School News

Bethlehem Area School District's board approved $47.6 million in contracts Monday to build the new Fountain Hill Elementary School — coming in nearly $3 million under budget.

In his latest budget proposal, Governor Josh Shapiro wants to allocate nearly $500 million to chronically underfunded school districts — and that includes several districts in the Lehigh Valley. But lawmakers have concerns around the fairness of the funding distribution.

H.B. 827 was proposed by State Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton. The bill aims to establish a tutoring program in which high school students could receive academic credit for being tutors

Northampton Area School Board is discussing how it will balance its budget this year and in coming years. Solutions include tax increases and the postponement of the Moore Elementary project.

Southern Lehigh Superintendent Michael Mahon remains on administrative leave after the school board president publicly criticized his performance.

Northampton Area Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik will no longer retire at the end of this school year like he planned. The superintendent said it's not the right time for him to leave the district.

Allentown School Director Lisa Conover first joined the board in late 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. She will not run for re-election in the 2025 cycle.

After a maintenance issue closed Harrison-Morton Middle School for repairs in mid-February, students and staff learned virtually for eight days. Last week, they returned to in-person learning at temporary sites throughout Allentown.

The Northampton Area School Board approved Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik's retirement last November. The board, however, will consider rescinding his retirement during its Monday night meeting.

Southern Lehigh Superintendent Michael Mahon remains on administrative leave following public criticism of his performance from the school board president last week.

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.

More than 350 young students throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley participated in a mural painting event at Lehigh Valley Children's Center in Allentown on Thursday.The completed mural will appear on an exterior wall of the new Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown. The center is slated for a May 22 opening.

The Northampton County District Attorney’s Office and Lower Saucon Township police have announced additional charges in connection with bomb threats made in the school district last week.

East Penn administrators pushed for a slate of new hires to the district, making permanent temporary positions that were created from COVID relief funding.