Due to recent budget cuts, the Rockwood Board of Education (BOE) has approved a tentative plan for numerous cost reductions for the following year as well as methods to increase revenue throughout Rockwood.

One of the ways that Rockwood plans to raise additional funds is by increasing the cost of student parking passes at all four high schools.

“Large parking lots at all four high schools are a wonderful convenience for students, but also have significant costs of plowing, lighting, maintenance, etc.,” Assistant Principal Matt Dieckhaus said.

He continued, “Since buses are provided throughout the district, the BOE has recognized, the additional costs incurred from maintaining our various parking lots, should actually be funded only by those individuals who choose to use them”

In other words, only the students who use the parking lots rather than all the tax payers in the Rockwood district will be charged. The price for a year parking pass now is $100 and that price would increase next year to $180.

Although nothing has been approved yet, there is talk about implying a layaway type payment option based on family hardship and individual circumstances.

“The Rockwood BOE has accepted this (increase in parking pass payments) as one of it’s probable changes for next year,” Dieckhaus said.

“The entire budget process will not be finalized until usually April or May,” he added.

Check back at lhsimage.com for later information.