On July 13, the Neshannock Township School Board:
•Changed the dates of the August and October board meetings to Aug. 17 and Oct. 19. Both will be at 7 p.m.
•Set a special meeting, to hire new teachers and possibly a junior high principal, for 7 p.m. July 27.
•Approved the request of Martin Dale Barletto to participate in the Laurel School District vocational agriculture program.
•Agreed to continue its contract with Hess Corp. for gas. The new rate is expected to save the district $9,000.
•Granted tenure to Russell Loudon, who has taught elementary and high school physical education for three years in the district.
•Increased the professional contract of high school art teacher Natalie Bell to full-time status.
•Announced the retirement of kindergarten/art teacher Mary Jane Bumbaugh.
•Approved the $7,629,802 budget for the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center for the 2006-07 school year.
•Corrected the salary of part-time speech and language teacher Colleen Shaller who was hired at the June 15 meeting. Her correct annual salary is $32,051. The board announced the wrong salary at the June meeting.
•Recommended a new elementary parent/student handbook for the 2006-07 school year.
•Contracted with Kennywood Park for the 2006-07 school year. The picnic will be June 19.
•Board members were invited to sign up for three new committees. Two are needed for the district’s crisis plan team, one for a new pandemic flu plan committee, which must be in place by Jan. 1, and two are needed for the district’s strategic plan committee. A new plan must be in place by May, according to assistant superintendent Dr. Kathleen Roppa.
