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Board approves personnel report; resident praises district and neuroscientist urges reduced screen time for young readers
Summary
The board approved a personnel report by roll call and heard two public comments: Brian Walters offered a lengthy public thank-you highlighting teacher support and co-curricular programs; Alicia Locker, a behavioral neuroscientist, urged limiting screen use in early grades to protect attention and reading comprehension.
The Mount Lebanon School District board approved the personnel report on May 11, 2026, by roll-call vote. The report listed appointments, assignment changes, leaves, resignations, sabbaticals and retirements and carried after a motion and recorded votes of six 'I' answers from board members present.
During public comment the board heard two substantive statements. Brian Walters, a long-time resident, praised the district and its staff, saying the schools challenged students while providing strong support: "Mount Lebanon's challenging academic environment fostered with expert instruction and genuine encouragement pushed our kids and gave them the necessary confidence," Walters said. He noted a family connection to the district and thanked teachers and coaches for their support.
Alicia Locker, who identified herself as a behavioral neuroscientist, urged the district to limit screen-based reading in early grades and emphasized research she said shows paper text better supports memory coding and comprehension for young children. "Our children are not tiny adults," Locker said, and she argued that physical pages provide stable spatial anchors that improve memory and metacognition. Locker also warned that interactive screens can exploit reward pathways and make children less aware when they are learning less effectively.
Board members thanked both commenters. The board announced its next meeting for May 18, 2026, when the final budget adoption will be considered.
