The Northampton Area Middle School assistant principal will retire after the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year.

Northampton Area School District Board of Education voted 8-0, with one board member absent, at the March 11 meeting to approve the resignation of David Lafferty, NAMS assistant principal, for retirement as of Aug. 15.

“I’d like to recognize Mr. Lafferty,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said, adding, ”Dave and I have worked together for years. He will be missed.”

Also at the meeting March 11, school directors voted 8-0 to approve the hiring of Julie Poniktera, LTS reading specialist, NAMS, retroactive to Jan. 12, for the second semester of the 2023-24 school year, prorated at $59,655; Robert Quezada, security officer, NAMS, effective March 25, at $23.71 per hour; Jacqueline Maureka, special education instructional assistant, NAMS, as of March 25, at $18.88 per hour; Kelly Beck, study hall instructional assistant, NAHS, effective March 12, at $18.88 per hour; Pamela Faubert, cafeteria monitor, Franklin Elementary School, effective March 25, at $18.63 per hour; Robin Serfass, cafeteria monitor, NAMS, effective March 25, at $18.63 per hour; and Shavon Devonish, cafeteria monitor, Lehigh Elementary School, effective March 25, at $18.63 per hour.

At the March 11 meeting, school directors also voted 8-0 to approve the resignations of Margaret Johnson, 10-month secretary, Northampton Area High School, effective Feb. 20, and Brandi Lee, cafeteria monitor, Lehigh Elementary, effective Feb. 21.

Other approvals included Kristy Young and one student to attend the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Northeast Region Orchestra Festival to Blue Ridge High School, New Milford, March 20-22, at $1,033.04, included in board-approved 2023-24 district curriculum and NAHS budgets; Kristy Young and James Sansone, parent chaperones, to accompany 80 students for a NAHS orchestra and band trip to New York City April 6, at no cost to NASD; collaborative agreement contract between Community Services for Children Inc., Head Start of the Lehigh Valley and NASD and memorandum of understanding for the 2024-25 school year for two Head Start Pre-Ks for 40 pre-K students in NASD, at $40,000, with no cost to the district, paid from NASD Title I funding; collaborative agreement contract between Community Services for Children Inc. and NASD for the 2024-25 school year of a Pre-K Counts classroom at Franklin, Lehigh and Moore elementary schools, at no cost to the district; agency nurses and health room assistants, via a contract with General Healthcare Resources, doing business as GHR Education, effective July 1 through the 2024-25 school year; an NAHS student activity account for the Mythology Club; and the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit student driver education program agreement.

At the Feb. 12 meeting, school directors voted 8-0 to hire Julie Poniktera, LTS reading specialist, NAMS, retroactive to Jan. 12, for the second semester of the 2023-24 school year at $58,855; Jaime Keller, administrative assistant, business office, effective March 1, at $53,000, with benefits; Diana Meckes, 12-month curriculum secretary, purchasing and operations, effective Feb. 20, at $25.54 per hour, with benefits; Jessica Probus, cafeteria monitor, Lehigh Elementary, effective retroactive to Jan. 10, at $18.63 per hour; and Elias Younes, third-shift custodian, NAHS, effective Feb. 26, at $27.77 per hour, with benefits.

Also at the Feb. 12 meeting, school directors voted 8-0 to approve the voluntary transfer of Salvatore Martuscelli, third-shift custodian to middle-shift custodian, NAHS, as of Feb. 13, with no change in pay; extending the long-term substitute chemistry teacher assignment of Alexander Skrapits, NAHS, through the 2023-24 school year, with no change in salary, with benefits; community education classes and instructors with stipends, for the spring session of the 2023-24 school year (yoga sculpt, instructor Beth Sweetana; country line dancing, instructor Brian McNeal; aqua aerobics, instructor Susan Roberts; and lap swim); revised listing of after-school tutoring program teachers and their reimbursement, for Feb. 6-March 27, with salaries paid through an American Rescue Plan set-aside grant for after-school programs; NASD chapter 339 K-12 guidance plan (2024-27), implemented upon receipt of final approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Education; eRate PEPPM mini-bid of $185,644.80, for wireless equipment to IntegraONE, Allentown, and file for eRate reimbursement; three-year agreement for IT security through Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, at the initial year cost of $8,981.50 and $18,685 per year thereafter; 2022-23 single audit by Gorman & Associates P.C.; Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf transportation contract for a student; and the creation of an NAMS student activity account for the Crochet Club.

NASD will hold an elementary configuration meeting to discuss whether or not to keep Moore Elementary School open as a fifth elementary school. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. April 4 at Moore Elementary, 2835 Mountain View Drive, Moore Township.

The school board will be holding a special board meeting 5:30 p.m. April 9 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton, to interview candidates who submit applications March 18 through 3 p.m. April 2 to fill a vacancy in Region 2 (East Allen Township) of the board of education. Other general purposes may be on the meeting agenda.

For application information, visit nasdschools.org.

The school board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 8 in the auditorium at NAHS.