Nearly two dozen employees are expected to retire in Northampton Area School District.

The NASD Board of Education has approved 23 resignations for the purpose of retirement by NASD employees before or by the end of the 2026-27 school year.

What effect, if any, the retirements will have on the NASD 2026-27 budget is uncertain.

In his budget update at the March 9 school board meeting, NASD Business Administrator Craig Neiman said 21 district positions will be impacted.

The reductions by classification, according to Neiman, are: 5% in administration; 3% in teachers; and 4% in support staff. The reductions were said to be the result of redistricting and programming changes.

Neiman said staffing adjustments resulted in a budget reduction of $2 million. The savings include salaries and benefits.

The deficit for the 2026-27 Northampton Area School District budget has been reduced by an estimated one-third to $9.3 million, down from $12.7 million.

The 2026-27 preliminary budget, with a $12.7 million deficit based on expenditures of $154.8 million and revenue of $142.1 million, was presented at the Jan. 12 school board meeting by Neiman.

While there were no resignations for retirement on the agenda of the March 9 NASD Board of Education meeting, there is the possibility more retirements may be coming at upcoming school board meetings.

Three retirements were approved at the Sept. 8, 2025, school board meeting; one retirement was approved at the Oct. 13, 2025, school board meeting; one retirement was approved at the Nov. 10, 2025, school board meeting; three retirements were approved at the Dec. 1, 2025, school board meeting; and four retirements were approved at the Jan. 12 school board meeting.

At the Feb. 9 board meeting, 11 retirements were approved by unanimous 9-0 vote:

• Ann Harrington, mathematics teacher, Northampton Area High School, effective Feb. 17;

• Melinda Jacobson, teacher, Franklin Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Kimberly Butryn, school counselor, NAHS, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Deanna Ferry, school counselor, Northampton Area Middle School, effective Sept. 25, 2026;

• Robin Hart, school counselor, Franklin Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Doreen Ifkovits, teacher, George Wolf Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Candy Rosenbauer, teacher, NAMS, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Jennifer Horn, teacher, George Wolf Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Chantell Wagner, teacher, Franklin Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year;

• Joanne Gaffney, teacher, Franklin Elementary School, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year, and

• Stephen Rumore, mathematics teacher, NAHS, effective last day of the 2025-26 school year.

Also approved by unanimous 9-0 vote by the school board Feb. 9 were the resignations of Kaitlyn Hoffman, supervisor of special education for curriculum and instruction, effective March 23, and Dawn Gutkowski, security guard, effective Jan. 15, per the agreement.

Approved by unanimous 9-0 vote Feb. 9 by the school board were the hirings of:

• Abrielle Snyder, long-term substitute kindergarten teacher, Moore Elementary School, for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year, effective originally Jan. 26 but updated to Jan. 16, at $63,655, prorated;

• Renetta Feist, long-term substitute, family and consumer science teacher, NAHS, for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year, retroactively effective to Jan. 20, at $63,655, prorated;

• Christopher Bastidas, head boys’ tennis coach, effective Feb. 10, at $5,971;

• Patrick Madden, custodian second shift (Tuesday-Saturday), Siegfried Elementary School, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits, and

• Elias Younes, custodian second shift, NAMS, effective July 1, at $31.27 per hour, with benefits.

Also approved by unanimous vote Feb. 9 by the school board:

• Approve the agreement between NASD and Pennsylvania College of Technology to implement the pre-apprenticeship experiences for NAHS students during the 2025-26 school year;

• Addition of school board Director Kristin Soldridge to the policy committee;

• Nominate school Director Dr. Michael Baird as NASD representative on Northampton Community College board of trustees, July 1, through June 30, 2032;

• Approve creation of Northampton Area Middle School Alumni Scholarship Fund;

• Approve creation of NAMS student activity account for Empty Bowls; and

• Accept, with appreciation, a donation of $200 monthly (September-May, $1,800 total) from the Lehigh Township Lions Club to purchase nonperishable food items for the Lehigh Elementary School food pantry.

The NASD school board is scheduled to meet 6:30 p.m. April 13, in the NAHS auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.