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.

Some Northampton Area school directors are hoping Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik rethinks his retirement. They worry candidates for his job won't want to work with the school board.

Christopher A. Schiffert and Renee Sallit were approved as superintendent and assistant superintendent, respectively, at the Nov. 25, 2024 meeting of the Whitehall-Coplay School District board of directors.

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."