Plano hikes school fees, hires principal - The Beacon News - Aurora (IL)

PLANO -- The School Board approved hefty hikes in school fees, hired a new high school principal and began planning for another referendum try at this week's meeting.Registration and book fees were raised from $45 to $100 for high school students, $90 for grades six through eight, $85 for grades one through five and $50 for kindergarten.

The fee had been $45 for all schools.

In addition, high school athletic fees will be $35 per sport.

The cost previously was $10.

There also will be a registration and book fee charge of $50 for the Indian Valley Vocational Center.

A technology fee of $10 will be charged for first through fifth grades, while sixth- through 12th graders will pay $15.

Board members have known for some time that they would have to raise costs to meet their already tight budget.

With the failure of the April referendum and a decision not to cut staff, board members opted to increase school fees.

The increases are expected to generate between $50,000 and $70,000.

Registration packets will be sent to students in mid-June. The board encourages parents to use the mail-in registration in order to keep costs down.

There will be one date set for fall registration, but the goal is to eventually have all registration done by mail.

A late registration fee of $20 also will be charged.

No one on the board could remember the last time school fees were increased, but some teachers suggested the late 1970s. At that time the fees were raised from $40 to $45.

Other increases and additional costs may be seen in specific classes and courses in the high school curriculum, depending on the materials needed.

The new principal of Plano High School is Joseph Spiezio.

He will replace Mike Nadeau, who is leaving to become the first lay principal at Joliet Catholic Academy.

Spiezio has taught for more than 20 years in the Reed-Custer School District in Braidwood.

He attended Illinois State University where he majored in physical education.

This brings a total of three new principals to Plano.

Barry Christopher, principal of P.H. Miller School, and Laurie Walker, principal of Plano Middle School also have resigned.

Christopher is retiring after 33 years in Plano.

Walker will take on the title of superintendent of Leland School District.

Kathryn Klein, an assistant principal from New Lenox, will replace Christopher.

Wayne Czyz, principal of Indian Creek High School, will replace Walker.

Board members also discussed the need to form a committee for the proposed education fund referendum next spring.

Recommendations will be made at the next board meeting.