The Hancock County Board of Education voted unanimously to move forward with lights for Weir High baseball and softball fields at Monday night’s meeting,  Finance Director Joe Campinelli told the Board the project could be financed over a four-year period.  The total bid for both fields from Mosco is $684,243.00.  The Board will put 25% down ($171,000.00) with annual payments of $140,317.00 with plans to take the payments out of the Excess Levy.  Finance Director Joe Campinelli also will explore whether any grants are available to assist with payments.

     Superintendent Dawn Petrovich told the Board that Hancock County Schools were to be congratulated on their placement in school performance ratings recently released..   All three of the elementary schools placed in the upper 25% of  schools in the State.  With 365 elementary schools in West Virginia New Manchester Elementary placed 12^th; Allison Elementary – 19^th ; and Weirton Elementary – 90^th.   With 169 middle schools in the State Oak Glen Middle School placed 9^th and Weir Middle School placed 56.

  In other business, the Board:

**Agreed to put policy – GCC – Professional and Service Staff leave and absences without pay out for 30-day comment;

**Received a thank you from former Tennis Coach Tammi Brown for the Board’s donation to the newly renovated tennis courts at Chester City Park;

**Accepted the resignations of Brian Lancaster, substitute teacher, countywide, and Brandy Mazzella, substitute teacher, countywide;

**Granted an unpaid leave of absence to Tonya Long, supervisory aide, Transportation Dept.;

**Accepted the resignation of Amy Zanieski, LPN/Autism Mentor, Weirton Elementary;

**Approved substitutes Gena M. Rhodes, cook; Tracy Hukill, aide; and Jeffrey Roth, bus operator