A stadium improvement project will cost Palmerton Area School District nearly three-quarter of a million dollars.

The school board unanimously agreed on Tuesday to award a bid in the amount of $774,000 to CMG of Easton.That decision came after the board heard an update on the project from Rob Sarnowski, of Barry Isett & Associates, Trexlertown.Prior to the vote, Director Sherry Haas said she had reservations with the location of where the new bleachers will be installed."My major concern is both the visitor and home being on the same side," Haas said. "I attend a lot of football games [outside of the district], and my experiences are that fights break out; that is a great concern of mine."Haas then asked Sarnowski for an estimated project completion date, to which he said would be around Aug. 1.Sarnowski added the project "won't be interfering with track or any other spring sports."The project also calls for a weight room roof, demolition, installation of a permanent grandstand, and associated site improvements, and is included in the list of bond projects after the previous board agreed last fall to borrow $5 million and restructure the district's 2006 bond issue.In September, that board awarded a contract to JB Electric, of Minersville, in the amount of $99,469, to replace its high school stadium lighting.That project, which is also included in the list of bond projects, involves the installation of four new steel poles, foundations and lighting fixtures at the stadium.In other business, the board:- Approved change order number 001, F.A. Rohrbach, project #1059010.004. The contract will be increased by this change order in the amount of $837, and the new contract sum including this change order will be $9,312.- Agreed to let the minutes reflect the approval of PlanCon Part K "Project Refinancing", for the Services A of 2010 general obligation bonds. The assigned permanent reimbursable percentage is 16.68 percent.- Approved student teacher Caitlin Owens with Kathy Englert, junior high school math teacher; student teacher Angela Reppert with Amy Negley, Parkside kindergarten teacher; student teacher Danielle Walton with Roberta Beckley, S.S. Palmer Grade 3 teacher; student teacher Rebekah Leininger with Lori Smith, Towamensing Grade 2 teacher; student teacher Justin Bowman with Bethany Rowland, S.S. Palmer Grade 6 teacher; student teacher Lillian Sablich with Deanna Iles, S.S. Palmer Grade 5 teacher; student teacher Christopher Scagliotti with Susan Deem, Towamensing Grade 4 teacher; student teacher Georgios Mitakos with Kris Hoffner, Towamensing Grade 4 teacher; student teacher Melissa Gilbert with Monique Hofford, S.S. Palmer Grade 6 teacher; and student teacher Ciara O' Connell with Kathryn Hassler, S.S. Palmer Grade 6 teacher, from Jan. 24, 2012, to March 9, 2012. All the student teachers are from Kutztown University.- Approved student teacher Charles George with Anna Corby, high school English teacher; and student teacher Samantha Rowlands with Andrea Olock, S.S. Palmer/Parkside Art teacher, from March 19, 2012, to May 10, 2012. The student teachers are from Kutztown University.- Approved horizontal movement for Alexandrea Spalding from Bachelors to Bachelors +24, effective the beginning of the 2011-12 school year.- Approved Suzanne M. Kuehner as a day-to-day substitute cafeteria worker at the rate of $7.25 an hour, substitute instructional assistant, $7.25 an hour, and substitute secretary, $8.45 an hour, effective Dec. 14, 2011.- Accepted the retirement of Denise Goodhile, high school secretary, effective June 30, 2012.- Approved, on a 5-4 vote, the unpaid suspension of support staff employee effective Dec. 14, 2011, pending resolution of legal issue. Directors Darlene Yeakel, Chuck Myers, Sue Debski, Charles Gildner and board President Barry Scherer voted in favor. Directors Josann Harry, Tammy Recker, Joshua Smale and Sherry Haas were opposed.- Approved a medical sabbatical for Lisa Koller, junior high Learning Support teacher, effective the second semester of the 2011-12 school year.- Approved the Emergency Operations Plan.- Accepted the gift of five electrical motors valued at about $150 each, from Bernie Shea, of Shea's Hardware.- Approved the advertisement for fall sports and athletic medical bids.- Accepted the "Cybergrant Education Grant for Productive Readers Become Effective Leaders" from the Verizon Foundation in the amount of $1,000 for the purchase of books for the High School Library.- Accepted the donation of $100 from the Senior Class of 2012 for a needy student.- Approved the settlement agreement for the following students #13092 and #13091 pertaining to due process claims relating to IEPs.