With the month of August underway, Northampton Area School District administrators and teachers are gearing up for the start of the 2019-20 school year, with the first day of classes Aug. 26.

Teacher induction is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 5 and 6. The NASD data retreat is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 7. The NASD administrative data retreat review is 8 a.m.-noon Aug. 8.

Teacher and administration in-service days are Aug. 19, 20, 21 and 22. The Labor Day holiday is Sept. 2.

The NASD Board of Education approved the hiring of teachers and other staff for the 2019-20 school year at the June 10 meeting by a unanimous 9-0 vote, at the recommendation of the administration. These new hires include Amy Thatcher, special education life skills teacher at Northampton Area High School, effective Aug. 19, at an annual salary of $55,903, with benefits; Ashley Armstrong, special education teacher at Siegfried Elementary School, effective Aug. 19, at an annual salary of $55,903, with benefits; Shelley Ladd, 12-month guidance secretary at Northampton Area Middle School, June 6-11, with full-time status effective June 12, at $17.43 per hour, with benefits; and Ryan Leitch, mathematics teacher at NAMS, effective Aug. 19, at an annual salary of $57,833, with benefits.

The school board also approved a change of status for Trina Williams and Kelsey Uppling from 10-month school psychologists to 12-month school psychologists, at an annual salary of $75,409.07 each, effective July 1, as well as the retirement of Larry Hein, custodian, effective July 25.

The contract with Erika Fitzpatrick, certified Wilson reading instructor, for school-based services utilizing the Wilson Reading Program at a cost not to exceed $17,500 was renewed at the meeting.

Kermit Bachman and Jennifer Schwartz-O’Boyle, school crossing guards, beginning Aug. 26 through the 2019-20 school year, at $11.59 per hour, with no benefits, and Leo Werkheiser III, third-shift maintenance, effective June 26, at $25.54 per hour, were also approved at the June 10 meeting.

The board of education had made previous personnel approvals at the May 20 meeting. All the votes were unanimous 8-0, with one school director absent.

The approvals include Joshua May, special education learning support teacher at NAMS, effective Aug. 19, at an annual salary of $55,903, with benefits, and Crystal Becker, school counselor at NAMS, effective Aug. 19, at an annual salary of $56,812, with benefits. The retirement of Kim Demyan, 12-month secretary at NAMS, effective Sept. 6, was also approved.

The board agreed upon a one-year contract for Ricky Knecht as a school police officer in the NASD Police Department, for the 2019-20 school year at an annual salary of $42,000, plus benefits.

The NASD Board of Education meets 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9 and 23 in the administration building, 2014 Laubach Ave., Northampton.