The increasing numbers of students needing specialized educational plans prompted the Panther Valley school board on Thursday to agree to create a new Emotional support classroom at the high school, and seek a special-education teacher to staff it.

The moves were advised by Superintendent Rosemary Porembo and Supervisor of Special Education Dan Borden.The action was among several taken by the board. Others included:• Approving a new one-year contract with Behavioral Health Associates;• Approved Tracey Fertally, Juliette Forbes and Holly Guedes as Extended School Year teachers at 30/hour for three days a week, from June 18 through Aug. 10;• Approved Mary Ann Krajnak, Brooke Stuckley, and Linda Androkitis extended school year instructional aides at $15.50/hour; Charlene Lynn and Carly Romankow at $15.45/hour; Jackie Colancecco at $15.60/hour and Deb Schaller at $13.91/hour;• Approved Pauline Davis as homebound teacher at the middle school at $30/hour;• Appointed Liz Wehr as districtwide truant officer at $6,000. Wehr is also the middle school disciplinarian;• Accepted the resignations of high school cafeteria server Barbara Boyd and substitute cafeteria worker Margaret Arner;• Approved Jill Niehoff, Sheila McArdle, Nicole Hajcak, Tara Yuricheck and Christine Diekman as pre-kindergarten teachers from July 9 to July 20 at $30/hour;• Approved the Panther Valley Education Foundation to use the elementary school to hold a summer science camp from June 18-22;• Tabled to committee a proposal by School Director Irene Genther to reinstate the driver education theory class.