Dr. Douglas Arnold, superintendent of Pleasant Valley School District said he thought the opening week of school went very well.

He commended the staff, students and parents for making the opening as smooth as possible. He also thanked the board of directors for "setting the tone and giving us the tools to make that happen. Sometimes we overlook that the tempo is set here. We're very proud of the way it went."Susan Kresge, the PVSD board president added that she "I truly believe we have a great team here."A resident Effort expressed her desire to see that the students of the district become more aware of disabilities so they would become more compassionate of those who have disabilities. Her son is autistic and she became aware of how some students reacted harshly to him."The world is not in tune to disabilities. I just wondered if we could have a Big Brother/Big Sister program here. Or maybe intra mural athletic programs they could participate in. Something where kids can interact with kids with disabilities and get to know them."President Kresge asked Carole Geary, assistant superintendent/curriculum if there was anything like this discussed in the health curriculum.Geary said that they have several IUP students involved in extra curricular activities."They're not excluded. We do have a Diversity Task Force who works with all types of students."She invited the resident to come to the next meeting on Sept. 20 at 9:30 a.m. where they could discuss this issue and also invited her to meet with her personally at another date.Director Harvey Frable wondered is maybe something like a senior project could involve something like "adopt a disabled student."The Pleasant Valley School District board of directors approved an interdistrict busing agreement it has with Palmerton Area School District, whereby PV's St. John Neumann Regional School students are transported via bus to St. John's Palmerton campus, and from there to St. John's Slatington campus.The board approved the following hiring of personnel:*Michael Adams, substitute custodianThe educational level of Matthew Gould, PVI teacher and Kevin Horvath, PVHS teacher, were amended for the 2011-12 school year.The board accepted the resignations of Regina Denaro, part-time cafeteria worker, effective Aug. 26, 2011 and Colleen Starnardori, monitor, effective Aug. 25, 2011.The following teachers have been approved for tenure, having served the PVSD for three years and rated as satisfactory: Laura Ammermann; Cynthia Bartoli; Evelyn Baxevane; Lauren Churchill; Kimberly Engler; Nicholas Farkas; Meghan Feliciani; Miranda Ford; Maricatherine Garr; John Gilbert; Kayla Heffley; Suzanne Hunsicker; Lisa Larsen; Deborah Loughren; Sara Markowski; Timothy McCutchan; Nancy Principe; Christina Solinger; Kimberly Stanziola; Megan Statts; Derek Strohl; Jessica Svetz; Amanda Tarapchak; Elizabeth Watson; Kasey Whiteford.Supplemental contracts for 2011-2012 coaching positions were approved for Matt Gould, boys' soccer and Robert Pini, Jr. High football.The following contracts were approved:*$2,000 Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab for four days instruction at PVE, Nov. 7-10*Maria V. Vanoni, Direct Instruction Education Consultant for training Sept. 20 and 21. Training at $1,200/ea. on-site day and travel, $25/hr; Coaching, $1,200/each on site day and travel, $25/hr, to be paid from Title 1 Fund.*IDEA-Part B Use of Funds Agreement between Pleasant Valley School District and Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 for the 2011-2012 school year*for Commercial Integrated Pest Management for various locations throughout the district with Ehrlich at $13,068 from August 2011-July 2012. This is a renewal at no increase from last year.Invoices for payment were approved for Paverart concrete pavers for $62 and West End Awards bench plate for $81 from the Pleasant Valley School District Stadium Project account.