School News

The free event runs from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13. It is open to all Allentown students, families and staff. There will be free school supplies, including backpacks, available.

The Allentown-based entrepreneurship program trains Lehigh Valley residents on how to successfully acquire and maintain rental properties.

Allentown School District appointed Alicia Knauff as acting head principal in July. She replaced Frank Derrick, who had been leading the school in an acting role for the last two school years.

Allentown's 111th annual Romper Day celebration was held at J. Birney Crum Stadium on Monday night. About 400 students who participated in the summer playground program exhibited skills including dance and calisthenics.

Allentown students took part in STEM activities, including stepping into an airplane cockpit, when Captain Barrington Irving flew into town with some hands-on critical thinking activities from his Flying Classroom.

School directors voted 5-4 Tuesday to part ways with now former Superintendent Michael Mahon, who was on administrative leave for the last five months.

The Southern Lehigh School Board will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of Southern Lehigh High School to vote on both a separation agreement and mutual general release agreement between the district and Superintendent Michael Mahon.

Allentown school directors approved the $1.14 million partnership Thursday. The agreement runs from next month to June 30, 2028.

Alicia Knauff will start as the new acting head principal of Allen on Monday. She was hired as the principal of the school's Ninth Grade Academy before being tapped shortly after for the acting head role.

Superintendent Carol Birks said she doesn't have to talk about where she lives. School directors defended Birks from social media posts questioning her residency.

Ryan Stehlik, a longtime patient of Shriners Children's Philadelphia, will represent the hospital this weekend at the Shriners Children's Open, a PGA golf tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The school board will have a special meeting 6 p.m. Oct. 28 to discuss the financing of the Moore and East Allen elementary school projects.

Parkland administrators issue public statements after former performing arts director Frank Anonia was jailed Tuesday after being charged with secretly recording a student changing in a dressing room.

Francis 'Frank' Anonia, 43, was charged by Lehigh County detectives with multiple counts of invasion of privacy, criminal use of a communication facility and other offenses, according to court records.

A recently released equity audit concluded Allentown School District needs to streamline inclusive practices across the district to better serve students of color.

The Allentown Symphony Association's El Sistema program is expanding to a new school to offer more student opportunities.

The Pennsylvania House Education Committee held a hearing on school safety and security in Harrisburg on Thursday. State Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, leads the committee.

Lessons in hands-on healthy eating — and growing food locally — are in the near future of some younger students in Lehigh County.

Peter Langman, an expert on the psychology of school shooters, spoke at Wednesday's 26th KidsPeace National Conference in Orefield.

Following a request for a $1-per-transaction increase for tax collection in Palmer and Forks Townships, Easton Area School Board is considering setting the rate for all four of their contributing municipalities to the city's current rate of $2.60 per transaction.

The PA Latino Convention was held Sunday through Tuesday in Philadelphia. About 700 people attended, sharing ideas on a range of issues and networking.

Allentown School Board member Phoebe Harris has been barred from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association's annual meeting after she seized a microphone at an awards dinner and accused the group of racist behavior.