At a recent school board meeting, District Superintendent Richard Sniscak addressed the future of the Blake Space Shuttle replica, which was housed at Schnecksville Elementary School.

Built as a science learning laboratory under the direction of teacher Robert Boehmer, the Blake was enjoyed not only by Parkland students but was a source of pride on excursions outside the district, such as a trip to an event in Washington, D.C. several years ago.

Boehmer provided the incentive and organizational skills to develop the Blake in coordination with volunteers from inside and outside Parkland.

Sniscak offered comments on the Blake's new destination.

"This is a bittersweet announcement," he said. "The Blake was used over a decade in our schools.

"When NASA dropped the space shuttle program, we started looking for a home for it.

"Now we struck a deal for a dollar with transfer of ownership to the airport."

He said Blake was very popular at the Lehigh Valley Air show last summer.

Officials at the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority offered to provide a home for the shuttle.

Sniscak said all Parkland students and staff will be able to visit the Blake free.

In other business, the board approved a contract with Environmental Waste Management for the removal and disposal of all materials, including hazardous waste, at 2619 Stadium Drive, which the district is purchasing.

Price of the clean up is to be paid by the seller of the site.

Roberta Marcus, Parkland representative on the Lehigh Carbon Community College board, reported President Don Snyder's last day was Dec. 18, 2013.

She said a consulting firm is looking for a new person to fill the position.

The board accepted the resignation of Wayne Schmoyer, head custodian at Springhouse Middle School, who retired after 32 years of service on Jan. 4.

The board also accepted resignations of these teachers who are retiring effective at the end of the 2013-14 school year: Nancy Penrose, learning support teacher at Fogelsville, 34 years in education; Stephanie Sellers, librarian at Fogelsville, 37 years in education; Debra Steely, vocal music teacher at Cetronia, 35 years of service; and Kathy Horvath, paraprofessional at Springhouse Middle School, 27 years.