ALLENTOWN, Pa. — After a “challenging year” for the Allentown School Board, its leadership is hoping school directors can be “more united” in 2025.
“We don’t have to agree,” said Board President Andrene Brown-Nowell. “I just want us all to respect each other and just understand that we’re all here for the same reason — and it's for the students.”
Throughout the past year, interpersonal tensions on the board have been apparent at times.
In the summer, some school directors accused others of presenting a conflict of interest based on their day jobs. Soon after, one school director resigned after only six months on the board, citing “bullying” among board members and “poor professionalism.”
Moving forward, Brown-Nowell wants school directors to show unity and to focus on making sure Allentown School District is implementing its strategic plan, she said.
“I just want us all to respect each other and just understand that we’re all here for the same reason — and it's for the students.”Andrene Brown-Nowell, school board president
This upcoming year will be Brown-Nowell's second as board president. She was re-elected to her position at Thursday’s reorganization meeting. School Director Audrey Mathison was re-elected as vice president.
Board leaders are selected each December to serve a year term.
Brown-Nowell received support from all of her fellow school directors, except for board member LaTarsha Brown, who nominated and voted for school Director Nick Nicholoff. Mathison earned votes from all her colleagues, except for Brown and Director Phoebe Harris; Brown nominated and voted again for Nicholoff, and Harris chose herself for the role.
Brown-Nowell is a district parent and the executive director of Fine Feather Foundation, an arts and mental wellness nonprofit organization serving Allentown youth. She is also CEO of Fine Fashion Kids, a children’s fashion company.
She was appointed to the board in 2023 to fill a vacancy and then won a four-year term in the November 2023 election. Brown-Nowell has served on the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit No. 21 board.
Mathison is a retired English teacher who served in the Parkland School District for 40 years before retiring in 2006. She was president of the teachers union when the educators hit the picket lines in 2003 for five days during contract talks.
She was first elected to the board in 2015 and has previously served as both board president and vice president.
Mathison has served on the district’s negotiations committee and as a representative on the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute Joint Operating Committee.
Both Brown-Nowell and Mathison are serving four-year school director terms that expire in 2027.
