Drivers along Cedar Crest Boulevard, who look to the Parkland High School message board for district announcements, have been seeing a dark screen. The broken electronic sign is in need of replacement.

At the April 16 meeting, the board awarded a bid to Signature Sign Inc., Reading, for replacement at a cost of $41,509.

Since the sign was installed at the high school in 1999, it was replaced once. This will be the third version.

In other matters, the board approved purchase of a 10-acre tract of land at 2619 Stadium Drive, Orefield, opposite the bus garage and football stadium at a cost of $177,731.

The district grounds department will maintain the property and use some of the structures on it.

District Superintendent Richard Sniscak commented on the purchase.

"We believe the purchase of this land is a wise investment as it opens the potential for future use by the Parkland School District," Sniscak said.

School directors also approved bids totaling $76,555 for copy paper for the 2014-15 school year and $53,018 for art supplies.

The annual luncheon to recognize school district volunteers was also approved at a cost of $2,800.

The retirements of Cynthia O'Brien, paraprofessional at Schnecks-ville Elementary School, with 26 years in education; and Deborah Trumbauer, administrative assistant at the Troxell Building after 29 years of service; were accepted.

Board President Roberta Marcus thanked South Whitehall Township for not requiring permanent foundations for the portable classrooms in use during the Kratzer Elementary School construction project.

The district will save $30,761 by eliminating permanent foundations.

The board authorized the administration to submit a waiver request to the Pennsylvania Department of Education to allow seniors to graduate June 9 with 990 hours of instruction, the equivalent of 180 school days.

The action was taken because of lost time due to school cancellations this winter.