Northern Lehigh School District has approved a five-year contract for Assistant Superintendent Karen Nicholas

By an 8-0 vote, the school board on Monday approved the contract. Director Gregory Williams was absent.The contract, which began Aug. 1 and runs through June 30, 2021, calls for a 3.5 percent increase in the first year.No other information on her contract was available in time for today's publication.Director Gary Fedorcha told Nicholas she was very deserving of her new contract."I'm very happy to do this," Fedorcha said. "Karen has been doing an excellent job."Nicholas said she was grateful for the board's support."Thank you," Nicholas said. "Appreciate it."In 2012, the school board approved a five-year contract for Nicholas.Under that agreement, Nicholas was paid $107,123 a year.She had served as assistant to the superintendent before the job was changed to assistant superintendent.