The Upper St. Clair School District has decided to honor the memory of former President Ronald Reagan by creating a Hall of Presidents in his name at the high school.

"The suggestion came from one of our citizens, and it made perfect sense," said board President Mark Trombetta Monday.

Dr. Trombetta, who did not seek re-election last month, was presiding over his final meeting.

"We actually started talking about some way of memorializing him back in 2004 [President Reagan died on June 5 of that year]," Dr. Trombetta said.

A committee was formed to study the possibility of renaming Boyce Middle School, an idea that was abandoned.

More recently, an ad hoc committee decided that the suggestion of naming USC's theater after President Reagan was not appropriate, either, but that a Hall of Presidents might be.

The vote went 5-3, with Jeff Joyce absent. Dr. Trombetta, David Bluey, Carol Coliane, Daniel Iracki and William Sulkowski voted in favor with Barbara Bolas, Glenn Groninger and Angela Petersen against.

"Principal [Michael] Ghilani will get our students involved in developing what should be on display. I think it's a great project."

The board also approved a maximum of $10,000 be spent on the new display and signs. The Hall will be positioned in the main entry way of the recently renovated high school.

"We're hoping that Congressman Tim Murphy, who strongly supported the memorializing of Reagan and offered to find federal funding [on the earlier project] and [state] Representative [John] Maher can help us. It's possible, I think, the net cost to the district will be zero."