Northern Lehigh SD presents employee profile; administration urges targeted hires and internal promotion

District administrators on Monday presented an employee staffing profile that broke down workforce counts, demographics and recruitment strategies and recommended targeted hires to meet student needs.

The presentation, given as part of the superintendent’s monthly reports, showed the district employs roughly 260 staff across categories: 16 administrators, 131 professional staff and 120 support staff. Administrators were reported as 69% male and 31% female; the presenter said 100% of administrators were white in the demographic slide shown. Professional staff were reported as about 98% white, with the majority holding master’s degrees. The paraprofessional pool includes 51 staff with four special-education para openings noted.

Administration recommended several staffing changes to address class-size and special-education needs: transfer a second-grade teacher at Peters Elementary to a third-grade classroom, add one special-education teacher at Slatington Elementary (to reintegrate outplaced students) and fund two additional paraeducator positions (one each for Peters and Slatington) funded through the general fund or by reallocating savings from reintegrated students.

Superintendent’s framing "Our goal is to ensure that each new team member understands our culture, our expectations and systems and has access to the professional development they need to thrive in their role," the superintendent said, describing recruitment, onboarding and retention strategies and the district’s efforts to promote staff from within.

Other details and trade-offs Administrators said the district is considering whether to run the Open Horizons summer STEAM camp (12 days at four hours per day, estimated total cost $48,696) or instead use those funds to pay for two year-round paraeducator positions; the board was asked to direct administration on that choice. Presentation slides also listed long-term facility and technology projects out through the 2032–33 school year and several recommended one-time purchases that would be funded from the district’s fund balance if approved.

What happens next The staffing recommendations are part of the preliminary budget discussion and will be finalized as the board reviews the budget through May and by the June final adoption. The board scheduled a special meeting April 28 to review updated financials and bond options that could affect whether and how these positions are funded.