Communications director outlines website relaunch, accessibility work and engagement metrics

At the February 16 meeting the district communications lead delivered a detailed update on the office’s responsibilities, performance metrics and technology plans for Mount Lebanon School District.

The presenter said the communications team has published roughly 336 social posts across Facebook, Instagram and X this school year, and reported an 86% open rate on the weekly district newsletter to families, staff and high school students and a 76% open rate on the biweekly staff newsletter. The communications lead framed those figures as well above typical organizational benchmarks and said the team tracks open rates and engagement weekly and monthly.

On the website the presenter said Mount Lebanon launched the current site in 2021 and is planning a relaunch in July 2026 to simplify navigation, improve visual consistency and add updated photography (including student photographers and a hired photographer). The communications lead said a new one‑page 'new family' resource exists (currently hidden) and will be shared with community partners and real estate agents; the site supports Google Translate and, according to the presenter, is already used in 30+ languages.

The presenter addressed ADA digital accessibility: she said the April deadline for some web accessibility rules applies to communities larger than 50,000 people and that Mount Lebanon is under that threshold, but the district is proactively preparing (reviewing PDFs, adding alt text and planning training) and expects to work toward compliance through 2027. The presenter noted an additional $50,000 added to a state allocation (discussed later in the meeting) and detailed communications goals tied to the district strategic plan: clearer communications, increased family engagement and more transparency and feedback opportunities.

Board members asked how the hidden new‑family page would be shared; the communications lead said the district will provide a quick‑facts page for wider distribution and consider sharing the hidden link with community partners and real estate agents. The presenter also described ongoing outreach such as business roundtables and superintendent coffees as ways to engage non‑parent community members.