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Board Receives Plan for Closing $1.5 to $2 Million Budget Gap
posted, Tue, March 01, 2011 | viewed 1383 times. | print friendly | send to a friend


During the February 28, 2011 meeting, the Hawthorn Board of Education received the formal proposal for closing an estimated $1.5 to $2 million gap in next year’s budget.


The plan, which was researched and developed through the efforts of the volunteer Financial Advisory Task Force, focused on addressing the budget gap while causing the least amount of negative impact for our students and the programs and services we provide for them (“Keep Kids First”).


A key part of the plan was the agreement by Hawthorn staff and Hawthorn Education Association (HEA) members to amend existing contracts, thereby reducing salary increases as well as eliminating some non-teaching positions, such as teacher clerks, health clerks, and lunch-recess supervisors. Union leaders and members agreed to those changes during a vote on February 25. All Hawthorn employees (even those not covered by the union) will also abide by those decisions.


Other components of the plan include raising student fees to align more closely to those of other districts, reducing professional development, reducing paper/color copy costs, reducing Summer Scholars summer school costs, reducing summer school locations, and implementing energy savings programs.


The complete plan is posted on the resource list that follows.


The Board is expected to discuss the proposal during the March 14 Committee of the Whole Meeting, and then vote on the plan later during the Business Meeting that will be held the same evening (7 p.m. on March 14 at Hawthorn District Office, 841 West End Court, Vernon Hills).


More information is outlined on the following documents:



A video of the February 28, 2011 Board Meeting has been posted on the School Board Webpage School Board Webpage.


Thank you to all of the community members, staff members, leaders, administrators and the Board of Education for working together to address this difficult situation while still keeping kids first.



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