Allentown school board names Lehigh COE alum Michael Makhoul as the Dieruff High School principal

An assistant principal in the Allentown School District has been named to lead Louis Dieruff High School.

The Allentown school board on Thursday approved the appointment of Michael G. Makhoul as principal of Dieruff High School. Makhoul, who holds a Bachelor's degree from Penn State University, has been the assistant principal at Dieruff since 2011.

"Mr. Makhoul has dedicated a significant amount of his professional career to the students of Allentown, and we are excited to have him transition into the role of principal at Dieruff High School," Superintendent Thomas Parker said in a prepared release. "Makhoul is a passionate leader who is committed to growing relationships with the school community and advocating for equitable educational opportunities for our students."

During his tenure at Dieruff, Makhoul helped create an after-school credit recovery program for students who were struggling academically, according to the district. He was also key in creating the "Husky to Husky" program that introduced Dieruff students to Bloomsburg University and its programs.

Makhoul, an Allentown native, started his career in the Allentown School District as an emotional support teacher at Allen High School. He then went onto work as a teacher, department chair and high school program coordinator for the Centennial School of Lehigh University, where he previously earned his Master's degree in educational leadership. The school provided services to special education students.

Makhoul also served as an assistant principal at the Palisades Middle School before returning to Deiruff.