[naviga:h3]Butler County Commissioners[/naviga:h3]

The Butler County Commissioners on Wednesday:

Approved the renewal of the Highmark health care plan for county employees. While health care costs will rise from $7.3 million to $7.7 million next year, a team of county officials was able to negotiate the increase from 27 percent to 6 percent.

Approved the appointment of Haley Geyer to the Parks and Recreation Commission advisory board for Region 4, with her term expiring on Dec. 31, 2020. Commissioner Kim Geyer abstained from the vote as Haley Geyer is her daughter. The younger Geyer now works as the parks and recreation director in Adams Township. The commissioners also approved Adam Hartwig to the advisory board for Region 5, and Lisa Campbell as an at-large representative. Both of the latter representatives’ terms expire at the end of 2019.

Approved the appointment of Bruce Russell and Ken DeFurio to the Butler County Community College board of trustees for six-year terms.

[naviga:h3]Butler School Board[/naviga:h3]

BUTLER TWP — The Butler School Board at its meeting Monday night:

- Approved a memorandum of understanding with Special Olympics Pennsylvania for the development of an Interscholastic Unified Sports Program. According to the memorandum, Special Olympics Pennsylvania will provide funding, support, staff and resources for an indoor bocce program, youth leadership and whole school engagement activities. The coaches of the bocce team will be two Slippery Rock University students from the Adapted Physical Activity program.

The district will appoint a faculty liaison to help with the program and the program will include a minimum of two school engagement activities.

[naviga:h3]Slippery Rock University[/naviga:h3]

- Announced that Emily Brittain and Summit Township elementary schools achieved the recognition of “Reward — High Progress” for Title I from the state.

Title I is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance to local educational agencies to improve educational opportunities for educationally deprived children. The “High Progress” designation is given to schools that have made progress in closing the achievement gap and meet certain standards for attendance, test participation and test scores, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website.