The Pella School Board is beginning to take a look ahead to planning for the next academic year as 2019 draws to a close. Superintendent Greg Ebeling says the board approved public hearings in November to review certain elements of the budget and the school calendar, and at their next work session, will begin drafting what the next budget looks like for Fiscal Year 2021. Ebeling says a combination of steady enrollment growth, tight budgeting, early retirements, and slightly larger budget growth from the state, the district should remain in good financial health for the next several years. He says that success needs to be maintained through continued good practices by the school board, especially with the variability in state growth approved over the past few sessions.