BUFFALO TWP — Board directors at Freeport Area School District proposed a new policy impacting military children at a meeting Wednesday, Jan. 17.

After the meeting, district superintendent Ian Magness said the proposed school policy would clarify the residency of students whose parents are active military members.

The policy comes after a bill sponsored by Rep. Brian Munroe, D-144th, was signed into law in November. The bill allows children of military families to transfer into Pennsylvania school districts.

Wednesday evening, the school board also approved a feasibility study proposal from HHSDR Architects and Engineers at a cost of $24,000. The feasibility study will examine all buildings within the district, with a particular emphasis on the high school, which was built in 1961, Magness said.

“We previously did a master plan that looked narrowly at what a new building would cost and what a retrofit of the existing building would cost,” Magness said after the meeting. “So those costs came in very high, which kind of demands that we take another look and look at any number of alternative options that we have that an architect would advise we could do with this building, but try to do at a much lower cost.”

In addition, the board approved a revised tobacco and vaping policy that clarify disciplinary measures for first- and second-time offenses, Magness said after the meeting.

He said the policy was originally adopted in August 2015, and revised in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

“Over the decades, we’ve made great progress in getting young people to understand the dangers of tobacco use and smoking,” Magness said after the meeting. “Unfortunately, the vaping epidemic has started that all over again. But we’re willing to fight that fight because it’s good for our kids.”