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Post by macy on Feb 21, 2008 11:20:24 GMT -6
Maybe so AE...my camel is not doing very well either..so to speak. My comment was in response to several posters who IMHO were quite OK with the way certain things were as long as they were not affected, but others were (BB). I would have been affected then and made my peace with it. I looked at it as a necessary evil, temporary in nature. Now, unfortunately, things have changed. Different people are affected. I have been trying real hard to feel empathy for them, as I know what they are going thru. I ask them for their thoughts to try to understand, but nothing. I am then left to try and get a sense from their posts, and that sense is not good. I am very certain I am not the only one out here to pick up on it. Give me a reason to say I am wrong...that is all I have ever asked. Why is that so hard to answer? When I am wrong, I will be the 1st person to admit it. I agree. There were just as many for sale signs popping up in the neighborhoods around me after the last vote. I feel bad for any of the families that actually moved to Fry or White Eagle so they wouldn't be in an overcrowded WV. However, the people in the south didn't make a peep about the poor kids at WV who were going to be crammed in like sardines when the new school opened. They were too busy patting the Board memebers on the back for such a good job with boundaries and the eminent domain lawsuit. So much so, that they re-elected them. Yes, maybe... But many of these same people have children CRAMMED into the only school in the district with portables- Scullen. I think they get it, don't assume they dont. |
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Post by corky on Feb 21, 2008 11:21:58 GMT -6
There are thousands of families that live in District 204 and I can assure you the list of "unhappy areas" is minimal.
Many of us have lived in 204 for years and have lived through new schools, new boundaries and new administrators. Through all these changes the district has remained focused on providing an outstanding education for the children.
As always, top performing school districts and high schools will continue to draw new people to the area, regardless of a 3, 5 or 7 mile drive to high school. Ask the parents of children who choose to attend private high schools and they will tell you the commute can be terrible, but the education is worth it.
Our focus as parents in this district should be to assure the continuation of an outstanding education that will create exciting opportunities for our children in the future.
I assure you your children will thrive in district 204 and your real estate investment is safe. I know this because I have lived here for over 20 years, raised 3 children in 204 and have gone through these same changes you now face.
Life can be full of obstacles and challenges. Keep life in perspective and navigate wisely!
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Post by wvhsparent on Feb 21, 2008 11:23:15 GMT -6
I agree. There were just as many for sale signs popping up in the neighborhoods around me after the last vote. I feel bad for any of the families that actually moved to Fry or White Eagle so they wouldn't be in an overcrowded WV. However, the people in the south didn't make a peep about the poor kids at WV who were going to be crammed in like sardines when the new school opened. They were too busy patting the Board memebers on the back for such a good job with boundaries and the eminent domain lawsuit. So much so, that they re-elected them. The people in the south also kept slaves back in the 1800s, but that is history that we have to move past. I didn't live here when this happened, and my kids weren't born yet, so please do not try to punish them or me, for something that others may have done long ago. I believe that we can attribute the bad moves of the SB to 3 main categories: 1. To punish neighborhoods and certain individuals because of grudges and the sins of both the recent and distant past. 2. To satisfy the personal interests and whims of SB members and other district officials at the expense of the dissenting majority (75 - 80% against). 3. Incompetence of Dash who visits districts and takes them down like a plague of locusts on a crop, and then moves on to the next one. AE......Even though I am not a fan of the SB. I really do not think 1 or 2 is even remotely true. Now # 3......I am on board with...that incompetence also goes back to the previous Admin and Super who took his money and ran. |
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Post by worldpeace on Feb 21, 2008 11:24:58 GMT -6
Maybe so AE...my camel is not doing very well either..so to speak. My comment was in response to several posters who IMHO were quite OK with the way certain things were as long as they were not affected, but others were (BB). I would have been affected then and made my peace with it. I looked at it as a necessary evil, temporary in nature. Now, unfortunately, things have changed. Different people are affected. I have been trying real hard to feel empathy for them, as I know what they are going thru. I ask them for their thoughts to try to understand, but nothing. I am then left to try and get a sense from their posts, and that sense is not good. I am very certain I am not the only one out here to pick up on it. Give me a reason to say I am wrong...that is all I have ever asked. Why is that so hard to answer? When I am wrong, I will be the 1st person to admit it. I agree. There were just as many for sale signs popping up in the neighborhoods around me after the last vote. I feel bad for any of the families that actually moved to Fry or White Eagle so they wouldn't be in an overcrowded WV. However, the people in the south didn't make a peep about the poor kids at WV who were going to be crammed in like sardines when the new school opened. They were too busy patting the Board memebers on the back for such a good job with boundaries and the eminent domain lawsuit. So much so, that they re-elected them. Rural - We moved here (in the deep south) after both high schools were up and running. After the BB decision, we were moving along with the poor WV select few to MV (I didnt realize that is was supposed to be overcrowded with 2 classes to start with). Now, we are moving to WV to be in a worse overcrowding situation than what we are leaving at NV. Sorry that none of you can relate to me being upset with that continual change in direction and ignoring fact based alternatives. wvhsparent, you really need to get a life. |
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Post by wvhsparent on Feb 21, 2008 11:31:12 GMT -6
I agree. There were just as many for sale signs popping up in the neighborhoods around me after the last vote. I feel bad for any of the families that actually moved to Fry or White Eagle so they wouldn't be in an overcrowded WV. However, the people in the south didn't make a peep about the poor kids at WV who were going to be crammed in like sardines when the new school opened. They were too busy patting the Board memebers on the back for such a good job with boundaries and the eminent domain lawsuit. So much so, that they re-elected them. Rural - We moved here (in the deep south) after both high schools were up and running. After the BB decision, we were moving along with the poor WV select few to MV (I didnt realize that is was supposed to be overcrowded with 2 classes to start with). Now, we are moving to WV to be in a worse overcrowding situation than what we are leaving at NV. Sorry that none of you can relate to me being upset with that continual change in direction and ignoring fact based alternatives. wvhsparent, you really need to get a life. what do you mean? get a life? That I am spending too much time here? yup, because I care. |
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Post by worldpeace on Feb 21, 2008 11:41:12 GMT -6
Oh, you care. That must be the difference here. Not surprised, again.
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Post by Avenging Eagle on Feb 21, 2008 11:46:00 GMT -6
AE......Even though I am not a fan of the SB. I really do not think 1 or 2 is even remotely true. Now # 3......I am on board with...that incompetence also goes back to the previous Admin and Super who took his money and ran. 1. Because of those oft quoted sins of White Eagle and Macom, the SB and especially MM would not consider the Macom site instead of AME. 2. Because of those oft quoted sins of White Eagle, the SB ensured that WE would be sent to a new middle school, a new high school, and be asked to go to a split middle school, and move from the highest achievement school to the lowest one without an effort to balance achievement. 3. Because of the negative perception and resentment of Fry during the first boundary wars, the SB did not even consider Fry's situation during the SB open discussion section at this week's meeting while spending 30 minutes discussing Owen and Petersen. 4. Because of the SB's resentment of the jerk BB lawyers, they refused to deal even though the BB site which had consensus backing could have been purchased for only 6 mm (or less) over the AME site without causing a huge rift in the community and opening up huge liabilities and risks for new problems and expenses. A couple examples of category 2:1. Owen W and Watts are being sent to MVHS so that SB members' home regions of Steck and McCarty can stay at WVHS, even though it doesn't make geographical, achievement balancing, and enrollment number sense. 2. Springbrook will not go to WVHS instead of Fry because a board member lives there, even though Fry is right across the street from NVHS and Springbrook is bused anyway. 3. Dash personally negotiated the AME site and rubber stamped it through because he newly purchased a house in Stonebridge and needs the value to go up fast because he may need to get out fast, either by retiring and taking our pension money, or if he gets ousted for imcompetence and needs to get out of Dodge. 4. A Zozulia was pulled on Fry to guarantee that Welch doesn't go to WVHS instead of Fry even though they are alot closer. 5. Birkett stonewalled the discussion of swapping WE and Welch at Still during this week's meeting because it was part of her colleague Zozulia's plan. This was basically the only time Birkett opened her mouth during the meeting. This one actually overlaps with category #1, because both WE and Fry pay the price because they would have been able to keep common middle schoolers together at WVHS if the switch was made. |
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Post by Avenging Eagle on Feb 21, 2008 11:47:42 GMT -6
There are thousands of families that live in District 204 and I can assure you the list of "unhappy areas" is minimal. Many of us have lived in 204 for years and have lived through new schools, new boundaries and new administrators. Through all these changes the district has remained focused on providing an outstanding education for the children. As always, top performing school districts and high schools will continue to draw new people to the area, regardless of a 3, 5 or 7 mile drive to high school. Ask the parents of children who choose to attend private high schools and they will tell you the commute can be terrible, but the education is worth it. Our focus as parents in this district should be to assure the continuation of an outstanding education that will create exciting opportunities for our children in the future. I assure you your children will thrive in district 204 and your real estate investment is safe. I know this because I have lived here for over 20 years, raised 3 children in 204 and have gone through these same changes you now face. Life can be full of obstacles and challenges. Keep life in perspective and navigate wisely! Corky, I like your optimism, but 3 out of 4 people in the district are NOT HAPPY with the boundary decisions of the SB. |
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Post by warriorpride on Feb 21, 2008 11:49:37 GMT -6
Corky, I like your optimism, but 3 out of 4 people in the district are NOT HAPPY with the boundary decisions of the SB. Interesting stat. I doubt that this is accurate. |
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Post by wvhsparent on Feb 21, 2008 11:58:16 GMT -6
AE......Even though I am not a fan of the SB. I really do not think 1 or 2 is even remotely true. Now # 3......I am on board with...that incompetence also goes back to the previous Admin and Super who took his money and ran. 1. Because of those oft quoted sins of White Eagle and Macom, the SB and especially MM would not consider the Macom site instead of AME. 2. Because of those oft quoted sins of White Eagle, the SB ensured that WE would be sent to a new middle school, a new high school, and be asked to go to a split middle school, and move from the highest achievement school to the lowest one without an effort to balance achievement. 3. Because of the negative perception and resentment of Fry during the first boundary wars, the SB did not even consider Fry's situation during the SB open discussion section at this week's meeting while spending 30 minutes discussing Owen and Petersen. 4. Because of the SB's resentment of the jerk BB lawyers, they refused to deal even though the BB site which had consensus backing could have been purchased for only 6 mm (or less) over the AME site without causing a huge rift in the community and opening up huge liabilities and risks for new problems and expenses. A couple examples of category 2:1. Owen W and Watts are being sent to MVHS so that SB members' home regions of Steck and McCarty can stay at WVHS, even though it doesn't make geographical, achievement balancing, and enrollment number sense. 2. Springbrook will not go to WVHS instead of Fry because a board member lives there, even though Fry is right across the street from NVHS and Springbrook is bused anyway. 3. Dash personally negotiated the AME site and rubber stamped it through because he newly purchased a house in Stonebridge and needs the value to go up fast because he may need to get out fast, either by retiring and taking our pension money, or if he gets ousted for imcompetence and needs to get out of Dodge. 4. A Zozulia was pulled on Fry to guarantee that Welch doesn't go to WVHS instead of Fry even though they are alot closer. 5. Birkett stonewalled the discussion of swapping WE and Welch at Still during this week's meeting because it was part of her colleague Zozulia's plan. This was basically the only time Birkett opened her mouth during the meeting. This one actually overlaps with category #1, because both WE and Fry pay the price because they would have been able to keep common middle schoolers together at WVHS if the switch was made. Those are pretty strong accusations. Which are more opinions than actual fact. |
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Post by corky on Feb 21, 2008 12:02:24 GMT -6
Corky, I like your optimism, but 3 out of 4 people in the district are NOT HAPPY with the boundary decisions of the SB. Interesting stat. I doubt that this is accurate. Where do you get the "3 out of 4 people" information. I'm unaware of a district-wide survey. |
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Post by Avenging Eagle on Feb 21, 2008 12:06:28 GMT -6
Those are pretty strong accusations. Which are more opinions than actual fact. yes, but I wanted to clarify why I think some of this funny business might be going on. The pieces seem to fit together, don't they. |
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Post by WeBe204 on Feb 21, 2008 12:07:56 GMT -6
5. Birkett stonewalled the discussion of swapping WE and Welch at Still during this week's meeting because it was part of her colleague Zozulia's plan. This was basically the only time Birkett opened her mouth during the meeting. This one actually overlaps with category #1, because both WE and Fry pay the price because they would have been able to keep common middle schoolers together at WVHS if the switch was made. Yeah, I was really sorry to see this one die on the vine. I thought they were going in the direction of making Scullen a 100% WVHS feeder. Move Welch to Still. Revert the Pet (Wheatland) boundaries to WVHS and add Pet (Park) to Scullen. (Edit Add: Move WE to Scullen) I was thinking that would have been a great change. But there was the problem with the 3 way split at Still and some of Wheatland boundaries live on the grounds of NVHS. EDIT: I will also add IMO some of the splits were manufactured to ensure a cross pollination of the schools. So you have populations that are passing each other on the way through MS. another way to stifle some of the stigma bs. I am not endorsing this just my opinion on what happened. |
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Post by Avenging Eagle on Feb 21, 2008 12:08:24 GMT -6
Interesting stat. I doubt that this is accurate. Where do you get the "3 out of 4 people" information. I'm unaware of a district-wide survey. Its the unscientific Sun Poll from the other day: An unscientific poll conducted on The Sun's Web site indicated that respondents unhappy with the proposed boundaries outnumbered those satisfied with the recommendation by a 3-1 margin. Of 1,217 votes cast between Wednesday and Monday, 914 voters said they were unhappy with the boundaries, and 303 said they were happy with them. |
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Post by southsidemom on Feb 21, 2008 12:09:37 GMT -6
So I found out the AME contract got signed Tuesday night yet land testing is not done. Makes no sense and today's Herald article confirms it. Rush rush rush.
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