January marks the 100th anniversary of the Konkrete Kids.

The district nickname is mentioned in a Jan. 13, 1922, newspaper article about a football game between the Easton and Northampton high schools’ varsity teams, according to Northampton Area School District school board Director Robert Mentzell.

Mentzell noted the Konkrete Kids anniversary at the Jan. 10 school board meeting.

The newspaper sports writer derived the name, Konkrete Kids, from observing Northampton football team players walking onto the football field, carrying their helmets and sports equipment in fabric bags that had previously contained cement. The bags were still labeled on the outside with the name of a cement company.

In other business, the NASD Board of Education approved a number of agenda items at its recent meetings.

School directors voted 9-0 at the Dec. 6, 2021, board meeting to approve, on recommendation of the administration:

• Voluntary transfer of Renee Horwath, mathematics teacher, to business, computer and information technology teacher at Northampton Area Middle School, effective Jan. 3

• Resignations of JoAnn Doerbecker, health room assistant, effective Dec. 10, 2021, and Sandy Hudson, special education instructional assistant, effective Dec. 3, 2021

• Hiring of Sharon Petrulsky, school nurse at NAMS, no later than Feb. 7, at $90,087 with benefits, prorated, and Sheila Kocher, certified school nurse, retroactive Dec. 1, 2021, at $58,703 with benefits, prorated

• Program of studies at Northampton Area High School

• Agreement with Dr. Edward Moss for evaluation services

School directors voted 9-0 at the Nov. 22, 2021, board meeting to approve, on recommendation of the administration:

• Resignation of Donald Treichler, custodian at NAMS, for retirement, effective Feb. 1

• Sabbatical of Angela Kohrt, for professional development, 2022-23 school year

• The hiring of Lindsey Strunk, cafeteria monitor at Franklin Elementary School, effective retroactively from Nov. 15, 2021, at $13.82 per hour; Amanda Woolslayer, special education teacher at Siegfried Elementary School, no later than Jan. 24, at $92,387 with benefits, funded through Access; Sarah Guth, special education teacher at Lehigh Elementary School, no later than Jan. 24, at $62,340 with benefits; and Elizabeth Richburg, Spanish teacher at NAMS, no later than Jan. 24, at $92,387 with benefits

• Contract for services with Ivan J. Rosario, ASL-English interpreter services, on an as-needed basis, Jan. 1-Dec. 31

• Accept donation of fall/winter coats for students at George Wolf Elementary School, Borough Elementary Schools, Moore Elementary School, Lehigh Elementary and NAMS, from St. Nicholas Knights of Columbus, Berlinsville

School directors voted 9-0 at the Nov. 8, 2021, board meeting to approve, on recommendation of the administration:

• The resignation of Megan Lieberman, school nurse, effective Nov. 19, 2021; Susan Stoltz for retirement, effective Feb. 2; and Donna Ruckman, hall monitor, effective Dec. 31, 2021

• Hiring of Millie Reppert, cafeteria monitor at NAMS, retroactive Nov. 1, 2021, at $13.82 per hour

• Voluntary transfer of Marlise Lesperance, special education teacher at Lehigh Elementary, to NAMS, effective date to be announced

• Contract for services with Kelly Deibert, ASL-English interpreter services, on an as-needed basis, Jan. 1-Dec. 31

The number of positive COVID-19 cases has passed the 1,000 threshold in NASD for the 2021-22 school year.

The 2021-22 year-to-date NASD positive cases are 1,026.

The online NASD seven-day COVID-19 building totals, Jan. 18-24, as of Jan. 24, are: NAHS, 34, down from 67 the previous week; NAMS, 23, down from 33; Borough Elementary, 9, down from 38; Moore Elementary, 14, up from 9; Lehigh Elementary, 7, down from 25; George Wolf Elementary, 13, no change from 13; and district administration building, 1, no change.

The board of education next meets 7 p.m. Feb. 14 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.