Mount Lebanon superintendent outlines five goals for 2024–25 school year

The superintendent of the Mount Lebanon School District presented five strategic goals for the 2024–25 school year at a board meeting, emphasizing academic standards, artificial-intelligence policy work, a special-education review tied to a Pennsylvania Department of Education deadline, social-emotional learning, and operational improvements.

The presentation matters because goals 1–4 come from the district’s 2019–2025 strategic plan, making 2024–25 the final year of that plan and prompting a new strategic-planning process for 2026–31. The superintendent said the district will post the goals and related materials online and provide updates during the year.

The first goal centers on student mastery across reading, language arts, mathematics, science, world languages, social sciences, health, and the arts. Subgoals include adopting an elementary English-language-arts and science curriculum, conducting a district special-education program review and implementing procedural and service improvements in preparation for the PDE-required special education plan due in May 2025, reviewing elementary-level multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for alignment, and setting building-level academic goals using disaggregated data by September 2024. The superintendent said subgoals without specified dates are expected to be completed by June 2025.

Goal 2 focuses on complementary skills such as analysis, critical thinking and communication. The district will provide professional development on the impact of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning, review and propose updates to classroom AI policy, and explore expanding high-school credentialing tied to responsible AI learning (RAIL).

Goal 3 emphasizes evidence-based social and emotional learning. Planned work includes a student-services program review, recommended updates to the district’s bullying and harassment policy and administrative regulations, and service improvements measured by the school climate survey.

Goal 4 calls for safer, more welcoming and inclusive schools. The superintendent said the district will continue committee work (referenced in the transcript as “LIBO United”), update safety procedures and communications to align with local, state and federal guidelines, and host three safety-partnership meetings per year — the first two focused on planning and training with district staff and public-safety partners and a third convened as a community forum. The presentation also mentioned analyzing and recommending changes to student cellphone policies.

The final goal covers district strategic operations: launching a community-engaged strategic-planning process for 2026–31, continuing a multi-year effort to improve financial operations and rebuild the fund balance, successfully onboarding a director of operations, conducting annual full-time-equivalent reviews, recruiting for a more diverse workforce, and migrating the district’s finance software to a web-based system. The superintendent also said the district will review parent and community committees to ensure they provide information and solicit meaningful feedback, and will review the five-year capital fund plan for facilities and technology.

The superintendent noted the district held convocation last week with student speakers and performers and that entrepreneur Mark Cuban joined the event via Zoom to congratulate staff. She closed by reminding the community that grades 1–12 return to school the next day and that kindergarten begins Thursday, Aug. 22, urging drivers to be cautious near schools and thanking crossing guards and the Mount Lebanon Police for support. “I’ll be walking to Markham Elementary School tomorrow,” she added.

The presentation and detailed goals will be posted on the district website and in BoardDocs for public review; the superintendent said the executive council and Curriculum Council will provide periodic updates through the year.