School News

Costas Alestas, a former Bethlehem police officer and soccer coach at East Hills Middle School, intends to plead not guilty to multiple sex-related crimes involving two middle school students, his attorney said.

In the midst of budget season, Easton Area School District is examining figures to trim a tax increase and bridge a multimillion dollar gap between revenue and expenditures.

The Bethlehem Area School Board passed a preliminary 2024-25 budget at a Monday special meeting. The district plans to increase taxes and pull from a surplus fund to balance the budget. The final budget will be adopted in June.

Forty international students from around the globe are finishing up their school year spent in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding area soon, then will head back home to their families. International Host Family Week celebrates exchange student programs.

Pennsylvania State Police said the victim was hit by a tractor-trailer along Interstate 380 in Tobyhanna Township, Monroe County. Sean Richmond, 38, was a 2004 Easton High grad and current coach and athletic director at Stroudsburg.

Nearly 45 Allentown students have participated in a new mentorship program at Lehigh Parkway Elementary School this year. The program pairs fifth-grade leaders with younger students to help them reach academic and behavioral goals.

Allentown high school students will learn about data analytics and artificial intelligence during an eight-week summer program with DeSales University in which they earn a stipend and college credits.

Kutztown University's jazz ensemble was recognized by DownBeat magazine for Outstanding Performance in its Student Music Awards. It's the 10th win for Kutztown's commercial music program but the first for the jazz ensemble.

Allentown School District will work with a new transportation provider next school year, Student Transportation of America. The district has a number of new transportation offerings for 2024-25, including free LANTA access for charter school students.

The annual Freddy Awards will take place at the State Theatre in Easton on May 23. Bangor Area High School's "Mean Girls: the High School Version," leads in nominations this year. Find a full list of the nominees here.

An interactive presentation caught the attention of around 150 students at the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force annual conference. ThinkFast Interactive is an engaging team building program brought in to teach area high school students about different decision making scenarios.

The 2024-25 budget could see initial approval on May 13 and final approval by June 17, according to school district officials.

A $1 million state grant funded Bethlehem Area School Board's purchase of the buses as well as the related infrastructure and job training to implement the changes.

Deacon Anthony Koury, who served Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church in Easton for decades, died Wednesday.

A one-day symposium at Lehigh gathered decision-makers from Pennsylvania's big-name universities, talking strategy for recruiting students cross-border and overseas, and touting economic and cultural benefits.

East Penn School District took another look at the 2024-2025 budget will a focus on priority project spending on April 8, highlighting around $2 million in special education and administrative expenses.

Five students from Northampton Community College have been named to the 2024 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.

The event's theme this year is "All Jazzed Up," and students shared what they're excited — or jazzed up — about in their own lives.

Lower Saucon council unanimously agreed on Wednesday to have Police Chief Thomas Barndt go before school officials to gather opinions before potentially moving forward on a school resource officer.

DeSales University in Upper Saucon Township sent out a message saying it will reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, but then reversed course and said the campus would remain closed due to the ongoing power outages.

The school district informed the community it will dismiss all students early “out of an abundance of caution” ahead of the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.

You Are The Light is a recognition program in the Allentown School District that celebrates staff and students. The district selects honorees each month to be featured on LehighValleyNews.com.