Northwestern Lehigh School District Operations Manager Arthur Oakes announced the retirement of a 25-year school custodian at during the Aug. 21 board meeting

Oakes said Ethel Hollenbach was helpful in setting up and tearing down equipment for special events.

She also realized the meaning of school and community.

Hollenbach will be given a plaque but was unable to attend the meeting.

“She was an amazing custodian,” Oakes said.

Superintendent Jennifer Holman said the year started with student orientation that morning and announced all students got to the right building and were happy to be back.

Assistant Principal Don Allen announced the hiring of Angela Curry, for ninth and 10th grade English; Allison Kline, music instructor and director of bands and chorales; and Coral Suppan, chemistry.

Middle school Principal Bill Dovico reported KellyAnn Purugganan, science and math teacher, will work with the Seventh grade Team Roar. Casey Coombs will be with the Pathfinders team as a sixth grade learning support teacher.

In other matters, Scott Shearer of PFM told about the progress on the refinancing project.

The issue will be discussed further to keep the board updated. There is an opportunity to refinance under the current market conditions.

Exploring’s Career Interest Survey will be administered annually to determine career interests of the students.

The national, co-ed, practical worksite vocation program for youth provides hands-on real world career experience. Areas addressed will be engineering, law enforcement, health care, information technology, manufacturing and more.

The online survey can be found at exploringyourcareer.com.

Community classes being offered include: Yoga, Sept. 16 to Oct. 28, $240; and Nov. 4 to Dec. 16, $210; Knitting, Sept. 18 to Nov. 6, $300; Basketweaving, Oct. 8, $150; and Dec. 3, $157.50; Yoga, Oct. 1 to Nov. 26, $300; and Country Heat, Oct. 3 to Nov. 21, $180.

The school board approved agreements with the Center for Humanistic Change, a student assistance program liaison service; Nulton Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Slatington, school-based mental health services.

An agreement was approved between Northern Lehigh School District and Lehigh County Children and Youth for transportation-related provisions for foster care youth.

The board gave approval for Beynon Sports Surfaces to install an all-weather track per Co-Stars pricing of $255,530; and Behavioral Health Associates, Lehighton, to provide an alternative general education programming/special education programming as needed.