School News

In January, a majority of faculty approved a no-confidence vote for Lafayette College President Nicole Hurd. This week, the college board of trustees approved an extension to her contract lasting until 2030. She joined Lafayette as its leader in 2021.

East Penn School Board voted Monday to pause work toward realigning grades 5-8. District officials will again study possible alternatives.

The new school is expected to serve about 1,200 Allentown students in kindergarten through eighth grade. City Center is optimistic it will be ready for the start of the 2027-28 school year.

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.

School directors on Thursday approved agreements with the district's administrative employees, administrative assistants and cafeteria managers.

Allentown Education Association President Leslie Franklin spoke at Thursday's school board meeting about staffing shortages and administrator turnover. But the district said staffing is strong.

A Palmerton Area principal was tapped for the BASD role. He'll take over for the acting principal who has been leading Hanover Elementary since last spring when the school's previous leader was arrested for drunken driving.

JOSHWAY, a local youth-focused nonprofit organization, is holding the community event Saturday. Registration is required.

The grant will be used to help replace all 91 windows with historically accurate, insulated glass and wood models to "enhance the building’s energy efficiency while preserving its historical integrity," a news release says.

The Centennial Comprehensive Campaign will raise funds to update the school's athletic fields, create teacher grants and more.

The superintendent said his administration may recommend a resolution as early as next month to let BASD temporarily withhold 30% of charter school tuition payments.

Stephanie Williams was placed on administrative leave indefinitely after an incident over the weekend. The district's executive director of instructional leadership will serve as the middle school's acting principal.

A Northampton County Councilwoman and Easton Area School District employee has drawn the ire of many parents and individuals for her criticism of media personality Charlie Kirk, who was killed on Wednesday.

The new administrator previously led Palmerton Area School District. She'll come to BASD from an administrator role in Allentown School District, where she currently manages early learning.

Friends Aveer Chadha and Nikhil Skandan recently expanded the reach of their nonprofit organization EmpowerIndiaEdu to nearly three dozen additional partner schools in India.

Scranton-based Lackawanna College will offer associate degrees in carpentry and construction technology, electrical technology, and welding and fabrication technology. HVAC to come, officials said.