Mount Lebanon board holds special Zoom interviews for multiple candidates; vote set for Feb. 9

MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — The Mount Lebanon School District Board of School Directors interviewed a series of applicants in a special Zoom meeting on Monday, Jan. 26, to fill a board vacancy, with public deliberation and a final vote scheduled for the boardmeeting on Feb. 9, 2026. Board President Brenna Crabill opened the session at 5:02 p.m. and said each candidate would have 10 minutes for eight predetermined questions.

Candidates who addressed the board described a range of professional backgrounds and community experience and repeatedly pointed to two consistent priorities: the district's fiscal stability and meeting diverse student needs. Several applicants cited prior service in PTAs or nonprofit boards and described work in law, health care, higher education, fundraising, small business and career-development programs.

"I have a daughter who's on the spectrum and with autism," said candidate Ari Bunt, who described advocacy and PTA roles and said those experiences shaped a focus on inclusive supports and the allocation of limited resources. Another applicant who identified a legal background emphasized contract review, oversight and the ability to negotiate in a complex regulatory environment.

Several candidates framed the district's budget as the central short- and long-term challenge. One interviewee said, "The district faces significant structural budget deficits identified in the audit and financial reports," noting pressures from property-tax base shifts, rising health-care and salary costs and uncertainty in revenue forecasting.

Other recurring themes included concerns about the common level ratio and assessment volatility, early reading intervention, student mental-health supports and the impact of technology in classrooms. A pastoral candidate pointed to hunger advocacy and neighborhood engagement as relevant experience and urged stronger social and emotional supports for students without overburdening teachers.

The panel repeatedly reminded candidates that the board is a governing body, not an operational manager; multiple applicants said they would prioritize policy-making, oversight of the superintendent and accountability for results rather than day-to-day administration.

The board closed the interviews after hearing the final candidate and took a brief motion to adjourn. President Brenna Crabill told applicants the board would deliberate publicly following all interviews and vote during the public meeting on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. The district office said candidates should expect to hear from the district after that meeting regarding the final decision.

No formal appointment was made at the Jan. 26 session; the board recorded a voice vote to adjourn at the end of the meeting.