Whitehall-Coplay School Board on Monday gave final approval to the district budget for the 2017-18 academic year.

The budget increased 4.24 percent from the prior year - to an amount of $67,644,475. This represents a 2.6-percent increase for taxpayers.

“The budget, as prepared, balances revenues with projected expenditures, requiring an increase of 0.4308 mills, for a total real estate tax rate of 16.5927 mills. This represents an increase of approximately $72.56, or 2.6 percent, to the average residential property,” the agenda stated.

In executive committee matters, Michael Malay Jr. was appointed board secretary for a four-year term, effective July 1 and concluding June 30, 2021.

Also approved were an Act 93 compensation plan for administrators/supervisors; an agreement between Whitehall-Coplay School Dist- rict and Whitehall-Cop- lay Bus Drivers Association; and the 2017-18 Homestead and Farmstead Resolution, which confirmed the acceptance of $1,179,019.81 in total property tax reduction funds, or $167.88 for 7,025 approved homesteads/farmsteads within the district, as pursuant to Act 1 of 2006 (Taxpayer Relief Act).

In other news, regular school lunches for the 2017-18 academic year will increase by 10 cents; premium lunches will increase by 5 cents. Breakfast, reduced-lunch, reduced-breakfast and a la carte milk prices will remain the same.

Members approved Todd Strasser’s “The Wave” as a textbook for the middle school and an October trip by senior English classes to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

In operations/transportation committee matters, the Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit drivers education contract was approved, as were the high school roof replacement project phase 1 and a memorandum between WCSD and Whitehall Township Bureau of Police.

Also at the meeting, Madoka Mason, a paraprofessional at Zephyr Elementary School; Maria Galassi, a paraprofessional at Whitehall High School; and Jason Fox, Outdoors Club adviser at Whitehall High School, resigned from their positions.

The board welcomed four newly hired teachers to the district: Kelly Chunko, kindergarten teacher at Gockley Elementary School; Mary Scheel, life skills instructor at Whitehall High School; Kaitlin Sauerzopf, first-grade teacher at Gockley Elementary School; and Charles Matz, art teacher at Zephyr Elementary School. All four were in attendance and received glowing reviews from their respective hiring principals as they were welcomed to the district by the school board.

The principals from Gockley, Steckel and Zephyr elementary schools, Whitehall-Coplay Middle School and the high school gave presentations on the success of their respective schools as the school year comes to a close.

The next committee meeting on finances/personnel, education/student activities and operations/transportation will be 4 p.m. June 27. The next school board meeting will take place 7 p.m. July 10.