SALEM — The board of education approved a new property purchase in its meeting Monday.

The board voted unanimously to authorize the purchase of 913 Pershing St. at a cost of $100,000 plus any costs associated with closing and transferring the deed not to exceed $15,000.

Treasurer Mike Douglas said that the district has been interested in potentially acquiring the property “for the past few years” amid efforts to expand parking accessibility at Sebo Stadium.

“It’s on Pershing Street right behind the bandshell, next to the football stadium. This is a house that will allow us to continue to expand parking and develop the area, clean it up a little bit and match the look of that whole corridor as you’re going down the road,” said Douglas.

This is the second property purchased by the district to expand parking at the stadium in as many months. The board approved the purchase of the property at 650 Franklin Ave. for $65,000 plus closing costs not to exceed $15,000 as part of its consent agenda in its Feb. 23 meeting. At that meeting Douglas said the Franklin Avenue property is adjacent to the district’s current property where Reilly Elementary currently sits near Sebo Stadium and would allow the district to expand parking once Reilly Elementary is abated.

The board also approved several personnel and administrative matters.

Personnel matters approved included: the retirement of Margaret Oshnock effective May 29; workers for the district’s annual art show on April 29 from 5 to 7 p.m.; the designation of Kristy Erb as the district’s 504 compliance officer; staff for the Southeast Elementary Family Night on from 5 to 6:30 p.m. March 24; athletic supplementals for the 20226-2027 school year; workers for spring sporting events and the district’s track and field meets; the resignation of Custodian Kevin Santangelo effective March 20; the award of an Ohio Association of Public School Employees bid for Dawn Hammers as duty aide at Buckeye Elementary; the designation of Jaccie Samu as staff for Buckeye Elementary’s Literacy Nights on Feb. 19, March 12, and March 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.; and three days of unpaid leave for first grade teacher Claire Duckworth from April 14 to 16.

Administrative matters approved included: a college credit plus memorandum of understanding with Kent State University for school year 2026-2027; the Salem Senior High School Registration Guide for the 2026-2027 school year; acceptance of a $7,895 GPD Employees Foundation Public School Grant award to purchase a Structural Engineering Career Module for the new middle school Career Connections course; and the acceptance of a $400 donation from the Salem Junior Mothers’ Club.

The board of education will meet next at 4 p.m. on March 18 for a special meeting and will meet for its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. on April 20.

mahart@mojonews.com