The Tamaqua Area School Board is expected to approve the establishment of a new group to oversee booster club activities within the district.

At Tuesday's board workshop meeting held at the Tamaqua Area Middle School all-purpose room, the board heard from Athletic Director Mike Hromyak and Superintendent Carol Makuta, who explained that a group of 13 individuals representing 10 booster organizations met on August 1 to form what will be called the Tamaqua Area Booster Board (TABB)."It's their next step to satisfy qualifications," said Makuta.The new group has been formed, in part, to meet an annual state requirement for the application of a small games of chance license.The TABB has selected officers with Dan Miorelli named president, and members are taking the appropriate steps to become the umbrella organization for a wide range of volunteer booster activities."By-laws have been established and they're working on procedures," explained Hromyak. "The organization hopes to have a small games of chance license for the fall season."It was explained that the new group does not need to be incorporated at this time. However, the group will have its own distinct identity, said Connie Ligenza, district financial manager, and therefore will be subject to certain requirements."They're creating a separate entity in the eyes of the IRS. You need an EIN (employee identification number) and a sales use tax license," Ligenza explained.In other matters, the board is expected to approve a non-resident student to attend Tamaqua Area High School on a parent-paid tuition basis for the 2012-13 school year. The board did not identity the student's home school district or why an out-of-district student is choosing to attend school in Tamaqua.In a related area, the board is expected to establish tuition rates of $8,895.35 for high school, $8,311.23 for elementary, and $4,155.62 for kindergarten half day.The board also will approve instructor Roseann Weinrich's request to enroll AP Biology students in a three-day Costa Ecology program at Wallops, Island, Va.Weinrich also has requested the board to reserve Friday, April 12, as the date for the senior prom, to take place at Capriotti's, Tresckow.At next Tuesday's regular meeting, the board is expected to:* appoint Raymond J. Kinder as homeless liaison to satisfy No Child Left Behind compliance.* set the daily substitute teacher rate at $75 per day for days 1-60 and $85 for days 61 and greater.* approve testing programs to include WISC 4 for gifted, IQ and learning disabilities; WIAT 2 for achievement; KBIT for intelligence; Braken for kindergarten screening; TerraNova for Grade 2; Kaufman for K-12 achievement; and measured progress writing for grade 5, PSSA writing prompts.* approve entering into a contract for educational services with Behavioral Health Associates, Lehighton.* establish a cut-off for financial assistance relative to the dress code for household income less than 130% of the poverty guideline established by the Pennsylvania Department of Nutrition. The level of assistance will be set at $25 per child per approved financial assistance request.* appoint Robert Betz as a member of the Schuylkill County AVTS Authority.* renew the Interscholastic and Voluntary Student Accident Insurance with the Maskin Group, the lowest of three solicited quotes at $16,543.* approve a one-year contract with Leader Services of Hazleton for Access Billing Services for a term beginning on July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.