Welcome to the Office of Human Resources
-
The Office of Human Resources supports the 420+ employees of the Southern Lehigh School District and is responsible for all employment-related matters of the District including, but not limited to, hiring, compensation and benefits, collective bargaining, and supporting the employee evaluation process. Working with every office and department in the District, the Office of Human Resources both supports the daily operations of our schools and implements policies and programs that ensure all employees are able best to address the needs of our students and their families. As such, the Office strives to embody the three “e”s in all of its operations – efficiency (streamlining of processes); economy (the deliberate use of resources - human, financial, or otherwise); and efficacy (employee growth and productivity). Accordingly, the Office supports the Superintendent and the Board of School Directors in addressing short-term needs as well as long-term planning as embodied in the Strategic Plan.Our key focus areas include the following:
- Improving the hiring and retention process, particularly with respect to quickly addressing vacancies in high-need areas;
- Better defining employee roles and responsibilities in the District with improved job descriptions and evaluation processes;
- Better management of labor relations between the District and its employee groups, especially as it relates to matters of collective bargaining and dispute resolution; and
- Promote HRIS and data use by providing on-demand data reports to District administrators and automating (paperless) traditionally cyclical and routine processes (e.g., filing leave requests, making benefits-related changes, and disseminating critical notices).
The Southern Lehigh School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees, regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status. We strive to provide our employees with a workplace that promotes these ideals and reflects our community's diversity and values.
About the Director of Human Resources
-
Before arriving at SLSD, Dr. Ake-Little was the Director of Human Resources at the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District and served as the Executive Director of the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania, supporting nearly 60 affiliates statewide. As a Research Assistant at Temple University, he served as the President of the Temple University Graduate Students Association (AFT Local #6290), then the only graduate employee labor union in Pennsylvania, where he led the local’s fifth contract negotiations with Temple University. Before working in human resources, Dr. Ake-Little was the Assistant Director of STEM Academies at the School District of Philadelphia and a high school biology teacher first at the Charter High School for Architecture & Design (Philadelphia) and later at The Agnes Irwin School (Bryn Mawr).
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Urban Education (Temple University) | M.Ed., Secondary Science Education (Chestnut Hill College) | B.A., History & Political Science (Drexel University)
Dr. Ethan Ake-Little
Ms. Debra Miceli
About the HR Generalist
-
-
Ms. Miceli has over eight (8) years of experience working in public school districts in the Lehigh Valley. Before becoming part of the Southern Lehigh School District, she was the Executive Administrative Assistant to the Assistant to the Superintendent at the Whitehall-Coplay School District. Ms. Miceli also worked as an administrative professional in various roles within the Easton Area School District and the Office of Human Resources in the Allentown School District. She started her career after college in multiple private sector businesses and has over seven (7) years of experience working in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries. Consequently, her background blends public school expertise with private sector insights.
EDUCATION
B.S., Business Administration (Kean University)
-
Equal Opportunity/ Nondiscrimination Policy
-
The Southern Lehigh School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or any other legally protected classification in the employment or in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with state and federal laws including Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. All inquiries concerning this policy/questions regarding specific programs, services and facilities for the handicapped should be directed to the district equal rights, Title IX officer, Southern Lehigh School District, 5775 Main Street, Center Valley, PA at 610-282-3121.
