The Pike County Board of Education renewed Superintendent Dr. Mark Bazzell’s contract for five years at its Monday meeting.

Linda Steed, board president, said the contract was set for five years but board members will have an opportunity to give their input as far as benefits at the board’s November meeting before the contract is finalized.

The board accepted requests to retire from Myrtle Passmore, Ted Burton, Joy Taylor and Jonathan Spivey, all effective Dec. 1, 2011.

Steed said those requests were due to issues with public employee health insurance.

The Alabama Legislature passed a bill that set a date by which public education employees will be placed on a sliding scale for retiree’s health insurance. Certified public education employees will be affected, primarily.

Bazzell said that December 31, 2011, has been set as the retirement deadline for which public education personnel will not be subject to the sliding scale insurance premiums. “After that, retirees will be subject to the sliding scale, which will require them to pay higher premiums,” he said. “Depending on where you are, your insurance premium will be subject the sliding scale. That is causing some certified public school employees to consider mid-year retirement rather than waiting until the end of the school year.”

The board approved the employment of Terrance Harris as maintenance worker assistance and a request to hire two part-time aides for special education programs at Pike County High School and Goshen Elementary School for 15 hours per week to be paid with federal funds.

The board also approved a rate change for vocational bus route drivers from $17.65 per block to $20 per block.

In other actions, the board:

* Approved the request for Elizabeth Grubbs, Christine Wheeler, Michelle Taylor, Amy Brown, Sharon Sullivan and Buffy Lusk to attend the Alabama Counselors Convention Nov. 15-18 in Birmingham. All expenses will be paid by the Indian Education Program.

* Approved the request for Kelly Pritchett to take professional leave to attend the National Association of Agriscience Educators National Convention in St. Louis, Mo. Nov. 16-19. Expenses will be paid through the Alabama Association of Agriscience Educators.

* Approved a request from Kelly Pritchett to take cow show team students overnight to the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Nov. 4 & 5. Expenses will be paid from FFA fundraiser monies.

* Approved a request to supply a bus and driver to take the Day Habilitation program to the Peanut Festival in Dothan on Nov. 9.

* Approved a request for Donnella Carter to attend the Alabama Association of Federal Education Program Administrators Annual Conference in Orange Beach Nov. 16-18. Expenses will be paid by Title I funds.

* Approved a request from Stephanie Synder to surplus and dispose of old technology items on a submitted list.

* Approved a request for $862.59 additional funds to cover the cost of an additional speaker at the Goshen High School football field.

The board also adopted a resolution for American Education Week, Nov. 13-19 and a proclamation for School Bus Safety Week.