Northampton Area School District is launching an apprenticeship program for students after receiving an approximate one-quarter-million-dollar grant.

NASD Board of Education, at the recommendation of the administration, voted unanimously 9-0 at its June 15 meeting to approve the Chemistry Lab Testing Pre-Apprenticeship Program for Northampton Area High School students and the program coordinator’s compensation in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Schools-to-Work Grant, with compensation paid through a $249,843 grant for the program, June 1-May 30, 2028.

The Schools-to-Work Grant program, administered through the labor and industry department, is managed locally by PA CareerLink. The program is intended to connect classroom learning with hands-on career training in high-demand industries.

The funds create, launch and maintain registered pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship career pathways that are to bridge the gap between high school or college graduation and the job-search process, according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website.

Administrative costs covered include salary and benefits of the coordinator, who oversees curriculum, manages industry partnerships and evaluates project outcomes.

The Shapiro administration allocated $3.5 million in funding for the Schools-to-Work Grant program in an effort to develop and expand career pathways for underserved populations through partnerships between schools, employers, organizations or associations for pre-apprenticeship and job training for students.

In other business at the June 15 meeting, at the recommendation of the administration, the board of education voted 9-0 to approve the following.

• Elementary and secondary student-parent handbooks for the 2026-27 school year

• Summer Career Mentorship Program for NAHS students and the teachers’ and program coordinator’s compensation, to be paid through federal Title IV funding, to be effective June 9-Aug. 14

• Substitute teacher service contract to provide instructors for homebound and instruction in the home services

• VIA of the Lehigh Valley agreement, effective for the 2026-27 school year, at a cost not to exceed $53,550

• Purchase VapeEducate at a cost not to exceed $1,500 to be paid through Title IV funding

• NAHS additional targeted support and improvement plan, effective July 1-June 30, 2027

• Contract with New Story Schools Services to provide education and behavioral services to NASD students

• Clinical field education affiliation agreement with Moravian University and NASD for the counseling program, effective July 1

• Listing of 2026-27 fall season head coaches and assistant coaches, with designated payments, to be effective July 1-June 30, 2027

• Mandatory attendance of School Security Officer Stephen Milkovits at Basic School Resource Officer Training Course, Doylestown, June 29-July 3, at a cost of $550, included in the approved 2025-26 security budget

• 2026 homestead and farmstead real estate tax reduction amount of $198.65 with a 2026 homestead and farmstead real estate assessed value reduction of $3,258

• Alternate method of billing and payment with Northampton Community College for the 2026-27 fiscal year

• Hourly rates for legal services by KingSpry in accordance with scope of services and compensation agreement, effective July 1

• Two-year extension for trash removal and recycling services to Chrin Hauling Inc., July 1-June 30, 2028

The school board will next meet 6:30 p.m. July 20 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.