School News

Commonwealth Charter Academy, a large, public, cyber charter school for all school-age children, plans to convert a nearly 47,000-square-foot, one-story building into office space for teachers and staff at 2200 W. Broad St.

Critics of the hiring process argued for a superintendent search instead of a direct appointment. Others said Karen Trinkle had more than proven herself ready to lead, and a search would be lengthy and costly.

Planned to open to students for the 2027-28 school year, the roughly $59 million project will go up on the same land as its predecessor facility, which dated back to the 1930s.

School directors voted 5-2 to approve Ethan Ake-Little’s resignation and settlement agreement. His resignation takes effect Aug. 31.

Southern Lehigh school directors appointed Karen Trinkle as chief of schools. They also approved a settlement agreement with Ethan Ake-Little, the HR director who filed discrimination and retaliation complaints against the former superintendent.

Ethan Ake-Little has been suspended with pay since June while the district investigated allegations about his job performance. Ake-Little previously filed discrimination, retaliation and fraud complaints against the former superintendent.

Additional cleaning and air quality testing remain underway at Sheridan and Ritter elementary schools, Allentown School District said in an update Sunday.

School directors are scheduled to vote Monday on whether to promote Assistant Superintendent Karen Trinkle to chief of schools. The proposed five-year contract comes a month after school directors voted to part ways with the previous superintendent.

Northampton Area School District’s inaugural Summer Career Mentorship Program exposed 50 high schoolers to careers in manufacturing, interior design, healthcare and more.

In an email, Allentown School District said mold spores were found in several elementary school classrooms. Remedial action has been taken, the district said in a release, and the classrooms will be tested ahead of the first day of school.

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.

All is moving according to plan for a new elementary school to go up in Fountain Hill Borough just in time for classes to start in August 2027. The project could cost about $60 million.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation announced a new program to train long-term care nursing aides. Those who enroll will get paid while training and will be hired at the health care provider upon completion.

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.

Da Vinci Science Center’s facility at Cedar Crest College will be open through April 1, with the downtown center to open in May.

East Penn School District is using a second targeted state improvement, or TSI designation, as an opportunity to plan for a variety of issues beyond what the state notice is prompting them to.

After two lengthy meetings detailing the proposal for a new charter school, the Bethlehem Area School District opted to reject the Bethlehem STEAM Academy's proposal during Monday's school board meeting.

An application by the Lehigh Valley STEAM Academy Charter School to open in the Whitehall-Coplay School District was unanimously rejected by the school board Monday night.

After another failed bid to open in Allentown, the Lehigh Valley STEAM Academy Charter School is seeking approval Monday night from school boards in Bethlehem and Whitehall, but it's not looking good.

McGhee panel discussion and Q&A will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29.

At least 5,600 borrowers in Pennsylvania will be eligible for the SAVE Plan, the latest round of student loan forgiveness, the White House announced Friday.

Wilson Intermediate School celebrated the opening of their new sensory hallway, a setup which allows students to safely expend excess energy, during a special event Thursday.