School News

Just about everything appears to be in order in regard to an agreement between Easton officials and the school district to revamp Vanderveer Park.

The Pennsylvania House passed a bill last week that would overhaul the state’s education funding system, sending millions to Lehigh Valley schools over the next seven years. But it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Over the past 14 weeks, about a dozen Lehigh Valley teens participated in the pre-apprenticeship program at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 375 in Allentown.

The mural, by artist Mercedes Salazar, is a collaboration with Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance, Community Action of Development of Allentown, The Chamber Foundation and Allentown Mural Arts.

The grant program would allow schools to recruit students, paraprofessionals and other community members to pursue a career in education. It passed the House with bipartisan support last year but has been stuck in committee in the Senate since then.

Opposing forces came to a head during a discussion about public use of Easton Area School District's Cottingham Stadium, with talks of potential costs, liability, and a connection to the public dominating the conversation.

Bethlehem native Julianna Rodrigues, who has a form of muscular dystrophy, was the keynote speaker at the inaugural Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Collaborative at Moravian University, on Tuesday morning.

The East Penn School Board approved the district's 2024-25 budget with a property tax increase of 4.12% It maintains existing programs and staff positions sought by school administrators.

A Democratic-sponsored proposal to boost public school funding by billions and impose stricter rules on cyber-charter schools is on its way to the Pennsylvania Senate after passage in the state House.

Says Cathy Leibensperger, Saucon Valley High School's wrestling scorekeeper for 44 years: “I look at the other inductees and I see people that have traveled the world, people that coached champions — I’m just a little scorekeeper from a little high school in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.”

The Allentown nonprofit is gearing up to break ground that would add around 6,000 square feet to its art school located at 510 Linden St. The state awarded $1 million through an LSA grant to the project, which is expected to cost around $5.5 million.

City Center is planning to overhaul the former Allentown State Hospital property with hundreds of new homes, offices, a school and more.

The policy would outline which AI tools are allowed for student and teacher use. It will be considered at the next regular board meeting Dec. 19.

A local youth sports nonprofit organization said it couldn't afford the $200-a-day fee to rent gym space for a basketball program. Now, some school directors want to waive fees for small community groups.

Allentown school directors elected the board president and vice president for 2025. They will serve a one-year term in their roles.

Allentown School District will receive a state review next week regarding its federal pandemic relief funding. The new policy was created to avoid a citation.

Co-sponsored by the Whitehall-Coplay School District and the Zephyr Pride Foundation, the “Shop with a Cop” program teamed 23 children from less fortunate backgrounds with 26 members of law enforcement as they shopped for clothing or toys for family members.

Superintendent Carol Birks spoke about ASD's successes over the last year and the district's path forward. She invited partners to get more involved in supporting students.

Easton Area School District's board of education elected Jodi Hess president and Nekisha Robertson vice president during a special meeting.

School directors tabled a vote on whether to renovate or rebuild Moore Elementary School. They will narrow down the options at their next facilities committee meeting later this month.

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.