The Mehlville Board of Education will retain 19 interventionist positions that were previously funded through federal pandemic relief grant money.

The Board of Education voted Dec. 14 for a proposal to keep the 19 positions. The proposal eliminates all four high school interventionists and the estimated cost is $1.8 million to $2 million.

In addition to retaining the interventionists, the board also approved the creation of a professional learning community/interventionist director position, as well as adding back the assistant principal positions at Mehlville and Oakville high schools that were eliminated in 2011. The positions would start July 1.

The district hired 34 interventionists in 2021 using federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. The interventionists were hired through 2024, and their positions were set to end in June without board action.

Under the plan approved by the board, each elementary and middle school will retain one interventionist. The district has 11 elementary schools and five middle schools.

According to the district, an additional four interventionists will be placed at Bierbaum, Forder and Trautwein elementary – one at each school –and one at Buerkle Middle, based on school need.