New contracts and/or salary increases were approved last week for district administrators and employees.

Nicholas Morelli, director of finance and support operations, Donald Kaminski, director of human resources, and technology technicians Patrick Langan and Barbara Bass, as well as transition coordinator Amanda White, each received 3 percent raises, effective July 1, as per their current contracts.

Contract renewals from July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011 were approved for business manager Kim Hartnett, public relations coordinator Chuck McCartney and community outreach coordinator Lynn Heasley. Each received a 3 percent raise.

Also receiving 3 percent pay hikes were transportation/activities coordinator Tim McConnell, whose contract runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2011, and Jason Gardner, lead technology technician, whose contract runs from July 1 of this year through June 30, 2012.

• Director Mary Lou Petronsky, representative to the Parkway West Area Vocational Technical School, reported that 22 Chartiers Valley students earned industry certification in various areas, including public safety, health assistant and automotive technology.

Ms. Petronsky said the certifications are valuable in helping students obtain employment in their fields.

Also, she went on to say that Parkway West will be using Odysseyware, an online learning provider, to give students help with academic subjects such as math and social studies at their home schools.

The board approved a five-year agreement with the Mt. Lebanon Education Association last week, which will cover the district's 433 teachers from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2015.

The agreement includes a salary increase of 4.15 percent over the life of the contract, increased teacher health care contributions, a longer teacher work year and work day and discussion of implementing merit pay.

The MLEA ratified the contract before the school board meeting.

School board members voted 8-0 in favor of the contract. Director Josephine Posti was not at the meeting and so did not vote, but she teleconferenced in her support.

Several board members said they initially were hesitant to support salary increases during an economic period when private sector employees were seeing stagnant or diminished pay. But they pointed to savings for the school district under the new contract, as well as managerial efficiencies and increased teacher-student time.

Measures to decrease costs for the district include teacher health care contribution of as much as 10 percent by the fifth year of the agreement, reduced extra duty responsibility pay and a cap on academic reimbursement for teachers.

The new contract increases the teacher work year from 194.5 days to 197.5 days and increases the teacher work day from 7 hours and 45 minutes to 8 hours. Students will have an additional two instructional days, for a total of 184.

Under the new contract, the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree is $45,000 for the 2010-11 year and $47,500 for the 2014-15 school year. A teacher with a master's degree at the top step has a salary of $96,000 during 2010-11 and $103,600 in 2014-15.

The Denis Theatre Foundation has raised the funds to purchase the Denis Theatre on Washington Road, according to a news release Wednesday.

The foundation launched its capital campaign to buy the Denis in October 2009 and since then has raised more than $663,000 in cash and pledges.

The Denis Theatre Foundation Board of Directors signed an agreement with D. and Neeta Raja, owners, to purchase the building for $668,750, which will be covered by the funds raised and some financing. The agreement was reached Tuesday, the deadline for the purchase option, which was extended twice while the foundation worked to raise money.

The Denis Theatre, which opened in 1938, closed in 2004 in disrepair. Purchasing the building is the first step in a $2.5 million plan that would create a venue for independent, foreign language and documentary films; lectures and film series; and meeting rooms for cultural activities.

The money raised by the foundation included a $100,000 grant from The Pittsburgh Foundation and an anonymous $155,000 Challenge grant.

The board is searching for a new executive director, since former executive director Anne Kemerer will transition to a new role as project advisor, citing family reasons.

Details: www.denistheatre.org.

The Community & Recreation Center in Boyce Mayview Park is looking for musicians to participate in its Fall Monthly Concert Series.

Details: Sarah Povazan at 412-221-1099, ext. 607; www.livesmarterplayharder.org.

Art in the Garden Sunday, will be presented by the Washington County Historical Society from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at Madeleine's Garden, LeMoyne House, 49 E. Maiden St.

Admission $10, children free.

Details: 724-225-6740. Proceeds to the society.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.