Paul Surloff, who served as acting assistant principal of North Hills Junior High during the 2005-2006 school year, has been named acting principal of Northway Elementary School. Surfloff will begin his duties on or near Nov. 1 and be paid $300 per day throughout his length of service. He replaces Joan Ward, who is retiring this fall after seven years with the district. Surloff, of Shaler, worked for 34 years in the Shaler Area School District, where he was an elementary teacher and an elementary and middle school principal, before retiring in 2002. He now is a member of the Shaler Area school board. School remodeling nearly complete A $26.5 million, 22-month remodeling of North Hills High School is relatively on time and within budget as the project reaches its midpoint, school district officials said. The natatorium and auditorium are anticipated to be completed in late fall. Nearly all other building work is being completed during non-school hours. Work is progressing on biology and world language classrooms, the band room and several restroom facilities. The project is scheduled to be finished in August 2007. To ensure a safe educational environment for students and staff, air quality tests are routinely performed throughout the building, temporary walls have been built to restrict access to areas under construction and all workers are required to undergo criminal background checks and wear photo identification. Seneca Valley schoolsStudent council to host leadership conference Members of the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Student Council will play host to the Pennsylvania Student Council District 2 Fall Leadership Conference Friday at the school. More than 450 students from 24 area schools will attend to hear speakers and participate in workshops and discussions. Mars Area schoolsMembers of tax study commission appointed The Mars Area School Board has appointed nine members to its Tax Study Commission. They are: Diane A. Bauer, 40, of Middlesex, a homemaker. John R. Brown, 71, of Middlesex, a retired manufacturing corporation vice president. T. Lyle Ferderber, 49, of Middlesex, a business owner and farmer. Scot E. Fodi, 36, of Adams, a township manager. John L. Kennedy, 34, of Middlesex, a business owner. Judith Kennedy, 58, of Adams, a retired teacher. Edward S. Gardner, 48, of Mars, a certified public accountant. Sandra Malcolm, 43, of Adams, a business owner. Ronald Shemela, 58, of Adams, a sales manager The commission, which was formed as required by state law, will study the district’s tax structure and making a non-binding recommendation to the school board on a referendum involving changes to taxing practices that will be placed on the spring 2007 election ballot. Winchester ThurstonApplefest planned for Oct. 14 Winchester Thurston School’s North Hills Campus will have its annual Applefest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the school, 4225 Middle Road, Hampton. The event features activities with an old-time country atmosphere, including hay rides, pony rides, live music, interactive educational activities and craft booths. The family fun continues with a juggler, a magician, an obstacle course, face painting, a petting zoo and both indoor and outdoor activities for people of all ages. Pumpkins, apples, baked goods and T-shirts will be sold. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for children. Free parking will be available. North Allegheny schoolsArea teacher attends national meeting North Allegheny Senior High School teacher Lisa A. Failla recently attended the second annual American Psychological Association-Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers at the university in Worcester, Mass. The American Psychological Association Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools collaborated with the university to develop the workshop, which included presentations by association members and Clark psychology professors. Twenty-five high school teachers from around the country participated in the workshop. Workshop participants attended sessions on the history of psychology, developmental psychology, well-being and involving high-school students in research. Dr. Gerald P. Koocher, president of the American Psychological Association, met with attendees and delivered a lecture on 20th century clinical psychology. Fox Chapel Area schoolsTeacher selected for Africa conference Fox Chapel Area High School social studies teacher Victoria Robins was chosen to attend a four-day national teacher’s workshop on Africa. The workshop was sponsored by the World Affairs Councils of America and was conducted in Washington, D.C., June 20 to 23. Only 16 teachers from high schools across the country were selected on a competitive basis for the workshop, which consisted of 21 hours of interaction with specialists on Africa. The issues discussed as part of the workshop included, “Why is Africa Poor?” “Debt Relief in Africa,” “Microenterprise in Africa,” “Corruption and Governance,” and “The Plight of Children in Africa.” The speakers were drawn from organizations such as the Brookings Institution, Global Health Council, World Vision and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Also as part of the workshop, Robins visited the U.S. Department of State where she was briefed by Ambassador Mark Johnson, the former U.S. ambassador to Senegal and deputy chief of mission in Egypt on Senegal and its surrounding countries. Robins, who has been teaching in the Fox Chapel Area district since 1998, is a resident of Shaler. Butler CountyAcademy applications accepted until Oct. 27 Students who are interested in attending the U.S. Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military and Naval academies and who live in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes part of Butler County, must submit their applications by Oct. 27 to U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-Erie. Applicants must be unmarried and have no dependents and be between the ages 17 and 22 on July 1, 2007. SAT or ACT scores, class rank, grade-point average, school records and letters of recommendation are considered. English also considers the advice of his Academy Review Board, which interviews each candidate. Nominations to these academies also may be made by either of your state’s senators, the president or the vice president. English recommends trying for nominations from as many sources as possible. Make requests in writing by Oct. 27 to English’s office at 208 E. Bayfront Parkway, Erie, PA 16507. Gateway schoolsFamilies invited to open house Gateway High School will have an open house starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the school, 3000 Gateway Campus Blvd. Families of this year’s students are invited to attend. The program will provide information on the school’s programs and initiatives, as well as tours of the campus and a chance for parents to meet their children’s teachers. Refreshments will be served in the cafeteria after the program. The administrative office will be open for questions. Plum schoolsBoard decides to OK money transfers in budget The Plum School Board is taking more control over the transfer of money within the district’s $49.5 million budget. Board members voted recently that they must give their approval prior to money being transferred from one area of the budget to another. The transfer of money between items in the same section will be approved by the board after it occurs, the board voted. The move comes on the heels of the recommendation by the Baldwin-based Case/Sabatini financial consultant. Case/Sabatini found that the approvals were voted upon after the money transfers were made. Pace School5K run/walk supports services The 2006 Race for Pace 5K Run/Walk will be Oct. 14 at Pace School, 2432 Greensburg Pike, Churchill. Proceeds from the family-oriented 5K Run/Walk support the unique blend of services that Pace offers for children with autism, emotional and behavioral problems and pervasive developmental disorders. More than 30 public school districts throughout Allegheny and surrounding counties refer students to Pace. Pre-race family fun begins at 8 a.m. with balloon art, face painting, surprise mascots, free messages and a silent auction. The race starts at 9 a.m. at Pace and continues through the residential areas of Forest Hills and Wilkins before doubling back and returning to Pace. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first three male and female finishers. The race includes 13 age divisions ranging from 11 and under to 65 plus, with the first three male and female finishers in each division receiving awards. The entry fee is $17 per person until Friday or $20 after that date. Each participant receives a race T-shirt and a chance to win one of more than 90 door prizes. To download individual or team registration forms, visit www.paceschool.org , call Marilan Caito at 412-244-1900 or e-mail mcaito@paceschool.org . St. Louise de MarillacFall art auction benefits schools St. Louise de Marillac School will have its second annual fall art auction from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday in the parish’s Le Gras Hall, 320 McMurray Road, Upper St. Clair. “A Taste Of St. Louise” will feature a live art auction plus gourmet tastings from more than a dozen local restaurants, including Scoglio’s, Capstone Grill, Aladdin, Isoldi’s in the Strip, Joe Daddy’s and A Taste of Chocolate. Paintings, fine art prints, sports and music memorabilia, estate jewelry and sculptures will be available during the live auction hosted by Spike, Ross Galleries’ renowned auctioneer. Also on the block will be art projects created by St. Louise de Marillac students. Proceeds benefit the school. The event is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted for all artwork purchases. Bethel Park schoolsMaintenance workers get salary increase Members of the Bethel Park Custodial Maintenance Educational Support Personnel Association will receive a bit more money in their paychecks as a result of an agreement ratified by the Bethel Park School Board last week. The agreement, which is effective through June 30, 2011, provides for 3 percent salary increases each year of the contract. The employees had been working under the terms of a contract that expired July 1, 2004. At the end of the contract, the top amount on the custodial pay scale will be $18.58 per hour, and the top of the maintenance pay scale will be $19.86. Workers making less than $30,000 will not be required to contribute to the cost of health care. Those making $30,000 to $44,999 will contribute 2 percent of their income toward their monthly premium. Employees making $45,000 or more will contribute 4 percent of their wages toward monthly premium costs. The agreement affects 37 custodians and five maintenance workers. Transportation employees get pact The Bethel Park School Board ratified a new contract for transportation workers last week. For each year of the contract, which is effective through June 30, 2011, drivers and bus aides will receive a 3 percent pay increase, while mechanics will receive a 3.1 percent increase. Drivers and mechanics had been working under the terms of a contract that expired June 30, 2005. This is the first time bus aides are included in the contract. Health care for drivers and aides is available to the individual at no cost. Those wanting coverage for a spouse or family member must pay the difference in the premium. Mechanics will contribute 0.525 percent of their annual salary for individual health care costs and 0.95 percent of their annual salary for family coverage. The agreement affects 70 bus drivers, 14 aides and 4 mechanics. High school to get new principal Zeb R. Jansante, principal of Mt. Lebanon High School, will become the new principal of Bethel Park High School. The Bethel Park School Board hired Jansante last week. His start date has not been determined. Jansante has been principal at Mt. Lebanon since 2003. Before joining the Mt. Lebanon staff, Jansante worked as principal at Quaker Valley High School and Elizabeth Forward High School and as assistant principal at Baldwin High School. He worked as attendance officer, lead teacher and technology education teacher at Bethlehem Center High School and began his career as a technology education teacher at Canfield High School in Canfield, Ohio. The California University of Pennsylvania graduate earned his bachelor’s degree in 1981 and master’s degree in education administration degree in 1991. He earned his doctorate in education and his superintendent’s letter of eligibility from the University of Pittsburgh in 1996. Jansante’s annual salary at Bethel Park will be $108,000. West Jefferson Hills SchoolsPrincipal resigns to take assistant position Bart Rocco, principal of Thomas Jefferson High School, has resigned to take an assistant superintendent’s position in the West Mifflin Area School District. Rocco has served as the school’s principal for almost 10 years. “He served this district well and showed his loyalty to our district,” West Jefferson Hills School Board President David Graham said last week when the board accepted Rocco’s resignation. “Our loss is West Mifflin’s gain.” Pleasant Hills Middle School Principal Sue Petersen is considering taking on the high school position. Graham said she will shadow Rocco before he leaves. Rocco is set to start as assistant superintendent at West Mifflin Area Nov. 1, Graham said. “After Sue does her shadowing, if she is interested in taking the position, the board will approve her being the principal at our October meeting,” Graham said. “We may have to appoint an interim principal at the middle school if she accepts the position.” Tennis courts, track to get repairs The Thomas Jefferson High School tennis courts and track soon might get a face-lift. The West Jefferson Hills School Board voted unanimously last week to seek bids for work on the tennis courts and track. School board President David Graham said the four-year-old track needs to be repainted and repaired because of normal wear and tear. The tennis courts, which sit behind the high school, need to be resurfaced, he said. Graham said he was not sure how much money the district will spend on the projects. Email Newsletters TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.