A Northampton Area School District Board of Education director and three former school directors were honored for their years of service during the Dec. 4, 2023, school board meeting.

The directors were named to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association honor roll. Their names, years of service and school district are listed on the PSBA website, psba.org/awards-and-recognitions/honor-roll.

NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik presented the PSBA certificates to school Director Dr. Michael Baird for 12 years of service on the NASD school board and former school directors James Chuss for eight years of service, including four years as school board president; David Gogel for 20 years of service, including 14 years as board president; and Robert Mentzell for eight years of service on the school board and 38 years as an NASD educator.

The honor roll is the PSBA’s “way of thanking individuals who exemplify leadership by giving unselfishly of their time and talents for the betterment of public schools and students across the commonwealth,” according to the PSBA website.

In other business at the Dec. 4, 2023, meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve the hiring of Kelly Beck, special education instructional assistant, Northampton Area High School, retroactive to Oct. 30, 2023-March 27, at $18.88 per hour; Margaret Johnson, 10-month NAHS secretary, effective retroactive to Nov. 28, 2023, at $25.54 per hour; Rachel Thornton, hall monitor, Northampton Area Middle School, effective retroactive to Nov. 28, 2023, at $18.63 per hour; Tamara Merkle, hall monitor, NAMS, effective retroactive to Nov. 28, 2023, at $18.63 per hour; and Kristen Morey, cafeteria monitor, NAHS, effective Dec. 5, 2023, at $18.63 per hour.

School directors voted 9-0 to approve the resignation of Lori Klitsch, certified school nurse, Moore Elementary School, for retirement, effective June 4; Elizabeth Leibenguth, cafeteria monitor, NAHS, effective Nov. 13, 2023; and Zachary Vilkauskas, maintenance employee, effective Jan. 2.

School directors voted 9-0 to approve revised policies for adoption, including board policy 217 about graduation requirements (the policy is available on the district website under the Dec. 4, 2023, agenda); Portnoff Law Associates Ltd. to collect NASD 2023 and 2024 delinquent real estate taxes; reappointment of Daniel Belletti, Jamie Scheirer and Jane Yagerhofer, trustees to Northampton Area Public Library; new extracurriculars and clubs for the 2023-24 school year: Tri-M Music Honor Society, Trading Card Game Club, The Crochet Crew (George Wolf Elementary School), Crochet Club (NAMS) and NAMS yearbook (administrator); and donation of winter hats, gloves, scarves and personal hygiene items for NASD students in need from NASD Class of 1976, care of Patrice Schwartzman, Easton.

At the Dec. 18, 2023, board meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve revised board policy 011 about PSBA principles for governance and leadership.

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave.