The Panorama School Board met in regular session Monday.

The Board approved the 2018-2019 certified budget and calendar. There will be no changes to the traditional Easter weekend holiday structure. The Board approved the traditional version, although other options were considered, including a traditional week-long spring break. The other main change to the calendar will be going from late-starts to early-outs for professional development. The Board also approved $2.25 million in general obligation bond refinancing. Superintendent Shawn Holloway tells Raccoon Valley Radio it will save taxpayers about $120,000.

The Board also approved a 1.54% increase to employee salaries after negotiations. Holloway commends the district’s teachers for productive communication, even before Monday’s negotiations. “I really appreciate our teacher association (and) appreciate the way they communicate. We had a lot of informal conversations before we sat down on Monday night together. So what was nice is their opening proposal was a 1.69% increase. The District was (proposing) a 1.25% increase, and so even out of the starting gate, we’re pretty darn close.”

Other action items approved by the Board include: an Area Education Agency purchase agreement; an out-of-state student trip request; an elementary band fundraiser; and partial self-funding for medical insurance. To hear more from Holloway on the Board meeting and other topics at Panorama, listen to today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program.