The Gloucester County School Board voted Tuesday to pursue a $50,000 state planning grant to create a year-round education program. The year-round program would serve only a targeted group of students and would not replace the current school schedule.

School division superintendent Ben Kiser suggested a year-round program could serve struggling elementary school students. He said it could possibly serve 20 to 25 children in a multi-age grouping, such as second and third graders, and give them a schedule of year-round instruction uninterrupted by the lengthy summer break.

The children, and their teacher, would instead get shorter breaks throughout the year. Such a program would operate within the current school setting.

Kiser said other options include having a year-round program to serve gifted students or developing a plan for a year-round virtual program. The board left it up to Kiser and his staff to decide which option or options to pursue in developing the planning grant proposal, which is due to the state department of education by Aug. 1.

The board also approved its employee pay plan for the fiscal year 2013-2014, which puts the starting teacher salary at $39,108, and passed a resolution formally requesting participation in a VPSA bond sale. The sale will provide $12 million for the new middle school and $5 million for roof and HVAC replacements.

In an update on the new middle school construction, division construction manager Scott Shorland said work at the building site on T.C. Walker Road has gone well and an advertisement for construction bids would be published this weekend.

Shorland said bids are due back by Aug. 14 and he expects a contract to be awarded on Aug. 28. Kiser said a groundbreaking ceremony at the site would be planned for soon after the award. The school should be substantially completed by April 28, 2015.