The Panorama Schools have officially signed off on the 2014-15 district calendar for next school year, electing once again for classes to begin just after the conclusion of the Iowa State Fair.

Superintendent Kathy Elliot says three options were presented to the School Board recently, and while the schedule selected is similar to what the Panorama Schools have had in the past, there is one notable difference.  Elliot explains…

“Typically we’ve been ending our second term after Winter Break, and there had been conversations with School Board members and parents about a month ago who were saying it would be nice to have (term) end before we leave for Christmas Break and this schedule does allow us to do that.  I know there is support from the teachers for (this) schedule.  The big question was should we be trying to equalize the number of days between first semester and second semester, and while it is going to be a little short in first semester, it is going to allow us to start after when the State Fair is ending.”

The newly adopted schedule will call for students to have 88 school days in the first semester, while the second semester will have 92 days.

Another item of note for Panorama’s new schedule is a 1pm dismissal for students the day of the Guthrie County Fair as opposed to giving them a full day off.

By starting after the State Fair, Panorama’s school year will go deeper in May, ending on Tuesday, May 19th of 2015.