A five-year renewal was approved for Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts by the Northampton Area School District Board of Education despite concerns raised by a school director about an ongoing investigation at the school.

The NASD school board voted 6-3 at its March 14 meeting to approve an application for a five-year renewal for LV Charter Arts beginning July 1 and concluding June 30, 2027.

School Director Kim Bretzik, speaking and voting via speakerphone, raised the concern about approving the renewal and voted against the renewal. Also voting against renewal were Directors Doug Vaughn and Chuck Frantz.

Bretzik made a motion to table the vote on the LV Charter Arts renewal. Vaughn seconded the motion. The motion to table the vote was defeated 7-2.

“Some alleged student safety concerns have come to light,” Bretzik said.

“There was an allegation at the school,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said.

“On Feb. 15, we made families aware there was a student-generated letter distributed to some members of the school community,” according to a Feb. 20 Letters to Families post on LV Charter Arts website. “This letter contained allegations of discrimination and harassment.

“We are actively working with the Bethlehem Police Department and Northampton County District Attorney’s Office regarding this matter. As it is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment on it at this time, but we wanted to assure you the appropriate authorities are involved,” LV Charter Arts stated.

“Today (Feb. 15), while the administration was working to investigate the origins of this document and understand its contents, students organized a peaceful sit-in that took place in our first-floor hallway during ninth period. Students shared their stories and voices with members of the administration and faculty, and we listened,” Dr. Carise Comstock, LV Charter Arts superintendent and CEO, stated in a Feb. 15 letter on the LV Charter Arts website.

“Due to escalating behavior and the timing of the situation, as dismissal was approaching, Charter Arts administrators contacted the Bethlehem Police Department. Students were excused 3 p.m., and while the Bethlehem Police Department was still on site, additional student conflicts occurred and were handled by the police department. They remained on site until approximately 4:15 p.m. to monitor student dismissal,” Comstock said.

LV Charter Arts reportedly did not hold classes Feb. 16 and resumed classes Feb. 22.

The letters from the charter arts school can be found on the LV Charter Arts website, charterarts.org/letters-to-families.

Comstock made a presentation, requesting renewal of LV Charter Arts, at the Feb. 14 NASD school board meeting.

Before the March 14 vote on LV Charter Arts renewal, school Director John Becker asked, “If we don’t approve the charter tonight, what happens?”

NASD Solicitor Atty. C. Steven Miller noted there is a deadline for renewal - June 30.

“If there’s an investigation, it won’t be over by April (the next NASD school board meeting is April 11). It might not even be done by June,” Miller said.

“If the allegations prove true, the board is able to revoke the charter,” Miller said.

Before the vote, Vaughn said, “By not approving the charter tonight, it might send a message to Charter Arts that we are noting them.”

“I’m not a big fan of charter schools,” Frantz said before voting against the renewal.

Voting for renewal of the charter for LV Charter Arts were school board President James Chuss, Vice President John Becker and Directors Dr. Michael Baird, David Gogel, Ross Makary and Robert Mentzell.

Kovalchik, at the start and conclusion of the board meeting, talked about what he described as “the positives” in the school district, including postseason achievements by the Northampton Area High School Konkrete Kids girls basketball team, boys wrestling team and boys basketball team (making the “Elite Eight” in state quarterfinals for the first time since 1972), as well as the Science Olympiad, DECA nationals with 36 NASD students and the upcoming “Mamma Mia!” student musical.

“I had the opportunity to get out in the classrooms and the buildings,” Kovalchik said. “We’re really only two months out of COVID-19. The numbers are slowing down in cases. I was pleased and excited. The teachers and students are working together.

“I was rejuvenated by what I saw in the buildings. We are all feeling what impact COVID-19 has had on education. After two years, we managed to stay the course. I think the district is going to continue to grow and get better,” Kovalchik said.

The NASD website COVID-19 data dashboard seven-day building totals, March 8-14, as of March 14, are: Northampton Area High School, 1; Northampton Area Middle School, 0; Borough Elementary Schools, 0; Moore Elementary School, 0; Lehigh Elementary School, 0; George Wolf Elementary School, 0; and district administration building, 1.

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in NASD for the 2021-22 school year to date is 1,132.

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. April 11 in the auditorium of NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.