ASD
In The Valley, Press Release

ASD Announces Selection of Superintendent Finalists and Public Forums



 

Allentown School District Announces Selection of
Three Final Candidates for Superintendent
Public Forums Scheduled for November 14, 17 and 30

Allentown, PA (November 7, 2016)    After conducting a nationwide search, following months of reviewing candidate submissions and first-round interviews, the Allentown School District’s Superintendent Search Committee has selected three candidates as finalists: Eric N. Gallien, Ph.D., of Racine, WI; Orlando Ramos, Ed.D., of Milwaukee, WI; and Thomas E. Parker, Ed.D., anticipated spring 2017, of Rochester Hills, MI.

The search process involved School Board members David F. Zimmerman (President),

Ce-Ce Gerlach (Vice President), Audrey Mathison, and Robert E. Smith, Jr. who comprised the

“Board Search Committee” and reviewed the first round of applicants and narrowed the selection of candidates to a short list of eight. These eight candidates were then interviewed by the full Search Committee who recommended the final three candidates.

“To say that we are pleased would be an understatement,” says David F. Zimmerman, President of the Allentown School District School Board of Directors. “Our Search Committee – which includes representatives from all of our stakeholders – had the challenging, yet rewarding, task of interviewing exceptional candidates from across the country and narrowing the list to our top three. Each of these three individuals offers a wealth of experience and fresh insight, and have the qualities that rose to the top of the list in our Superintendent Search Surveys. We are looking forward to the feedback from the upcoming forums to help guide the School Board’s final decision.”

Public Forums will be held for parents, guardians, students, and Allentown residents at Trexler Middle School’s Auditorium, 851 North 15th Street, Allentown as follows:

  • November 14 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Eric Gallien, Ph.D.
  • November 17 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Orlando Ramos, Ed.D.
  • November 30 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Thomas Parker, Ed.D. (anticipated Sp ’17)

After a brief statement from the candidate, they will address questions from participants. Participants will be provided an opportunity to provide written feedback to the Search Committee. To meet the needs of the District’s diverse population, both Spanish and Arabic translators will be on hand. The Forums will be recorded. Feedback forms will be available on the District website.

In addition to the Public Forums, forums will be held for the ASD Union representatives, ASD Administrators, ASD Faculty and Staff, High School students, United Way and Community Partners, and Business Leaders.

As stated, the selection of the final three candidates was the task of the Superintendent Search Committee. That committee included the following individuals:

  • Donald Bernhard, Executive Director of Downtown Allentown Community Development Initiative
  • Sharon Billington, Parent of Allentown School District students
  • Susan Bocian, Principal, Louis E. Dieruff High School
  • Jude-Laure Denis, Executive Director, P.O.W.E.R. Northeast
  • Ce-Ce Gerlach, Vice-President, Allentown School District School Board of Directors
  • David D. Gonzales, Alternative Education Teacher, Allentown School District
  • Kristin Kruger, Assistant Superintendent, Allentown School District
  • Mark Leibold, Special Education Teacher, Allentown School District
  • J. Robert Lovett, Retired Executive Vice President, Air Products
  • Tiffany Polek, Principal, Mosser Elementary School
  • Audrey Mathison, Board Member, Allentown School District School Board of Directors
  • Tracey Miller, Parent of Allentown School District students
  • Minister Knoxley Samms, Union Baptist Church of Allentown
  • Dr. Yamil Sanchez Rivera, Executive Director, Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley
  • Robert E. Smith, Jr., Board Member, Allentown School District School Board of Directors
  • Debra Tretter, President, Allentown Education Association
  • David F. Zimmerman, President, Allentown School District School Board of Directors 

Brief Candidate Bios

 Eric N. Gallien, Ph.D.  Since 2013, Gallien has been the Deputy Superintendent of Racine Unified School District which serves 20,000 students and 3,100 employees. He has also held the position of Racine’s Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education; Director of School Support – Turnaround and Innovation Region at Milwaukee Public Schools; has been an Elementary, Middle and High School Principal; the Founding Principal of a new high school; an Assistant Principal; Teacher; and Educational Assistant. A Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corp, Gallien holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master of

Arts in Administrative Leadership and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an Associate’s Degree in Cooperative Urban Education Program from Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Orlando Ramos, Ed.D.  Since 2015, Ramos has been the Regional Superintendent – High Schools for the Milwaukee Public Schools which serves 77,000+ students. He has served as Associate Superintendent – Office of Innovation and Reform for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System; District Transformation/School Improvement Officer for Decatur Public Schools; Director – Office of Transformation/Turnaround Schools for Chicago Public Schools; Middle School Principal at Alum Rock School District, San Jose, CA; High School Principal at West Contra Costa Unified School District, Richmond, CA; and a Director, Assistant Principal and Teacher in the New York City Department of Education. Ramos holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL and a Masters in Urban Education at Cambridge College, Cambridge, MA. He also earned his Bachelor in Arts in Political Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City, NY. Ramos, who is bilingual, was the 2008 recipient of the California Peace Prize Award.

Thomas E. Parker, Ed.D. Candidate (anticipated Spring of 2017).  Since 2013, Parker has been the Superintendent of Ecorse Public Schools in Ecorse, MI which serves 1,100 students. He has served as Harper Woods High School and Middle School Principal, and Founding Principal of Harper Academy for the Harper Woods School District, MI; Principal of Osborn College Preparatory Academy and Assistant Principal for Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School and Chadsey High School, Dean of Students, Interim Curriculum Leader and Teacher for Detroit Public Schools; and Program Coordinator of Cranbrook Schools – Horizons Upward Bound in Bloomfield Hills, MI.  Parker is a Doctoral of Education – Educational Leadership candidate at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, and holds a Master of Arts in Education Foundation and Policy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

About Allentown School District

ASD serves more than 17,000 students in a network of 22 early childhood, elementary, middle and high schools located throughout the City of Allentown, PA. The Allentown School District is the third largest urban school district out of 500 districts in the Commonwealth. A shared vision of the community, parents, guardians, staff and faculty focuses on “Empowering Students for Life,” providing ASD students with the skills and academics they need to realize their aspirations whether they be college, career or technical focus. ASD goals are aligned and compatible with the Pathways to Success Framework while providing a balanced education to all students. Allentown School District employs approximately 2,200 teachers, staff and administrators. The District, founded in 1866 and celebrating its Sesquicentennial throughout 2015-2016, serves students from 43 countries speaking 26 languages with nearly 90 percent of households qualifying as low income. ASD is committed to providing safe learning environments in which all students have equal access to education programs and resources.

www.allentownsd.org
Information provided by:
Kimberly Golden Benner
Director of Communications
Allentown School District