Allentown City SD board appoints Nancy Wilt to vacant seat after candidate interviews and ballot

On April 23, 2026, the Board of Directors of Allentown City SD appointed Nancy Wilt to the board seat vacated by Anna Tibercio following interviews and a roll‑call ballot at a special meeting.

The board opened the special session, explained public‑comment rules and interviewed three candidates in alphabetical order: Yajaira Aviles, Juan De Leon and Toni James; Nancy Wilt also spoke during the candidate interviews. Each candidate gave a brief opening statement and answered questions on conflicts of interest, the district’s strategic plan and how the board should handle budget tradeoffs.

Nancy Wilt, who identified herself as chief of staff to state Representative Peter Schweier and a former Allentown board member (2019–2023), told the board she would focus on governance and fiscal oversight. "By being forthright," she said, "if at the end of the day we have to increase taxes, then we have to increase taxes." Wilt said she would ask administration questions she believed the public would also ask to promote transparency.

Toni James, a lifelong Allentown resident and practice director at Valley Health Partners, said restoring parent trust and re‑engaging the community were central priorities. "The main initiative needs to be connecting that, bringing the community back into the school, and getting that trust back from the parents," she said, calling for partnerships and creativity to address students’ nonacademic needs.

Juan De Leon emphasized respecting board boundaries and following bylaws, saying board members should not intervene in day‑to‑day operations. Candidate Yajaira Aviles described 14 years of local advocacy and stressed working with families and community organizations to meet students’ needs.

After nominations and closure of nominations, the board held a roll‑call ballot. During the roll call the transcript records the following votes as spoken on the record: Mister Nikoloff — Nancy Wilt; Miss Noel — Nancy Wilt; Misty Moore — Nancy Wilt; Doctor Johnson — Nancy Wilt; Miss Matheson — Nancy Wilt; Miss Michaels — Tony James; Mister Morris — Tony James; Miss Sierra — Yajaira Aviles. The board secretary then announced that Wilt had five votes and Tony James three and that Aviles had one; those announced totals sum to nine even though the meeting record shows eight members present. The board did not resolve that discrepancy during the meeting. The board president then congratulated Nancy Wilt on the appointment.

The appointment was made by majority vote and Wilt will fill the unexpired term left by Anna Tibercio. The board encouraged candidates to run in the next election and noted opportunities to engage in superintendent councils and other district volunteer roles ahead of the election.

The special meeting adjourned and board members moved to an executive session.

(Reporter's note: vote names and tallies above are taken from the meeting transcript; the transcript records both the individual roll‑call responses and an immediately announced set of totals that do not match the number of members recorded as present.)