Dear Northern Lehigh Community,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and with positive energy!  I also hope you were able to engage in some exciting adventures, or perhaps some lazy days simply enjoying time with family and friends this summer.  Here in the central and school offices, we also found some time to relax and recharge in various ways.  We were also very busy preparing our schools and campuses for the return of our students and all of you.  We also found some time to reflect on accomplishments from last school year.

We were able to finalize our comprehensive plan near the end of last school year with final approval and adoption by the school board during our August board meeting.  Many of you had direct input into this multi-year plan and all its accompanying sub-plans.  You can access the plans on the district website in the Comprehensive Plan tab.  Please take note of our new district motto, Living, learning, and leading to make every story better.  I hope all of you can join in making the NLSD story one of success, pride, and deep connections with our students, their families, the community, and each other!

This summer, we also set the stage for the return of the Canvas Learning Management System. Throughout this year, Canvas training will continue as it integrates into our daily communication, instruction, and professional development activities. The custodian and maintenance department, with the support of six of our high school students, ensured that our students and staff return to a clean and healthy teaching and learning environment.  Our technology department has ensured that our networks, devices, and supporting infrastructure is ready to enhance the work we do each day in our classrooms, offices, and for our students in their homes. The food services department fed nearly 200 children per day who attended the learning and enrichment camps we hosted this summer, and even provided nutritious meals for some children who just stopped by.  You may have heard that we will be one of only a few districts in the Lehigh Valley which has committed to ensuring ALL students will receive a free breakfast and lunch this year, and potentially through the 2025-2026 school year.  Finally, we have been busy hiring new faculty and support staff which I am excited to introduce at the start of the school year.  Please do all you can to welcome them to the Northern Lehigh family and support them in becoming a positive addition to our story.

I would like to take a moment to thank Mr. Michael Strohl, our secondary assistant principal, for his leadership at Northern Lehigh High School during the spring semester of last school year.  This year, the high school will have an acting principal, Mr. John Rushefski. John is an experienced administrator with previous experience as a curriculum supervisor, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. He is excited to lead with Mr. Stohl and to continue the positive momentum occurring at the high school from the end of last year.

You can access the most recent version of the NLSD - Health and Safety Plan on our website.  Our hope is that we do not need to re-institute layers and layers of disruptive mitigation efforts. You can help to ensure we have as much continuity as possible by continuing to implement practices such as staying home when you are sick, wearing a mask if you believe you have been exposed to any communicable disease, washing your hands often, and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. We will continue the use of outdoor instructional spaces as much as possible, allow students to use water bottles during the day, and closely monitor our HVAC systems for air exchange rates and overall efficiency.  If our Health and Safety Plan does change, we will be sure to make it available in a timely manner.

You may have heard that school districts have received additional funding from the state through various revenue streams.  Two areas of focus are mental health and safety/security.  We are currently researching areas where we must use funding  and areas where we desire to use funding  to better support our students and employees while maintaining safe and secure buildings and grounds.  Please join us in these efforts by working hard to build and maintain positive relationships with our students.  Report any suspicious or concerning behavior to our building principals or school police officers.  Additionally, our students and community members can submit anonymous tips via the Safe-2-Say Something website or app.

As we approach the return of you and our students on August 29th, please know that I am filled with hope and excitement about the opportunities on the horizon!  As I reflect on my time in the district, I get overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and pride. I marvel at what we have accomplished together – energized to face any challenges that await us – and remain in awe of the collective potential we have as a team.

On behalf of the entire administrative team and the NLSD Board of School Directors, we look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Matthew J. Link
Superintendent

Superintendent's Message in Español