Panther Valley School District started the year with no hitches, but adequate funding from the state remains an issue, Superintendent David McAndrew Jr. reported to school board members Wednesday.

“I think it’s been a fantastic start to school. I’m so proud of all my principals and administrators,” he said. “Going down the high school and walking the halls this year, it’s a noticeable change in the way the students are behaving.

“I applaud everybody in the district for working hard and getting us where we need to be,” McAndrew said.

But the district still is waiting for the state to come up with a funding formula that is fair to poorer districts, such as Panther Valley, he said.

Earlier this year, the Commonwealth Court ruled the state’s funding formula unconstitutional, putting students in poor districts at a disadvantage.

McAndrew told the board he testified before the Basic Education Funding Commission in Harrisburg last week, again stating that time was of the essence for adequate funding for Panther Valley students.

“We need our legislators to make this a priority,” he said. “Our own Sen. (Dave) Argall sits on that commission. It’s something that I think we to continue to put pressure on.

“They need to understand that the lawsuit is over. The school districts have won, and it’s time to fix the problem,” McAndrew said.

The superintendent also reported meeting with students, who raised some issues regarding some new rules put in place within the schools.

“It was a very productive meeting with students,” McAndrew said. “I think Mrs. Ebbert did a fantastic job and we came to a lot of middle ground.”

After the board meeting, McAndrew said the district put in a no backpack rule, which administrators explained that it’s really common practice in school these days.

Other rules involve cellphone use, McAndrew said. The district has a red, green yellow color code regarding cellphones usage, he said.

“Red, you’re absolutely not allowed a cellphone,” he said. “Green, from the cafeteria, sure you can have your cellphone, and yellow, when you’re done with your work, you may have your cellphone.

“We tried to meet them halfway,” McAndrew said, noting that the district is still trying to return to pre-COVID practices.