Kristin Soldridge has been elected president of Northampton Area School District Board of Education. The former school board vice president, she succeeds Doug Vaughn, who was president. Soldridge, whose school board term ends in 2027, represents Allen and East Allen townships.

Succeeding Soldridge as vice president is Nathan Lichtenwalner, appointed in 2024 to represent Northampton Borough and East Allen Township. Lichtenwalner’s term ends in 2025.

Soldridge and Lichtenwalner were elected by their fellow board members at an approximate 45-minute school board reorganization meeting, held prior to the school board meeting Dec. 2 in the auditorium at Northampton Area High School, 1619 Laubach Ave.

School Director Kim Bretzik was elected temporary school board president to chair the reorganization meeting.

Soldridge and school Director John Becker were nominated for president. Voting for Soldridge were school Directors Brian McCulloch, Joshua Harris, Bretzik, Lichtenwalner and Soldridge. Voting for Becker were school Directors Dr. Michael Baird, Ross Makary, Vaughn and Becker.

Lichtenwalner and Becker were nominated for vice president. Voting for Lichtenwalner were McCulloch, Harris, Bretzik, Lichtenwalner and Soldridge. Voting for Becker were Baird, Makary, Vaughn and Becker.

School directors voted 9-0 unanimously to approve dates for 2025 school board meetings: Jan. 13 (cancellation date of Jan. 15), Feb. 10 (cancellation date of Feb. 12), March 10 (cancellation date of March 12), April 14, May 12, June 16, July 21, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10 and Dec. 1 (cancellation date of Dec. 3).

School directors voted 9-0 to approve the time of 6:30 p.m. and location of the auditorium at NAHS for 2025 school board meetings.

School directors voted 9-0 to approve board committee appointments. They include contract negotiations, Act 93 and meet and discuss: Vaughn, Baird, Soldridge and Makary, with Harris as a fill-in; employee benefit trust: Vaughn; expulsion: Lichtenwalner, Bretzik and McCulloch; facilities: Harris, Makary and McCulloch; K-Kids Foundation: Becker; NASD community council: McCulloch and Soldridge; PSBA liaison: Baird; policy: Vaughn and McCulloch; SafeSchools: Becker and Makary; and, at the recommendation of Soldridge, two new committees — finance: Bretzik, Soldridge and Harris; and security: Lichtenwalner and Makary.

Explaining the addition of finance and security committees, Soldridge said, “We have a lot of projects coming up. It will give the public the opportunity to ask questions.”

Committee meetings are open to the public.

School directors voted 5-4 to table the options for Moore Elementary School. Voting to table the options were Makary, Soldridge, Vaughn, Baird and Bretzik. Voting to not table the options were Lichtenwalner, Harris, McCulloch and Becker.

The options for Moore Elementary School were the following.

• Option 1: minimal scope, $24,468,550

• Option 2: minimal scope, $20,684,800

• Option 3: minimal scope, provide unit ventilators and built-up roof, $15,469,090

• Option 4: minimal scope with four-pipe VAV system, rubber roof, sewer plant, domestic water and playground equipment, $20,501,620

• Option 5: minimal scope with four-pipe VAV system and built-up roof, $28,992,310

• Option 6: complete building renovation, $51 million (estimated)

• Option 7: demolition and rebuild of a new Moore Elementary School, $70 million (estimated)

Bretzik urged tabling the motion for the Moore options. Vaughn made the motion, seconded by Bretzik, to table the Moore options.

Bretzik cited the Act 1 Index, unknown costs to the district for the proposed Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School (BAVTS) expansion project, various district budget costs, concerns about renovation versus rebuilding Moore and the timetable for either option.

“We have a wild card in BAVTS. How much will it cost?” asked Bretzik.

After the meeting, Soldridge explained her decision to table the Moore options: ”I would like to see three options put forth by the facilities committee.”

The school board facilities committee is next scheduled to meet 6 p.m. Dec. 16 in the library conference room at NAHS.

School directors voted 9-0 to table a resolution to not increase taxes above the Act 1 Index of 4.8% for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

NASD Business Administrator Craig Neiman said the vote to table the Act 1 Index would not impede the NASD 2025-26 budget presentation, scheduled for the Jan. 26, 2025, meeting by himself and NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik.

The NASD academic report for the 2023-24 school year was presented by NASD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michelle Schoeneberger, NASD Secondary Curriculum Supervisor Scott Oste, NASD Elementary Curriculum Supervisor Katie Trach and NAHS Principal Luke Shafnisky. The presentation was to be posted Dec. 2 on the district website.

Harris made a motion, later withdrawn, to advertise for a superintendent to succeed Kovalchik, whose July 1, 2025, retirement was approved by school directors at the Nov. 11 meeting.

Baird urged caution in placing the advertisement.

A board meeting was held 6 p.m. Nov. 26 in the auditorium at NAHS to discuss the hiring of a new superintendent. Five school board members were unable to attend. The meeting was videotaped and can be viewed on the NASD website at nasdschools.org.

Harris asked if the board could hold an executive session to discuss the advertisement for superintendent.

Atty. Avery E. Smith, partner at King, Spry, Herman, Freund and Faul, the district solicitor firm, ruled an executive session would be permitted since it pertains to personnel, excluded under the Sunshine Law.

Dale Wagner, a parent of a Franklin Elementary School student, asked if the indoor air quality test results at Franklin are available.

“The test was done. We have not received the results,” Kovalchik said.

Wagner attended the Nov. 18 facilities committee meeting, saying his family’s child and other children attending Franklin experienced respiratory problems. The administration confirmed the Franklin building had a pipe leak in July with the school library receiving the most damage.