School News

Bethlehem Area School District celebrated the 100th anniversary of the building which once housed the historic Edgeboro Elementary School on Saturday, with hundreds of teachers, administrators, staff, and alumni showing up to share stories and check out artifacts from their pasts.

Allentown School Board approved the contract Thursday. Members of the Allentown Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local 1716, ratified the contract Wednesday in a 56-21 vote, with two abstentions.

Families who pay tuition for schooling are on the receiving end of more than $200,000. The Bridge Educational Foundation is giving scholarships to those who meet the income qualifications at two area schools.

Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Forks Township celebrated the grand opening of Colonial Cafe 71, a coffee shop which helps teach employment and life skills.

Easton Area School District officials stated an agreement to improve Vanderveer Park may be up for a vote at their September 24 meeting, in addition to the board considering improvements at Paxinosa to establish a walking path.

Superintendent Jack Silva will work to improve academic achievement and attendance this school year. He also spoke about his goals for the next few years.

Robert Steckel became superintendent of the Whitehall-Coplay School District in 2021. “I’ll have more to say at a later meeting, but I am here to assist the board with the search process and ensure that a smooth transition occurs to whoever the successor is," he said.

In appreciation for the early intervention services he received at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, Nazareth Area High School junior Brody Muthard, 16, has chosen to build a playground there for autistic children for his Boy Scout Eagle Scout project.

Over the next five years, Muhlenberg Inside-Out will collaborate with Promise Neighborhoods of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Lehigh Valley Technical Institute on re-entry initiatives for people returning home from jail or prison.

Governor Josh Shapiro came to a growing district in the Lehigh Valley — East Penn School District — to celebrate an increase in public school funding through the 2024-25 Pennsylvania state budget.

School Director Emily Gehman said Southern Lehigh has a pattern of pay disparities between female employees and their male colleagues.

“We were looking for answers that aligned with our vision as an association for the work that we want to do in the district,” said Allentown Education Association President Leslie Franklin.

The planning commission will review the sketch plans for the athletic complex Oct. 15. Central Catholic plans to fundraise for the project as part of its centennial capital campaign.

Starting next week, a bridge carrying Lower Macungie Road over the Pa. Turnpike will close. East Penn School District officials warned families to allow extra time to get to and from school.

The false bomb threat prompted a 90-minute evacuation at Allen High School on Thursday. Police are investigating.

Candidates discussed the ethical use of AI in classrooms, how to keep school property taxes low and the district's upcoming plans for transitioning to a full-day kindergarten program.

Candidates for Southern Lehigh School Board participated in a forum Tuesday at the Univest Public Media Center organized by the League of Women Voters of Lehigh County. There are seven candidates on the ballot, vying for four seats.

After a round of public interviews Monday, school directors chose David Gogel, 74, to fill a vacancy. He previously served on the school board for 20 years.

The League of Women Voters of the Lehigh Valley organized a forum Monday for all six candidates funning for the Parkland School Board. It was held at the Univest Public Media Center in Bethlehem.

Liberty High School Principal Brandon Horlick said, “I feel like while students might not like the idea of being electronic device-free during instructional timeframes, they’ve risen to the occasion."

Candidates for Parkland School Board will participate in a forum tonight at the Univest Public Media Center organized by the League of Women Voters of Lehigh County. There are six candidates on the ballot, vying for four seats.

In a video posted to social media platforms Thursday, Stephanie Williams, 39, said she has bipolar disorder and experienced a manic episode on Sept. 13 at Bucky Boyle Park in Allentown.