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Post by admin on Mar 2, 2006 21:45:30 GMT -6
A friend from Tallgrass just called me on the phone and gave me the update:
Can anyone verify?
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Post by doctorwho on Mar 2, 2006 22:21:10 GMT -6
A friend from Tallgrass just called me on the phone and gave me the update: Can anyone verify? so it seems the new mantra will be the tax rates - really great since we are being compared to school districts that have been built out for decades and haven't built a school since the maybe the 70's-- but why compare apples with apples when you can get more reaction from apples and oranges -- |
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Post by soxfan on Mar 2, 2006 22:25:50 GMT -6
I know that district pretty well as we almost moved there. The reason we didn't was they didn't have a very good gifted program at the elementary level. It was fabulous at the middle/high school level. We came to 204 for the gifted program. Initially we wanted 203 because they had a magnet type gifted school but couldn't find a house there...
They were all too groovy...
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Post by momthreekids on Mar 2, 2006 22:28:01 GMT -6
I do think the tax difference b/t the two districts is a big deal. The 2 districts rate about the same, so why not go to 203? It will be cheaper.
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Post by soxfan on Mar 2, 2006 22:31:53 GMT -6
I do think the tax difference b/t the two districts is a big deal. The 2 districts rate about the same, so why not go to 203? It will be cheaper. momthreekids, You are right. It would be cheaper from a tax perspective from what we heard tonight. I wish I would have looked further into moving there. Smaller house, smaller tax bill, higher test scores, no fighting over North vs South, at buildout, etc. |
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Post by momthreekids on Mar 2, 2006 22:37:31 GMT -6
Information needed
before referendum
As a District 204 taxpayer, I am struggling with the upcoming referendum. I own an average ($400,000) home. If passed, this referendum will put me on the hook for about $5,000 worth of debt.
I applaud the board for finding a creative financing option that minimizes the short term impact. However, I am concerned that my property taxes will perpetually be about $1,000 more than a similar District 203 house.
I am not convinced all options have been explored. The additional 800 students at the high school and the additional 200 students at the middle school that will show up in the next three years are evident. However, more than this is not obvious.
First grade classes have been constant for the last five years. Year to year class growth is almost nonexistent. Growth from development of Sector G appears more likely to just sustain the total student population rather than actually increase it. Why build for 3000 when only 1000 may be coming to the party?
I do not support split shifts as a solution to overcrowding, but also do not think this is the only alternative. If one is planning for a smaller and perhaps more realistic student population increase, additions to Scullen, NV Gold and NV main could provide the necessary seats on time, if placed on the fall 2006 ballot.
I have read of the debits of a mega high school. How different is Neuqua Valley High School with additions at 5000 than Neuqua at 4200 with successful passage of the referendum? Since the only possible response now is either a yes or a no, I am hoping that the board will help provide me the information needed to make a truly informed decision."
Thomas Bartos Naperville
02/23/06
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Post by charmant on Mar 2, 2006 22:37:39 GMT -6
I know that district pretty well as we almost moved there. The reason we didn't was they didn't have a very good gifted program at the elementary level. It was fabulous at the middle/high school level. We came to 204 for the gifted program. Initially we wanted 203 because they had a magnet type gifted school but couldn't find a house there... They were all too groovy... sox...just curious,,, was it the 'house look' or the gifted program at the ES level??? Do you believe that a gifted program at the ES level is way more important than the MS and HS level??? |
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Post by momthreekids on Mar 2, 2006 22:38:19 GMT -6
Soxfan, I feel the same way.
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Post by momof3 on Mar 2, 2006 22:43:50 GMT -6
The grass is always greener...
If we were in district 203 we would be ranting about the $24 million in overcollections that should be returned to us and wondering how we were going to get the money to fix the aging infrastructure.
Space odyssey just beginning for District 203; Central among schools with glaring facilities needs
Naperville Sun, The (IL)
November 16, 2005
Author: Tim Waldorf
Estimated printed pages: 3
If a door doesn't work, you replace it, and you typically know how much that's going to cost.
But if a school or a classroom on the other side of that door doesn't work -- if the space doesn't facilitate learning like it should -- the solutions aren't as simple as replacing it. Consequently, determining the cost of improving that facility is far more difficult to figure.
Naperville School District 203 doesn't know how it will solve the program delivery problems in its schools, not to mention how much those solutions will cost. It doesn't even know which issues will be addressed.
At this point in the district's master facility plan, it only knows the ways in which the 2.2 million square feet of facilities it maintains aren't functioning optimally.
That's what the educational impediments survey, released Monday, says.
HIGH SCHOOLS
Both Naperville Central and Naperville North high schools need 13 additional classrooms and more space for small-group instruction, special education, offices and storage. They also need more space to accommodate physical-education and athletic programs. Parking is a problem at Central, and traffic congestion is troublesome at North.
However, North doesn't present nearly the number of problems for the district that Central does.
Multiple additions to Central have resulted in no clear circulation or organizational plan. Long, crowded corridors have made passing periods chaotic. Splintered departments have led to operational and educational challenges. The cafeterias are basically corridors, and they're separated from the kitchen. And many classrooms, especially the school's science labs, are considered "poor quality spaces."
Central's problems are so extensive consultants suggested the district consider completely remodeling it, replacing a portion of it and remodeling the rest; or replacing it entirely.
"Before you do anything, you really want to make sure you've studied the options before you invest money in it," said Ted Rozeboom, an architect consulting for the district.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
Three of the district's five junior high facilities need a third area to accommodate large groups. However, they, too, need more small-group instruction space.
Also, adding a few all-weather running tracks to key junior high sites would help accommodate the boom in track and field participation. More than 1,000 junior high-schoolers participate in track and field programs, and they compete for time at remote locations or at the two high schools.
Lincoln Junior High rivals Naperville Central has one of the most deficient instructional facilities in the district. It was built to handle kindergarten through eighth grades, but now it houses only sixth to eighth grades. Consequently, it now operates under a teaching model it wasn't design to handle: a middle-school approach emphasizing interdisciplinary instruction.
"It is very difficult to make a building designed for that age level a legitimate junior high school without a great deal of effort," Rozeboom said.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Like the junior highs, the elementary schools need more space for large groups. Many of the district's elementary schools have just one gymnasium or multipurpose room. Principals struggle to juggle physical-education programs, lunch hours and music and performing arts events that have to be held in the school's one large room.
Many of the schools also need more small-group instruction space to accommodate special education, English language learners, and music and technology programs. The district must also define and locate new and growing programs, such as hot-lunch services and special education, or even all-day kindergarten and early-childhood development offerings.
Mill Street is the most problematic elementary site. It was built to handle four sections each of kindergarten to fifth grade, but it is housing as many as six. It needs to be expanded.
Page: 8
Index Terms: NEWS
Copyright, 2005, The Naperville Sun. All rights reserved.
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Post by doctorwho on Mar 2, 2006 22:45:15 GMT -6
Plainfield district tax reat was 5.0 in 2002 ( latest info I can find so far) and is the only district even close to 204 in building -- 204 has been one of the fastest growing school districts not only in Illinois but the country -- all the schools for everyone who has moved here over the past 15 -20 years have been a burden, what was the alternative - I guess we could have said no and had a 10,000 student HS.
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Post by momthreekids on Mar 2, 2006 22:48:50 GMT -6
At this point I rather be in an old school that is still going to give my child a good education. The building is not the issue, it is the education. If it is cheaper and same level of education I think I might want to be in 203. At least their district is not in debt. Maybe with that extra money they can fix their buildings.
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Post by soxfan on Mar 2, 2006 22:50:13 GMT -6
I know that district pretty well as we almost moved there. The reason we didn't was they didn't have a very good gifted program at the elementary level. It was fabulous at the middle/high school level. We came to 204 for the gifted program. Initially we wanted 203 because they had a magnet type gifted school but couldn't find a house there... They were all too groovy... sox...just curious,,, was it the 'house look' or the gifted program at the ES level??? Do you believe that a gifted program at the ES level is way more important than the MS and HS level??? In our case we had a child that was way ahead in terms of curriculum and St. Charles was not a good fit. Even the head of curriculum of 303 stated they would not be able to accomodate my child at the elementary level. In our previous community my child was in a magnet classroom in and was 2-3 years ahead of the typical curriculum for her grade level. 203 had a similar magnet type classroom. We finally decided on 204 because we got a bigger bang for our buck on a house (we like new construction). We thought they also had a good PA program here. I think in retrospect, it might have been a mistake not looking further into 203. She's getting a great education here in 204 but I do find 203 appealing for many reasons. Many of which I mentioned in my above post. In my opinion gifted education needs to begin in ES. Identification was made at the 2nd grade level in our old district and screening included an actual IQ test. The magnet class had only 14 kids in it (2 grades together) and had a curriculum tailored to meet the needs of these kids. It was great! The problem was the high school district didn't have the curriculum for these kids as the magnet was a pilot at the elementary level. So when these kids got to high school there was no plan in place for thier continued education. We had to move. |
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Post by soxfan on Mar 2, 2006 22:51:27 GMT -6
actually in fairness there was a district (303 I think St. Charles) that was still in a major growth trend that was considerably lower than 204. They've recently built a brand new beautiful high school and had a pretty serious mold problem in the older high school. I also heard they are building a third high school. are they really forthekids? Have you seen their newest school? It's awesome. My best friend from elementary school lives across the street from it. It's so cool. I can't believe it's already too crowded. |
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Post by doctorwho on Mar 2, 2006 22:53:23 GMT -6
At this point I rather be in an old school that is still going to give my child a good education. The building is not the issue, it is the education. If it is cheaper and same level of education I think I might want to be in 203. At least their district is not in debt. Maybe with that extra money they can fix their buildings. But if your same house costs more $ to buy in 203, how is it cheaper ? And amazing that the SB who overtaxed their constituents and then doesn;t refund the money would be looked at now as 'not being in debt'. If 204 SB had done that groups here would have then in Guantameno prison ! |
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Post by momthreekids on Mar 2, 2006 22:55:18 GMT -6
You are probably right, but their problems do not look so bad from where I am sitting.
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