SALISBURY — It’s a month into the school year and Rowan-Salisbury Schools still has nearly 40 teacher vacancies.

The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will discuss the issue during a personnel report at its Monday business meeting. This month’s meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the Wallace Educational Forum board room. Celebrations will be held at 5 p.m., and public comment will be held at 6 p.m.

According to the personnel report presentation attached to the board’s online agenda, as of Sept. 20 the system has 37 teacher vacancies — eight math positions, two science positions and three exceptional children positions. The number is down from the estimated 70 positions still vacant at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

The report also lists that 159 new teachers signed on with Rowan-Salisbury Schools this year — 59 of then through lateral entry, and eight came aboard with the Visiting International Faculty program. This year, the district has approximately 2,494 full-time staff.

The board will also receive an update from teacher recruiter Scotty Robinson.

In other business the board will:

• Discuss merit-based bonuses for non-certified and non-educator staff.
• Review a recommendation by County Athletics Director Art Paschal to allow sixth graders to participate in all school sports.
• Review its 2016-17 budget resolution.
• Discuss projected declining enrollment numbers.
• In closed session, receive legal advice on the Long Street property and discuss the property for the new Western Elementary.