Mars Area The first day of school for students will be Aug. 27 under a calendar adopted Tuesday by school directors. The last day depends on the number of snow days. If no snow days are used, school will end May 29. If all five snow days are needed, school will end June 4. The calendar also includes five prescheduled, two-hour delays for staff development Sept. 28, Nov. 1, Feb. 4, March 20 and April 18. • The board approved a revision to its policy governing background checks for employees. It now requires coaches who are not district employees, including volunteers, to submit to the same background checks as employees. The policy will take effect July 1. • A contract with Pediatric Nursing Association Services will provide a nurse at the elementary school for two hours a day. The district is having a hard time filling a vacancy in the department, said Jill Swaney, business manager. • The elementary schools are raising money for school programs and activities through the TerraCycle recycling program. The Primary Center, Mars Elementary School and Centennial School are collecting recyclable juice bags and plastic lunch bags and containers. As part of the program, students in grades 1-6 are placing used juice bags and plastic lunch bags and containers into receptacles in their cafeterias. TerraCycle, which converts waste into other products and materials, will donate two cents for each item collected. Information: sala@zoominternet.net or www.terracycle.net .