Allentown School District Board of Directors Fills Critical Roles Ahead of 2024-2025 School Year

ALLENTOWN, PA —  At its Thursday, July 25, 2024, Regular Board Meeting, the Allentown School District School Board of Directors approved the appointment of new school and district administrators for the 2024-2025 school year.

“We are excited to welcome such a diverse group of professionals to our district,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, Allentown School District’s Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer. “Each of them will play an active role in achieving the goals outlined in our Strategic Plan. I am honored to work closely with each of these leaders as we continue to move our District forward.” 

Lindsey Parks will serve as Executive Director of Grant Development and Institutional Advancement. Parks, who has extensive experience in non-profit development and grant writing, previously served as Special Gifts Officer at the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in economics from Washington and Lee University. In her new role, Parks will manage individual fundraising through major and planned giving, focusing on donor relations and financial support for the District's goals.

Two new Acting Principals have been appointed for the District’s elementary schools: Kristyn Senneca as Acting Principal of Ruby Bridges Early Childhood Center and Vashanna Fraser as Acting Principal of Roosevelt Elementary School.

Senneca, who previously served as Supervisor of Instruction in Allentown, has twelve years of experience in the District. She began her career in the Allentown School District as a special education teacher. Senneca holds a Bachelor’s Degree and teaching certification from Alvernia University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.

Fraser, currently Assistant Principal of Roosevelt Elementary, has more than a decade of experience in education. Before her roles in administration, she served as an elementary teacher and educational consultant. Fraser holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Child Psychology from Albright College and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Capella University. 
The Board also approved five new Assistant Principal positions for Dieruff High School, Roosevelt Elementary School, Mosser Elementary School, Ruby Bridges Early Childhood Center, and Jackson Early Childhood Center.

Pamela Moore and Jerick Volkert have been appointed as new Assistant Principals at Dieruff High School. Moore, who has served as Acting Assistant Principal since 2023, has been a part of Dieruff High School since 1996. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Education from Kutztown University and a Master’s Degree in English as a Second Language from Penn State Lehigh Valley. Volkert, also Acting Assistant Principal since 2023, previously taught social studies and served as Dean of Students. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Temple University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.
Andrew Polinchak, currently Assistant Principal at Bluford Charter School in Philadelphia, has been appointed as the new Assistant Principal at Roosevelt Elementary. Polinchak has a broad background in teaching and administration, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Kutztown University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Arcadia University.

Nicholas Rolland, who is currently Associate Middle School Principal at Governor Mifflin School District, will return to Allentown as the new Assistant Principal for Mosser Elementary. Rolland has nearly a decade of experience with the Allentown School District and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Historical Studies from SUNY Empire State College, a Master’s in Secondary Education from Lehigh University, and is in the process of earning a Doctor of Education Degree in Transformational Learning from Kutztown University.

Adrienne Fedor will serve as Assistant Principal at both Ruby Bridges Early Childhood Center and Jackson Early Childhood Center. She most recently served as an art teacher, administrative intern, and Gifted Services teacher at the Lehighton Area Elementary Center. Fedor holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education from Shippensburg University, a Master’s in Art Education from Kutztown University, and a Principal Certification from Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21. 

Additionally, the Board approved Raymond Stivala as the new District Webmaster. Stivala brings more than three years of experience in UX/UI design and digital marketing and will oversee the District’s website design and management. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design from the New York Institute of Technology–Old Westbury.