Student fees at Howard-Winneshiek schools will increase slightly starting next fall.
    Book rentals will increase by $5 to $35 for all grade levels. Band instrument rental fees, including percussion rentals, will increase by $5 to $45. A second instrument rental will also increase by $5, rising to $15.
    Class dues will rise by $3 to $10 for ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students, but will remain the same for the 2009 senior class.
    Yearbook fees will increase by $2 to $42 without a name engraving and to $46 with a name.
    The school district will drop the color guard maintenance fee. Guard members will be responsible for cleaning their own uniforms.
    The Howard-Winneshiek Community School Board approved the student fee changes at their May 19 meeting. They also approved an increase in school hot lunch prices for fiscal year 2009.
    Howard-Winneshiek Superintendent Brian Ney said the increase in hot lunch prices stems from a projected increase in food costs. The Iowa Educator Co-op, which provides food for schools throughout the district, estimated an increase of between 7 and 10 cents for food during fiscal year 2009.
    “If fuel costs continue to go up the 7 to 10 cents isn’t going to cover it,” Ney said.
    Ney urges families who qualify to take advantage of the federal free and reduced lunch program.
    “The school receives more money from the program for meals served to students using the program than we do for students that pay full cost for their meals,” Ney said. “The additional income helps offset food and labor costs and may very well delay future lunch price increases.”
    The program also saves families money, he said.
    For more information about the free and reduced lunch program, parents and students can contact Gayle Wilkinson in the superintendent's office at 563-547-2762.
Other business:
    The Board discussed its plan to begin replacing the Crestwood High School roof during the next year. The $800,000 project will take about four to five years to complete replacement of the entire roof.        
    Ney said they hope to begin replacing one section of the roof this fall. He said  this fall’s construction should not affect students much, since it will be an area covering parts of the gymnasium and cafeteria, and not directly over classrooms.
    “We will be doing our best to minimize student disruption of education,” Ney said.
    The Early Childhood Development Center is nearing completion. Kessel Kids plans to begin holding classes in the new center on June 2. A Grand Opening of the facility is set for 2 p.m. on June 21.
    The School Board is looking into constructing a road leading from the ECDC to the high school. The road would only be open to school vehicles, such as buses. The Board plans to bring the issue to the Cresco City Council during a meeting in the near future.