Pleasant Valley School Board approved hiring a new science teacher for the middle school at its meeting on Thursday night.

At a school board meeting earlier this month, Superintendent James Konrad said that he wished he could fill empty teacher positions quicker when they occur, but that there is a delay on teachers coming from another school district. Their superintendents have the option to place a 60-day hold on the teacher in order to keep him or her in place covering classes.

Megan Gower will be replacing Yvonne Lovito, effective Dec. 19. She will start at Step 7 with a salary of $58,157. Lovito announced her retirement in early September, which took effect Sept. 8.

Later in September, high school science teacher Steven Distasio also notified the district that he intends to retire, effective Dec. 31.

Although these two teachers have decided to retire, Konrad said one reason the school district loses teachers is to higher paying school districts.

Konrad has said at past board meetings that the district should consider increasing the starting salary for teachers.

Other changes in personal include:

• Building volunteers - Michelle Bynes, Brittany Competiello, Partricia Holley, and Erika Studley;

• Hiring of support staff - Jamie Myers, paraprofessional, PVES, $26,257 (prorated); and Alyson Cody, monitor, PVIS, $11.53 per hour;

• Student activities - Ashley Thompson, HOSA adviser;

• Supplemental contracts: athletic non-coaching - Jenna Wernett, wrestling, junior high score book, $30 per event, and winter/spring sub; Patrick Luchowski, girls basketball, varsity, junior varsity and junior high score book, $40, $30 and $25 per event; baseball, varsity announcer and scoreboard and junior varsity scoreboard, $40 and $30 per event; Holli Freeman, track and field, junior high and varsity judge, $35, per event; Robert Hahn, substitute worker; and Joseph Bush, girls lacrosse, varsity and JV score book, $40 and $30 per event.