Two sports programs are being launched in Northampton Area School District.

NASD Board of Education voted 8-0, with one school director absent, at the Jan. 9 meeting to approve a junior high baseball program, at a startup cost of approximately $8,100, and a middle school soccer program, at a startup cost of approximately $8,000.

After the meeting, Northampton Area High School Director of Athletics Shaun Murray told Northampton Press details of the sports programs are being finalized.

It was announced the Class of 2023 commencement is 7:30 p.m. June 2, with inclement weather dates of 7:30 p.m. June 3 and 4, at Al Erdosy Memorial Stadium.

Also, on Jan. 9, school directors voted 8-0 to approve the following:

• Resignations for Cassandra Herr, grade 1 teacher at Siegfried Elementary School, effective Feb. 3; Mary Celia, school nurse, retirement, effective June 2; William Lower, special education instructional assistant, effective Jan. 6; and Lisa King, 12-month special education secretary, effective Jan. 6

• Appointments for Denise Vilkauskas, interim school board secretary, Jan. 12-April 3, at no additional compensation; Craig Neiman, school board secretary, for unexpired term of Matthew Sawarynski, effective April 3-June 30, at no additional compensation, pending Neiman as business administrator effective April 3; and Neil Koch, NASD representative, BAVTS Authority, Jan. 1-Dec. 30, 2027

• Approval of Megan Repsher, secretary to business administrator, effective Feb. 21, at $50,386.46, with benefits; Jessica Armour, elementary teacher, Siegfried Elementary, effective Feb. 3, at $96,287.00, prorated, with benefits; Emma Kitts, short-term substitute special education teacher, Moore Elementary School, effective Jan. 18-April 28, at $140 per diem; Jennifer Gross-Edwards, study hall instructional assistant, NAHS, effective Jan. 19, for second semester of 2022-23 school year, at $14.10 per hour; Nicollette Fragnito, 12-month NAHS secretary, effective Feb. 7, at $19.43 per hour, with benefits; Daniel O’Neill, Tuesday-Saturday maintenance employee, effective Jan. 24, at $28.19 per hour, with benefits; Jarrett Alexander, middle-shift custodian, NAHS, effective Feb. 7, at $21.90 per hour, with benefits; and Dylan Skubik, middle-shift custodian, Siegfried, effective Jan. 24, at $21.90 per hour, with benefits

• Voluntary transfers for John Turk, third-shift custodian to day-shift custodian, NAHS, effective Jan. 24, with no change in pay; and Edward Schoeneberger, middle-shift custodian, Siegfried, to split-day shift custodian, NAHS, effective Feb. 6, with no change in pay

• Additions - athletic event staff for 2022-23 school year: Brian Davies, security, usher; Janet Gehret, track official; Michael Schneider, security, usher, game manager; Mandy Sommer, wrestling score book; and Tammy Vajda, clock operator

• Trips for Kristy Henritzy, Christine Hunsberger, Jennifer Shellhammer-Getz, Alan Hartzell, Herman Gestl and varsity softball players to attend Coastal Sports Center Training Facility, Virginia Beach, Va., March 16-19, at no cost to the district; John Bendekovits, Jamie Horvath and Seth Lisa to attend Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, Feb. 12-15, Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, Pocono Manor, at $2,056.87, included in the 2022-23 budget; James Sansone and one student to attend PMEA District 10 Band Festival, Nazareth Area High School, Feb. 9 and 10, at $405, included in the budget; and Kristy Young and two students to attend PMEA District 10 Orchestra Festival, Exeter Senior High School, Reading, Jan. 26 and 27, at $560.84, included in the budget

• Acceptance, with appreciation, of a $1,001.87 donation from NAHS Class of 1958 for High School Advanced Placement Student Recognition plaques

• Middle School Mathletes Academic Tutoring and Help Club for the 2022-23 school year

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave.