The former superintendent of the Abington Heights School District was named to leadership positions at The Wright Center following a controversial period leading a Lehigh Valley school district.
Center officials announced last week Michael Mahon’s appointment as vice president of academic affairs and associate designated institutional official for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.
He oversees the educational experience of medical residents and fellows, and supervises graduate medical education staff in the roles. Mahon led Abington Heights for nearly 17 years before becoming superintendent of the Southern Lehigh School District in late 2021. The South Scranton native, who resides in Clarks Summit, began his career in education as a science teacher in 1990.
Mahon’s appointment to the new roles at The Wright Center follows a difficult year as Southern Lehigh’s superintendent.
He was placed on administrative leave earlier this year, action that came days after the then-president of the district’s Board of Education criticized Mahon for what she said was “poor leadership” and “intentional miscommunication,” while other members defended him and turned the criticism on the then-president, Emily Gehman. Mahon disagreed with Gehman’s statements at a February board meeting.
Officials did not give a reason for placing him on leave.
The board confronted several sets of concerns related to Mahon’s performance as superintendent, including an employee’s complaints of discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation, and the glitch-filled rollout of a student information system, according to a story by the Morning Call of Allentown.
His five-month paid administrative leave ended over the summer, when the board approved separation agreements with Mahon. The agreements included a payout with $110,000 to settle “mutual claims against each other that could lead to litigation” and another $135,000 in remaining salary and vacation days. Mahon’s appointment as Southern Lehigh’s superintendent ran through June 30, 2026.
The release of claims also included $25,000 in attorneys’ fees for Mahon’s lawyers and states that all disciplinary or investigatory documents will be removed from his personnel file.
An employment reference and letter of recommendation is included in the separation agreement. The letter credits Mahon with moving the district from structural deficits to surpluses, praises a literacy initiative and notes the expansion of dual enrollment offerings.
The letter of recommendation does not detail any allegations against Mahon, only stating that, “in February 2025, certain allegations were raised concerning the Superintendent’s performance.” It also states, “following a comprehensive investigation conducted by independent legal counsel, all allegations were determined to be unfounded, and Dr. Mahon was fully cleared of any wrongdoing.”
Asked to comment on whether The Wright Center was aware of the allegations against Mahon and if you have any concerns about them, spokesman Paul Krzywicki said in an email, “The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education does not comment on personnel matters.”
Efforts to reach Mahon for comment were unsuccessful.
Center officials said in a news release Mahon will provide “administrative and programmatic leadership across all educational activities, partnerships and new educational initiatives” in his new roles.
The Morning Call of Allentown contributed to this report