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HUGHESVILLE - The East Lycoming School District is one of the best 50 from across the state for having improved student test scores for students taking the Pennsylvania System of State Assessment examination.

"It's great small districts like this one continue to achieve while others, sometimes larger, whine about why they can't do it," state Rep. Garth D. Everett, R-Muncy, said in presenting a citation from the Center for Education Policy to the district principals at Tuesday night's school board meeting.

Recognition shows test scores improved between 2002 and 2008.

In other business, it was announced that Monday is the start of the Pre-Kindergarten classes at Renn and Ashkar elementary schools.

"We hope to serve 60 students," Ashkar Principal Suzanne Foresman said.

Renn and Ferrell Principal William Knapsack said Renn Pre-K teachers are prepared to begin the program, which is popular with parents and grandparents because it provides registered children who are ready to enter kindergarten with a classroom setting and instruction.

Also Monday, business manager David Maciejewski said a facilities committee reviewed a video of a biomass boiler and looked at initial design to see how the boiler relates to the high school gymnasium and area by the pool.

The district is moving toward getting the biomass boiler as one of its energy-saving projects. It is looking at a Nov. 17 meeting to bring final cost estimates to the board. The boiler is estimated to cost about $300,000, but there are systems that can go as high as $600,000.

Installation of the boiler would add 10 feet onto the gymnasium.

The biomass system is expected to be running in the fall of 2010.

The idea is to plant 50 acres of hybrid willow, a natural fuel source for the boiler, in areas where corn and soybean now grow near the Little Spartan Football and East Lycoming Soccer fields.

It takes four years to harvest hybrid willow so the district plans to send out a bid for woodchips for the first three years.

Three students in the high school are developing a Web site showing energy related activities, to get information about the projects to students and staff. The projects include a wind turbine, biomass and geothermal systems and solar panels.

Board members heard a presentation by Noelle Bloom of Nutrition Inc. regarding the school cafeteria food, which she said has become increasingly nutritious, with added vegetables and fruits.

At the same time, there are 100 fewer students involved in the school lunch program than this time last year, Bloom said. She said that could change through special events and promotions along with the ever-popular grandparents day events.