School Board names 2021 leaders

The Mt. Lebanon School Board on Monday named Jacob Wyland president of the board and Valerie Fleischer vice president.

Mr. Wyland, who was appointed by a 7-2 vote, succeeds Sarah Olbrich, who did not seek a second term.

Stephen Strotmeyer, who had been vice president, said it was time for a change in leadership.

“I think that what we need in this particular instance is someone that can adjudicate, is fair-minded, and I think both candidates have that ability … however, in this particular moment, I think what we need is a shift in where we have been going in the past several months in this academic year,” Mr. Strotmeyer said.

But the losing candidate, Elaine Cappucci, who has been on the board for more than 12 years, said this is the time for experienced leadership.

“I don’t feel like this is the moment to have an inexperienced leadership team,” she said. “Big change is not what we need now. We need calm and steady leadership to get through the storm.”

Mr. Wyland, who has been on the board since December 2019, told his fell o w board members, “While we have only served together for a year, I hope you can all attest that on every meaningful vote, I’ve taken the time to speak with all of you about those votes. Even though we don’t agree on every vote, I respect you and I respect your opinion.”

The next board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 14.

Mr. Wyland recommended also holding a special meeting later this month because he said discussing matters and voting on them at the same meeting is “not the most effective” way for the board to conduct business. He added the public would also get more of a chance to comment if a special meeting were to be held. No special meeting date was announced.