Northampton Area School District will hold a groundbreaking ceremony 5:30 p.m. Sept. 19 for the new elementary school and education center at Route 329 and Seemsville Road. Notice of the groundbreaking was received in an Aug. 16 invitation from NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik.

Construction of the $75,858,529 school project in East Allen Township, which began in November 2023, is to be completed for the 2026-27 school year.

Scheduled to close after the new facility opens are Franklin Elementary School for kindergarten, the Washington building for the informational technology department and the administration building.

Moore Elementary School was to close after the Route 329 facility opens, but the facilities committee and school board are weighing options.

With the Aug. 26 start of the 2024-25 school year, district goals were outlined by Kovalchik and Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger, NASD assistant superintendent of schools, at the Aug. 12 NASD Board of Education meeting.

“Anyone and everyone is involved,” Kovalchik said. “The goals filtered down from the district administration to the building chiefs and the teachers.”

As stated in the PowerPoint presentation at the meeting, district goals are:

1. Enhance educational opportunities in all academic areas with a focus on literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and special education.

2. Implement the Northampton Area School District profile of a graduate to include college/career readiness, workplace development and community partnerships.

3. Finalize and communicate capital projects, student enrollment and financial impact on the district.

4. Review and enhance safety plans, policies and resources in collaboration with staff, students, community members and first responders.

5. Collaborate with the district’s new transportation provider to provide a smooth transition for all district students and parents.

The NASD mission statement is:

“Northampton Area School District, in partnership with families and our community, is committed to educating and empowering all students to become respectful contributing members of society who learn from the past, listen to the present and lead our future.”

The NASD vision is:

“The Northampton Area School District will provide a dynamic and supportive environment to empower students to cultivate their strengths and passions to achieve their individual goals within a culture of excellence.”

The NASD beliefs are:

• We believe every individual has value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

• We believe a safe and positive environment is essential to learning.

• We believe in forging positive relationships among students, staff, parents and the community.

• We believe student success is cultivated through physical, emotional, social and intellectual development.

• We believe high expectations promote high achievement.

• We believe all students deserve an educational experience that provides relevant and challenging academic and extracurricular activities.

• We believe educational excellence requires continuous improvement and is the shared responsibility of students, staff, parents and the community.

• We believe instructional strategies should be student-centered and evidence-based, and all students should be challenged to develop to their fullest potential.

The NASD school board will next meet 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9 in the Northampton Area High School auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave.