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Ohio County Schools on Monday gained approval for a $1.84 million no-interest state loan to help construct the J.B. Chambers Performing Arts Center at Wheeling Park High School.

Superintendent George Krelis announced the Qualified Zone Academic Bond at Monday night's Ohio County Board of Education meeting, adding that a second bond for $505,706 also was approved for renovations at Triadelphia Middle School.

School officials plan to move the principal's office at Triadelphia - currently located on the second floor - to the main floor.

Krelis and Deputy Superintendent Dianna Vargo traveled to Charleston Monday to learn what funds they would receive.

"It was worth the trip down and back today," Krelis told school board members.

The performing arts center has an estimated price tag of $10 million, including about $750,000 already spent on a road relocation project in front of Wheeling Park High School.

The $1.84 million in taxpayer money will "free up" that much of the school district's money already set aside for the project, Krelis said. That will result in $1.84 million returning to general operations of the district, he said.

The school board will open bids for the general construction of the performing arts center at 1 p.m. Dec. 21, and Krelis hopes to have the winning bids approved by the West Virginia School Building Authority by the end of the year.

It's the second round of bid openings for the project, with the first having happened on Sept. 22. Those bids came in within budget, ranging from $8.424 million to $9.192 million.

The Landau Building Co. of Wexford, Pa., submitted the low bid, but school officials opted to reject all bids and instead bid the project as two separate projects - one for the facility construction as a whole, and a second for its theatrical components.

But John O'Brien, vice president of Landau, contended the school board's decision was made after they learned he planned to use a non-union subcontractor on the job.

The project is still expected to be completed by the end of the 2010-11 school year.

In other business, school board members also agreed to hold off on joining 49 of West Virginia's 55 school districts in a lawsuit over health care benefits for retirees.

The issue was tabled until after the upcoming regular session of the West Virginia Legislature, which begins Jan. 13 and extends into mid-March.

Since 2006, school boards have had to record in their accounting books the amount of "other post-employment benefits" owed to their retirees.

The figure primarily pertains to retirement health care and life insurance benefits.

The move will, in essence, transfer such obligations from the state to county school districts, school officials fear.

On Monday, Dec. 21, all Ohio County school students will be taking home for the holidays a gathering of healthy snacks. Included in their bags will be granola bars, cans of soup and apple sauce, and a container of macaroni and cheese.

The purpose of the food is to help those students who might not otherwise have access to healthy food over the holidays, according to Vargo. She said the total cost of the snacks will be about $16,000.

"As much as it's a shame, the Christmas holiday break is a stressful time for many of our students," said school board member Erik Schramm. "Hopefully, this will provide a bridge."