For the third consecutive year, Northern Lehigh School District has made the grade.

Assistant Superintendent Karen Nicholas told the school board on Monday that the district has once again met Adequate Yearly Progress, a key measure of school performance established by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.In order to achieve it, schools and districts must meet target percentages with all students, as well as with every subgroup of 40 or more students, scoring at the Advanced or Proficient level.After the middle school and high school failed to meet AYP in 2009, the district met AYP last year, as well as in 2010.Also on Monday, the board passed a resolution designating January as school board director recognition month."I'm going to be recognizing the board of education; they do an outstanding job, with the best interests of the students in mind," Superintendent Michael Michaels said. "They do a great job of volunteering their time, they work hard, and I never hear any of the board members not say 'if it's not for the best interests of our students'".Michaels said it's that type of attitude that makes his job easier."I absolutely enjoy coming to work; we have a great teaching faculty and administration, we have a great board, and I'm so proud to be at Northern Lehigh because of these nine board members," he added.Michaels noted that the board's work "is not going unnoticed.""We have hard-working teachers, and they're efforts do not go unnoticed," he said. "Our people work hard, and I just think this is a really, really great place."In personnel moves, the board:• Accepted the resignation of Heather Rehrig from her position as psychologist, effective the end of the work day, Feb. 3. Rehrig has accepted a position with another school district.• Approved Mariel Letourneau as Musical Choreographer/Assistant Director for the Spring Musical for the NLHS Student Theatre Group. The stipend for the position ($1,000), will be paid out of the high school Student Activities Account. Letourneau's hiring is pending verification of missing documents.• Appointed Laura Tatusko, temporary vacancy replacement, to high school English teacher, to replace an employee on medical leave, at a salary of substitute teacher rated days 1-30, day 31 and beyond $43,580 prorated, effective Dec. 20, 2011, with a termination date undetermined, upon physicians release of teacher to return to work.• Appointed Karen Hluschak from cook's helper, middle school, to cook's helper, high school, to replace Arlene Glasmire, who retired, at no change in salary, effective Jan. 23.• Appointed Wendy Shirk from cook's helper, middle school, to cook's helper, high school, to replace Rebecca Croll, who retired, at no change in salary, effective Jan. 23.• Appointed Alice Christman as part-time cook's helper, to replace Hluschak, who was transferred to the high school, at a salary of $8.50 per hour, three hours per day, five days per week, up to 180 student days per year plus additional cleaning days as needed, effective Jan. 17.• Appointed Sheila Steier as part-time cook's helper, to replace Shirk, who was transferred to the high school, at a salary of $8.50 per hour, three hours per day, five days per week, up to 180 student days per year plus additional cleaning days as needed, effective Jan. 17.• Approved the request of Tracy Ettinger, Peters Elementary 2nd grade teacher, to take an unpaid day (Jan. 10), so she can attend a family function.• Approved the request of Susan Mendes, Slatington Elementary 3rd grade Special Education Teacher, to take an unpaid leave from Feb. 13-24, to work at a children's mission and a local school in the Philippines.Correspondence received from the Education Association states that the last two requests will not be considered as precedent setting for future requests.