Algonquin Formally OK's New Truancy Ordinance

The Algonquin Village Board this week gave formal approval to a new truancy law for the Village.  The measure was less to solve a Village problem than to accommodate District 300 plans to have consistent policies across its schools.  Carpentersville passed a rule last year that reduced truancy at Dundee-Crown High school and D300's Leadership Council asked for a similar one to cover Jacobs.

The new Algonquin ordinance calls for a $75 student fine on the first offense and $150 each for students and parents on the second.   In earlier argument Trustee Brian Dianis worried about justifiable absences for things like "Take Your Child to Work Day" but Algonquin PD Chief Russ Laine said that wasn't what the ordinance was for.  Laine said the measure was aimed at chronic truants and D300 officials would figure out who those were.  Algonquin PD's involvement would merely be for  School Resource Officer Dennis Walker to issue the citation.

D300 Director of Communications Allison Strupek said similar ordinances were being considered in other villages in the district.

Separately, the Board appointed banker Dave Ward to the Village's Economic Development Commission and artist Jenny Browe-Ullery, jeweler Andrew Loyd and insurance exec Sara Foster to the Village's Public Arts Commission.