IU to receive rebate
CALIFORNIA – The Intermediate Unit 1 executive director announced a $5.9 million rebate to from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Executive Director Dr. Lawrence O’Shea told the IU board that the $5.9 million rebate is the highest ever given back to the districts. He said over the last eight years, $30 million has been rebated to the IU.
O’Shea also said the IU can move forward with plans to purchase the Colonial Elementary School from the Brownsville School District. The IU has been operating there since the beginning of the school year.
In other business, the IU board approved a general operational budget with expenditures of $1,838,524. The budget requires no increase in school district contributions and provides for administration and management services, curriculum and instructional services, information and technology services, data processing services and a proportionate share of the Central Office mortgage payment.
The health care and purchasing consortiums are also administered under the budget. The budget will be sent to each local school board for consideration.
The IU board heard a presentation from Nancy Tsupros of Science Matters on the science program that is offered to IU students.
According to O’Shea, the IU adopted Science Matters, a hands-on science program, into the curriculum six months ago.
Tsupros said fifth-grade students under the program tested at a seventh-grade level.