Nye County students can start planning their summer vacation fun now that the school board has approved the starting and ending dates for the 2008-09 school year.

The school doors will swing open on Aug. 25, 2008 and that glorious academic respite known as summer vacation will begin on June 4, 2009.

The board will decide on vacation periods such as Spring Break at a future meeting where several options will be presented to them.

In other school district matters, the board approved accepting bids to upgrade the district's telecommunication infrastructure.

The district receives a discount on telecommunications services through the "E-rate" program, which is funded by fees paid by telecommunications companies.

For the 2008-09 year, the district has possibly increased its eligibility in the program to qualify for the "infrastructure" service category.

If that category is approved, the district will be responsible for paying only 17 cents of every dollar spent on infrastructure improvements.

The bottom line: $2,565,211 worth of upgrades can be completed for only $436,086, funded from the 2007 bond initiative.

The district's transportation facility will soon be undergoing several improvements including a general expansion of the premises, a new fueling station, and an additional building pad for the maintenance and operations department on the transportation site now that the board has accepted a bid from B & H Construction, of Henderson, to complete the project.

B & H Construction was the only company to submit a bid for the project, which including alternate costs was for $1,508,500.

Taking into account additional costs not included in the bid, such as paving a portion of Woodchips Road the transportation facility is located on and surveying, the total cost of the project is approximately $1,800,000.

It will be funded using money from the 2007 bond initiative and was included in the budget.

Daniel C. McArthur, Ltd. was appointed by the board to conduct the 2008 independent audit for the school district.