Dueling Editorials JHB/CV

[wvhsparent]

lacy said:

rew said:

The building between them is actually for sale.

And every time we drive by that, my spouse comments about it!

What type of building is it? Office?

[rew]

It is office condos.

Lacy, I hope you'll volunteer for your kids to attend...I actually prefer my kids go to school in a school. But if you're willing that's OK with me.

[lacy]

It's office space and it had a sign on it regarding space available for a while - not sure if that's still there. And is it next to NVHS or on the other side of Frontier? I'm not sure - it's one or the other. I'll take note the next time I drive by.

[doctorwho]

lacy said:

She should probably focus her energies on making sure the tax dollars and other sources of revenue are spent in the best way possible in delivering this high school.

With regard to JHB, I find her articles to be very shrill and quite frankly somewhat sophmoric in their analysis. So I pretty much tune her out. Blame the voters? Give me a break. The reasons for the referendum not passing the first time (and I voted yes, Joni) are WAY more complex than that.

I hope you're sitting down as you read this -- I agree with both points you make above --

1/ CV needs to focus on delivery of the high school - ASAP so that we don't have escalating costs -it is what the voters voted for- and at a quality level we all expect

2/ While the voters ( and really moreso - those who didn't bother to vote - yes or no )- are not totally blameless - we have an obligation to try and understand what is going on in our area also - absolutely the blame lies most heavily on the SB and SD for taking the Yes vote for granted and not educating people on the need and costs at that time - period. And yes the reason for defeat was far more complicated than it would appear from the article

[anteater]

wvhsparent said:

rew said:

I have to look into it more carefully??? The space at Frontier is leased...I beleive a ten year lease. Is it by the SD, by COD or by both??? What are the classroom facilities there? I have visited, but only seen traditional classroom space, desks, balckboards. I have not seen any labs etc..

The buildings are not contiguous. I can't imagine a student going back and forth to NVHS between classes.

It adds space in the same way split shifts add space, or early dismissal. A student cannot attend Frontier campus and take seven classes have lunch, gym, and band there. I think if you say Frontier is permanent space, than Indians Plains is permanent space as well??

Maybe they need to condemn the building and take it over, and then build a tunnel between the buildings.

JUST KIDDING!

IIRC, the district and COD split the rent. Also, I think it does have some science lab-type classrooms, though probably not to the same extent as the main building in terms of equipment. I think most of the students are there all day, and others are there only for first or last period, but there are quite a few who have to go back and forth during the day, and it is difficult. And CV's approach has always been to cram as many kids into existing space as possible. Beyond that, I am on record on another thread as supporting a moving walkway between Neuqua and Frontier, provided it is air conditioned of course!!!

[gatormom]

anteater said:

wvhsparent said:

Maybe they need to condemn the building and take it over, and then build a tunnel between the buildings.

JUST KIDDING!

IIRC, the district and COD split the rent. Also, I think it does have some science lab-type classrooms, though probably not to the same extent as the main building in terms of equipment. I think most of the students are there all day, and others are there only for first or last period, but there are quite a few who have to go back and forth during the day, and it is difficult. And CV's approach has always been to cram as many kids into existing space as possible. Beyond that, I am on record on another thread as supporting a moving walkway between Neuqua and Frontier, provided it is air conditioned of course!!!

I will agree to that as long as the WV Gold and Green campuses get the moving walkway between them, air conditioned as well. ;D

[warriorpride]

lacy said:

I think CV's concerns about enrollment are accurate. However, I also think some additional space is necessary. The situation at Scullen for example is certainly not optimal. However, the problem is that the voters approved a referendum to build a third high school. So that's probably what the board will do. She should probably focus her energies on making sure the tax dollars and other sources of revenue are spent in the best way possible in delivering this high school.

...

Yes, exactly - why do you think she keeps doing this (publicly stating her contrarian views)? And I don't want a "that's we she really believes" answer - I'd really like to know what she honestly expects as an outcome. And if there isn't an answer that's in the best interests of the 204 students, then she's not the right person for an SB position.

[momof3]

rew said:

I was at the School Board meeting in October 2005...I recall HC/KB and the COD people discussing Frontier. My recollection is different than CVs. I recall HC saying Frontier was NOT a source of addtional seats and NOT meant to address overcrowding. It was an alternative HS experience for the non traditional senior.

Funny how you can sit in the same room and hear different versions of the same discussion....since she quoted Howie, do you think she took it directly from the minutes/tapes?? Could it be something he said to the SB outside the meeting???

rew, I would trust your memory as CV can't even seem to remember what she has said, much less others

Board member recounts rocky year
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
April 3, 2006
Author: Sara Hooker Daily Herald Staff Writer

When Christine Vickers was elected last April, she talked about her desire to help unite the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board.
----------
Q. You've consistently voted against the referendum. Will you continue to battle against a third high school?

A. That would make no sense at all. I want to be a part of the go-forward movement.

I thought it was necessary that the public have all the facts, but after that it's up to them.

Now my job is to listen to the community that says let's not go overboard, let's not go extravagant. Let's spend a modest amount of money to give the kids a clean educational environment.

Beyond that I have no idea what the plans are for this building. I want to move forward being completely responsible.

[momof3]

momof3 said:

rew said:

I was at the School Board meeting in October 2005...I recall HC/KB and the COD people discussing Frontier. My recollection is different than CVs. I recall HC saying Frontier was NOT a source of addtional seats and NOT meant to address overcrowding. It was an alternative HS experience for the non traditional senior.

Funny how you can sit in the same room and hear different versions of the same discussion....since she quoted Howie, do you think she took it directly from the minutes/tapes?? Could it be something he said to the SB outside the meeting???

rew, I would trust your memory as CV can't even seem to remember what she has said, much less others

Board member recounts rocky year
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
April 3, 2006
Author: Sara Hooker Daily Herald Staff Writer

When Christine Vickers was elected last April, she talked about her desire to help unite the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board.
----------
Q. You've consistently voted against the referendum. Will you continue to battle against a third high school?

A. That would make no sense at all. I want to be a part of the go-forward movement.

I thought it was necessary that the public have all the facts, but after that it's up to them.

Now my job is to listen to the community that says let's not go overboard, let's not go extravagant. Let's spend a modest amount of money to give the kids a clean educational environment.

Beyond that I have no idea what the plans are for this building. I want to move forward being completely responsible.

well, now that I read that again, she is not saying that she wouldn't keep fighting the new high school, she is just saying that her current actions make no sense.

[warriorpride]

momof3 said:

momof3 said:

rew, I would trust your memory as CV can't even seem to remember what she has said, much less others

Board member recounts rocky year
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
April 3, 2006
Author: Sara Hooker Daily Herald Staff Writer

When Christine Vickers was elected last April, she talked about her desire to help unite the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board.
----------
Q. You've consistently voted against the referendum. Will you continue to battle against a third high school?

A. That would make no sense at all. I want to be a part of the go-forward movement.

I thought it was necessary that the public have all the facts, but after that it's up to them.

Now my job is to listen to the community that says let's not go overboard, let's not go extravagant. Let's spend a modest amount of money to give the kids a clean educational environment.

Beyond that I have no idea what the plans are for this building. I want to move forward being completely responsible.

well, now that I read that again, she is not saying that she wouldn't keep fighting the new high school, she is just saying that her current actions make no sense.

More like she's talking like a politician - but, yes, her quote does seem to indicate that her current actions don't make sense, by her own standards. I hope we can keep all of these conflicting quotes (including those where she flip-flopped on the need of the 3rd HS) around for the next SB election.

[slp]

momof3 said:

rew said:

I was at the School Board meeting in October 2005...I recall HC/KB and the COD people discussing Frontier. My recollection is different than CVs. I recall HC saying Frontier was NOT a source of addtional seats and NOT meant to address overcrowding. It was an alternative HS experience for the non traditional senior.

Funny how you can sit in the same room and hear different versions of the same discussion....since she quoted Howie, do you think she took it directly from the minutes/tapes?? Could it be something he said to the SB outside the meeting???

rew, I would trust your memory as CV can't even seem to remember what she has said, much less others

Board member recounts rocky year
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
April 3, 2006
Author: Sara Hooker Daily Herald Staff Writer

When Christine Vickers was elected last April, she talked about her desire to help unite the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board.
----------
Q. You've consistently voted against the referendum. Will you continue to battle against a third high school?

A. That would make no sense at all. I want to be a part of the go-forward movement.

I thought it was necessary that the public have all the facts, but after that it's up to them.

Now my job is to listen to the community that says let's not go overboard, let's not go extravagant. Let's spend a modest amount of money to give the kids a clean educational environment.

Beyond that I have no idea what the plans are for this building. I want to move forward being completely responsible.

I haven't been around long enough to know this board member's history, but from what I have read and heard since being here, she is not serving on this board for the right reasons, in my view.

[momof3]

warriorpride said:

lacy said:

I think CV's concerns about enrollment are accurate. However, I also think some additional space is necessary. The situation at Scullen for example is certainly not optimal. However, the problem is that the voters approved a referendum to build a third high school. So that's probably what the board will do. She should probably focus her energies on making sure the tax dollars and other sources of revenue are spent in the best way possible in delivering this high school.

...

Yes, exactly - why do you think she keeps doing this (publicly stating her contrarian views)? And I don't want a "that's we she really believes" answer - I'd really like to know what she honestly expects as an outcome. And if there isn't an answer that's in the best interests of the 204 students, then she's not the right person for an SB position.

I agree and wish she was focusing her efforts on getting the school built. She could be making a difference right now by doing some analysis on the cost of each property. But by just playing the "No 3rd HS!" broken record over and over she is irrelevant to the process.

[Arch]

momof3 said:

warriorpride said:

Yes, exactly - why do you think she keeps doing this (publicly stating her contrarian views)? And I don't want a "that's we she really believes" answer - I'd really like to know what she honestly expects as an outcome. And if there isn't an answer that's in the best interests of the 204 students, then she's not the right person for an SB position.

I agree and wish she was focusing her efforts on getting the school built. She could be making a difference right now by doing some analysis on the cost of each property. But by just playing the "No 3rd HS!" broken record over and over she is irrelevant to the process.

IMO,
There are times to be an individual and there's the time to be on the team. Individual time was prior to the public saying Build a 3rd HS. After that nexus, it's team time.