A press release from Teamster Union Local 773 says the Panther Valley School Board will decide Thursday on possibly cutting the pay and benefits of custodians and secretaries.

Another option the board is considering, the union says, is to replace them with an outside company.The school board meets at 7 p.m. in the board room."We encourage students and their parents to attend the school board meeting on Thursday to voice support for the custodians and secretaries," said Dennis Hower, president of Local 773. "Many of these employees have been working for the school system for 10 to 40 years. They are respected members of the staff which should not be taken to the cleaners by the school board in order to balance the budget."Hower said the professional employees who work as custodians have wide-ranging duties included, but not limited to: washing the hallway and classroom floors, washing windows, shoveling snow, locking doors and staying late to accommodate extra-curricular activities."These are the type of jobs which help ensure that the schools are safe and clean important aspects of a productive learning environment," Hower said.One other item on the agenda at the school board meeting is adoption of the budget for the 2014-15 school year.The board indicated it plans to enact a 2- to 3-mill tax increase.