Perceived v. real differences - HS

[casey]

Given the fact that I now have 2 kids at 2 different high schools, I promised that I would stay on top of differences/inequities between the two.

Well, here goes......now granted none of these are major differences but given the fact that we are supposedly one united district, I'd think in light of the current the situation, administrators would be doing all they could to keep things even- steven....

The first one is fall sports sign-up. I was able to complete the NV one on-line. My daughter will show up to the first day of practice with her physical, steroid form, and her check and she's good to go. No reason I need to go in. As for Waubonsie, I must go there in person tomorrow between 8-noon. To be honest, I'm glad as I want to meet the coaches, hear a little about the program, see the school, etc. but why is it a different procedure for WV? I'd think most WV returning athletes would much rather do it on-line than actually go in. I hope that WV can change that for next year.

The other difference is advisory period. Why is NV continuing it and WV is not doing it at all? I think that the decision should be universal. All three high schools should be doing it or not doing it.

The last one is the schedules. Yesterday my daughter's schedule from NV came in the mail but no dice for my WV daughter. She has to wait until next week at sophomore orientation. These kids want their schedules too. Can't the district just mail them all (or give me a way to get it on-line through my daughter's student ID number). My daughter got a lot of texts from her NV friends trying to compare schedules (forgetting that my daughter will be switching to WV). Heck, with all the exceptions being granted, there's not reason her friends wouldn't think that she wasn't staying at NV .

Oh, and I almost forgot, does anyone know if WV is offering a new AP Human Geography class? It was a new one at NV last year and I don't see it listed at Waubonsie.

I'm sure there will be plenty more differences. I simply wanted to put these out there. Again, I hope our District administrators are working hard to ensure equity across the district.

[casey]

I moved this post from "In the News" to "Schools".

[moneypit]

My daughter commented on the lack of advisory also. You would think this year in particular it would be beneficial for the incoming sophomores. What sport is she in Casey?

[sardines]

Aug 7, 2009 9:35:57 GMT -6 casey said:

Given the fact that I now have 2 kids at 2 different high schools, I promised that I would stay on top of differences/inequities between the two.

Well, here goes......now granted none of these are major differences but given the fact that we are supposedly one united district, I'd think in light of the current the situation, administrators would be doing all they could to keep things even- steven....

The first one is fall sports sign-up. I was able to complete the NV one on-line. My daughter will show up to the first day of practice with her physical, steroid form, and her check and she's good to go. No reason I need to go in. As for Waubonsie, I must go there in person tomorrow between 8-noon. To be honest, I'm glad as I want to meet the coaches, hear a little about the program, see the school, etc. but why is it a different procedure for WV? I'd think most WV returning athletes would much rather do it on-line than actually go in. I hope that WV can change that for next year.

The other difference is advisory period. Why is NV continuing it and WV is not doing it at all? I think that the decision should be universal. All three high schools should be doing it or not doing it.

The last one is the schedules. Yesterday my daughter's schedule from NV came in the mail but no dice for my WV daughter. She has to wait until next week at sophomore orientation. These kids want their schedules too. Can't the district just mail them all (or give me a way to get it on-line through my daughter's student ID number). My daughter got a lot of texts from her NV friends trying to compare schedules (forgetting that my daughter will be switching to WV). Heck, with all the exceptions being granted, there's not reason her friends wouldn't think that she wasn't staying at NV .

Oh, and I almost forgot, does anyone know if WV is offering a new AP Human Geography class? It was a new one at NV last year and I don't see it listed at Waubonsie.

I'm sure there will be plenty more differences. I simply wanted to put these out there. Again, I hope our District administrators are working hard to ensure equity across the district.

Hi Casey,
WV is definitely offerring the AP Human Geography class (it's #4915, my kid is taking it). It's listed under Social Studies courses but I noticed they haven't added it to the blurb in the beginning of the handbook that lists all of the honors/AP classes yet.
WV did away with the advisory class last year. It was deemed as somewhat of a "time waster" by the staff. My kid actually agreed.Sometimes they would do homework, other times the kids would just visit until the bell rang. I am also surprised this is not universal. Metea doesn't have it either.

I think the in person WV sports registration had something to do with equipment dispersal/check out with parent signatures and communicating missing forms on the spot. They also work it with the boosters as they offer a table for memberships, spirit wear, and Pig Roast ticket sign ups.

I agree with the schedule thing....I don't know what's taking so long. I think we had them quite a bit earlier in the past.
Aside from the fact that it's just plain wrong in respect to procedure, I'm personally okay with the folks staying where they are if they feel that strongly about not going to WV. We love WV and I don't want any "Debbie Downers" complaining their entire stay . Life's too short to waste time on negativity.

[casey]

Thanks for your response, Sardines. I agree with your comment about the "Debbie Downers". Those that know me, know that that is far from my personality. It is only those who read my criticisms of our SB that might apply that name to me. IMO, I call a spade a spade. I am not afraid to spell things out and am not afraid of controversy. I will stand up for what I believe is right.

I agree with your comment about life is too short to waste time on negativity. That's why I have moved on with regard to the whole NV v. WV thing. My children will be fine at either high school. I don't like the fact that my daughter (class of 2012) was forced to switch high schools, I don't like the fact that my kids will be at 2 different high schools, I don't like the fact that I will drive by NV to pick my kid up at WV, I don't like a long bus ride for my kid, I don't like the fact that my kid will be at a severely overcrowded Waubonsie this year.....but you know what? It is what it is. My daughters have never heard me say one bad thing about Waubonsie and they never will. We are embracing the new opportunity. I will be a happy Waubonsie parent.

At this point, I'm only hoping that my elementary child will stay at the same high school for all 4 years! I will absolutely lose it if WV closes and those kids are forced to move back to a crowded NV. Sad to say, but I do think that is quite probable given our current situation (lower enrollment, terrible economy, poor financial picture of our SD, etc.). I am definitely not a happy 204 parent. I wish I could pack up and move out.

[kidsfirst]

Aug 7, 2009 9:46:58 GMT -6 moneypit said:

My daughter commented on the lack of advisory also. You would think this year in particular it would be beneficial for the incoming sophomores. What sport is she in Casey?

I just noticed the difference in the bell schedules between the two schools. NV's main campus schedule is bizarre. They don't have third period three times a week! I'm assuming this is the advisory period anyway--I don't have an upperclassman--if not, I would be appaulled. The main campus has a different schedule for Mondays and Fridays, another one for Wednesdays and a third schedule for Tuesdays and Thursdays.

One good thing about WV is that they have the 8 periods instead of 9. That advisory class is only a social waste of time anyway. I would rather have my kids spend more minutes on the subjects that really count. And with WV, the periods are shortened on the "Weird Wednesdays" instead of just cutting out third period all together. If I'm reading this correctly, my NV freshman daughter will only be having 4 Spanish classes a week all year.

[casey]

Curious why the dress code isn't as strictly enforced at WV as it is at NV? SHORT shorts, skinny tanks, etc. are the norm at Waubonsie. My daughter tells me there's no way many of the clothes would have passed the dress code at Neuqua. They would need to cover up or change into their gym clothes. IMO, if you're going to have a dress code - enforce it.

Also, does anyone else think it's right that the WV freshmen are eating in entryway (by the Administration entrance). I honestly can't imagine in a million years that NV would set up tables in the rotunda for students to eat. FWIW, my daughter said many of the freshmen are "sneaking in" the main cafeteria. I can't say that I blame them - they're supposed to eat food off a cart and sit in the lobby at 9:15 in the morning. Needless to say, it's crowded.

Here's my last beef, why does Principal Bob McBride send out a wonderful newsletter (maybe not a ton of information in it but it's still nice and serves as a little PR work) but I've yet to receive ANYTHING from the WV principal. I think that maybe I got one robo call the day before school but that's it. I think KM is missing a big opportunity to do a little self-promotion/PR for all the great things going on at WV. In addition, it'd be nice to get the Student Handbook Important Calendar Dates that NV put out.

Here's what Bob sent out last week:

Dear Neuqua Valley Parents and Guardians:

We have had a great start to the school year! Please take a moment to read or download my first Principal’s Newsletter for the school year. It contains important information about the year ahead. For example, it discusses our professional development work on Wednesday mornings and our new bell schedules. You can access my newsletter through the NVHS web site (http://nvhs.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx?id=341) or by clicking on the link below:

nvhs.ipsd.org/uploads/principal_newsletter/NeuquaValley_August09_Newsletter_s.pdf

[doctorwho]

Aug 27, 2009 6:12:26 GMT -6 casey said:

Curious why the dress code isn't as strictly enforced at WV as it is at NV? SHORT shorts, skinny tanks, etc. are the norm at Waubonsie. My daughter tells me there's no way many of the clothes would have passed the dress code at Neuqua. They would need to cover up or change into their gym clothes. IMO, if you're going to have a dress code - enforce it.

Also, does anyone else think it's right that the WV freshmen are eating in entryway (by the Administration entrance). I honestly can't imagine in a million years that NV would set up tables in the rotunda for students to eat. FWIW, my daughter said many of the freshmen are "sneaking in" the main cafeteria. I can't say that I blame them - they're supposed to eat food off a cart and sit in the lobby at 9:15 in the morning. Needless to say, it's crowded.

Here's my last beef, why does Principal Bob McBride send out a wonderful newsletter (maybe not a ton of information in it but it's still nice and serves as a little PR work) but I've yet to receive ANYTHING from the WV principal. I think that maybe I got one robo call the day before school but that's it. I think KM is missing a big opportunity to do a little self-promotion/PR for all the great things going on at WV. In addition, it'd be nice to get the Student Handbook Important Calendar Dates that NV put out.

Here's what Bob sent out last week:

Dear Neuqua Valley Parents and Guardians:

We have had a great start to the school year! Please take a moment to read or download my first Principal’s Newsletter for the school year. It contains important information about the year ahead. For example, it discusses our professional development work on Wednesday mornings and our new bell schedules. You can access my newsletter through the NVHS web site (http://nvhs.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx?id=341) or by clicking on the link below:

nvhs.ipsd.org/uploads/principal_newsletter/NeuquaValley_August09_Newsletter_s.pdf

regarding dress code and newsletter - can someone @ Metea chime in re: is this being done there ? Hoping this just isn't admin laziness -- as that existed once there but I thought was gone when a certain principal retired.

Again, consistency across the 3 schools is what needs to occur

[anteater]

I wish NV would discontinue advisory as well. I think it can be particularly useful for the freshmen, and perhaps the sophomores as well, as a previous poster indicated. They have a good curriculum for all four years of advisory but it was my experience that individual teachers tend not to follow it. My son, who graduated last year, was in a section with a lot of athletes and one of their popular ways to spend advisory was to have Game Boy tournaments. When I mentioned this to an administrator, they assured me that such a thing was not possible.

[warriordiva]

Aug 27, 2009 6:12:26 GMT -6 casey said:

Curious why the dress code isn't as strictly enforced at WV as it is at NV? SHORT shorts, skinny tanks, etc. are the norm at Waubonsie. My daughter tells me there's no way many of the clothes would have passed the dress code at Neuqua. They would need to cover up or change into their gym clothes. IMO, if you're going to have a dress code - enforce it.

Also, does anyone else think it's right that the WV freshmen are eating in entryway (by the Administration entrance). I honestly can't imagine in a million years that NV would set up tables in the rotunda for students to eat. FWIW, my daughter said many of the freshmen are "sneaking in" the main cafeteria. I can't say that I blame them - they're supposed to eat food off a cart and sit in the lobby at 9:15 in the morning. Needless to say, it's crowded.

Here's my last beef, why does Principal Bob McBride send out a wonderful newsletter (maybe not a ton of information in it but it's still nice and serves as a little PR work) but I've yet to receive ANYTHING from the WV principal. I think that maybe I got one robo call the day before school but that's it. I think KM is missing a big opportunity to do a little self-promotion/PR for all the great things going on at WV. In addition, it'd be nice to get the Student Handbook Important Calendar Dates that NV put out.

Here's what Bob sent out last week:

Dear Neuqua Valley Parents and Guardians:

We have had a great start to the school year! Please take a moment to read or download my first Principal’s Newsletter for the school year. It contains important information about the year ahead. For example, it discusses our professional development work on Wednesday mornings and our new bell schedules. You can access my newsletter through the NVHS web site (http://nvhs.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx?id=341) or by clicking on the link below:

nvhs.ipsd.org/uploads/principal_newsletter/NeuquaValley_August09_Newsletter_s.pdf

I'm fairly certain I will get grief for this - but Casey - is there anything at all you like about Waubonsie?

[casey]

Aug 27, 2009 9:06:37 GMT -6 warriordiva said:

I'm fairly certain I will get grief for this - but Casey - is there anything at all you like about Waubonsie?

You're darn right you're going to get grief for this! I have not said one bad thing about WV ever! I have merely pointed out the inequities between the two schools. Does that make it wrong? Does that mean that I have nothing good to say about WV? Does that make me a bad person? No.

It's no secret that I think moving the class of 2012 was wrong, it's no secret that I think splitting siblings was wrong, it's no secret that I'm annoyed at the MANY crazy exceptions that were granted and it's no secret that I think Waubonsie is way overcrowded. I'm not going to stand here as the poster-child for the "new Waubonsie" (the SB's words not mine) and serve as a district cheerleader "yay! yay! yay!". Fact is the schools are not equal and never will be. I will continue to post what I see as the differences because it appears to be plenty.

Are there things that are good about Waubonsie? Of course there are. Ask anyone who's been there and wants to stay (especially those poor families that were forced to leave to MV). I'm too new to the school to say much but my daughter has a new team with coaches and kids that she loves. The class sizes are much smaller and overall there are considerably less kids in the class of 2012 (probably only 650ish). She's got some fantastic kids in her classes. She's got some very strong teachers at Waubonsie. I'm glad that there is more social/racial/economic diversity at WV. Many kids around Naperville/Aurora can use a good dose of reality.

That being said though, unfortunately, I think many of the kids have already been poisoned by others' opinions of our TG neighborhood. Some kids make judgments without knowing a thing. My daughter met a new friend and when the girl asked where she lives and when my daughter replied "Tall Grass" the girl said "oh, you live in a mansion!". My daughter asked where she lived and her comment was "the ghetto!" I'm not making this up! My kid's comment was "Mom, what do you say to that?" It's sad that's for sure. I don't want my kid to be judged because of where she lives. That's simply not right. I've done everything I can to teach my child to be a good person and she should not be vilified because she's from the Tall Grass neighborhood.

Warriordiva, I'm sure you can add your own list of what's good about Waubonsie but I can't help but feel that you crucify me for stating the inequities. I will continue to do so and I happen to know there are many that are glad that I do. I refuse to lay down and keep my mouth shut and act like everything is great and even-steven between the two. If they wanted that to happen, then the Admin should have had enough smarts to grant sibling exceptions and then they would not have the likes of me making comparisons. And guess what? They'll get to hear the comparisons for the next two years ;D.

[doctorwho]

Aug 27, 2009 11:08:28 GMT -6 casey said:

Aug 27, 2009 9:06:37 GMT -6 warriordiva said:

I'm fairly certain I will get grief for this - but Casey - is there anything at all you like about Waubonsie?

You're darn right you're going to get grief for this! I have not said one bad thing about WV ever! I have merely pointed out the inequities between the two schools. Does that make it wrong? Does that mean that I have nothing good to say about WV? Does that make me a bad person? No.

It's no secret that I think moving the class of 2012 was wrong, it's no secret that I think splitting siblings was wrong, it's no secret that I'm annoyed at the MANY crazy exceptions that were granted and it's no secret that I think Waubonsie is way overcrowded. I'm not going to stand here as the poster-child for the "new Waubonsie" (the SB's words not mine) and serve as a district cheerleader "yay! yay! yay!". Fact is the schools are not equal and never will be. I will continue to post what I see as the differences because it appears to be plenty.

Are there things that are good about Waubonsie? Of course there are. Ask anyone who's been there and wants to stay (especially those poor families that were forced to leave to MV). I'm too new to the school to say much but my daughter has a new team with coaches and kids that she loves. The class sizes are much smaller and overall there are considerably less kids in the class of 2012 (probably only 650ish). She's got some fantastic kids in her classes. She's got some very strong teachers at Waubonsie. I'm glad that there is more social/racial/economic diversity at WV. Many kids around Naperville/Aurora can use a good dose of reality.

That being said though, unfortunately, I think many of the kids have already been poisoned by others' opinions of our TG neighborhood. Some kids make judgments without knowing a thing. My daughter met a new friend and when the girl asked where she lives and when my daughter replied "Tall Grass" the girl said "oh, you live in a mansion!". My daughter asked where she lived and her comment was "the ghetto!" I'm not making this up! My kid's comment was "Mom, what do you say to that?" It's sad that's for sure. I don't want my kid to be judged because of where she lives. That's simply not right. I've done everything I can to teach my child to be a good person and she should not be vilified because she's from the Tall Grass neighborhood.

Warriordiva, I'm sure you can add your own list of what's good about Waubonsie but I can't help but feel that you crucify me for stating the inequities. I will continue to do so and I happen to know there are many that are glad that I do. I refuse to lay down and keep my mouth shut and act like everything is great and even-steven between the two. If they wanted that to happen, then the Admin should have had enough smarts to grant sibling exceptions and then they would not have the likes of me making comparisons. And guess what? They'll get to hear the comparisons for the next two years ;D.

OK- I've stood on the sidelines a bit on this because as everyone knows I will always be a Warrior Dad. I enjoyed our time @ Waubonsie and met some great people while there- still friends with many parents etc.-- however we were also a vocal group @ the time.
Let's not confuse being vocal and asking for equity as being negative. I know there are members of your Sb that use this ploy and want everyone to think that is the case.
as much as I loved WVHS as did my daughter - the kids and parents involved were also aware of inequities between the schools- and it was more than the nice brick on the outside of the bulding. Offerings are NOT the same and even acknowldged now is the fact that certain classes were taught at different levels which they hope to have fixed by 2012. Whether it be the lack of comparable weight room facilities, quality of some booster merchandise, pools , bathroom facilities or whatever you choose to focus on let's not stick our heads in the sand and pretend it is the same- it is not. If everyone continued to do this the one large infusion of cash to spruce up a then 25 year old facility would never have happened.
There is nothing wing with taking the 'best' of the 2 schools and copying that - or trying to for the other so that they ( and now a 3rd facility) provide equal experiences for kids and parents who pay for all the schools, not just the one they attend.
If a form of communication is better @ one than the other - why not replicate that ? If the money is being allotted to upgrade a sports/extra curricular actvty item- why not equal them out ? Defensiveness over the WVHS bashing does nothing to help eradicate the differences that do exist. Why not work with those who have already had something that may be better to bring that home to WVHS ? Sometimes some of the WVHS bashing comes from those actually there- not from outside...something I also find reprehensible.

As you well know WVHS is where we planned for the last 15 years to send my youngest child also- however that was stolen from us by a lot of BS and made up crap to get insane boundaries and a 3rd HS placement as far from where it should be as possible. Howeer understand, if I am many of my friends were there - we'd also be working to level the playing field ( like was told to us by the then booster club president at orientation 2 years ago )- but I guess it was OK for him to say it, but not for newcomers to point out the same things as they join the warrior parent ranks.

Do not mistake drive to make things better with negativism - they are completely separate views.

Casey, I hope you and others continue to push to raise the level of whatever you focus on at WVHS if there is a need to do so...only then will the comparisons maybe top some time in the future. The school deserves better and people who will fight for it.

[casey]

The silence is deafening. I'm still waiting to hear back from warriordiva. No word?

[ostirpac]

I have been a Warrior parent now for six years. Have had a great experience (two years to go - I do think the school misses Mr Schmidt).
I think an illustration of a difference is in this article -
__________________________________________________
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/sports/highschools/1737525,6_2_NA27_SOCCNTBK_S1-090827.article

Waubonsie's field may not be ready in time
Host hopes sod takes for Best of West tourney
August 27, 2009By EDDIE BURNS For The Sun
Since the thaw from last season's exceptionally cold winter, there have been drainage problems at Waubonsie Valley's varsity soccer stadium.

It impacted the girls team to the point where they were limited to a handful of home matches in the spring and the problems have lingered into the boys season, forcing the team to play its first two home matches on its practice field -- which is shorter and narrower than a normal varsity soccer field.

Now, the varsity field's condition might affect the Best of the West Tournament because the Warriors are replacing Naperville Central as one of the host sites in the tournament due to construction at Central.

"We had a quagmire out there last spring," Waubonsie athletic director Mike Rogowski said.

So plans were made to improve the drainage during the summer, and the areas torn up were seeded. Some of the seed, however, didn't take and left the field with bare spots.

Earlier this week sod was placed over the problematic areas, but the question now becomes whether the sod takes by Tuesday's scheduled Best of the West matches.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed," said Rogowski, who hopes the rainy weather allows the sod to take.

Waubonsie boys soccer coach Angelo DiBernardo admitted the conditions of playing on a much smaller field against Neuqua Valley were not ideal, but since it was Waubonsie's home match, all efforts were made to play it in Aurora.

"Playing on a small field doesn't help anybody," he said. "It didn't help us, it didn't help (Neuqua). It hurts the game as a whole. But under the circumstances, with our main field not playable right now, we have no choice. It was our home match and our kids wanted to play in our home surroundings, so we played here."

The Warriors will be forced to return to the practice field at least one more time when they host Benet at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
___________________________________________________

It is so unfortunate that the district chose to install a state of the art turf field at MV and not at the other HS's also. To add insult to injury, the gold campus was closed along with all the freshman practice / competition fields and squeezed into the existing space at WV. I bet NV's football team is not using the outfield of the softball field for practice space.

[gatordog]

Aug 27, 2009 11:08:28 GMT -6 casey said:

It's no secret that I think moving the class of 2012 was wrong, it's no secret that I think splitting siblings was wrong, it's no secret that I'm annoyed at the MANY crazy exceptions that were granted and it's no secret that I think Waubonsie is way overcrowded. .

OK casey, I am going to get a little frustrated here with you.

You say "moving the Class of 2012 was wrong". Then you say "WV is way over-crowded."

You do realize: these are mutually exclusive stances. These positions are inconsistent, if you ask me! If the Class of 2012 were not moved, per your desires, there would now be 650 more students at WV, making it more overcrowded !

One might get the idea that you were taking such stances because "it wouldn't affect your students" Instead, the even more extreme overcrowding would be "somebody else problems"; in this case, the students at WV.

This is quite pertinent to this thread, I believe. If we are going to rise above and meet challenges to bring the best to all schools and to all students, we must show that we can think "big-picture". That means seeing not just the cons, but also the pros to decisions--past and future.