Panther Valley School District has hired a new instructor to lead its Junior ROTC program.

The school board agreed to hire Lt. Col. Judah Whitney as a full-time senior Army instructor during its February meeting.

His salary will be set based on U.S. Army guidelines.

The hire won’t take effect until all documentation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and U.S. Army Cadet Command is received.

The senior Army instructor position was open since the beginning of the school year, when Maj. Gerald New left to become the senior instructor of another Junior ROTC program.

Panther Valley is the only school in Carbon County to offer a Junior ROTC program. There is one Junior ROTC program in Schuylkill County, in Pine Grove. 40 percent of Junior ROTC programs nationwide are in inner-city schools, according to the program website.

The program’s stated mission is to “Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens.”

In other business

The school board:

• Agreed to sign a letter of authorization with McClure Company to conduct a feasibility study for a guaranteed energy savings project.

• Accepted the retirement of high school science teacher William Schweitzer, effective the end of the year; and elementary music teacher Karen Grebousky, effective Feb. 8.

• Approved a health and safety plan for spring sports.