🎵 National Recognition for Music Education
We are thrilled to share that the Southern Lehigh School District has officially received the Best Communities for Music Education award from The NAMM Foundation for an incredible 13th consecutive year! This recognition is a testament to the collective brilliance of our students and the dedication of our educators. This passion does not just teach notes on a page; it builds the culture and soul of our schools. Thank you to our team for keeping the music playing in Southern Lehigh!
💼 Staffing & Recruitment Success
As we prepare for the 2026-2027 school year, we are seeing significant progress in our recruitment efforts. Thanks to the dedication of our interview committees, we have successfully completed final rounds for several elementary positions, a new French teacher, an Elementary Art teacher, and Special Education roles. We are currently launching the interview process for the High School Math department. Our priority remains hiring individuals who embody the care, compassion, and excellence our students deserve!
May is a month of gratitude. We recently celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week, School Principal Day, and National School Nurse Day! Thank you to our incredible educators, leaders, and healthcare staff. Your impact is deeply felt, and the magic you bring to our schools every single day is very real.
🤖 AI Literacy & Planning
The AI Steering Committee convened for multiple sessions this month to advance a comprehensive K-12 AI Literacy Scope and Sequence. The committee is finalizing training requirements for the upcoming Summer Academy and developing a tiered professional learning schedule for the next academic year.
📈 Amplify Desmos Implementation
Educators in grades 1-5 participating in the phased implementation of Amplify Desmos recently completed a comprehensive Program Overview. Staff explored resource navigation, pedagogical alignment, and curriculum application, positioning them perfectly for collaborative planning during the Summer Academy.
💼 SLMS Career Day
SLMS hosted a highly successful Career Day for our 8th graders! Students engaged in career-focused seminars, heard from an inspiring keynote speaker, and participated in professional mock interviews with local volunteers to prepare for their transition to High School.
🎓 National Honor Society
The High School chapter of the National Honor Society proudly welcomed 64 new members this spring! These students were recognized for their outstanding dedication to scholarship, leadership, service, and character. We also celebrate our 74 graduating NHS seniors whose accomplishments have made a lasting difference in our Spartan community.
🏫 Kindergarten & Grade 3 Transition
On May 1, we were thrilled to welcome new Kindergarten families to both Liberty Bell and Hopewell elementary schools for our first orientation and screening sessions! Parents learned about our amazing schools while students participated in fun activities and experienced a real Kindergarten classroom firsthand. Furthermore, our leadership team has officially finalized the new parent pick-up and drop-off protocols for JPLIS. Logistics and infrastructure work will take place over the summer to ensure an efficient, safe traffic flow for the fall.
☀️ Summer Acceleration Program
Developed in partnership with the SLEA, the district is proud to continue the SLSD-SLEA Summer School program. This tuition-based, cost-neutral initiative leverages our own teachers and curriculum to offer courses like Health, Physical Education, and Keys to Driving, enhancing student learning over the summer months.
🏗️ Future Fiscal Outlook & Facilities
The Finance and Facilities Committee is reviewing long-term plans for capital projects, including the High School Auditorium and tennis court resurfacing. District administration is working closely with financial advisors to carefully plan bonding strategies for these projects while factoring in anticipated revenue from local developments like Promenade Park.
🎭 Theatre & Arts Shine: The SLMS production of The Addams Family was a smashing success, featuring wonderful cross-building mentorship from High School tech students! At the High School, the cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors received 6 Freddy Nominations, including Outstanding Performance by an Actor/Actress in a Leading Role (Patrick D'Amico & Emerson Tyrell)!
🏅 Elite CTE Achievements: LCTI recognized SLHS Seniors Shayla W. (Criminal Justice) and Tucker J. (Welding Technology) with the prestigious SkillsUSA Elmer Gates Enterprise Award. Tucker also qualified for the Project MFG National Maritime Welding Championship in San Diego, competing for a $10,000 prize pool!
🗣️ Speech & Debate Dominance: Southern Lehigh captured 1st in Debate Team Sweepstakes and 2nd in Overall Team Sweepstakes at the Spartan Invitational! Several students have qualified for the prestigious NCFL Grand National Tournament in Washington D.C. and the NSDA National Championships in Richmond, VA.
🧮 Math & Science Competitions: Nine AP Calculus students represented SLHS at the University of Scranton's Integration Bee, with Cayden L. advancing all the way to the finals! At JPLIS, 4th-grade students hosted a wonderful Police Appreciation event, and enjoyed the long-standing tradition of "Dave Long's Traveling Physics Show" led by HS AP Physics students.
❤️ Elementary Engagement: Liberty Bell students became global citizens during the "Passport to the World" event, and earned over 2,027 ROAR tickets for positive behavior, receiving plantable pencils donated by AirProducts! Hopewell hosted an amazing Springfest and enjoyed a fantastic 3rd-grade concert.
🏆 League Champions & Postseason Action:
- Baseball: Colonial League Champions! The team defeated Parkland 7-0 in the finals and enters the District XI 5A playoffs as the #4 seed. Congratulations to Coach Miller on achieving his 400th career win!
- Track & Field: Both the Boys and Girls teams finished undefeated and were crowned Colonial League East Division Champions! The Girls' team continues an incredible legacy, now reaching 108 consecutive dual meet victories.
- Historic Record: The Boys 4x400m relay team (Milo S., Jack P., Stanley W., and Sean S.) broke the all-time District 11 and area record with a staggering time of 3:17.38!
- Playoff Bound: Softball (#1 seed), Girls Lacrosse (#1 seed), Boys Volleyball (#1 seed), and Boys Lacrosse (#3 seed) are all officially competing in the District XI Tournaments!
- Academic All-Stars: Congratulations to Sean Steckert for winning the inaugural PHEAA/PIAA All-Academic Athletic Team District XI Scholarship, and to Mai Graham for winning the District XI Girls Wrestling Scholar Athlete Scholarship!
🎓 Class of 2026 Graduation
We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2026! The Graduation Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 29th at 6:30 PM at Stabler Arena. Parents can reserve their general admission tickets using their student's individualized promo code online. Senior events, including the Senior Sunset, Breakfast, and mandatory laptop returns, will take place throughout the week of May 25th.
📄 Board Governance & Policy
The Policy Committee continues to actively review and advance several key updates. Recent readings included policies on Public Comments in Board Meetings, Principles of Governance, and Attendance at Meetings via Electronic Communications. New discussions have also launched to review Extracurricular (122) and Interscholastic Athletics (123) guidelines.
📌 Important Upcoming Dates
- May 20: Senior Awards Assembly
- May 25: Memorial Day, Schools Closed
- May 26: SLSD School Board Meeting (6:30 PM, SLHS Media Center)
- May 29: SLHS Graduation Ceremony (6:30 PM, Stabler Arena)
- June 1: Education/Technology Committee Meeting (4:30 PM, SL Administration Building)
- June 2: Facilities & Finance Committee Meeting (5:00 PM, SLHS Auditorium)
- June 5: Tentative Students' Last Day of School (1/2 Day)
- June 8: Policy Committee Meeting (3:00 PM, SL Administration Building)
- June 8: SLSD School Board Meeting (6:30 PM, SLHS Media Center)
- June 22: SLSD School Board Meeting (6:30 PM, SLHS Media Center)