North Aurora Lions Honor Students

The North Aurora Lions Club on Jan. 23 honored nine students for the community service they performed through their school Leo Clubs, including cleaning the Fox River and raising money to benefit the deaf and blind. Receiving awards were Tina Stengle, West High School; Liz Held, Herget Middle School; Cheyanna Strusz, Herget; Amanda Gaffino, Fearn Elementary School; Lee Welbes, Herget; Caitlin Riley, Jewel Middle School and John Gaffino, Herget. Not pictured were Anne Sweeney, Herget, and Rachel Buck, Jewel.

The School Board on Jan. 8 voted to ask voters for a modest increase in the operating rate limit for the next four years. That temporary increase, plus ongoing belt-tightening (seven administrator positions have been eliminated), will put the Districts finances in order.

 The District 129 operating budget for 2006-07 (excluding Fire Prevention/Safety and Site & Construction funds, and debt service) is $99.9 million. The projected shortfall is estimated to be approximately $1.9 million for the 2008 fiscal year.

There are a number of reasons for the shortfall. However, the primary causes are:

          growing enrollment (more than 5,000 students since 1988) requires more space and higher operating costs for more teachers, buses, computers and other equipment and supplies;

          increases in the cost of employee health care coverage;

          increased energy costs;

          inflation;

          interest rates; and

          insufficient state and federal funding.

To fix this, the Board has placed on the April 17 ballot a request that the extension rate limitation be increased .50% to 3.52739% and held constant for the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 levy years.

This would result in a $167 increase for a home with a fair market value of $100,000.

During the four-year period of the increase, the amount of the additional tax would increase if homes appreciate in value.

District 129 property owners also pay taxes to pay off bonds borrowed for past building constructions.

 Should the increase pass, the School Board intends to:

          balance the budget,

          maintain enough reserves so that the District does not have to borrow money to pay the bills,

          have enough operating revenue to:

           handle expected growth in student enrollment (more than 180 per year for the next several years);

           implement Vision 129, which includes a plan to improve teaching and learning;

           improve safety and security; and

           perform routine maintenance.

Washington celebrated its annual Grandparents breakfast. Students enjoyed breakfast with their grandparents, who were entertained by the Early Morning Choir.

A Washington eight-grade artist proudly displays her artwork at the Aurora Public Art Commission Building during the annual Winter Garden of Youth Art.