School District buildingThe Petersburg School Board will be considering purchasing a new 14-passenger activity bus at a regular board meeting Tuesday. The board discussed the issue at their last meeting because the district is providing transportation to more special needs students and visiting student activity teams have stretched the school vehicles to their limit, according to district staff.

The board is considering a purchase using money from the district’s vehicle replacement fund. The board had looked at buying a 2005 bus in Seattle costing just over $25,000 but Principal Rick Dormer and Maintenance Director Dan Tate wanted the board to consider some new models, which they agreed to do. Tate will be presenting the board with some of those options at the meeting.

Superintendent, Erica Kludt-Painter, will be giving the board an update on the challenging budget situation this year due to state funding cuts. She attended the Alaska Association of School Administrators Legislative Fly-in and will report on what she learned there.

The board will share information about Kludt-Painter’s contract which they approved in a special meeting February 19. The contract is for 260 days, with 40 days leave, running through the 2015-2016 school year. Her salary is $120,000 from July 1-June 30.

Also at the meeting, the school board could take action on some construction items including fencing at the elementary school and concrete for the middle school.

The board will be considering moving its meeting date to the second Tuesday of the month, but still meet at the same place, the Borough Assembly Chambers. Currently, the board meets on the third Tuesday.

Board members will be asked to accept the resignation of Board President, Jean Ellis, which would take effect this Wednesday.

The school board meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Petersburg Borough Assembly Chambers. KFSK will be broadcasting the meeting. Also, board members will be on the radio Tuesday on campus connection to talk more about the agenda right after the news at noon.