001Good evening. I'm calling to order the May 11th, 2026 meeting of the policy committee of the Mount Lebanon Board of School Directors. Tonight, we have four policies up for revision, seven policies up for adoption, and three policies up for retirement. Uh most of these are part of the the effort to align with PSBA. Uh few others are uh smaller adjustments, uh but we'll go through them one at a time as as we've been doing uh so far this calendar year. I'll introduce each policy briefly, and then open the floor for questions and comments so we can reach a consensus before moving items forward. Uh let's start with a policy revision sections. Policy 103, discrimination, harassment affecting students. Um this one uh we had looked at recently, I think just in the fall. Uh policy 103
002governs how the district prevents and responds to discrimination and harassment affecting students, including Title IX sex-based discrimination. This policy was originally adopted in August 2024, and last revised August 2025. The revisions uh before you tonight align our language with the most recent PSBA model and uh federal Title IX framework. Uh Yeah, so that's uh that's it. Are there any questions or comments on on this one? >> Uh the reason why we're updating this one, too, is because um Dr. Davis is retiring, and his name is currently in the policy, so we're updating it to say Office of the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education. Um just so that uh people know that the person has changed and we made it more generalized, um, so that this isn't something that we have to update. >> Yeah, that
003way cuz it's really about that position more so than the person. >> Yeah, so that's the only change, right? That's the only >> Yeah, I think that's the only >> line out that I'm seeing here. I was looking for where the change is is and I saw that, but there's no other content change. >> No, there's no other content changes for this one or 104. Um, and the main reason we're updating it is just due to that, um, change in person. Everything else is, um, in is succinct with what the law currently says as it relates to Title IX. >> Good to go. No, no one's going to wrestle with, uh, Dr. Davis departing or or moving, uh, that piece. That's That's a about as straightforward as it gets, right? So So, that being said,
004policy 104, discrimination harassment affecting students, uh, same thing there. Um, we did go over that recently, made some updates, but really the the change there is about, um, Dr. Davis. Any other questions or comments on 104? >> There's a typo there in terms of it says affecting students both for 103 and 104 and 104 is staff. It's under B. It says twice it says one, uh, discrimination harassment affecting students. >> I think she means on the board docs agenda. >> On the agenda or on the policy itself? >> On the agenda. >> On, >> [sighs and gasps] >> yeah, sorry, on the agenda. >> Okay. That's no big deal. >> That one is for staff, the second one. >> Okay, the one question I had was um under the topic of harassment um talks about
005intentional intentional misgendering and I'm wondering if we should be more explicit on when we're talking about misgendering in relation to whose perspective. You know, it's in relation to the student's identified gender as opposed to what a teacher or parent you know, a parent or a community member may think. >> I think it covers that if like as you continue to read through that next line intentional misgendering or denial of access to facilities consistent with an individual's gender identity or other conduct. >> Okay. That clarifies it. Thank you. >> Anybody else on this one before we go forward, Joy? >> I yeah, I know I I'm sorry. I'm I'm not booting up here like I should. Um but I know I had thrown something in there on I think it was the page after Tim. >>
006Yeah, I can read it for you if you like. >> Yeah. >> So her comment is related to harassment based on religion religious creed, sex, pregnancy or related condition, handicap, disability may include uh harassment based on request or for or receipt of reasonable accommodations. Um she was asking if the include should be but not limited to. >> Yeah, cuz I know it's the one after that the point after that was like may also include so I was unsure if this is if that bullet point was like an extension of the harassment may uh be include but not be limited to like of the previous point or um if we if we needed to say like may also include. Like these aren't separate things, right? Those two points about like religion and then the one beneath
007it those are in addition to the kind of umbrella thing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, I think that that second paragraph is just further explanation as it relates to handicapped and disability um because the other it just kind of further expounds on that. Ms. Creamer, that's on page three. Um and it is under discrimination other than Title IX, the topic of harassment. I think that's correct. It's just further expounding on that. >> All right. So, with that that feedback, anything else before we move on to the next? Okay. Uh policy 236.1 is threat assessment. Uh this was adopted this past January. Um >> [snorts] >> so, another recent one that we had looked at. And this directs the superintendent school safety and security coordinator to establish building-level threat assessment uh a building-level threat assessment team.
008Uh defines who serves on it, lays out the training, reporting, and intervention procedures. Uh the revisions are are minor. Uh once again, uh reinforcing timely uh consultation consultation protocols with uh law enforcement, juvenile justice, county agencies, and behavioral health providers. Um opening the floor to questions or comments on the threat assessment policy. Okay, let's move on to >> go back to the discrimination harassment affecting staff? I did have one question on that one. >> Yeah, yeah. What's the question? >> So on that one under the What was it? Um On the first page under authority, there is a reference to uh let's see this is 1 2 3 fourth paragraph down uh objectives of the policy are and then the third item says to institute appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to reprimand, termination
009of employment, suspension or expulsion. And I'm wondering how what the difference between termination and expulsion would be. >> Uh this particular policy is um includes Title IX sexual harassment by or of students. So a student could be expelled for discriminating against um a staff member. >> Ah okay, that explains it. Thank you. >> Yeah, it covers both sides of the um situation both from the complainant and the um blanking on the other word. >> Respondent. >> Yeah, that's the only question I had on that. >> Okay, thanks Tim. >> [snorts] >> And then before we move away from threat assessment, just one more opportunity there. >> For the threat assessment one, uh this was recently updated by PSBA um and if you take a look at the um it includes a paragraph under authority that
010the established procedures must include protocols for the timely consultation between the team law enforcement juvenile agencies. Um because they want to make sure that we're consulting with all people involved with the student. And then it also includes under additional members of the team that we can include someone who serves on a local or county threat assessment team if applicable. And um I believe that was the only two items that were added to those. >> Okay, policy 325 dress and grooming of employees. Policy [snorts] 325 sets dress and grooming expectations for district employees. Uh this was adopted last May. The revisions once again are are minor and these are really maintenance updates. Uh primarily reinforcing existing protections for protective hairstyles uh such as natural hairstyles um and religious head coverings or hairstyles uh historically associated with
011re- religious creeds. Uh the substance of the policy itself isn't changing. The the language is just being tightened. Any questions, comments on policy 325? Okay, uh the next section is a group of policies. These are uh really uh some of these have have a bit more to them than than the last couple that we went through as far as changes. Uh policy 101 the mission statement, vision statement, and shared values. Uh policy 101 codifies the district's mission, vision, and core values into our numbered policy manual. Uh the mission provide the best education possible to each and every student, and the vision a relentless pursuit of ex- excellence are unchanged. The core values listed are high expectations for all, respect, honesty, and integrity, uh student-centered learning, teamwork and collaboration, continuous improvement, data-informed decisions, and value stakeholder
012contributions. Adopting this policy uh will uh will also retire legacy AE school core values code. Questions on 101? >> I was just wondering um in looking at the core values that are listed, um I noticed that above it it it mentions several times that community, but there isn't like a an explicit bullet point value that's anything of that seems to be like um you know, the bridging between school and community or something like that. Is that something that you see as covered by the other points that are there or >> Uh the stakeholder contributions. >> Okay. >> That's where we couched it with. >> Okay. Thank you. So, I might be getting into the weeds a little bit, but from a wording perspective for the vision statement, so the way I'm reading it is that
013success is defined by the strategic plan goals, but those goals change. But the mission or the vision doesn't. So, I guess I'm just kind of like putting that out there. Like does that does that make sense? Like how would we know if we're failing the mission if we're aligning our goals? Obviously our goals are going to be completing the mission, but they're they change, right? So So I don't know. I just that that kind of came to my mind. >> Well, the goals are always anchored in that vision and mission statement. >> Right. So regardless of, you know, so we're we're on What are we? Year one or year two of this new set of goals? >> Year one. One. >> It's just [laughter] year one. So >> Might feel like five, but it's only
014been [laughter] one. It's been a long year. >> So we'll we'll have this up for the next few years and we're kind of, right, measuring our success against those and then as they're revised um Right? Is there something deeper to your question or concern? >> Well, our every each and every other student each and every student a relentless pursuit of excellence. But how we get there can change or can vary. And so I I guess I'm just kind of questioning like do are we measuring this based on our strategic goals? I mean that's just what it says, right? And so that's that's kind of what I was just pointing out like well, that's going to change, but the mission isn't changing. So >> Mhm. >> That's all. I'm just observing what I'm how I'm reading
015into reading it. >> I notice a discrepancy between in the mission statement we're capitalizing every word for some reason without a period and then under vision statement we're not, but we are using punctuation. Maybe we should pick one or the other. >> I'll fix it. Okay. It should be just regular um periods on both and just typical sentence structure. >> Anything else? Any other questions, comments on 101? Policy 122.1, non-curriculum related, non-school sponsored, student-initiated groups. Policy 122.1 establishes how secondary students can request to form non-curricular, non-school sponsored groups that meet on district premises during non-instructional time consistent with the federal Equal Access Act. Uh it is important to note this policy only governs whether the group may meet on our premises, not whether the district sponsors or endorses a group. A district employee is assigned
016to monitor each meeting in a non-participatory capacity, and meetings cannot be advertised as school sponsored. Uh any questions or comments on on this one? Joy? >> I do, yes. Um So I this sounded familiar as we were talking about it, and I went back to my notes. This was we talked in March about policy 220. Um and that one was um >> Is that posting >> free >> Yeah, that was that was that was covering free speech, yeah. Um and um and we were talking about purposeful disinformation or or um uh information that like if if somebody puts false information out on a flyer, you know, disseminate something false throughout the school. Um and we had said that that that would be covered At the time we said that would be covered by 122.1, which
017is this one. Um and I didn't see anything in here that that covered that. Um there's a reference to policy 220, which covers defamatory language, violence or threat of harm, if it interferes with the educational process or individual rights or safe and orderly operation of schools. But I wasn't sure if we wanted something stronger in the text of this policy, given that we're talking about you know, this is governing what a group can and can't do. Um, to be clear in here that you know, I'm just imagining if we have like a flattered society or something. Um, or something, you know, less comical but more insidious, right? If we um, have something that might not meet the the threshold of like hate speech or incitement to violence, but something that would be um, uh, false
018in nature and or uh, dehumanizing or or derogatory to other students. >> You know, what what kind of limitations >> So, this is really just aligning with the Equal Access Act, which is very, very specific. And so, what may be perceived as derogatory to some would still not allow us to limit the right the the rights of the group under the Equal Access Act. And this policy really was PSBA people started getting confused because this there was a just a short blurb of the Equal Access Act included under 122, which is school-sponsored, and it was just like a reference that non-school sponsored could also must also be permitted, and it didn't give any details. So, they pulled it out, made it its own policy, and that's what this is. I think if you wanted to
019just deal with the distribution of information and make sure that there wasn't anything that was false or misleading, um, that we could take another look back at 220. I I just I I I get a little bit worried because who says it's false, you know, like that's most things are very easily deciphered, but there are other things that >> that are a matter of opinion and yeah. >> so um, I think we work closely with the administration if there is something that is um, concerning that we would review it through a constitutional lens and make sure that we were adjusting it as um, as appropriate. So, we can we can take another look at 220. I don't know as if talking about distribution of false information really goes here. This is more about their ability
020to convene. >> Okay. >> And so, we can take a we can take another look, make sure that there's not anything we feel is missing, but if there is anything that ever comes up, um, we will absolutely address it and I do think the policy language gives us enough enough flexibility to do so. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mhm. >> Um, and I did want to check one more thing, a small thing that was just a language thing for me, I think. Um, on the last page of the policy, uh, the student group may not be advertised as a school sponsored activity. All announcements and disseminated materials must include a disclaimer. Is that a disclaimer that it is not school sponsored? So, like a disclaimer like against school sponsorship or endorsement because the way that
021I read it, I was like, does that mean, you know, does that mean that you have to say that it is sponsored unless it isn't? Or the other way around. It seems like it should be the other way around, but it just >> The other way around. >> it just didn't, you know, read clearly to me. >> Yeah, this is just non-school sponsored groups, so it would be saying that that the school is not sponsoring the group. >> specify that it's not unless it is. Okay. >> If it was, it would fall under 122. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> So, I just have some clarification questions. I'm trying to understand whom this would apply to. We have student groups that hang out all the time. Um, but that's not a meeting. So, this is discussing
022having a meeting that has some regularity because it says you can invite guests, um, but they may not be regular participants in the student meetings, but I think it's very hard to kind of wrap my head around whether they're meeting, whether they're hanging out, why we why we need this for specific meetings versus just, um, the whole team is going to hang out on the track, you know, I don't know. Just groups of kids who might be more loosely affiliated and their guests would just be their friends. >> Well, this is for any student-led, student-sponsored group. So, if they if it is an actual group and they want the ability to represent themselves as a student-led, student-sponsored group, then they would have to comply with this policy and the and the process for creating and
023convening a student-sponsored group. It wouldn't be for like a team, that would be a school-sponsored >> Yeah. >> group. Um, so there are, you know, >> I can give you an >> There are lots of examples. >> So, the the one example would be like the Black Student Union, right? So, they, um, are a group, right? They have an organization, but they're not sponsored. So, because they're not sponsored, this would fit them. So, for example, I went to speak to the group, so I can come in under this. But if they didn't have that, then they wouldn't have the opportunity to be able to >> I didn't realize they weren't sponsored by the school district. >> There's a good amount of >> Most of those groups are not. >> Most groups aren't sponsored. >> Okay.
024So, is that only on school property or is that a school non-instructional school group like a book club or something that's meeting at the library? Is that's separate? That's something else. >> Yeah, that's separate. This is just for students to use non-instructional time to have their group meetings, whether that's, you know, in a free period or before or after school. Um and again, because it's during the school within the school, we need some type of supervision, which is why we have that um the need that they at least have a staff person to oversee their meeting, so that that it's not an unsupervised meeting. >> Anything else on this one? Any other points of clarification needed? Okay, let's move on to policy 137.1 extra- extracurricular participation by uh home education students. Policy 137.1 governs how
025home education students who reside in our district can participate in our extracurricular activities and uh athletics. Students must meet the same eligibility, conduct, attendance, insurance, and physical exam requirements as enrolled district students. They may only participate at the school building they would otherwise attend. The district does not provide individual transportation, but uh home educated students must use district transportation when it is required for district athletes traveling to away events. Um questions, comments on 137.1. Okay. 137.2, participation in co-curricular activities and academic courses by home education students. Uh policy 137.2 extends similar participation rights to co-curricular activities, things like band and orchestra that include a four-credit academic component into academic courses themselves. Home education students may participate in academic courses equaling up to 1/4 of the school day. The district provides grades back to the home
026education program supervisor and parents are responsible for transportation except one of us is already running and space is available. Questions or comments on policy 137.2. >> Is this a requirement of the state? >> Um the legislature amended the home education provision of the school code to require um an expansion of the inclusion of home education students in in these additional opportunities. >> Any other questions on that one? Okay, and one more in the same kind of umbrella, 137.3, participation in career and technical education programs by home education students. Uh this one covers participation in career and technical education programs at Parkway West um by home education students. Oh, and uh yeah, yeah, by home education students. Uh home education students apply on the same basis as district students under the articles of agreement and Parkway
027West admission policy. They must meet eligibility, conduct, and attendance requirements and may use district transportation to and from Parkway West when it is already operating and space is available. Uh, any questions on 137.3? >> The only thing that I had was, you know, wondering if it makes sense to call out um uh, Parkway West as an entity as opposed to just the generic type of of uh you know, votech education so that if God forbid we decide we're not going to partner with uh Parkway West anymore and we're going to partner with someone else, then we would have to go and redo this policy. >> I think Parkway is mentioned in the policy specifically. Um it's an authority and guidelines. Um, delegation of responsibility. Was there somewhere else that you would like to see it
028cuz I can >> No, I'm saying does it make sense that we specifically are calling out that other entity as opposed as opposed to being a generic um >> We'd have to vote to get out of that jointure and it's really a it's a lot of money. >> see us ever doing it. I'm just trying to be >> [laughter] >> in >> Like the Dr. Davis like in retirement. Same sort of >> Exactly. That's all. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> The Dr. >> Yeah, the exactly. [laughter] You shall live on. I I it's just food for thought. It's not a big issue one way or the other. >> I think the difference is being part of a jointure. I mean, it's a very well-established relationship that we have with them. I >> Mhm. >> I
029I think it makes sense to name them. >> Okay. >> It's not like a vendor that we could change. >> All right. Anything else on this one? Okay, policy 140 charter schools. Pol- Policy 140 governs how the district evaluates, approves, monitors, and renews charter school applications and charters. It sets the board's authority to grant charters for 3 to 5-year terms, requires an annual report from each charter school, gives the board ongoing access to records and facilities for compliance review, and addresses transportation, liability, and insurance requirements. This policy includes the most current PSBA revisions uh that are just from March 2026, and would replace our legacy charter school code that will be retiring later uh as well. Um and then just as a as a as a point, this is for charter schools that would be
030within the school district of Mount Lebanon, not school district or not charter schools that students attend, the ones that that would be here within the districts. Um questions or comments on on this policy. [snorts] >> I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about where they attend versus within the district. Can you say that again, what you just said? >> if if there was a proposed charter school in Mount Lebanon, this policy would apply >> Okay, so if >> to that. >> Yeah. >> Not a charter school that's in another district elsewhere. >> Okay. >> only part that extends to other charter schools is the transportation and that's just a reminder and a restatement of the law that we have to provide transportation within 10 miles of the school district boundary, but we don't
031provide transportation, so it really doesn't matter for us. So. >> I'd be curious in a in an update or in a future um not putting anybody on the spot for numbers right now, but how many um how many students that applies to? Like how many students do we have in charter, how many home education enrolled in um established home ed? I think we have it somewhere I was >> Yeah, we reported >> We presented that last month at the budget forum. I'll share that back out with everybody. Oh, that's where it was. >> I was curious about the paragraph about approving a leave of absence for a district employee to work in a charter school. Is that a situation that applies commonly or applies currently or >> I've only had it a couple of times
032and mostly it it's in the city. Um it but it's just part of the statute. When they enacted the charter school law in 1997, it's been in there since then, but I don't think it's used that very frequently. >> And just to protect their like seniority or standing within their home district when they return or >> I'm sure it was some type of lobby that >> [laughter] >> I don't know the the legislative intent, but yeah, it's been there. >> Thank you. >> Anything else on 140? >> [snorts] >> Okay, 140.1 extracurricular participation by charter or cyber charter students. Policy 140.1 is the charter and cyber charter um analog to 137.1, um um which This This allows district resident students enrolled in charter or cyber charter to participate in extracurriculars and athletics. But only when
033the charter does not offer the same activity. The eligibility, conduct, insurance, and physical exam requirements mirror those for district students. And the board may require the charter to pay the cost of its students' participation. Uh this will replace the legacy JJJ uh policy. Any questions or comments on policy 140.1? >> So this is any charter. Do we know if like how many students we have in this particular category? Estimate? >> Uh under five. >> Okay. >> Um but there are students that do participate in um athletics. And I think [clears throat] there might be one or two in extracurriculars, potentially. >> I was thinking it was less than five. >> Yeah. Cuz it's only something that if their charter school isn't providing it that they would have access to it here. >> Yes. >> They
034can't like pick and choose which ones to Yeah. >> No. >> Anything else on 140.1? >> [cough] >> Okay, let's move on to the policy retirements. Uh three policy retirements I think are referred to all of them, at least a few of them, previously. These really just clean up our PSBA uh recodification, as I had mentioned before. First one is AE school core values. And this is just the legacy code AE is the legacy code for those core values. And with the adoption of policy 101, uh that would replace this one. Um Next one is IHBH charter schools. Again, this is being replaced by policy 140. And then JJJ, the participation in district activities by students not enrolled in the district is being replaced by the What is it? 137.1. 140. Um 140.1. Questions, concerns
035about any of those retirements? Okay. Uh Questions and comments from residents or taxpayers. Doesn't look like we have any here today. >> [laughter] >> Um So, I think that's it. Again, thank you all for always coming, showing up prepared to discuss these policies. Um even if with this extra participation, we still move pretty quickly, which is great. If you do have additional feedback, please provide that by Wednesday. Uh gives the administration enough time um to make those adjustments prior to next Monday's meeting. Um and I know we have a few people that were not able to be present. So, if you speak to any other board members who weren't able to be here, please uh share that as well. Let them know. Especially because they weren't here, it'd be good to get any of that
036feedback they may have. Uh Any other questions before we move on? Okay. All right, it's adjourned. Nice.