WEST JEFFERSON HILLS

The school board has approved giving superintendent Michael Ghilani a raise, increasing his 201718 salary to $180,000, and having his contract run through June 30, 2022.

Mr. Ghilani, who was hired in January, said the raise was part of his initial contract and was contingent on his meeting 100-day goals set by the board. His initial contract ran through June 30, 2021, at an annual salary of $177,500.

Also at its Sept. 26 meeting, the board agreed to delete the softball field planned at the new Thomas Jefferson High School for a credit of $66,345. When the new high school opens to students for the 2018-19 school year, softball and football will be played at the current Thomas Jefferson High School, and baseball will be played at Jefferson Elementary School.

The long-term plan is to have a sports complex at the new high school, but at this time, Mr. Ghilani said, the fiscally responsible action is to wait until the future direction of the district is determined.

MARS AREA

The district will save $22,000 a year by renting pool time for its swim team at the YMCA in Cranberry rather than in the Pine-Richland School District.

Mars Area does not have a pool, so it rents facilities for district swimmers and divers to practice.

The school board Tuesday approved a $13,000 agreement with the Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA in Cranberry to rent its pool for the swim team. The diving team will continue to practice at Pine-Richland because its coach serves several schools, superintendent Wes Shipley said.

At the Y, the swim team can practice after school “rather than getting up at 4:30 in the morning” to practice before school at Pine-Richland, Mr. Shipley said. Swim team members can also use other facilities at the Y, he said.

In other business, the board will vote next week to authorize its bond agencies to work on refinancing the district’s 2012 and 2014 bond issues. Alisha Reesh of Janney Montgomery Scott said the district can save money by refinancing if it moves at the right time.