Plans to construct both a new baseball and softball field on the Weir High Campus; build two new classrooms at New Manchester Elementary and four new classrooms at Weir Middle will be put out to bid.    The Hancock County Board of Education voted August 23 to bid out the projects after viewing a presentation by architects, McKinley & Assoc. on the two ball fields.

            Whether or not to construct the fields on the Weir High Campus or to continue to use the Bowman Fields, located behind the Millsop Community Center, has been the subject of controversy.  Former Sen. Ed Bowman addressed the Board several months ago urging the continued use of the Bowman fields.  He outlined the current and future upgrade to the baseball complex and said that use of existing field is a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars,

            Board President Danny Kaser said that  voting to bid out the projects, does not mean the Board is committed to the project, but will have the necessary financial information to make a decision.   He noted that the current cost of building materials may make the project cost prohibitive.

In other business, the Board:

**Reapproved an agreement between the Board and the Hancock County Commission for the funding of the Police Resource Officers.  The annual cost for this year is $377,750.99;

**Approved Karis Speece as a Multi-Categorical/Autism teacher at Oak Glen Middle;

**Approved Stacy Flowers-Cullinan as a School Counselor, Weirton Elementary;  Joy Mackabee as a countywide Occupational Therapist; Jason Zimmer as a 4^th grade Science teacher at Oak Glen Middle and Adam Davis as an Academic Enrichment teacher at Oak Glen Middle;

**Approved Countywide Substitute Teachers Linzy Campbell and Sydney Cromp;

**Named Vance Miller Assistant Football Coach, Weir High;

**Name Taylor Fankhouser as unpaid Assistant Cheerleading Coach, Weir High;

**Approved an unpaid leave of absence for Ashley Tharp;

**Accepted a resignation for Bus Operator Robert Hans and approved Hans as a substitute;

**Approved Daylynn Anderson as an unpaid volunteer for the Weir High Band flag line,