NEW AT SCHOOL While students settle in to a new year of teachers, schedules and extracurriculars, Mt. Lebanon School District is implementing new programs and projects to help ensure a successful school year.
To further its commitment to mental health support and mindfulness, the district has added three elementary school counselors, so that each elementary school now has its own dedicated counselor. Each school now also has its own Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) team, to ensure that each student understands SEL competencies—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making—by the time they graduate.
New programs include an Artificial Intelligence program at Jefferson and Mellon middle schools. This pilot program will focus on ethics, problem solving, enhanced use of computers and the role of AI. The district also reports positive feedback on its new website design at www.mtlsd.org, which launched in September. The high school’s upper practice field, a competition-sized turf field providing extra space for athletics and marching band practice, has also garnered positive reviews.
Finally, the district added two new events to help engage parents and the community. Superintendent Dr. Tim Steinhauer and Police Chief Aaron Lauth will host a school community safety forum on Thursday, October 10, at 7 p.m. in the High School Fine Arts Theatre. Topics include infrastructure changes to the schools, prevention programs and mental health and well-being initiatives. Lebo Parent University, on Monday, January 27, 2020, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the high school, will offer sessions for parents on topics such as helping students deal with stress, becoming successful in difficult classes and navigating college and career interests.
Parents will have the option to select two or three classes of interest throughout the course of the evening.
Douglas Reichenfeld is the new orchestra director at Mt. Lebanon High School. Reichenfeld, a classically trained trumpet player with degrees in music and music education from Duquesne University and Oberlin College Conservatory, has been with Mt. Lebanon School District since 1998. He directed the concert band and wind ensembles from 2000 to 2010 and most recently was an elementary instrumental music department facilitator and teacher. He has played with a number of local symphony orchestras and is a member of the Jazz Conspiracy, a 16-piece ensemble that plays swing and big band tunes.
Quilter Anabeth Dollins, Terrace Drive, was selected to participate in the American Quilter’s Society’s AQS QuiltWeek in Charleston, South Carolina. Dollins’ quilt, J is for Jenna, was one of 450 quilts selected from 43 states and 12 countries.
Scott Maidman, Country Club Drive, was named one of Forbes Magazine’s “Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors.” The rankings, which highlight 250 wealth advisors around the United States, and only seven in Pennsylvania, were established based on an algorithm of criteria including industry experience, compliance records, revenue produced and assets under management. He was selected from a field of 29,000 nominations. Maidman is a Senior Vice President at Merrill Lynch.