
Sarah Mueller
Education reporterAn experienced journalist, I joined LehighValleyNews.com as its education reporter. I bring several years of media experience at public radio stations including NPR Illinois, WFSU Public Media and Delaware Public Media. I’ve covered state and local government, interviewing lawmakers, governors and congressional leaders. In my personal life, I’m a passionate animal lover, hiker and documentary enthusiast. A documentary for which I worked as a researcher, Fire in the Meadows, won first place at the 2022 Tallahassee Film Festival for best documentary short film. It explored the effects of an investor buying a local mobile home park, raising rents and forcing tenants out of their homes. Contact me at SarahM@lehighvalleynews.com or and subscribe to my newsletter here.
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As the region diversifies, relations across racial groups are seen as a key element of quality of life. A new survey finds overall ratings as mostly positive, but different age groups rate the state of race relations differently.
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The 4-month-old Lab was specially trained as an emotional support animal.
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A crowd gathered — and cheered — as Luani the otter at Lehigh Valley Zoo made his Super Bowl LVII pick during the 12th annual Otter Bowl a day before the big game between the Eagles and Chiefs.
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Parents aren't the only ones frustrated. One bus driver says students acting out causes drivers to quit, creating high turnover rates. A number of school districts are negotiating new bus driver contracts.
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Some students say they see parallels between Till's murder and recent killings of people of color by police. They participated in a Black History Month presentation at Dieruff High School.
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Kimberly Lipsky Weidman reads her book to kids at Muhlenberg Elementary School.
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Some districts say it's a constant struggle to staff the positions.
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The center was the target of attacks on drag shows
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A spokesman for the center said the conservative attacks made them concerned about the safety of kids and parents.
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Allentown police say Dieruff High School was locked down after they received information that a student brought the gun inside the school Wednesday.
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Sources with information about the situation say Cheryl Clark will likely be demoted at Thursday's Allentown school board meeting. She was placed on administrative leave in April.
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Students are paid $15 an hour to work up to 30 hours a week. They can work in various areas such as schools or the central office.
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The Allentown school is looking for barbers, stylists and braiders to help students look their best for picture day on Oct. 13.
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The flower show is being hosted by Bethlehem Garden Club Friday and Saturday.
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The Allentown School District Foundation awarded 77 scholarships to students graduating from Allentown high schools this year, totaling more than $65,000.
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Dieruff High School junior Faith Gross competed against other aspiring actors at talent auditions in Orlando. Gross said she got three callbacks, including from a music producer.
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Gov. Josh Shapiro made a deal with Senate Republicans to include vouchers in the budget, angering Democrats and unions. He reversed that course of action after facing backlash and has promised to veto them.
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The Bethlehem Area School Board kept secret the findings of an independent investigation paid with taxpayer funds. The probe focused on an incident involving the superintendent and a Liberty High School assistant principal at a football game. The assistant principal filed a civil rights lawsuit against Roy and the district.
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The farmers' market almost disappeared in the early 2000s, but community support helped revitalized it.
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A pretrial conference was held Wednesday in federal court stemming from Liberty High School Assistant Principal Antonio Traca's federal civil rights lawsuit against retiring Superintendent Joseph Roy and the Bethlehem Area School District.
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Speakers accuse public school officials, teachers' unions of trying to "sexualize children" or indoctrinating them. Some called for restricting LGBTQ books. Protestors traveled from the Lehigh Valley and beyond to stand against the Moms for Liberty's "extremism" and in support of LGBTQ people.
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Public school advocates worry vouchers will divert money from public education into charters or private schools.