The Northampton Area School District Board of Education has new leadership. John Becker, who represents Lehigh and Allen townships, was elected president by his peers on the board. David Gogel, who represents Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township, was elected vice president.

At the Dec. 1 school board organization meeting, held in the auditorium of Northampton Area High School, Gogel was voted 5-0 to be temporary board president by the incumbent school directors, after being nominated by school Director Joshua Harris and seconded by Becker.

New school Directors Zachary Kromer, Ross Makary, Jamie Shankweiler Marchiano and Frances Shehab took the oath of office.

Becker was nominated for school board president by school Director Ross Makary, seconded by Gogel. School board President Kristin Soldridge was nominated to be reelected by Josh Harris and seconded by Marchiano.

The vote was 5-4 in favor of Becker. Voting for Becker were Becker, Gogel, Makary, Shehab and Baird. Voting for Soldridge were Harris, Kromer, Marchiano and Soldridge.

Gogel was nominated for school board vice president by Makary and seconded by Becker. Harris was nominated by Marchiano, seconded by Soldridge.

The vote was 5-4 in favor of Gogel. Voting for Gogel were Gogel, Makary, Shehab, Becker and Baird. Voting for Harris were Harris, Kromer, Marchiano and Soldridge. Gogel succeeds Nathan Lichtenwalner, who was not elected to the school board in the Nov. 4 general election.

After the board leadership election, Becker chaired the 30-minute organization meeting and the regular school board meeting immediately following.

School directors voted 9-0, on a motion by Harris and seconded by Makary, to approved the time, date and location of the 2026 board of education meetings.

For the first time in years, NASD school board meetings will not be held regularly in Northampton Borough. Prior to board meetings held in the Northampton Area High School auditorium, board meetings were held in the Northampton Area Middle School cafeteria and, before that, in the NASD Administration Building conference room.

The directors’ vote included approval for the Sept. 14, 2026, school board meeting and subsequent board meetings 6:30 p.m. in the board room of Northampton Area Education Center, Seemsville Road and Route 329, East Allen Township.

Per the directors’ approval, board meetings Jan. 12-Aug. 17, 2026, will be 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

“That’s the plan for now, if all things move according to plan,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said. “Until August, we’re holding meetings here (NAHS auditorium).”

School directors voted 9-0, on a motion by Harris and seconded by Makary, to approve board meeting dates for 2026, with cancellation dates, most likely for inclement weather, in parentheses: Jan. 12 (Jan. 14); Feb. 9 (Feb. 11), March 9 (March 11), April 13, May 11, June 15, July 20, Aug. 17, Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9 and organization meeting Dec. 7 (Dec. 9).

School directors voted 9-0 to approve board committee voluntary appointments, on a motion by Baird and seconded by Harris, including the following: contract negotiations, Act 93 and meet and discuss: Soldridge, Marchiano and Baird; employees benefit trust: Gogel; expulsion: Gogel, Becker, Kromer and Soldridge; facilities: Harris, Makary, Becker and Kromer; finance and budget: Harris, Soldridge and Marchiano; K-Kids Foundation: Becker and Shehab; NASD Community Council: Soldridge; Northampton Area Public Library: Shehab; PSBA liaison: Baird; policy: Marchiano and Harris; safe schools: Makary and Becker; security: Makary, Soldridge and Kromer; and I-U 20: Baird.

School directors voted 9-0, on motion by Soldridge and seconded by Becker, to appoint Soldridge, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2025, to the Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School joint committee, effective January 2026 through December 2028. Makary is also on the BAVTS joint committee.

“On behalf of the Northampton Area School District administration, I’d like to welcome the new members to the school board,” Kovalchik said at the conclusion of the organization meeting. “I had the opportunity to meet with the new members before Thanksgiving. It was very cordial. I think they will fit in very well.

“I’d like to thank Kristin (Soldridge), and I think she did a very nice job, and also Mr. Lichtenwalner for a job well done. I look forward to 2026 and moving the district forward,” Kovalchik added.