Melinda Sutherland Berdyck (she/her) has served as an appointed and then elected Mt. Lebanon School Director for the past three years and is running for re-election to a four-year term.
Professionally, Melinda is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist with experience in medical and educational settings, serving children with complex developmental needs. She holds a B.S.Ed. from Miami University and a M.S. from Vanderbilt University. Over her 12-year career, she worked primarily at two children’s health clinics in Maryland, held a teaching appointment in clinical supervision at Towson University, and spent several years at The Children’s Institute in Pittsburgh. Melinda has used her professional competencies and creativity to prioritize care for aging parents and her children. A lifelong learner is never idle, so Melinda is now the sole proprietor of a small local floral business, Made for the Occasion.
Melinda enjoys a well established relationship with Mt. Lebanon as an alumna, homeowner, small business owner, parent of three daughters who attend(ed) Mt. Lebanon K-12, and volunteer in many capacities across the district.
Melinda and her husband, Jonathan, believe that Mt. Lebanon is worthy of pride as a special place to raise and educate children and build lifelong friendships. She listens to students, staff, and both new and long-time residents who value our district’s strong reputation. Melinda is eager to continue the momentum of the board’s work and see success come from the groundwork laid over the past several years. Contributing to the district’s next strategic plan has been an honor, and she is excited about the future ahead.
Why I am running
I am committed to advocating for foundational, high-quality public education for all. My commitment is to doing the right thing for the students and staff who rely on this School District.
Insightful Governance: Launching and overseeing the district’s new strategic plan to address broad needs and aspirations. Making informed decisions that encompass an understanding of the issues threatening public education today and the evolving needs and priorities of our community.
Sound Financial Management: Addressing the district’s structural deficit, resulting from numerous factors in an inflationary, post-Covid economy, with vigilance and a multi-year recovery plan. Turning solutions from 2023-2024 into established policies for 2025 and beyond. Investing in critical academic resources and updating aging infrastructure within the district to plan solutions for the future with sustainability in mind.
Student Focus: Centering student achievement and making sure that all children, regardless of ability or any other feature of their individual nature, receive a premier education in Mt. Lebanon. Valuing and celebrating individual’s varied contributions to a thriving school community. Acknowledging children and their classroom and school library as curious CHILDREN and not political pawns on either side of an argument. Protecting students from an epidemic of gun violence, anxiety and fear and its impact on health, and the incessant demands of technology and social media. Advancing the implementation of K-5 and special education recommendations from the past two years of critical analysis.
Advocacy: Insulating our district from threatened federal funding cuts through state level advocacy, carefully crafted local policy, and pursuit of protections in a changing political landscape. Advocating for a change to CLR laws, which drain resources by requiring refunds of paid (and spent) educational tax dollars. Leveraging my community insights to navigate today’s contentious political climate with objective, informed leadership. Maintaining trusted relationships and asking respectful, thoughtful questions, both essential to effective leadership.
Lebo Forward
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Election is on May 20, 2025.