School News

To help female chess players in her native Botswana, Lehigh University graduate student Besa Masaiti established a chess tournament there — the Besa Masaiti WIM Norm Chess Championship.

Five Lehigh Valley schools have rifle teams that compete in the Northeast Pennsylvania Rifle League. Says one student: “We want to get more people involved and show it’s totally safe. Sometimes, our sport gets a bad rap because of what’s going on (in the world).”

Parkland School District Social Worker Diane Irish has begun hosting office hours for the Parkland REACH Village, a gathering space and community hub of information for anyone who lives in the district.

The Allentown School Board approved updates to programs that add new language and career training options for students. Some of the changes are the result of a survey of more than 1,800 high school students and focus groups, officials said.

Allentown City Council approved a 10-year lease that will see the college pay $15,000 in rent each year and invest up to $4 million in the stadium.

Officials from the Allentown school district spoke with hesitant optimism about the benefits the state's new spending plan could bring to the district.

Away from the fields and courts used by thousands of student-athletes, some Lehigh Valley schools for decades have maintained rifle teams. The Northeast Pennsylvania Rifle League is made up of 11 teams including the Lehigh Valley's Emmaus, Freedom, Liberty, Salisbury and Southern Lehigh high schools.

Students, who college officials said are a demographic experiencing an "epidemic" of mental health issues, say they're excited for the new space and see its potential.

Hundreds gathered Tuesday night in Dieruff’s cafeteria for a community forum on the proposal to overhaul Andre Reed Park in Allentown's East Side.

The Nitschmann Middle School Lions softball team and Calypso Elementary could soon be able to use the softball field at 11th Avenue and Spring Street in West Bethlehem.

The grant money first approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2018 can go toward making safety infrastructure improvements to facilities.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

The Barcelona-based singer performed a mix of classic, flamenco, Valencia and Catalan music at a concert and fundraiser for child literacy at Lehigh Valley Public Media.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The lawsuit alleged retired chief of schools Joe Roy punched an assistant principal during a 2022 high school football game.

Rep. Susan Wild and Sen. Bob Casey were in Allentown on Thursday to celebrate the city's selection as a finalist for an eight-digit federal grant.

The social studies teacher at William Allen High School was accused of drug crimes following a March raid of her home by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. She resigned a few weeks later, citing "personal" reasons.

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.

The Parkland School Board appointed David Ellowitch to fill the vacant two-year seat left by state Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s resignation.

Students at Dieruff High School were placed on a brief lockdown Tuesday morning after a teen was taken into custody by law enforcement, authorities said.

Northampton Area Board of Education said it would have been on the hook for about $9.5 million if construction contracts were cancelled for a new elementary school.

Bethlehem Area School District's board of education heard a presentation on a proposed charter school, the Bethlehem STEAM Academy, on Monday evening, with the new learning institution focusing on "integrated learning."