Starting on Monday, Weatherly Area students in grades pre-K to second grade will return for in-person classes.

To make this work, the Weatherly Area School Board voted to recall 14 of their staff, who had been furloughed in August. Nine of these started this week, and another five will have their first day back on Monday.

As part of the plan to restart in-person learning, additional bus runs will be added.

For the rest of the students, those in grades 3 to 6 will be brought back to in-person learning on Oct. 26, while students in grades 7 through 12 will be able to be back in their classrooms starting Nov. 9.

At the Weatherly school board caucus meeting on Wednesday, the board also hired Anella Grega as a school district secretary, beginning Oct. 8 at $12.62 per hour.

One employee was approved for a professional leave of absence for education. Another was given family medical leave. Three more were granted leaves of absence. Brittany Hess was added to the substitute teacher list, for elementary education pre-K to grade 4.

At the request of Superintendent Teresa Young, the board raised the pay for a substitute teacher to $110 per day after hearing some comparable numbers from around the area.

In committee reports, board members congratulated the Wrecker cross country team for their great year, and also applauded the golf team.

The meeting closed with an executive session.

The board will hold their regular meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday via Zoom.