School News

Away from the fields and courts used by thousands of student-athletes, some Lehigh Valley schools for decades have maintained rifle teams. The Northeast Pennsylvania Rifle League is made up of 11 teams including the Lehigh Valley's Emmaus, Freedom, Liberty, Salisbury and Southern Lehigh high schools.

Students, who college officials said are a demographic experiencing an "epidemic" of mental health issues, say they're excited for the new space and see its potential.

Hundreds gathered Tuesday night in Dieruff’s cafeteria for a community forum on the proposal to overhaul Andre Reed Park in Allentown's East Side.

The Nitschmann Middle School Lions softball team and Calypso Elementary could soon be able to use the softball field at 11th Avenue and Spring Street in West Bethlehem.

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.

Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed increasing basic education funding by $1.1 billion, laying the groundwork to slash tuition costs at state-owned schools and taking out a $500 million bond to spur economic development.

Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School officials are discussing a planned expansion, with options ranging from $22.1 million to $43.1 million. The entire process would take about three years once initially approved.

With the two wrestling programs, NCC now will sponsor nine intercollegiate sports, beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

Given expected shortages, Allentown high schools and others are connecting the county elections staff with students in hopes of beefing up the number of young and bilingual poll workers.

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 district decided in October to not implement the no-cost meals

Child care workers in the Lehigh Valley said despite poor pay and staffing, they do it out of love. Advocates said love only goes so far.

The center, where access was limited because of the pandemic, has recently opened up and resumed programming.

Alleged unauthorized spending sparked the concept of the possible need, and forensic audits are typically done when there are specific allegations of misconduct, according to the district's solicitor and business manager. At least one school board member voiced early opposition to the audit.

The annual school board reorganization is among several agenda items on the docket for Thursday night.

Carol Birks discussed safety, learning and retention at a town hall meeting Wednesday at Hays Elementary School.

Cedar Crest College has recently received a $1 million state grant to upgrade the turf on the school's softball field.

Students at Lehigh Valley school districts and across the state are continuing a downward trend of performing below pre-pandemic levels on state standardized tests.

Members of the group called for a review of library books and a policy banning transgender athletes, and they questioned white privilege and bias training.

The Northampton County Suicide Prevention Task Force and Bangor Area School District will come together to screen a documentary about Emma Benoit, “My Ascension.” It tells the story of her survival and “how it propelled her on a mission to use her experience to help others find hope and stay alive.”

Parkland High School will perform in Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in the school's history. The parade is the oldest in the country, dating back to 1920.

Newly-elected Lehigh Valley State Sen. Jarett Coleman has dropped a lawsuit he filed last year against the Parkland School District that sought to invalidate teacher pay raises. The trial over Sunshine Act breaches was scheduled to take place this week.