Last month, the Tamaqua Area School District announced the retirement of 12 teachers.

At its monthly meeting on Tuesday night, the district's board of education hired 10 new teachers for the 2010-2011 school year.The salaries for each are granted from the district's current 2009-2010 contract with its teachers' union, which is set to expire later this year.The following teachers were hired.• Zachary Evans, Coaldale, Bachelor's degree, step 2.5, $39,185.50.• Krista Kabraico, Conyngham, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Samantha McBreen, Port Carbon, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Andrew Michalik, Summit Hill, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Abigail Neverosky, Barnesville, Bachelor's step two, $38,287.• Dylan Peters, Tamaqua, Bachelor's step two, $38,287.• Audra Schlect, New Ringgold, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Angela Smith, Tamaqua, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Ashley Stanek, Tamaqua, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.• Nicole Weaver, Coaldale, Bachelor's step one, $36,027.In other personnel moves, Jose Urquiza, Summit Hill, was approved as a regular part-time high school Spanish teacher at Bachelor's step three, $40,084.The resignation of Kristen R. Zizelmann, high school special education teacher, was accepted, effective at the end of the current school year.Marsha Rodgers, elementary teacher, was approved for a Family and Medical Leave, retroactive to May 12.The request of Jeannine Gottstein, custodian, for an unpaid leave of absence, retroactive to April 9 and running through an anticipated date of June 3, was approved.Impact testing okayedIn other business, the board approved entering into an agreement with OAA Orthopaedic Specialists to conduct impact testing, at no charge to the school district.The impact testing is focused on football players, who by the nature of the sport are at risk for concussions and head injuries. Students are tested to create a report on their cognitive level, which is then used to decide when a player might be ready to return to competition following a concussion.The board also reappointed Tamaqua Family Practice as school physician and medical examiner for 2010-11, at the following fee schedule: student exam (regular, athletics, etc.), $10; working papers (one per student per year), $15; adult examination (service personnel), $26; and attendance at football games, $50.A list of the 2010 graduates was approved, contingent upon the completion of all requirements.M&T Bank, Tamaqua, was appointed as the district's depository for the 2010-11 fiscal year.The board also ratified the decision of the Schuylkill County Schools Heating Oil Consortium to accept the bid for 40,000 gallons of heating oil for 2010-11 from Tobash Home Heating Inc. for the fixed price of $2.566 per gallon transported and $2.586 per gallon (tank wagon).The district will also purchase 22,500 gallons of heating fuel from Petroleum Traders, Inc. at a fluctuating price with a markup of .0262 for tank transport at the middle school. The purchase was made through the Pa. Education Joint Purchasing Council.The following bids were accepted for projects, with funding from PA Pact: VCT flooring from Carpet Warehouse, $22,279; and Victor Muncy for the school rekeying project, $42,800.Business manager Connie Ligenza and Facilities Director Arthur Oakes, Jr., were authorized to apply for the 2010 Pa. Energy Development Authority Grant and Renewable Energy Program Geothermal and Wired Projects Grant.The board also approved the purchases of Special Education Director Gregory Koons to purchase two SMART Table 230 Interactive Learning Centers with, IDEA grant funds not to exceed $11,412, and to buy 20 iPods at a cost not to exceed $7,500.