ADAMS TWP — Taxpayers in the Mars School District will not see a property tax rate increase in the next school year.

The school board at its Tuesday meeting voted unanimously to approve the 2013-14 budget of $41.5 million.

The tax rate in the district will remain at 99 mills. One mill equals $1 for each $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. Across the district, each mill generates $215,000.

The budget includes no cuts in programs and includes 12 new staff. Among the new hires are six teachers and two nurses, which will mean every school building will have a nurse on staff for the first time.

In the past, the district used nurses and some paraprofessional health care aides under the supervision of the nurses.

The budget also includes a new initiative that will see every student at the high school, plus 75 staff members, get their own laptop computers. The district’s social studies textbooks also will be replaced next year.

A meeting on Wednesday morning saw five of the nine board members approve the appointment of Steven B. Boggs to the school board until Dec. 1.

Boggs was recently chosen by the county Republican Committee to fill the seat of Ross McConnell, who died on May 27.

While the school board would normally interview candidates and eventually choose one to fill the seat, the committee chose Boggs because the seat was vacated after the May 21 primary election but before November’s general election.

Boggs successfully ran for a seat on the board in the spring primary. If he wins the general election in November, he will assume the new seat and the county Republican Committee will again choose a candidate to fill McConnell’s remaining term.

McConnell’s seat expires at the end of 2015.

Superintendent William Pettigrew swore in a nervous Boggs during the early morning meeting, which was attended by board members Bonnie Weaver, Becky Brown, James Kennedy, Dayle Ferguson and Rita Dorsch.

“I look so much forward to working with each and every one of you,” Boggs said. “My heart is pounding like it’s the first day of school.”

Boggs will assume the seat immediately.