School News

US Rep. Susan Wild, D-7th District, and USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small visited the Greater Valley YMCA in Pen Argyl on Thursday for the kickoff of its Summer Nutrition Program.

Parkland School Board approved its final budget Tuesday, which will take the millage rate from 16.30 mills to 17.12 mills, a 5% increase. The average resident will pay about $200 more in school property taxes next year.

The Parkland School Board on Tuesday accepted district Director of Performing Arts Frank Anonia’s resignation, effective Friday, June 21. Anonia recently was the subject of an internal investigation.

Superintendent Jack Silva said the spending plan “maintains all of our academic programming, asks for some additional revenue from our local taxpayers and manages our fund balance at the policy level of where it should be.”

Parkland School Board on Tuesday will vote on whether to accept district Director of Performing Arts Frank Anonia’s resignation, effective June 21, according to the meeting’s agenda.

The free summer learning program runs Tuesdays through Thursdays for six weeks starting June 25. Registration is required and is open for a limited time.

Just about everything appears to be in order in regard to an agreement between Easton officials and the school district to revamp Vanderveer Park.

The Pennsylvania House passed a bill last week that would overhaul the state’s education funding system, sending millions to Lehigh Valley schools over the next seven years. But it faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Over the past 14 weeks, about a dozen Lehigh Valley teens participated in the pre-apprenticeship program at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 375 in Allentown.

The mural, by artist Mercedes Salazar, is a collaboration with Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance, Community Action of Development of Allentown, The Chamber Foundation and Allentown Mural Arts.

The school was designated with a state Targeted Support and Improvement designation due to lagging performance by its cohort of economically disadvantaged students. Officials laid out plans to improve the issues present.

The new makerspace at Slatington Elementary School will help students learn STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) skills. It will primarily be used by an after school program called Schools & Homes In Education, or SHINE.

The Whitehall-Coplay School Board approved a slew of new personnel, including full-time teachers and substitutes, along with day-to-day subs, at Monday's meeting.

Easton councilman-elect Frank Pintabone is hosting a rally on Sunday to help families and kids get ready to return to school, offering information, access to administrators and instructors, free supplies and fun activities.

House Education Committee Chair Peter Schweyer said Level Up funding should be released immediately.

Members of the Lehigh University football team on Wednesday were addressed by six retired members of the U.S. Special Forces, four of whom parachuted onto campus. The veterans spoke about the importance of teamwork, accountability, goals and commitment — traits that apply to football, the military and life.

A bill in the state Legislature proposes to fix the problems that have put a pause on enforcement in places like Allentown and Bethlehem. And the program will expire in October unless new legislation is passed.

Allentown and Bethlehem Area school districts both get Level Up funding, which is on hold until lawmakers approve a fiscal code determining how the funds are spent.

Via of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem's nonprofit, has been awarded $157,750 in tax credit funds from 14 local businesses through the EITC program.

The professionally-oriented programs align with the current and future needs of the job market, according to Moravian University officials.

Evelyn Santana was appointed in January to fill Nick Miller's vacant seat on the board. Miller was elected to the state Senate.

The In-State Level I Certificates now take about two to four weeks to process, which is a 10-week reduction since last year.