Northern Lehigh School District has hit the 2019-20 school year running.

Superintendent Matt Link reported on the start of the 2019-20 school year at Monday’s school board meeting.

“We are entering into our first full week of the school year, and so far all indicators are that we are off to a great start,” Link said. “Transportation is running smoothly, with the expected amount of bus stop changes.”

Link said the district will continue to receive data and results from last school year, and use them to present district wide goals to the board next month for their consideration and approval.

He added that the construction projects at the high school are nearly complete, and that the district is currently working with the McClure Company and Boyle Construction Company to finish several punch-list items related to the high school HVAC replacement project, as well as the high school science wing renovation and expansion project.

Link said he was happy to report that the district’s electric bills have decreased by a little over $52,000 as a result of the districtwide lighting upgrades, building envelope work, as well as the HVAC replacement at the middle school last year, otherwise known as the ESCO Project.

He said that doesn’t even take into account the nearly $40,000 budget decrease this year for fuel oil.

“We expect our savings to continue and increase once the HVAC work at the high school is fully complete and the system programming and balancing is done for that building,” he said. “Our hopes are to decrease the amount of fuel oil needed at that building, also by one tanker truck like the middle school.”

Link said the district continues to have families enrolling and dis-enrolling students, as expected.

He said the district’s third-day enrollment numbers include 357 students at Peters Elementary; 466 at Slatington Elementary; 234 at Northern Lehigh Middle School; and 458 at Northern Lehigh High School, a total of 1,515 students.