When: Columbia Borough School District board meeting, April 18.

What happened: The board approved an amendment to the 2023-24 calendar, moving up the last day of school for students to May 31, which will now be an early dismissal day. Faculty and staff will still report to school on June 3, which is now a professional development day.

Social studies curriculum : The board approved a K-12 social studies textbook purchase. The department will purchase textbooks from Tradebooks for kindergarten through fifth grade and McGraw Hill for sixth through 12th grades once the department evaluates the costs and budget.

College counseling : The board approved an agreement with Franklin & Marshall College for its College Advising Corps program. The program, which will cost the district $32,700 per year, will employ college and career advisers to meet individually with seniors to discuss and guide them through their professional goals.

Preventing dropout : The board approved an agreement with Communities in Schools, a dropout prevention program. The agreement will take effect July 1 and end June 30, 2027.

Staffing: The board also approved an agreement with Benevolent Health Care Staffing to provide substitute school nurses and paraprofessionals. The respective hourly rate would be $34 for a paraprofessional, $64 for licensed practical nurses, $72 for registered nurses and $77 for certified school nurses.

Property: The board agreed to waive the facility use fee for the Clifford Edmond men’s basketball tournament on June 1 and 2, as the high school gymnasium would only be used in the event of inclement weather.

Dental screenings : The board approved a memorandum of understanding with Family First Health and its Mobile School Dental Program, which conducts state-mandated dental screenings on kindergarteners as well as third and seventh graders who have not recently had a dental examination. The school will cover the $375 for each session per student.

Finance: The board approved the school district’s proposal to apply for a $100,000 Public School Facility Improvement Grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. If approved, the school district would use the grant during the 2024-25 year to replace six water heaters at Columbia High/Middle School.

What’s next: The school board will hold a committee meeting at 6 p.m. May 7, followed by another full board meeting at 6 p.m. May 16 in the district administration building, 200 N. Fifth St. The meeting will also livestream at https://columbiabsd.zoom .