ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allen High School likely will have a new acting principal soon — it’s second since 2023.
Alicia Knauff is poised to take over as the acting head principal of the high school just months after she was hired by Allentown School District as the first principal of Allen’s Ninth Grade Academy.
The current acting principal at Allen will take on another leadership role in the district.
In past years, Allen has only had one principal. The ninth-grade leadership role was a newly created position.
Knauff’s reassignment to the acting head principal position is listed in the personnel report for Thursday’s school board meeting. It needs school board approval to be official.
Knauff's annual salary would be $152,000, which is $13,000 more than her pay for the Ninth Grade Academy principal role, according to board documents.
Before she was hired as Allen’s ninth-grade leader, Knauff was an administrator at Whitehall High School, where she was responsible for the Zephyr Academy, a transitional support program for ninth-graders.
Current acting Allen principal gets new role
Frank Derrick, Allen’s current acting principal, is being reassigned to the district’s William Penn Building as director of opportunity programs and alternative education, pending school board approval.
William Penn serves "disruptive" students with behavioral issues who qualify for the placement based on state criteria.
Derrick’s salary will remain the same, according to board documents. But his current salary is not listed.
Derrick, an educator for more than 20 years, previously was the district’s director of recruitment and retention, as well as the principal of South Mountain Middle School, where he served for 12 years.
Derrick was tapped to serve as Allen’s acting principal in April 2023 when Cheryl Clark, the school’s former principal, was placed on administrative leave after reports that Allen’s staff had concerns about safety and morale under her leadership.
Clark, the first Black woman to lead Allen, was demoted and subsequently fired in January 2024 for not returning to work.
Clark is suing the school district for racial- and gender-based discrimination, which the district denies, according to court records.
An ASD staff member with knowledge of the hiring process said the district has gone through two rounds of candidate interviews throughout the spring in an attempt to fill the Allen head principal role.
The staff member spoke under the agreement they would remain anonymous because they’re not authorized by the district to speak with reporters.
Derrick interviewed unsuccessfully in the first round, they said. Another candidate was offered the role, but it didn’t work out.
The staff member said it’s unclear what came of the second round of interviews.
The staff member also said it’s unclear why Derrick will no longer be Allen’s acting principal.
LehighValleyNews.com reached out to Derrick via phone Wednesday for comment.
Changes concern staff
While the unexplained change is concerning, the staff member hopes Knauff succeeds in her new role, they said.
“I’m not rooting against her because it’s all of our fate,” they said. “It’s just very upsetting when you think you have [a leader] and they’re taken away without a reason.”
“It’s just very upsetting when you think you have [a leader] and they’re taken away without a reason.”Allentown School District staff member
Knauff spoke to Allen staff members in a Zoom call Wednesday when the leadership change was announced to staff.
Another staff member described her as “well-spoken” and “motivating."
“I'm looking forward to Allen moving in a new direction and bringing back the pride that we had, the traditions," said the staff member, who also was granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with reporters.
It's not clear how long Knauff is slated to serve in the acting principal role.
It’s also not clear whether the Ninth Grade Academy principal position will remain vacant during the upcoming school year while Knauff leads the entire high school.
It's also not clear whether the district is continuing to interview candidates to take on the head principal position in a more long-term capacity.
LehighValleyNews.com reached out to the district Wednesday for comment.
