Michael Makhoul has resigned as Dieruff High School’s principal effective April 30.
Allentown School District can’t comment on the reason for Makhoul’s departure because it is a personnel matter, according to a district spokesperson.
Makhoul took temporary unpaid leave from his position under the Family and Medical Leave Act starting March 6. He was set to return to work last week, but never did, according to school board personnel reports and the spokesperson.
The Family and Medical Leave Act allows employees to take “unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor. FMLA covers time off for an employee with a serious health condition or for an employee who needs to care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition, among other similar qualifying scenarios.
Makhoul became Dieruff’s principal in 2019 after serving two stints as an assistant principal at the school from 2014 to 2019, and from 2011 to 2012.
Melissa Petronio, who was an assistant vice principal at Dieruff under Makhoul, has been serving as acting principal since March 6 and will continue in the role the rest of the school year. It is not yet clear if she will lead the school for the 2023-24 academic year, a district spokesperson said.
ASD has also seen a recent leadership change at one of its other two high schools.
Superintendent Carol Birks recently appointed Frank Derrick, director of recruitment and retention, to serve as acting principal of Allen High School after Cheryl Clark was placed on administrative leave from her principalship following staff complaints about her leadership.
Derrick will serve as acting principal for the rest of the year, but it isn’t clear if Clark will return to Allen. The district has previously said it won’t comment further on Clark’s employment status because it is a personnel matter.
Morning Call reporter Jenny Roberts can be reached at 484-903-1732 and jroberts@mcall.com.
