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.

Six of the nine seats on the Parkland School Board are up for election. Two opposing candidate groups will face off on Nov. 7.

The East Penn School Board heard presentations about upcoming curriculum changes at its meeting Monday, including ability to earn college credit, along with new arts, tech, and math courses.

During a committee meeting Monday, Whitehall-Coplay School District reviewed information regarding 2024's capital improvement plan, including roof repairs at the high school.

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s support has raised the state’s profile in the national school voucher debate and given advocates optimism the program will become law.

Have you been following the news in the Lehigh Valley this week? Find out how many of these questions about happenings and news around the Lehigh Valley you can answer correctly.

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 interactive event features a local author and historian discussing the birth of the U.S. Constitution for children ages 7-12 years old.

The event focused on Yusuf Dahl, an ex-con turned real estate mogul who was rejected from renting a house in Allentown due to his former incarceration.

Undergraduate students could qualify for up to four years of studies

Shelly (Jacobs) Bartolacci is retiring as an Easton girls basketball coach three years after retiring from teaching. Her retirement marks the end of a 54-year association with the Easton Area School District as a student, teacher or coach.

Lehigh Carbon Community College has gotten a $200,000 grant that will be used to help Hispanic students pursue STEM majors.

The classroom business Suds-abilities helps developmentally disabled students gain social and vocational skills in school.