Joint Workshop Between Allentown City Council and School District on Collaboration – June 29, 2026

On the evening of June 29, 2026, the Allentown City Council and the Allentown School District Board of Directors held a joint workshop at City Hall to identify areas for more intentional collaboration. Council President Napoli opened the meeting, thanking the school district for attending. No formal votes were taken; the session focused on open discussion and practical problem solving. Key topics included traffic and pedestrian safety, summer programming and youth engagement, and shared facilities. The meeting began at approximately 10:30 AM (transcript indicates morning start time but context suggests evening; precise time not provided).

Consent Calendar

• No consent agenda items were presented or acted upon.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments or testimony were offered during the recorded portion of the meeting.

Discussion Items

Traffic and Pedestrian Safety

• Kevin Patrick (Deputy Director of Public Works) and Jamie Delgaido (Traffic Superintendent) presented an overview of the city’s traffic safety efforts. The city maintains 200 active traffic signals, 60 flashing warning devices, 8,000 street lights, and over 33,500 street signs.
• A major school zone upgrade project for 25 schools is in final design stages and is anticipated to begin construction in 2027. This project will be supplemented by a school ADA ramp project.
• A speed cushion pilot program is underway, with seven locations planned for installation by end of 2026. Three have already been installed: near Dieruff High School (Urban Street), Central Elementary School (Union Street), and Mercy School for Special Learning (South Woodward Street). Post-installation evaluation will be conducted by end of 2026.
• Other capital projects include the 17th Street Corridor Project (17th Street from Turner to Walnut, including two hospitals and two schools) and the 15th Street Corridor Project (15th Street from Tilghman to Sumner, including a new signal at 15th and Highland and overhead pedestrian flashing device at Trussler Middle School). The Lehigh and Union intersection redesign is also planned.
• Councilmember Fungo asked about a prioritized list of high-incident locations. Public Works maintains a working list of requests, prioritizing high pedestrian areas (parks, schools). Councilmember Zinner suggested exploring a turning lane on 17th Street to alleviate drop-off queuing near Allen High School.
• School Board President Brown raised the need for streamlined communication between the district and city regarding traffic changes, particularly for the expanding Sonia Sotomayor School. The district requested a traffic impact study for that development and is working with the city to establish a new school zone.
• Councilmember Santos (virtual) asked about coordination with the parking authority for enforcement in school zones. Public works focuses on signage; enforcement is handled separately by the parking authority.

Summer Programming and Youth Engagement

• Mandy Tolino (Director of Parks and Recreation) described the summer playground program, now in its 112th year, serving over 500 registered youth (free for Allentown residents). The program operates at 16 sites (11 of them at schools) Tuesday–Friday, 9:00 AM–3:30 PM, with lunch provided by the Allentown School District. Field trips include Dorney Park, a sports day at Cedar Beach, and educational visits.
• A new safety around water program, funded by the Allentown Partnership and YMCA, provides swim instruction at Mack Pool for all participants (five pool visits per student). 73% of staff are Allentown residents; 88% are returning staff.
• Dr. Carol Burke (Superintendent) introduced the district’s summer programming, serving 1,900 students. Highlights include a Kindergarten Academy (about 800 incoming kindergarteners, with one quarter enrolled), an elementary athletic league expanded to 150 participants, and an Algebra Academy for middle school students (three days per week).
• An AI Institute partnership with Penn State Lehigh Valley offers 20 rising 11th and 12th graders six college credits. 65 students applied. The program started the week of June 29.
• The Allentown Youth Internship Corps (AYIC) has placed over 100 students in internships within the district and at 15 community partners (e.g., YMCA, city mayor’s office). Interns earn $15 per hour. The district aims to triple community partnerships next year.
• Director of Summer Programs Dr. Swee described a partner summit meeting to coordinate summer offerings and create a “one Allentown” summer program guide. Partners are aligned with the district’s strategic plan pillars (whole child framework, educational gaps).
• Councilmember Brown encouraged deeper collaboration on facility use and marketing of summer programs to ensure families can easily find opportunities on both the city and district websites.

Other Topics (Deferred)

• The second agenda item (topic not specified) was deferred because Managing Director Frank Kane was unavailable due to an emergency call regarding a fire.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or resolutions were adopted. The workshop concluded with agreement to continue collaboration on specific action items.
• Identified action items include: establishing a streamlined process for the school district to request traffic safety changes (e.g., speed cushions, school zones); exploring a turning lane on 17th Street near Allen High School; coordinating marketing of summer programs across city and district websites; and deepening partnerships for internships and facility use.
• The group will follow up on these items in the month ahead. Future meetings were not scheduled but anticipated.