The Panther Valley school board on Thursday paid a total of $38,404 to contractors working on the $4 million high school building project.

The board paid Ace Electric $7,832; Bracy contracting $18,287; The Architectural Studio $2,340 for April, $5,850 for May, $2,925 for June, and $1,170 for July.The board also agreed to pay Ace Electric an additional $14,111 for a change order for contract materials.The project removed the high school swimming pool and built an additional floor.The rebuilt area will house 14 new classrooms on two floors seventh and eighth grades, which will be integrated as part of the high school.The construction and shifting of classrooms is aimed at eliminating the need for most of the 12 trailer classrooms at the elementary school in Nesquehoning.The portable classrooms were needed to handle the overflow of students due to overcrowding.This fall, the elementary school will house kindergarten through third grade, the intermediate school will house grades four through six, and the junior/senior high school will house grades seven through 12.Superintendent Dennis R. Kergick Sr. said he expects the work to wrap up soon.In other matters, the board tabled a discussion of the need for a new elementary school roof, a project anticipated to cost more than $1 million.Also on Thursday, the board approved new contracts for its business manager and ROTC director. Details of the contracts were not immediately available.Business Manager Kenneth Marx Jr. was given a three-year contract at $77,700. The average business manager's salary in Carbon County is $84,000, Kergick said.Maj. Gerald New was given a one-year contract at $67,000, about half of which will be reimbursed by the U.S. Army. His salary based on the U.S. Army guidelines.