The Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday moved forward with a seventh and eighth grade softball program for the spring.

The board heard a presentation last month on the program which will allow junior high students to get involved sooner in a sport that is strong in the region, Superintendent Ray Kinder had said.

Girls were interested in a junior high program, which would rely on parents and boosters for funding in the first year.

The program would cost between $3,000 and $4,000 a year moving forward, if a coaching salary were added.

Board President Larry Wittig said last month that sports in general took a hit with COVID, and this would help. If the board had to fund the program, so be it, he said.

The board approved forming the junior high softball program with no discussion. The district does not have a junior varsity program.

Policies

The board also approved the first reading of three policies involving meetings, homeless students and records managements.

The policies regarding meetings and homeless students, Nos. 006 and 251, are routine reviews, said Stephen Toth, assistant superintendent.

The third policy, No. 800, involves the electronic retention and storage of documents per the Pennsylvania School Board Association recommendation and the district is already compliant, he said.

Vehicles

The board approved the purchase of two 2024 Chrysler Pacifica touring vans from TriStar Fleet Sales for $87,624. The vans will be used for student transports, such as to the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit, or for overflow and equipment for sports, if a bus is full, Kinder said.

The only other vehicle the district may be looking at in the near future would be a new utility task vehicle/industrial golf cart for trainers and custodians, he said. Most of the current vehicles are older, Kinder said.

Ken Dunkelberger, chief operations officer, said the district has never bought a new golf cart, and have bought used from a country club. The price for a new vehicle is “crazy,” he said.

“This is nothing pressing that we need today,” Kinder said. “But we’ll be looking for them.”

Other

In other business, the board:

• Approved the purchase of two milk coolers for $3,032.24 each and an ice maker for $5,505.16 from Singer, a state COSTARS vendor, from the food services fund.

• Approved tax forgiveness on a property on East Mauch Chunk Street recently acquired by the American Hose Co. The amount is $615.

• Approved two-hour early dismissals on Nov. 8, 9, and 10, for West Penn and Tamaqua elementary schools to hold parent/teacher conferences.

• Authorized the superintendent to employ staff as needed. Kinder said that every year something happens between the board’s last meeting and beginning of school.