Mt. Lebanon School Board prepares for new school year
The Mt. Lebanon School Board took action July 20 on a number of personnel items in preparation for the new school year that begins in six weeks.
The board agreed to enter into an agreement with Westley Spectrum Services for an intervention specialist – at a cost not to exceed $72,800 – for the 2015-2016 school year. The intervention specialist provides support for students with Individualized Education Programs in both the high school and the middle school.
The board also accepted a five-year proposal from UPMC Sports Medicine to provide training service for student athletes at a cost of $179,000.
In other matters, board members endorsed the candidacy of Mary Birks, vice president of the school board, to run for president elect of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
“This is a significant position,” said Lawrence Lebowitz, the board president. “It is also a huge undertaking.”
Because of the cost of filing liens against property owners who have not paid their taxes doubled after July 1, 2015, the board agreed to remove delinquencies on properties with assessments under $4,000, a move that will save the school district and the municipality of Mt. Lebanon about $2,500 each, annually. These liens are on properties liened in 2014. But, the delinquency remains on the property of it is ever sold.
Board members learned that the $110 million construction project at the high school – now in its third year -could be finished by next summer. The next major task is the removal of the building facade, which is slated to begin Aug. 10.
“All the academic spaces have been completed and are incredible,” Lebowitz said.
Besides classrooms, the renovation of the school, which has an enrollment of 1,700, includes a new cafeteria that can seat 700, two dance studios, a main auditorium that can accommodate 1,500, two art studios and a refurbished theater, as well as state-of-the-art science, manufacturing and engineering laboratories.