With a banner behind them proclaiming "Creating Our Future Together," members of the Center Area and Monaca school boards convened July 1 for the first time as the Central Valley school board.

The inaugural meeting of the new district was the result of more than three years of planning, discussing and -- at times -- disagreeing about how to form the state's first voluntary merged school district.

Acknowledging the historic nature of the achievement, a letter from State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak was read aloud.

"Your efforts not only will benefit the students of the Central Valley School District for generations to come, but they also will serve as an indispensable road map for other school districts in the commonwealth that might choose to travel down the path that you have paved," the letter said.

The new district, in central Beaver County, includes Monaca, Center and Potter townships. Enrollment will be about 2,300.

With the merger, Pennsylvania's 501 school districts became 500.

Monaca's Melvin Mikulich was elected the first president of the new school board, and Center Area's Rob Gradisek was elected vice president.

Center Area Superintendent Dr. Daniel Matsook was named superintendent of schools and Monaca Superintendent Dr. Michael Thomas -- who said that he intended to retire when the process is complete -- was named superintendent of merger activities.

The new school board also approved its name, its colors (navy blue and Carolina blue), its mascot (Warriors) and its logo, along with details such as meeting dates.

Here's the chronology of this historic event:

October 2005 -- After talking about a merger study, superintendents Matsook of Center Area and Thomas of Monaca raise the issue with their board presidents and vice presidents.

May 2006 -- Consulting firm Ingraham Dancu & Associates issues a report on five options, ranging from no changes to a full merger.

September 2006 to February 2007 -- Both districts create an educational plan.

May 2007 -- Five candidates for the Center Area board, running on a platform of skepticism of the merger, defeat five pro-merger incumbents for Democratic nominations.

September 2007 -- Education Management Group of Harrisburg projects $1.5 million in annual savings and says Center Area's 50.2-mill real estate tax rate could be lowered to Monaca's 45-mill rate.

October 2007 -- The boards approve the merger by a 7-2 vote in Center, 6-3 in Monaca.

November 2007 -- Center Area voters elect five challengers over pro-merger incumbents.

December 2007 -- The Center Area board is set to vote to withdraw its merger application but pulls the item from the agenda, leaving the application on hold, after state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak promises to delay state action on the application until the board is ready to move forward.

January 2008 -- Center Area board President Richard Nicastro orders a halt to merger talks. Pro-merger members of the board complain they were not consulted and no vote was taken.

March 2008 -- The Center Area board, in a private meeting, offers to consolidate with Monaca if Monaca agrees to a board consisting of seven Center Area seats and two Monaca seats and to use Monaca High School as an elementary school for Monaca children. Monaca board President Bill Temple refuses.

May 2008 -- In a private meeting, leaders of the two boards agree to a phased merger, with elementary grades consolidating in fall 2009, the middle and high school in fall 2010. A study will assess whether to use Monaca High School as a middle school, delaying a decision that has been a stumbling block. In June, both boards ratify the compromise.

September 2008 -- The Center Area board says it will ask for a delay in state approval unless a compromise is reached on the mercantile tax, which is levied in Center Area but not in Monaca. The Monaca board, in response, cancels a joint meeting. On Sept. 15, Center Area's Ben Fratangeli casts the swing vote against asking for the delay in the state vote. State Rep. Vince Biancucci, D-Center, has legislation in the works to allow the new district to keep the mercantile tax if desired. Three days later, the state board unanimously approves the merger.

October 2008 -- The state Legislature passes a law Oct. 8 allowing districts created through consolidation to enact mercantile taxes if one of the merging districts levies the tax.

November 2008 -- Mr. Biancucci loses his re-election bid. A backlash against the mercantile tax in Monaca is a factor.

March -- Superintendents tell their boards March 12 they have commitments for $836,000 in state funding and a promise of $500,000 from the federal stimulus package. The money addresses a complaint that the state had not kept a promise to cover one-time merger costs. On March 26, John Hummel of Foreman Architects recommends using Monaca's high school as a middle school.

April -- Nineteen teachers from the two districts accept an early retirement incentive plan.

May -- The two boards, meeting jointly, approve a preliminary 2009-10 budget with two compromises: a 47.4-mill tax rate and a mercantile tax plan that exempts the first $200,000 of a business's receipts.

June -- Monaca board President Mike Halama resigns, upset about the property tax rate, the mercantile tax, private discussions on the superintendency and his perception of the influence of politics on the Center Area board. The boards jointly approve a final budget with a 46.8-mill tax rate.

July 1 -- Central Valley school board holds its first meeting.