Weekly District Newsletter - October 26, 2025

Over the last month, we have been working to create a draft of the 2026 - 2027 school district calendar. Throughout this process, we referred to a clear set of goals:

Maximize the amount of instructional time before standardized testing.
Create opportunities for staff to flex their schedule throughout the year.
Feedback from last year's survey to have a shorter winter break and the Monday after Thanksgiving off.
Maximize professional learning, and more closely align the number of student days with the passage of Act 56, which allows public school entities to adopt a school term consisting of either:
(a) 180 days or
(b) 900 hours at the elementary level (450 for half-day Kindergarten) and 990 hours at the secondary level.

The full draft calendar is available here.

Below is a summary of the draft calendar for the year:

First Day: Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Grades 1-12 and Kindergarten, Thursday, August 20, 2026
Last Day of School: Thursday, June 3, 2027 (Noon Dismissal)
Yom Kippur: No School Thursday, September 21, 2026
No School Students: Monday, November 2 - Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Fall Break: No School Thursday, November 26, 2025 - Monday, November 30, 2026
Winter Break: Wednesday, December 23, 2026 - Sunday, January 3, 2027
No School Students: Friday, January 15, 2027
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: No School Monday, January 18, 2027
No School Students: Monday, February 15, 2027
Spring Break: No School Monday, March 22 - Sunday, March 28, 2027
No School Students: Tuesday, May 18, 2027
Memorial Day: No School Monday, May 31, 2027

Please provide your thoughts and/or comments regarding the proposed 2025-2026 District Calendar using this link by Monday, November 3, 2025. While not all suggestions can be implemented, we will carefully consider all input to address common themes and inform future planning.

Superintendent Update

During the October 20 Regular Board Meeting, Dr. Melissa Friez provided an update on the Strategic Plan during the monthly Superintendent's Report. A copy of the update can be found here.

Strategic Plan Year One Progress

There are 32 total tactics/goals for the 2025 - 2026 school year.

As of October 20, 2025:

4 Completed
27 In Progress
1 Not Started

The status for each tactic/goal is listed on a dashboard available on the Strategic Plan section of our website: mtlsd.org/about-us/strategic-plan

Activities

Steps With The Superintendent: October 28, 2025

For residents 55+ without students in the District,

weather permitting

Invite your neighbors, family, and friends aged 55+ living in Mt. Lebanon to join Dr. Melissa Friez for Steps with the Superintendent at the High School Track. To RSVP, email hello@mtlsd.net.

Mt. Lebanon High School Dance Team Youth Clinic

Sunday, November 23 - 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

The Mt. Lebanon High School Dance Team will host a youth clinic on Sunday, November 23, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. For more information and to register, visit this website.

Athletics

Winter Sports Registration Now Open For Students In Grades 7-12

Mt. Lebanon School District offers 18 winter sports opportunities for students in grades 7–12, and registration is now open!

While there is no registration deadline, each team has a unique start date, so be sure to review the details for each team.

You’ll find instructions for creating a FamilyID account (where registration takes place) and access to required physical forms.
The coaches actively review registrations and will be aware of your students' interest in participating. They will reach out with next steps.

Additional Information

List of Winter Sports & Start Dates: Click here
Find Coach Information: Team Pages → Select your team → Scroll to the bottom for contact info.

Questions? Contact our Athletics Department.

Sports Schedules

Stay connected to every game, match, and meet! Check out the full Mt. Lebanon Athletics schedule online to cheer on your favorite teams and support our student-athletes. View schedules here.

Board of School Directors

MTLSD Board of Directors October Meeting Update

The Mt. Lebanon School District Board of Directors met on Monday, October 13.

For minutes from board meetings and information about upcoming meetings, please visit the Mt. Lebanon School District BoardDocs website.

MTLSD Budget Update

At Monday night’s meeting, Hosack, Specht, Muetzel & Wood LLP presented an unmodified opinion on the District’s 2024–2025 financial statements. This signifies a clean audit and full compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Auditing Standards (GAAS).
For the first time in six years, the District contributed to its fund balance, adding $2.8 million from a year-end surplus and an additional $3 million from a settlement with Concordia Lutheran Ministries. These additions bring the unassigned fund balance to approximately $7.5 million (5.99%), meeting Board policy targets and moving toward the state-recommended 8%.

Community Updates

Online Safety Reminder from the Mt. Lebanon Police Department

The Mt. Lebanon Police Department has reported an increase in online scams targeting juveniles through social media and gaming platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Roblox, and Discord. In these scams, offenders pose as peers to gain trust, request inappropriate photos, and then attempt to blackmail victims for money.

This update was shared during one of our regular School Safety Partnership meetings, where the District meets with local emergency service providers to support proactive communication and student safety.

We encourage parents and guardians to speak with their children about online safety and the importance of never sharing personal or sensitive images. For more information or to report suspicious activity, please contact the Mt. Lebanon Police Department.

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Mt. Lebanon School District

7 Horsman Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15228