A petition has been started against the proposed common campus model in the Northern Lehigh School District.

District resident Sarah Seidel started the petition five days ago on change.org, rejecting the introduction of common campus schools and corresponding yearly tax increase.

“I, like many, have planned my future in this area, dreaming of relocating to a larger home and property someday,” Seidel said. “Unfortunately, with the 3.5% tax increase that was proposed to fund the common campus — and yearly increase, this dream is becoming increasingly challenging, if not impossible to stay in the district.

“The increase will not only affect me, but countless elderly residents living here on a fixed income. This discouraging financial burden does nothing to enhance the quality of education or improve student test scores.”

Seidel noted that common campus schools is an arrangement “that does not necessarily improve educational standards or students’ achievements. What’s more, the National Education Association reports no significant correlation between consolidated schools and improved student outcomes. Many schools stay away from this model because of it becoming increasingly more difficult to prevent bullying between primary and intermediate grades.”

Seidel then posed the question, “What do we receive for our increased financial strain? It seems nothing more than a slight convenience for those with children in different buildings but more importantly, increased hardship, especially for those already financially stretched. To protect Northern Lehigh’s ability to grow and thrive, affordable living, and quality education, reject the 3.5% tax increase and the introduction of common campus schools.”

Seidel then urged others to sign the petition.

As of Monday morning, there were 147 verified signatures.

The school board announced at last week’s meeting that a special meeting on the topic will be held at 6 p.m. April 28 in the Northern Lehigh Middle School auditorium.

At that time, resident Patricia Nonnemaker said some of her concerns had to do with the survey that was presented to employees, parents and the community.

Superintendent Dr. Mathew J. Link said he realized that there was mistake in that it should have said March 28 as the closing time instead of April 28.

Link noted it was advertised in two local newspapers, and in board minutes, as well as on the district’s website.

The Community Member Survey asked for feedback on a common campus design.

Link said at last month’s school board meeting that the district was exploring the possibility of transitioning to a Common Campus Model to create a more cohesive and efficient learning environment for its students.

He added that the potential shift would bring all district schools and facilities onto one campus, impacting not only the district’s students and staff but also the broader community.

Under the plan, a new addition would be built onto Northern Lehigh Middle School, allowing sixth grade to move from Slatington Elementary to the middle school, establishing a grades 6-8 middle school model.

Slatington Elementary School would then expand to accommodate all students currently attending Peters Elementary School, resulting in a single K-5 elementary school.

Peters Elementary School would be closed and sold, consolidating all district educational buildings and operational facilities onto one campus.

For more background on this potential transition, previous board presentations may be reviewed through the school’s livestreams.

• Feasibility Study Follow-Up: Digging Deeper Presentation from Jan. 7, board meeting.

• NLSD Financing Discussion Presentation from Feb. 3, 2025, board meeting.

In January, Emily Liuzza, project architect for Alloy5, discussed the feasibility study completed in October, a six-month process looking at the physical condition and capacity of the district’s buildings.

Grade shifts could result in a price tag of $26.8 to $30.2 million, based on a presentation from Liuzza, project architect for Alloy5, and Mark Gallick, McClure Company, to the school board in October.