Montanye Addresses Legal Challenges in School Investigations at PA Principals Association Summit
Allentown, PA - As school administrators face increasingly complex discipline issues involving technology, social media and student conduct, understanding the legal boundaries of school investigations has never been more important. Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams LLP Managing Partner Sharon W. Montanye addressed those challenges during a featured session at the 2026 Pennsylvania Principals Association Summit earlier this month.
Montanye's presentation, Where's My Lane?, explored the legal considerations principals face when investigating incidents at school. The session covered best practices for conducting student investigations, the legal do's and don'ts of gathering information, defining academic dishonesty in today's digital environment, and responding to discipline issues shaped by social media. Participants gained practical guidance on navigating investigations while remaining within legal boundaries.
Montanye brings decades of experience in special education law. She advises school boards, superintendents and administrators on navigating complex special education and pupil services requirements and is widely recognized for helping educational leaders translate legal mandates into practical solutions.
Before entering private practice, Montanye spent nearly 12 years in education as a certified teacher, administrator, grant writer and peer reviewer for both the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. That firsthand experience in education provides a unique perspective on the legal and operational challenges facing schools today.
Hosted by the Pennsylvania Principals Association and the Pennsylvania Association for Elevating, Developing & Growing Educators (PA EDGE), the summit was held August 2-4, 2026, at The Renaissance Allentown Hotel and Parkland High School in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This annual conference is one of the state's premier professional development events for educational leaders.
Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams, LLP was formed in 1995 by nine experienced education lawyers who created the first private law practice in Pennsylvania dedicated entirely to Education Law. Since then, the firm has grown to 25 attorneys who represent over 290 school and municipal entities as Solicitors or as Special Counsel in more than 50 counties throughout Pennsylvania, and in additional practice areas, such as Construction Law, Tax Assessment Appeals, Audit of Operations and Practices, Real Estate Law and Oil, Gas and Mineral Law.