Macom ad in Sunday Naperville Sun

[doctorwho]

For those who don't get the Naperville Sun, MACOM took out an almost 1/2 page ad on Sunday ( page 4 ) - to explain / apologize their comments on WVHS. Obviously between LTE's and word of mouth it had gotten around and gotten attention. I have tried to see if it is retrievable on line - but have not been able to pull up via search - to cut and paste.

I can try and type it in later if no one else has success either. In reading it:

addressed to

Dear Residents of Indian Prairie School District 204

RE: Waubsonie Valley High School
Misconceptions regarding Macom comments

Starts out fine saying Waubonsie Valley is a terrific school, and deeply disappointed any of his comments have been interpreted to the contrary - then goes on to clarify his comments. Also explains that new home sales have slowed in Ashwood Creek and Ashwood Park, just as they have throughout the market area with the upper end being hit especially hard. All good stuff. The last paragraph has a link the the WVHS brochure they funded.

You know, sometimes less is more....in this case, just my opinion I think it was a wise gesture to do this, but it really should have ended here, or just included the last paragraph in closing -- as the middle two start to drift back to areas that take away from the message for me., or maybe deliver a message TO me.

" Ashwood Creek and Ashwood Park were designed to appeal to move-up buyers, a significant number of whom were anticipated to come from neighborhoods that currently feed into Neuqua Valley High School. . When district leaders revised school boundaries for Ashwood Creek and Ashwood Park, they forced potential buyers to change to a high school not consistent with the neighborhoods where they currently live"

" It's simple. Parents ( as well as students) want their children to attend a high school with the friends they made in elementary and middle school. They also want their children to attend the same high school as their older siblings, and they want their children to attend a high school relatively close to their homes. This the change of the future attendance boundary dramatically impacted potential move-up buyers from Naperville"

See, it's really simple - the homes were designed for move up buyers - but hey, most of them live in the Neuqua attendance area... yet it affected move-up buyers from Naperville ? Confused ? Maybe some market research really did show this to be true, but it seems very narrow in scope for a target audience and leaves out a wholelot of potential customers it appears to me.

[jenrik2714]

They must of won the lottery or something to "move-up" into those homes

[lacy]

jenrik2714 said:

They must of won the lottery or something to "move-up" into those homes

Perhaps they worked hard.

[EagleDad]

I'd love to see the full text (I don't subsidize the Sun). Unless this was adressed:

Lehman says he agrees with Brach-Brodie attorneys who believe the Aurora parcel is worth as much as $600,000 an acre — more than twice what the district has offered and more than it has budgeted.

It won't go far with me.

[jenrik2714]

It was a comment meant to be funny. I work hard to, but I can't afford a $700,000 home. The only time I could is if I won the lottery.

Boo-Hoo I didn't attend High School with some of the kids from who I attended Elementary School with and I survived but we still had time to meet up. See I went to a private school and the other kids went to Public School. It seems like these kids out here can't survive on anything! LOL Helicopter parents

[doctorwho]

eagledad said:

I'd love to see the full text (I don't subsidize the Sun). Unless this was adressed:

Lehman says he agrees with Brach-Brodie attorneys who believe the Aurora parcel is worth as much as $600,000 an acre — more than twice what the district has offered and more than it has budgeted.

It won't go far with me.

Nothing about the land deal was discussed in it at all.

[doctorwho]

lacy said:

jenrik2714 said:

They must of won the lottery or something to "move-up" into those homes

Perhaps they worked hard.

I am sure they did, nothing against the buyers as most of my area I would think would be a target audience of the development - just that the price range of his homes is well within reach of many buyers in Naperville, and Aurora just in D204 already as well as Plainfield etc. thought it was curious that NV attendance area was singled out. Especially since there are a fair number of homes in that attendance area already in that price range - so not necessarily move up. But as I said I gave benefit of the doubt and said market research might have given that to him, I am saying that to me that misses a very large move up audience in Naperville though.

I wonder if the home builders in and around downtown Naperville are mainly targeting those in the absolute immediate area' for the move up homes at 2 -3 times the price range .

[proschool]

I don't get this at all.

How many move up buyers can there be from the NV attendance area?

There aren't that many $700,000 houses in the NV area so where are these buyers going now?

Why can't he sell his homes to move up buyers in the WV attendance area?

Leigh High Station has been developing quickly and those kids go all the way from Meijer to Owen at 79th and Modaff. What's the difference.

Could it possibly be that nobody wants to spend a million dollars on a home and look at huge electric transformers?

Could it be that as baby boomers are getting older they are getting less intereseted in spending thier time taking care a huge house?

[Arch]

So, was this a 1/2 page to basically say that everyone was an idiot for 'misinterpreting' them in the first place?

That's funny, considering their site really doesn't even mention 'move-up' buyers but instead trumpets how Naperville is such a great place to raise a family. One would think current residents already know this.

Yet again, further proof of them just throwing out crap and expecting everyone to buy into it hook line and sinker.

On a positive note, it's nice to see them spend their money to make themselves look like asses and do so in a grand scale.

[wvhsparent]

Mybe Macom should rethink thier plan and build more modest homes if the high end ones are not selling.

[warriorpride]

Can we call this guy out on the fact that plenty of middle schools are going to be split to different high schools?

Plus, what he's saying is that having Ashwood go to the new school (vs. Waubonsie) would be so much better (in his humble opinion) - that's what his proposal is all about - right? Not about lobbying for NV.

He's just continuing to talk out of both sides of his mouth.

[proschool]

warriorpride said:

Can we call this guy out on the fact that plenty of middle schools are going to be split to different high schools?

Plus, what he's saying is that having Ashwood go to the new school (vs. Waubonsie) would be so much better (in his humble opinion) - that's what his proposal is all about - right? Not about lobbying for NV.

He's just continuing to talk out of both sides of his mouth.

If he gets the high school at his site they stuents will still be split coming outr of Crone just like all the middle schools will be split.

[cantretirehere]

wvhsparent said:

Mybe Macom should rethink thier plan and build more modest homes if the high end ones are not selling.

Hey! don't give this guy any bright ideas. More modest homes usually mean more kids!

BTW - Did anyone see that article on the front of the Daily Herald yesterday about the glut of empty condos/townhouses in the suburbs? If the BB land is slated for townhouses and there is a glut in the area then:

1) if other land had been entertained for the 3rd HS, there probably wouldn't have been anyone living on that property for a long time

2) barring rezoning by Aurora, any time soon, the land should be pretty darn cheap right now. Would be nice if this came up in the court proceedings.

[gatormom]

Forgive any typos:

Dear Residents of Indian Prairie School District 204,

RE: Waubonsie Valley High School
Miconceptions regarding Macom comments

Waubonsie Valley High School is a terrific school. I am deeply disappointed that any of my comments may have been interpreted to the countrary. To those who have felt offended, I apologize.

To clarify my comments:

It is a fact that new home sales have slowed in both Ashwood creek and Ashwood Park, just as they have throughout the market area. The upper end of the market has been hit especially hard.

Ashwood Creek and Ashwood Park were designed to appeal to move-up buyers, a significant number of whom were anticipated to come from neighborhoods that directly currently feed into Neuqua Valley High School. When the District leaders revised the school boundaries for Ashwood Creek and Ashwood Park, they forced potential buyers to change to a high school not consistent with the neighborhoods they currently live.

It’s simple. Parents (as well as the students) want their children to attend a high school with the friends they made in elementary and middle school. They also want their children to attend the same high school as their older siblings, and they want their children to attend a high school relatively close to their homes. Thus, the change of the future attendance area dramatically impacted potential move-up buyers from Naperville.

Again, I apologize for any misunderstandings regarding my comments. Macom recognizes that District 204 is an outstanding school district and that Waubonsie is a big part of the reason why. In fact, that’s why Macom funded and produced a brochure, “Waunbonsie Valley High School: Extraordinary Opportunities,” which is being used extensively by District 204. You can see the online version at wwhs.ipsd.org. Click on “view our Brochure” on the upper right side of the home page.

Sincerely,

Paul Lehman

[wvhsparent]

This apology is not sincere IMHO
as DrWho stated if he left out the 2 middle paragraphs I might have bought it. He is trying to do damage control, but failed.