Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How are Bethlehem schools really doing on state tests this year?

And on the Bethlehem Patch calendar - Open House | Riegelsville Home on 2 Acres | Investment Potential

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Hello Bethlehem! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How are Bethlehem schools really doing on state tests this year?
  • Can Bethlehem Catholic cool off Easton’s resurgent wrestling squad next week?
  • How a student bus trip discovered Bethlehem’s Moravian past and markets

Also on today's calendar: Open House | Riegelsville Home on 2 Acres | Investment Potential and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Bethlehemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I once read a book about anti-gravity. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Bethlehemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: Becoming cloudy, with a high of 35 and low of 20 degrees.
  • Saturday: Cloudy, temps: high: 40, low: 23.
  • Sunday: Snow in the morning, up to 1", with a high of 27 and low of 18 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

1. Lehigh Valley school leaders say online testing, middle-school math alignment impacted test scores (mcall.com) — Bethlehem Area School District’s latest PSSA and Keystone results show English proficiency slipping but math scores climbing, even as the district ranks 420th of 499 statewide. Local leaders say online testing isn’t to blame and point instead to long-term work on math, active processing skills, and pandemic-era learning gaps. They highlight record-high fourth and eighth grade math scores but stress that much improvement is still needed.
   

2. Lehigh Valley wrestling: Easton bounces back, beats Parkland (mcall.com) — Easton’s wrestling team edged Parkland 34-27 in an early-season dual, powered by key wins from several underclassmen rebounding from a tough loss to Nazareth. The Red Rovers now turn their attention to a Wednesday road match at Bethlehem Catholic, giving local fans a marquee showdown. Coaches on both sides praised their wrestlers’ resilience and progress.
   

3. German students go to Bethlehem (gcnews.com) — Bethlehem just hosted fifty German-language students from Garden City for a day exploring the city’s historic Moravian roots and festive Christkindlmarkt. The group toured 18th-century settlement buildings, learned about Moravian beliefs on education and equality, and then warmed up with hot cocoa, gifts, and live music at the popular holiday market.
   

4. South Whitehall planners examine Islamic center proposal (wfmz.com) — A proposed expansion of the Al-Ahad Islamic Center in South Whitehall could add a sizable new school, worship space, and recreation facilities, with planners eyeing traffic impacts before any approval. The same meeting briefly touched on a Chase Bank renovation plan, noting the bank’s existing Lehigh Valley branches in Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.
   

5. Town hall addresses concerns about ICE presence in Bethlehem community (wfmz.com) — Community members gathered at the United Steelworkers Union Hall in Bethlehem to discuss how residents can respond if they or loved ones encounter ICE in the Lehigh Valley. Local officials and advocates described recent ICE detentions on Bethlehem’s South Side, promoted an emergency response hotline, and urged neighbors to seek legal help quickly and support affected families.
   

📸 Around Bethlehem

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Bethlehem

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★ Featured events ★

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Other local events
    Saturday December 13
  • The Nutcracker
    Zoellner Arts Center , 420 E Packer Ave , Bethlehem
    12:00 pm
  • Christmas Village
    Sun Inn Courtyard , 564 Main St , Bethlehem
    12:00 pm
  • Bethlehem SantaCon 2025
    New Street Pub , 728 N New St , Bethlehem
    4:00 pm
  • THREE OF US
    ARTISAN Wine and Cheese Cellars , 55 W Lehigh St , Bethlehem
    6:00 pm
    • Sunday December 14
  • Rustic Jolly Christmas
    Painting with a Twist , 3650 Nazareth Pike Unit 4 , Bethlehem
    1:30 pm
    • Monday December 15
  • NEMS Boys Basketball vs Whitehall @ Home
    Northeast Middle School Bethlehem, PA 18018
    4:00 pm
    • Tuesday December 16
  • Orchestra/Jazz Band Winter Concert
    East Hills Middle School Bethlehem, PA 18017
    7:00 pm
    • Wednesday December 17
  • NEMS Girls Basketball vs Springhouse @ Home
    Northeast Middle School Bethlehem, PA 18018
    4:00 pm
    • Sunday December 21
  • Blue Christmas Worship
    Epworth United Methodist Church , 3245 Oakland Rd , Bethlehem
    9:00 am

📣 Bethlehem Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Hi I can anyone please help me out I have two cats female cat is 5 months old and male cat is 6 month old there are fully vaccinated and neutered they are really sweet cats we prefer them to be together but other wise just having a warm sweet new
    home will be best I try animal shelter there to full to accept them and I try finding homes and it failed hoping someone will take take em in for… (Nextdoor Six St)
  • 61 apartments are planned for the site of the former Wells Fargo Bank on Broad Street in Bethlehem:
    https://lehigh-valley-news-briefs.media/2025/12/11/bethlehem-to-see-plans-for-61-apartments-at-site-of-wells-fargo-bank-on-broad-street/ (Nextdoor East Hills)
  • The Cleaning Authority, LLC posted a job opening for House Cleaner $12 hour + Sign on Bonus in Bethlehem. Apply here.
  • CJ Logistics Corp. posted a job opening for Stand-up Fork Lift Operator in Bethlehem. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bethlehem here.

Ok Bethlehem! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I couldn’t put it down.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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