The Pella School Board approved a resolution for budget reductions for the next fiscal year at their meeting on Monday. The district will reduce the general fund by nearly $900,000. Superintendent Greg Ebeling says much of that savings will come through retirements, and how many jobs will ultimately be involuntarily lost will be determined by the upcoming contract process and the number of in-district transfers to fill openings.

The vote was not unanimous — Travis Thompson was opposed, primarily over concerns that the district was cutting French in-person programming and keeping the Pella Dutch Live video stream, which cost the general fund roughly the same amount. Ebeling was asked to pursue different funding streams for the video stream moving forward — and was at last week’s work session.

Also on the agenda was approval of the 2025-26 academic calendar, the first reading of changes to the 400 series of district policies, contract completion for two projects at the Early Childhood Center, and new early parent teacher conferences for elementary students with a “meet-the-teacher” focus.