A Northampton Area School District administrator has been named as the new principal of Northern Lehigh High School.

On an 8-0 measure, Northern Lehigh School Board on Monday appointed Dr. Lori Kuhns as high school principal, at a salary of $118,000, effective July 1, or upon release.

Superintendent Matthew J. Link welcomed Kuhns, of Schnecksville, was accompanied by her husband, whom she said is her biggest supporter and cheerleader.

“I’ve said this a couple of times; I just feel so blessed,” Kuhns said. “I’m just so impressed and honored to just have time with the board and with all of you, and I can’t wait to meet all of you, my team and the kids.”

Kuhns said she was anxious to get started.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun together, and I just look forward to it,” she said. “Thank you for the trust that you’re putting in me.”

After the meeting, Kuhns said she was thrilled to have been chosen for the position.

“I just feel so honored,” she said. “I have been so impressed by the leadership.”

Kuhns, who has 25 years in the education field, said she can tell the district has the students’ best interests at heart.

“To be a part of that brings me so much excitement about this position,” she said. “I am going to work as hard as I possibly can to make it the best possible education for the kids.”

Kuhns is currently a fifth grade teacher at Northampton Borough Elementary School and has served as principal at several elementary schools and assistant director of curriculum and instruction for the Northampton Area School District. Before that, she worked in the Allentown School District.

In August, Northern Lehigh School Board hired former Jim Thorpe Superintendent John Rushefski as acting principal from Aug. 24 through June 30, 2023, at a salary of $445 per day.

Robert Vlasaty had been principal at Northern Lehigh High School since July 2011. The district has been mum on his departure, saying it was a personnel matter.