What each Lehigh Valley school district is getting from $2.2B in COVID funds for Pa. education
Updated Jan 15, 2021;
Pennsylvania K-12 school districts and charter schools are poised to receive a combined $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds to support food programs, technology and other education services.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced the funding on Friday. It is tied to the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund passed by Congress last month.
“All schools have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I commend school communities for rising to the challenge to combat the toll it has taken,” the governor said in a statement. “This extra funding is critical to help schools meet the unique needs of educating students at this time while keeping school buildings safe when students return to the classroom.”
Some school districts in the Lehigh Valley are moving away from traditional final exams, mainly because of the disruption of in-person learning due to the pandemic.
Easton Area School District to drop final exams this spring
Updated Jan 06, 2021;
You can watch the discussion on the school district YouTube channel.
Director of Secondary Education Michael Koch said children have gotten less instructional time this year due to COVID-19. He said high-stakes tests put a lot of pressure on children already dealing with the pandemic.
“The stress and complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are causing us to rethink some of our grading practices,” Koch said.
Rather than set up dates to prepare for the finals and slot out dates to administer the finals, the district will use that time for more student instruction.
Easton 911 storm warning wasn’t a fluke. Just bad timing | Turkeys and Trophies
Updated Dec 19, 2020;
Posted Dec 19, 2020
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning on Dec. 15 for 13 counties with heavy snow, high winds and the potential for coastal flooding.National Weather Service
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Members of the Garden State Underwater Recovery Unit took on an unusual assignment Sunday, going into the frigid Delaware River at Phillipsburg to recover something that had fallen from the sky. The object they sought was a first a collar of bells that had slipped from one of Santa’s reindeer on a recent “test flight” over the area. Lt. Frank Nester, a member of team, said the Milford-based unit was challenged to find the bells, which help Rudolph, Santa’s bright-nosed lead reindeer, navigate his sleigh on Christmas Eve. The successful 10-minute search was part of a public safety program for kids and adults to remind everyone to wear life jacke