Panther Valley Superintendent Rosemary Porembo has sent a letter to Gov. Tom Corbett requesting his direction and advice in developing the 2014-2015 budget.

The letter, discussed at Thursday's school board meeting, said the district encouraged cost-saving measures while preserving the fidelity of academic programs. The letter, dated Oct. 30, also said the directors believed that the taxpayers were experiencing shortfalls in their incomes and therefore they did not raise property taxes in the past three years.Instead the board transferred money from reserve funds to balance their budget and preserve programs in the hopes that the state would increase its basic subsidy funding to all school districts. This however, did not occur, and according to the letter the district would be unable to continue to draw from its reserves without cutting programs.Porembo said that while Allentown, Lancaster, Upper Darby, and York received 11 percent, 6.4 percent, 11 percent and 12 percent respective increases to their funding, Panther Valley only received an increase of 1.86 percent.The letter expressed the concern of the board that nonmandatory programs will have to be cut unless more funding is provided to the school district and emphasized that students will have fewer opportunities to develop academically and socially so they can compete in a global workplace and economy.The final passage of the letter asked for the governor's help to mitigate the school funding formula to be more equitable to the neediest school districts, provide mandated relief for cyber school tuition, and provide special education funding relative to a student's disability.Copies of the letter were also sent to Rep. Doyle Heffley and Senators John T. Yudichak and David Argall.Entry kitsThe board of education approved an agreement with the boroughs of Lansford, Summit Hill and Nesquehoning concerning the use and maintenance of three entry kits that the district had purchased. The kits, which can be described as battering rams, would be used to gain entry to the school or a room within the school in the event it is locked off as a result of attack or disaster.The district purchased the kits at its own expense, and had considered mounting them to the outside of the high school, middle school, and elementary school. However, they decided that it would be better to keep them in the police cruisers. The agreement included provisions that the kits be kept in the vehicles of first responders and their maintenance be upheld by the respective boroughs.Another stipulation of the agreement was that the borough would be responsible for paying for any damages as a result of the use of the kits. The board moved to accept the agreement on the provision that the respective boroughs also sign off on it.Distracted drivingHigh School Principal Joseph Gunnels reported that through a collaborative effort with the McCann School of Business, the high school was able to bring in a distracted driving simulator in order to demonstrate the dangers of texting while driving to the juniors and seniors.Superintendent reportPorembo reported that elementary and middle school improvement plans will be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Friday. It includes provisions that provide for teacher training, technology improvements, and student development. The district and high school improvement plans were previously approved by the PDE.According to correspondence provided by a California resident who is an associate of Porembo, the Panther Valley Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) had received national attention by The Associated Press for the memorial service at the Veterans Memorial in Coaldale.