed Park in Allentown's East Side.

Allentown School Board approved the contract Thursday. Members of the Allentown Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local 1716, ratified the contract Wednesday in a 56-21 vote, with two abstentions.

Families who pay tuition for schooling are on the receiving end of more than $200,000. The Bridge Educational Foundation is giving scholarships to those who meet the income qualifications at two area schools.

Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Forks Township celebrated the grand opening of Colonial Cafe 71, a coffee shop which helps teach employment and life skills.

Easton Area School District officials stated an agreement to improve Vanderveer Park may be up for a vote at their September 24 meeting, in addition to the board considering improvements at Paxinosa to establish a walking path.

Superintendent Jack Silva will work to improve academic achievement and attendance this school year. He also spoke about his goals for the next few years.

Robert Steckel became superintendent of the Whitehall-Coplay School District in 2021. “I’ll have more to say at a later meeting, but I am here to assist the board with the search process and ensure that a smooth transition occurs to whoever the successor is," he said.

In appreciation for the early intervention services he received at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, Nazareth Area High School junior Brody Muthard, 16, has chosen to build a playground there for autistic children for his Boy Scout Eagle Scout project.

Over the next five years, Muhlenberg Inside-Out will collaborate with Promise Neighborhoods of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Lehigh Valley Technical Institute on re-entry initiatives for people returning home from jail or prison.

Governor Josh Shapiro came to a growing district in the Lehigh Valley — East Penn School District — to celebrate an increase in public school funding through the 2024-25 Pennsylvania state budget.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, said bad actors like Russia are abusing their place in the world order. But until a viable alternative exists, responsible citizens must engage in systems like the U.N. to work toward a better future.

On Aug. 23, ASD's solicitor rescinded a cease-and-desist letter sent to the Allentown-based, anti-poverty nonprofit organization more than two years ago.

Bethlehem Area School Board approved 2024-25 academic action plans for seven schools that the state Department of Education has declared are in need of performance improvement and support.