Jim Thorpe has become the latest school district to allow increased attendance at sporting events.

School board members voted Monday night to increase capacity to 50 percent for indoor and outdoor sporting events.

A total of 750 people will be allowed at each indoor and outdoor sporting event. Until the project to install artificial turf at Olympian Stadium is completed, the football team will hold its home games at the Panther Valley Football Stadium in Lansford.

The district plans to conduct temperature checks for all fans in attendance. Anyone with a temperature over 100.4 will not be admitted.

The district will issue two tickets for family members of each participant, including band and cheerleaders.

Away teams will receive a total of 100 tickets.

Family members who receive tickets must still pay the regular price for admission to sporting events.

“If there’s a family out there with a kid in the band and they also have two younger siblings, I don’t think there’s going to be an issue getting the kids in there with our max attendance,” said board member TJ Garritano.

Anticipating that the vote would pass without opposition, the district let the public attend a volleyball match which took place during Monday night’s meeting.

Leasing space

The policies are varying at area schools. For example, Palmerton Area High School is sticking to the guidelines of 250 for an outdoor event.

After factoring in players, coaches, referees etc. they had 50 tickets to give to the parents of seniors who are players, band members and cheerleaders.

The Panther Valley School Board and Pleasant Valley School Board both voted to cap attendance at 25%.

The Lehighton Area School Board is issuing two tickets to each Lehighton student participating in a sports event, even if it takes attendance past the 25-person mark indoors or 250-person mark outdoors.

The school board also voted to finalize a lease allowing Carbon County to rent space in the district administration building on Center Avenue.

The county plans to lease a total of 3,165.82 square feet at a cost of $10 per square foot.

The lease is effective Oct. 1 through June 30, with an option to continue on a monthly basis.

The county needs space for multiple departments located in a building which is slated for renovation.

Paul Montemuro and Cindy Lesisko-Henning voted against the lease, while Scott Pompa abstained because he is a part-time county employee.