January and February are typically when Northampton Area School District Board of Education receives resignations from district employees for the purpose of retirement.

Sometimes, from six to eight and sometimes more, employees submit retirement notices at a school board meeting. The retirements can be of teachers, administrators, support personnel and maintenance employees.

Retirement notices are not confined to the first two school board meetings of the year and continue into the spring and the conclusion of the school year. Retirement notices can also occur at the previous year fall board meetings.

Ample notice by district employees helps the administration plan for hiring needs for the start of the upcoming school year.

Four resignations for retirement were approved by a 9-0 vote at the Jan. 12 school board meeting: Andrea Wasilko, Northampton Area High School teacher, effective last day of teacher contract for the 2025-26 school year; Michelle Costanzo, NAHS teacher, effective last day of teacher contract for the 2025-26 school year; Jennifer Strauch, Franklin Elementary School teacher, effective last day of teacher contract for the 2025-26 school year; and Sandra Kulick, NAHS one-on-one instructional assistant, effective retroactively to Dec. 12, 2025.

Three retirements were approved at the school board meeting Dec. 1, 2025, one was approved at the Oct. 13, 2025, board meeting, and three retirements were approved at the Sept. 8, 2025, school board meeting, as reported in Northampton Press.

One retirement approved at the Nov. 10, 2025, school board meeting was not reported in Northampton Press — Lisa Weller, Lehigh Elementary School fourth-grade teacher, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year.

Hirings approved by a 9-0 vote at the Jan. 12 school board meeting were Shanna McCarthy, NAHS school psychologist, effective July 1, at $83,182.11, with benefits; Abrielle Snyder, Moore Elementary School long-term substitute kindergarten teacher for the rest of the 2025-26 school year, effective Jan. 26, at $63,655, prorated; Nina Collins, Lehigh Elementary School long-term substitute third-grade teacher, for the first semester of the 2025-26 school year, effective retroactively Aug. 18, 2025, through the second semester and concluding March 9, at $64,266, prorated; Zoe Dougherty, Moore Elementary School short-term substitute third-grade teacher, effective retroactively Nov. 17, 2025, through Feb. 3, at per diem rate of $188; Tony Bauer, Route 329 administration center second-shift custodian, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits; Anthony Frantz, NAHS head custodian, effective June 1, at $30.27 per hour, including additional $2 per hour as head custodian, with benefits; Edward Schoeneberger, East Allen Elementary School second-shift custodian, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits; Tracy Paules, NAHS and NASD maintenance building second-shift custodian, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits; Eric Bauer, East Allen Elementary School second-shift custodian, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits; and Robin Sperlbaum, East Allen Elementary School second-shift custodian, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits.

Also approved at the Jan. 10 meeting was the revised list of 2025-26 winter season coaches with designated payments, effective July 1, 2025, through June 30.

Hirings approved by a 9-0 vote at the Nov. 10, 2025, school board meeting and not reported in Northampton Press included Brielle Guarente, NAHS long-term substitute math teacher, for the second semester, effective Jan. 12, at $64,455, prorated; Makayla Letourneau, Moore Elementary long-term substitute fifth-grade teacher, for the second semester, effective Jan. 21, at $63,655, prorated; Kacie Suveg, Lehigh Elementary long-term substitute special education instructional assistant, Nov. 11, 2025, to the end of the 2025-26 school year, at $21.38 per hour, with benefits; Homaira Paredes, administration center 12-month curriculum secretary, effective Dec. 2, 2025, at $28.04 per hour, with benefits; Cheryl Mohr, Franklin Elementary School long-term substitute cafeteria monitor, retroactively effective Nov. 3, 2025, to the end of the 2025-26 school year, at $20.63 per hour; and Cory Marsteller, Northampton Area Middle School 10-month police officer, effective Dec. 8, 2025, at a prorated salary of $53,716 annually, plus benefits.

It was announced at the Jan. 12 school board meeting that the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony is set for 7:30 p.m. May 29 Al Erdosy Stadium, Northampton. The inclement weather dates are May 30 and May 31, with times to be determined.

The school board next meets 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.