AllentownSchool District

Allentown School District Grows Administrative Team

Allentown School District Grows Administrative Team
Posted on 07/28/2022

ALLENTOWN, PA — At the July 28 board meeting, the Allentown School District announced a number of administrative appointments to start the 2022-2023 school year. 


Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson will join ASD as the Chief Culture, Equity, and Advancement Officer. Dr. Francis-Thompson currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Curriculum and Instruction in the School District of Philadelphia, where she is touted as a visionary educational leader. She led the district Curriculum Equity Initiative and the development and implementation of the Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Curriculum. Dr. Francis-Thompson holds her doctorate in Education Leadership & Administration from St. Joseph’s University and additional degrees from Temple University and Coppin State in Baltimore, MD. 


Two new additions will join the administrative team in Central Office. Dr. Audrey Flojo Colletti, has been named Director of Instructional Practices & Professional Development and Ms. Rashida Larkin is a new Supervisor of Special Education. Dr. Flojo Colletti is an experienced administrator, spending the last five years serving on the Academic Cabinet in Bristol Township School District as the K-12 Special Programs Supervisor. Ms. Larkin has worked in several area districts and charter schools as special education, emotional support, autistic support teacher and department chair. 


The district is excited to announce that Mr. Kenneth Fritz will take over as Principal at South Mountain Middle School, as Mr. Derrick joined ASD’s Human Resources team last month. Mr. Fritz has spent the entirety of his career in ASD and started as a special education teacher and administrator at Allen High School. At SMMS, his leadership and administrative skills will allow him to continue with the Middle School Transformation initiative to accelerate academic achievement for all students. 


Joining Mr. Fritz at SMMS, Juan Enriquez will move from Dean of Students to Assistant Principal. Jennifer Aponte, one of the district’s ESL Facilitators will join the administrative team at Raub Middle School as Supervisor of Instruction. Other secondary moves at the high schools include the appointment of Charles Johnson, Nicole Singer, and Kate Long as Assistant Principals at William Allen High School. 


At the elementary level, new Assistant Principals will join some of our larger elementary schools in order to increase support and resources to current staff, students, and families. ASD Elementary Schools welcome: 

  • Melissa Betar, current Supervisor of Instruction at South Mountain MS, will join Ritter Elementary School as the Assistant Principal.

  • John Paul Crescenzo will be the new Assistant Principal at Muhlenberg Elementary, coming to ASD from East Stroudsburg School District.

  • Simone Granison, a current 4th-grade teacher at Mosser Elementary School, will transition to the Assistant Principal role at Jefferson Elementary. 

  • Vashanna Fraser, current Assistant Principal at Jefferson, will move to Roosevelt Elementary School. 


“The Allentown School District is gearing up to start the school year strong - and that means hiring talented administrators and staff to lead and support our buildings,” said Dr. John Stanford, ASD Superintendent.  “We are excited to welcome these new and dynamic leaders to the district and into their new roles,”

All new team members will start in their roles throughout the month of August.  

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