NEW CASTLE Six teachers expected to resign

School board members are expected to put a one-year moratorium on all student trips outside the state.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- New Castle school board members are expected to accept resignations from six teachers taking a one-time voluntary severance package offered by the district.
The board is meeting at 5:30 tonight in the Croton School building.
Superintendent Joseph Martin said these teachers will join one other teacher who accepted the package earlier in the year. Martin did not release the names of those taking the severance package. He said they will be made public tonight.
School officials say they expect to save about $40,000 in salaries when those teachers leave their posts and are replaced by teachers with less seniority who make less money.
School board members instituted the severance deal in August in an effort to save money. They said 150 of the district's 275 teachers were eligible for the package.
They want to replace more experienced teachers making an average of $61,000 per year with new teachers earning $34,000 per year.
The severance deal offers payments of up to $25,000 to teachers with more than 15 years' experience.
Other matters: In other business, school board members are expected to put a one-year moratorium on all student trips outside Pennsylvania.
Martin said the moratorium is a result of recent terrorism. He said board members expect to reevaluate the policy each year to determine whether student trips outside the state will be permitted.
The superintendent said the school has a travel club that takes a yearly trip to New York, and the basketball team, cheerleaders and band have all taken trips outside Pennsylvania in the past.
The board is also expected to hire a new solicitor tonight.
Atty. Thomas Piccione is resigning to take the post of fourth Lawrence County Common Pleas Court judge. His resignation will be effective Dec. 2 and his successor will start Dec. 3, Martin said.
Board members will also decide who will oversee the $30 million high school building project as construction manager. Board members received several proposals for the job.