UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Southern Lehigh School Board is scheduled to vote Monday on whether to promote Assistant Superintendent Karen Trinkle to chief of schools.
The school board meets at 6:30 p.m. in Southern Lehigh High School’s boardroom.
If approved, Trinkle would get a five-year contract with a $190,000 starting salary. Her appointment would take effect immediately, with the contract lasting through June 30, 2030.
Trinkle, 47, told LehighValleyNews.com on Sunday that she is “excited for the opportunity,” and the district soon will learn more about her vision for Southern Lehigh.
“I would like for the district to highlight the opening of school and moving into the 25-26 school year. I’d like to focus on some positive things for this school year. We are an amazing school community.”Southern Lehigh Schools Assistant Superintendent Karen Trinkle
“I would like for the district to highlight the opening of school and moving into the 25-26 school year,” she said. “I’d like to focus on some positive things for this school year.
“We are an amazing school community.”
LehighValleyNews.com has reached out to Southern Lehigh School Board President Stephen Maund for comment.
Transition after controversy
When former Superintendent Michael Mahon became Southern Lehigh’s chief of schools in August 2021, he started with an annual salary of $180,000. That was after 15 years of experience as the superintendent at Abington Heights School District in Lackawanna County.
As of the 2024-25 school year, Mahon’s annual salary was $194,781, according to state data.
Trinkle has been serving as substitute superintendent in Mahon’s place since March at an annual salary of $176,613.33.
That’s because Mahon was put on administrative leave six months ago, then agreed to resign last month, following critiques of his leadership by some school directors and formal complaints of discrimination, retaliation and fraud made against him by a district employee.
Mahon publicly called allegations against him “profoundly unfair.”
‘Enthusiasm, dedication and purpose’
Trinkle first was hired as Mahon’s assistant superintendent in late 2021 at an annual salary of $145,000, according to school board documents. Her contract is set to expire at the end of 2026.
Before coming to Southern Lehigh, Trinkle was Easton Area School District’s director of student services and community services for six years, according to her resume.
Prior to that, she was an assistant principal at Easton Area High School. She came to that role following more than four years as a secondary school counselor at Easton Area Academy, the district’s former alternative school.
Trinkle has a doctorate degree in educational leadership and management from Capella University, an online university, and a master’s degree in secondary education school counseling from Kutztown University.
Additionally, she obtained a superintendent eligibility letter from California University of Pennsylvania.
On her resume, Trinkle described her leadership style as being grounded in “enthusiasm, dedication and purpose.”
Taking the helm with a divided board
If approved for the superintendent role, Trinkle would take the helm of Southern Lehigh at a time when factions of school directors have been at odds with one another.
Disagreements often have played out publicly.
For instance, school directors did not agree on the former superintendent’s performance, and again were split when it came to approving his recent departure from the district.
Some school directors took issue with the terms of Mahon’s separation and release agreements, saying they were too generous and, in some cases, inaccurately calculated.
Mahon received $246,000 from the district, along with other benefits, such as an additional $25,000 for his legal fees and continued health care coverage.
Mahon’s departure followed public criticism from the former school board president that he displayed “poor leadership.”
It also came after Southern Lehigh’s suspended Human Resources Director Ethan Ake-Little filed complaints of discrimination, retaliation and fraud against Mahon.
Ake-Little is Indian-American and married to a same-sex partner.
HR Director’s complaints
Those complaints were filed at the school district, state and federal levels. Some remain pending.
When LehighValleyNews.com previously asked Mahon for a comment on Ake-Little’s complaints, he directed a reporter to a joint news release from himself and the school board.
It said “a number of inappropriate and unfounded public statements and disclosures led to mischaracterizations of Dr. Mahon’s leadership.”
However, some school directors said they did not agree with the contents of the news release.
Following his complaints, HR Director Ake-Little was suspended in June with pay for alleged “incompetence,” "intemperance,” "willful neglect” of duties and “improper conduct,” according to his suspension letter, which previously was obtained by LehighValleyNews.com.
Substitute Superintendent Trinkle signed Ake-Little’s suspension letter.
Additionally, at the time, Ake-Little was given a separation agreement for consideration that would have released the district from all claims Ake-Little made against it.
Resignation, settlement also on agenda
Ake-Little’s resignation and a proposed settlement agreement also are listed on the human resources report for Monday’s school board meeting. The agreement is not attached.
LehighValleyNews.com confirmed the settlement agreement is for Ake-Little by referencing his employee identification number, to which LehighValleyNews.com had access from previously obtained documents related to Ake-Little's complaints.
Ake-Little’s name is not listed on the agenda, and he declined to comment for this article.
When asked about Ake-Little’s suspension, as well as the proposed resignation and settlement, Substitute Superintendent Trinkle said she is “not at liberty” to discuss it.
LehighValleyNews.com has reached out to Southern Lehigh School Board President Maund for comment on this matter, too.
