May 21, 2013 2 min read

McMURRAY – With the 2012-13 school year winding down, the Peters Township School Board began to prepare for the upcoming school year Monday by approving a host of textbooks and passing the tentative budget.

Books ranging from high school mathematics to kindergarten social studies were approved, contingent upon the board passing the final curriculum budget June 24. The tentative curriculum budget of $352,024 was passed unanimously Monday.

All of the proposed textbooks are on public display in the administration building.

The district will move to a four-day, extended-hour work week beginning June 17 that will run through Aug. 2. As a result, the board modified acting superintendent Joseph Dimperio’s contact to reflect the change. Dimperio is working on a per diem basis until a new superintendent is hired. He has been working in the district at $500 a day without benefits since the departure of previous superintendent Nina Zetty, who resigned to take a similar position Dec. 1 in the Gateway Area School District. The board is interviewing applicants for the superintendent’s position and previously announced it hoped to have a new superintendent in place by the start of the 2013-14 school year.

The board unanimously accepted retirements, all at the end of the current school year, for Joseph Maize, driver education teacher at the high school; Donna Fox, high school and McMurray Elementary School music teacher; and Patricia Chastel, high school German teacher.

The board also approved the early return from leave for Megan Mongillo, fifth-grade teacher at McMurray Elementary. She will return Aug. 19, earlier than the planned return in August 2014.

Next regular meeting is at 7:30 p.m. June 24, when the final 2013-14 budget is to be adopted.