Northern Lehigh School District has reshuffled its middle school administrative staff with the announcement Principal David Hauser is leaving to take a job as principal at Saucon Valley Middle School.

The school board on Monday accepted Hauser’s resignation, effective Oct. 10, and approved Daniel Williams as middle school principal, effective Oct. 15.

Williams, who was secondary assistant principal, will earn $115,000, prorated for the 2025-26 school year.

Nicole Del Gotto was appointed to the post of secondary assistant principal at a salary of $95,000, prorated for the 2025-26 school year.

Her employment is effective upon her release from Danville Area School District, where she serves as a principal.

Outgoing principal

Hauser, who joined Northern Lehigh in 2019 and became principal in 2021 at a salary of $100,000, previously served as assistant principal at Lehighton Area High School. Before that, he was an English teacher at the high school.

He thanked staff, families and taxpayers.

“I’ve been privileged to work at Northern Lehigh for the last six years,” Hauser said. “To my parents and families, thank you for entrusting me with your children. It was neat to see classmates I grew up with now have their children in the school.”

He praised his staff as “exemplary” and described the administrative team as always striving to exceed potential.

Board members expressed gratitude.

“We’ve gotten a lot of awards hanging on the wall as the result of what you’ve done,” said board President Mathias Green.

New leadership

Before leaving, Hauser endorsed Williams: “He’s exactly the type of person I would want for my child. As a parent and taxpayer, I fully support his appointment.”

Williams, who joined Northern Lehigh last year after serving as an assistant principal in Stroudsburg and as a teacher and coach in Lehighton, was congratulated by several board members. “Mr. Williams, you’ve got some big shoes to fill,” Green said.

Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link added, “The bar is set high, but I know you’ll keep the momentum moving forward.”

Del Gotto was also welcomed. Director Gary Fedorcha, part of the interview team, said, “We have found two of the best of the best. … they’re going to be wonderful leaders for your children.”