The South Butler School Board is expected to approve the district's new superintendent at its meeting Wednesday, a day after school begins.

Dale Lumley, assistant superintendent, is expected to accept a multiyear contract and assume the office upon the retirement of Frank C. Prazenica Jr. on Dec. 3.

"It's the right thing for me to do at this time," said Prazenica, who has been superintendent for the past three years.

Lumley was an English teacher, an assistant principal and principal at Butler High School before he joined The Gateway School District as assistant superintendent for four years. Gateway serves students in Monroeville and Pitcairn.

He's been assistant superintendent at South Butler since 2009. The district is searching for a new assistant superintendent.

Prazenica said he is expecting a smooth transition in handing off his duties to Lumley.

In addition, with a teachers' contract in place for the first time in three years, Prazenica said he was delighted the district would be able to maintain its calendar, he said.

"We are ready for school," he said.

Eight new teachers have joined the district. One second grade teacher position was eliminated because of falling enrollment.

Ongoing roof repairs at the primary school, which houses kindergarten through third grades, are confined to administrative areas and a storage area in the gymnasium.

A new fire alarm was installed in the intermediate elementary school.

The district is seeking a girls' basketball head coach. Josh Shoop, director of athletics and activities, said he has narrowed the field to two candidates, one who now works for the district and another who is from outside of the district.

The board might increase salaries for substitute staff, including teachers, aides, nurses, secretaries and custodians, since Mars, Freeport and Butler pay more generously for all positions except substitute teachers. Butler pays substitute teachers $80 per day, as South Butler does, but Freeport pays subs $85 per day and Mars pays $90 per day.

The substitute teachers' pay might go to $85 per day, but the board will consider how much additional payments would cost the district before making its decision.

Contracts with the district's transportation provider, W.L. Roenigk, were approved for the 2010-11 school year. The district's fuel charges are down from last year, since the price of gasoline has decreased.