District 73 OKs budget plan

Hawthorn Elementary District 73 will head into the 2011-12 school year with a slight surplus following approval Monday of a financial plan that included cost cuts and methods to increase revenue. The school board unanimously approved the plan, which was months in the making and involved the collaboration of teachers, administrators, residents and others. The measures, which included increased fees and lower-than-agreed-to raises for teachers, resulted in a saving of about $1.5 million. A suggestion to add tuition-based pre-K and full-day kindergarten was not included in the plan approved Monday but will be reviewed further.