ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Two familiar faces plan to run for a spot on the Allentown School Board — both in their separate campaigns pushing for transparency and productivity.
Robert “Bob” Smith Jr., 63, and Robert “Nick” Nicholoff, 29, both told LehighValleyNews.com they plan to seek one of five open seats on the board this election cycle.
Smith, a Republican, served on the Allentown School Board for four terms from 2003 to 2019, and Nicholoff, who is unaffiliated with any party, joined the board in September when he was appointed to the position. Both plan to cross-file in the upcoming race.
Nicholoff is the only current Allentown school director who has announced a 2025 run so far.
School Director Phoebe Harris said earlier this month she won’t seek a third term, and it’s not yet clear whether school directors Lisa Conover, LaTarsha Brown and Jennifer Lynn Ortiz will seek reelection.
The three school directors did not respond to a request for comment from LehighValleyNews.com for this story.
Bob Smith seeks a comeback
Smith, a five-time board president who lost his reelection bid in 2019, wants to become a school director once again because of the upcoming school project on the former Allentown State Hospital property, he said.
A proud East Side resident, he wants to be involved in the building process to bring his neighbors a school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade — a prospect that was also discussed during his time on the board, he said.
“It’s going to be a great achievement for the Allentown School District to do this, especially on state property land,” said Smith, a former ASD parent who works in the health care field with brain injury patients.
“It’s going to be a great achievement for the Allentown School District to do this, especially on state property land."Robert Smith Jr, former Allentown School Board Director
Near the end of his board tenure, Smith said he and other school directors had a conversation with then-state Sen. Pat Browne about receiving land for a school on the former Allentown State Hospital property free of charge, and he believes ASD still shouldn’t have to pay for any land there.
But Browne told LehighValleyNews.com that free land was never promised to ASD.
The state only committed to “work with the school district in the transition of the property for the prospects of an ASD facility as part of redevelopment,” Browne wrote in a message to LehighValleyNews.com. “But that did not include a commitment to provide the district the land for the facility at no cost.”
The former Allentown State Hospital property has since been bought by City Center Investment Corp., which is founded and run by developer J.B. Reilly. The district is currently negotiating with the group to purchase land for a school on the property.
In November, the Allentown School Board approved a resolution, authorizing future bonds of $135 million for purchasing the land and building a school.
“I’m not saying I’m going to get [the land] for free, but I know Reilly, I know the Republicans,” Smith said. “I think they should be treating the school district with financial care right now. We shouldn’t have to pay for the land up there.”
“I think they should be treating the school district with financial care right now. We shouldn’t have to pay for the land up there.”Robert Smith Jr., former Allentown School Board Director
Smith also said his connections to elected Republicans can bring more resources to the school district. His conservative viewpoint can bring a new perspective to the board, too, he said.
Smith previously ran as a Republican for state representative in the 22nd District and for Lehigh County controller; he lost both races.
As for working with the rest of the board, Smith said he’s up to the task despite being publicly critical of them at times. He’s also ready to work with Superintendent Carol Birks, who he said has brought stability to ASD — a district with frequent turnover at the top level over the last 15 years.
“I like Dr. Birks. I get along with her so far,” he said. “I disagree with her salary. I don’t think she should be making $250,000, but I like her.”
Smith also highlighted turnover in the administration and at the building level as a concern, adding he will regularly visit district schools if elected like he did when last on the board.
“People retire as of a certain age. I’m not saying that, I’m saying we’re losing good talent, and I don't know why.”
One possibility for teachers leaving ASD is low pay, Smith said, adding he supports unions and will help negotiate fair contracts if elected.
Smith also said he would push for more teacher input regarding ASD’s strategy for improving students’ academic performance.
“This is what I’ve heard from teachers: [The district doesn’t] get enough buy-in. [Teachers are] told what to do, and they got to carry it out,” he said.
“How about we go to our teachers and say, ‘We need your help. We need to get these scores up. What’s your ideas?’”
For students, Smith wants to focus on increasing mental health support and providing outreach to district families to make sure they have a safe home environment and food to eat.
“We shouldn’t be having to get involved with this, but somebody’s got to start,” he said.
Another priority of Smith’s if elected will be board transparency, he said, criticizing the board for failing to share why former Superintendent John Stanford left ASD in 2022. A separation agreement characterized the departure as a mutual decision.
“I got to get on the board because not everything’s made public,” Smith said. “Of course, there’s certain personnel decisions you can’t make public. That’s the law.”
“But there’s a lot of things hidden up there. I used to be up there, and I used to make things public.”
Nick Nicholoff wants to keep promise to serve
Nicholoff first joined the Allentown School Board about four months ago.
He was appointed to fill a vacancy created by former school Director Daysell Ramirez, who resigned just six months into her four-year term, citing tensions with other board members and the district administration.
Nicholoff was originally told by the Allentown School District he would serve out the rest of Ramirez’s term until 2027. But the district realized because of legal reasons, Nicholoff’s seat would have to be up for grabs this election cycle. Nicholoff is running to serve out the final two years of the term.
“I would like to live up to what I had anticipated being my commitment,” Nicholoff said. “In my mind, it’s kind of like me quitting part way through if I don’t run to continue it out, and I don’t want to do that.”
“In my mind, it’s kind of like me quitting part way through if I don’t run to continue it out, and I don’t want to do that.”Nick Nicholoff, Allentown School Board Director
A New Jersey transplant, Nicholoff works as a human resources manager at Silgan Containers manufacturing plant, where he oversees more than 60 employees.
Nicholoff also has a background in social work, serving previously as a domestic violence counselor where he worked on group facilitation and curriculum design.
Nicholoff said he hopes to bring more productivity to the board in the coming years. He also wants to continue using his policy experience from his day job in HR to assist the board as it reviews ASD policies.
In 2023-24, the board reviewed 26% of the district's policies and procedures. This school year, school directors want to update at least 20% of ASD policies and procedures.
“I think that the board is getting better at working together, and a lot of problems are getting solved,” Nicholoff said of his time on the board thus far.
The months leading up to Nicholoff’s appointment were marked by infighting among board members that sometimes trickled into public meetings, such as when some school directors accused the board president of creating a conflict of interest with her day job.
Nicholoff also said he thinks there’s been a “greater degree of transparency” on the board during his tenure, “which is admittedly short.”
“But I think that’s improved,” he said.
