The Jim Thorpe school board is finalizing plans for the district to begin offering special education services which it contracted in the past.

The district voted in May to stop contracting high school life skills and elementary school emotional support classes with the Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 to save costs. District officials believe it will also benefit the students.

“Not only is it a savings, it’s going to provide some good opportunities and it should be a very solid program,” said Scott Pompa, board president.

School board members Tuesday night voted to hire Avery Hower as high school life skills teacher at a salary of $56,077. They also hired Rachel Oswald as L.B. Morris life skills teacher at a salary of $63,077.

By offering life skills in the school district, the district will not have to pay for tuition and transportation to outside agencies.

Keeping them in the school district also provides the “least restrictive environment,” as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

School officials said that the life skills classes will be taught by experienced teachers that will meet students’ needs.

“Keeping them here it’s what’s best practices for the students, but it’s also a major savings to the district,” said Robert Presley, Jim Thorpe Area School District superintendent.

At the same time, the district’s special education contractors are reportedly dealing with staffing issues.

The board had to approve a revised contract with Behavioral Health Services, because it raised fees so they could maintain staffing levels. The services that the district contracts from BHA include the emotional support classroom previously taught by the IU.

The intermediate unit, which the district still contracts some services from, said that staffing shortages are having effects. They could have to limit the number of new students they accept into programs, and adjust student-teacher ratios.

The staffing shortage led to the IU combining two classrooms at Penn-Kidder Campus.

The district has already had to find a new contractor for speech therapy because the IU couldn’t staff a position which it had contracted to provide.

“We’re aware and very diligent in making sure student needs are being met,” said Sandra Michalik, Director of Special Education for Jim Thorpe Area School District.