Mars Area School District board approves in‑school nursing agreement and Pioneer School fee schedule for a special‑needs student

The Mars Area School District board added two finance items to its agenda and approved them by voice vote Wednesday: a Bayada Home Health Care Inc. agreement to provide one‑on‑one in‑school nursing services for a special‑needs student during the 2025–26 school year and a Pioneer School fee schedule for placement within the Pittsburgh Public School system for the same student.

Board members moved to add items 20 and 21 to the finance agenda and then approved finance items 1–21 without recorded roll call, using a voice vote of 'All in favor, aye.' The Bayada agreement was approved pending solicitor review, per the motion presented to the board.

Board discussion on the additions was procedural and brief; members said the items were needed because a new student had arrived and the district needed to ensure services and appropriate placements were in place. The board also approved routine meeting business earlier in the evening, including minutes and personnel items.

The action does not include a detailed public breakdown of contract dollar amounts or service hours in the meeting record; the contract approval was recorded as 'approved as presented' pending solicitor review. The board did not record individual member votes on the items in the transcript provided.

The board also scheduled a special meeting to interview and potentially hire finalists for human resources and payroll positions, proposing a closed session at 5:00 p.m. and a public portion at 6:30 p.m. on May 22 to complete personnel actions.

What’s next: The Bayada agreement will proceed subject to solicitor review and any formal contract execution that follows; the district indicated it would bring candidates for HR and payroll positions to the board for final consideration at the special meeting.