SHARON SCHOOLS Board approves tentative deal

SHARON, Pa. -- The school board has reached a tentative contract agreement with its noninstructional employees.
About 50 members of the American Federation of State, County & amp; Municipal Employees union could vote on the terms of the agreement as soon as Friday, Dom Russo, chairman of the school board's negotiating committee, said at a board workshop Wednesday.
If the union ratifies it, the school board will vote on the package Monday, he said.
Terms of the contract won't be revealed until it is ratified.
The union represents secretaries, custodians, maintenance workers, cafeteria staff, home school liaisons and others.
The board learned the district's elementary Alternative Education Program has been eliminated with the end of the school year. Sharon will participate in a new charter school program for elementary pupils put together by area superintendents and the Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission and will assign elementary pupils with behavior and other problems to that school
The charter school may not be open with the start of the new term in September, but Superintendent Donna DeBonis said the district is prepared to assist its pupils with intervention specialists, guidance counselors and other personnel until it does open.
Sharon's program averaged between five and eight pupils per month.
The board also learned the $450,000 state grant that funded a Read to Succeed program for pupils in pre-kindergarten through the third grade for the past four years has expired and the program has ended.