February 12, 2022

To: Members of the Pine Richland School Board

Re: Retain Peter Lyons’ leadership position on the Board of Directors for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU).

Dear PR School Board members:

Pine-Richland School District has had a decades-long reputation for being an excellent school district for children with special needs. For the last five years, Mr. Lyons has worked to continue and improve this reputation by representing our district on the Allegheny Intermediate Unit* (AIU) Board of Directors and by building on the services the AIU provides.

The removal of Mr. Lyons from the AIU Board would be a detriment to students not just in our district, but also in districts across the county who benefit from AIU services. The other AIU Board members hold Mr. Lyons in their highest regard, as is evident in their electing him to serve as the board’s vice president. Board members describe him as “an incredible asset to” and “an integral part of” the board, having consistently shown “hard work and dedication” to providing children with special needs the best support possible.

Parents, teachers, students, and alumni from across the PR district, members of our community and neighboring school districts, and the other AIU board members, are alarmed by your Feb. 7 vote not to approve Mr. Lyons to continue in his valuable efforts and that you have failed to put our children first.

We hope you understand the impact of your decision and implore you to reverse your vote. Set your personal feelings aside, and put our children first: approve Peter Lyons’ candidacy for the AIU Board of Directors.

Regards,

The Pine-Richland Community

*The Allegheny Intermediate Unit provides support services to special needs students in the 42 suburban school districts across Allegheny County.