The North Hills School District School has announced the formation of a new School Climate and Culture Council chaired by a new Director of Student and Community Engagement to strengthen student support and confirm the district’s commitment to providing an inclusive environment with equitable opportunities for all who study, learn, teach and serve in the community in alignment with the district's mission, vision and values. 

The new council will focus on the student experience to ensure that all students feel welcome and accepted regardless of race, culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, citizenship or socioeconomic status. 

Initiatives and topics of discussion will center on respect and inclusion, recognizing that while our educational community includes individuals with many differences, we must respect one another and do no harm in words or actions. 

The council will be chaired by the newly appointed Director of Student and Community Engagement LaMont Lyons. This position was approved by the NHSD Board of Education on April 18. Mr. Lyons is currently the principal at North Hills Middle School.

Each school will have a group of students and staff who will work directly with Mr. Lyons to tackle topics including bias, bullying and inclusion. They will work to identify weaknesses and threats while developing school and districtwide initiatives to improve the overall student experience.

Through the group, as well as each school’s counseling office, students and staff will have direct access to Mr. Lyons.

Mr. Lyons will be joined on the School Climate and Culture Council by Superintendent Dr. Patrick Mannarino, School Board President Allison Mathis, school directors serving on the board’s Community and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, all six building principals and Dr. Donald Sheffield, former Director of Diversity Outreach at Penn State and founder and president of TAME, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to cultural excellence through various training programs. Dr. Sheffield has been a valued resource to district administrators, staff and students since 2020, and has led several staff developments including our keynote address to kick off the 2021-22 school year.

The council will hold a public meeting once per quarter during the school year. Council meetings will be the forum for principals to share the Climate and Culture initiatives, opportunities, weaknesses and threats that have been identified in their buildings.

Community members may attend these council meetings and publicly address members at the beginning of each meeting in accordance with the district’s public participation policy.

“The creation of the School Climate and Culture Council is something that has been in the works for quite some time and while race will be a focus, its mission has to be all encompassing and truly focus on the student experience. We must engage our students to talk about their experiences and this council gives them the avenue to do so with Mr. Lyons being a direct and dedicated support within their reach,” said Dr. Mannarino. “We must respect one another and respect our differences and I see this council helping us do just that.”

"We need to remain focused on making sure that equitable education is provided to students in our district,” President Mathis said in announcing the new initiative during the board’s April 18 meeting. “We live in challenging times, but I believe that the steps outlined are steps in the right direction. We must continue to ensure we are building a community that welcomes all races, ethnicities, abilities, genders and religions, and as a district, creates a culture of belonging. Remember we are all neighbors. We encourage you to love and support all families and treat each other with respect and kindness."

Mr. Lyons will transition to his new role as an equity leader in the district following the 2023-24 school year. In addition to overseeing the School Climate and Culture Council, he will serve as the district’s Title IX Coordinator, co-chair of the Neurodiversity and Wellness committees, and ESL Family Engagement Coordinator, leveraging resources from community organizations including the West View HUB, North Hills Cares and North Hills Community Outreach.

He will also work to implement and strengthen programs including No Place for Hate, Stand Together, Start with Hello and Global Minds, a Pittsburgh-based organization that promotes inclusivity and friendships between English language learners and the general student body.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to support and engage the entire North Hills community,” said Mr. Lyons, who has headed similar initiatives during his time in the Woodlands Hills and Chartiers Valley school districts, and at Pittsburgh’s City Charter High School. “My goal is to foster an inclusive environment where all students can thrive academically, socially and emotionally, while strengthening our connections with the community through meaningful partnerships and initiatives. I’m excited to get to work with our students and staff as we continue to cultivate cultural competency.”

Mr. Lyons will also collaborate with the district's student assistance counselors and intervene when students are experiencing barriers to learning.

With the formation of the School Climate and Culture Council, the district’s Anti-Racism and Diversity Task Force, which began in 2020, will no longer be its own entity as its mission and duties are absorbed in this new council.

John Lesjack, current assistant principal at North Hills High School, will replace Mr. Lyons as principal of North Hills Middle School effective July 1, 2024. Katie Fanelli, current assistant principal at North Hills Middle School, has been promoted and will serve as Associate Principal at North Hills Middle School beginning July 1.

A restructuring of the administrative duties and leadership along with Ms. Fanelli’s promotion eliminates the need to replace NHMS Assistant Principal Jim Cassell, who left the district for a job in the Hopewell Area School District this past February.