The school board has been selected by the Pennsylvania State Arts Alliance to be the state nominee in the annual Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts and National School Boards Association Arts Education Award Program.

This program, established in 1998, recognizes and encourages outstanding effort and commitment on the part of a school board to make the arts an essential part of a student's education.

The award honors a school board that has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to a high-quality arts education with both national recognition and a cash award of $10,000. The winner will be announced at the national conference of the NSBA in March.

Mars Area High School will present "Making Your College Search Count" for juniors at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 4 in the auditorium.

The program will offer students information on how to conduct an effective college search and selection. The information is designed to help students to begin thinking about which colleges would be right for them and what they need to do to apply.

For more information, contact Colleen Tosadori, guidance counselor, at 724-625-1581.

• Mars Area Primary Center will offer a preview of its kindergarten program from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 22.

The program is for pupils who will attend in the 2008-09 school year and their parents.

Activities will include a school tour, a library "read aloud" and an art activity. Information regarding kindergarten registration for the 2008-09 school year will also be available.

For reservations, call 724-625-1588 before Wednesday. Space is limited.

Superintendent James C. Manley was presented with the 2007-08 Distinguished Educator Award by the University of Pittsburgh's Tri-State Area School Study Council at a banquet at Edgewood Country Club last month.

The council established the award in 1981 to acknowledge exceptional leadership by practicing administrators, retired educators and university faculty.

Dr. Manley, who is one of the longest- serving superintendents in Allegheny County, has spent 36 years as a member of the council and serves on its executive committee.

The awards review committee cited Dr. Manley's contributions to young people in his initiative with the Northern Area Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs and his initiation of the PR Pre-AP program, which gives eighth- and ninth-graders a competitive edge as they delve into rigorous course work.

The council also commended Dr. Manley's work on the Transformation Blueprint, which provides a shared vision for the school district and sets the educational course for the district for the next several years.

"It's easy to be a distinguished educator when you come from a district like Pine-Richland School District, which exhibits the spirit of teamwork," Dr. Manley said upon accepting the award. "It's a great time to be an educator as we personalize education. I appreciate this and will always cherish this award."

Dr. Manley earned a doctorate of philosophy in educational administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and a master's degree in counselor education and a bachelor's degree with certification in secondary education from the University of Dayton.

• The school district recently honored four retiring board members for their combined 21 years of service to Pine-Richland.

Retiring board members include: Marilyn Reed, who served 12 years; Dr. Joseph Merhaut and Dr. James Werkmeister, who each served four years; and Michael Hinson, who served the district a year.

The board members were recognized at a dinner last month.

• The school district is gearing up for the 2008 Relay for Life in June.

The relay is a 24-hour, noncompetitive community event in which teams of eight-15 people take turns walking or running around the track at Pine-Richland High School stadium. While waiting their turn on the track, teams camp out at the site and enjoy a carnival-like atmosphere complete with entertainment, food, games and fun.

Money raised benefits the American Cancer Society.

For more information, contact Donna Zukas at 412-919-1080 or dzukas@cancer.org.