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| Abingdon School Board Approves New Fees, Fee Increases |
The District 217 School Board's latest move to try to make up for an expected shortfall in state education spending next fiscal year is an increase in certain fees that will affect students in all three of the district's schools.
The board last moth voted to approve around $570,000 in reductions, including the dismissal of eight teachers and 23 non-certified staff members and numerous other cuts to try to offset an anticipated loss of more than $600,000 in state money.
Abingdon board members Wednesday night approved with a 5-1 vote raising over a dozen fees or creating new ones. The lone no vote was cast by board president Jim Bloomberg, who expressed concern that students from low-income families would be burdened even more.
The increases include a fee of $40 per sport for high school students - which is $15 more - and $30 for middle school students. That's an additional $10. The district will also charge a new $40 band instrument rental fee, hike the cost of a parking pass from $5 to $10 and add on a $10 enrollment fee.
Superintendent Dr. Tami Roskamp says there will also be a slight increase for books. "Compared to other districts ours are $30 at the elementary (school), $40 at the middle school and $60 at the high school," Roskamp said. "We just added $5 to them for our increase."
Board member Sherry Lomax says there will be ways for families who might not be able to afford the higher fees to get them taken care of through the athletic boosters or other groups.
The board also approved additions to the district's budget reduction plan. The latest reductions are three special education and one pre-kindergarten bus drivers, two special education bus monitor positions and the high school varsity softball coach.
Board members last month approved moving forward with a reorganization effort with the Avon and Bushnell-Prairie City school districts and to start a Committee of Ten. The board followed that Wednesday night by signing off on the four committee members from Abingdon District 217. Two are current board members: Bonnie Froelich and Sherry Lomax, along with former board member Todd Thompson and former superintendent Dr. Magie Stuart.
The district has an application on its website for anyone interested in being a member of a subcommittee. |
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| 04 15 10 by Newsroom |
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