Sun LTE, 04/04

[momof156graders]

Erin who wrote the letter about Tall Grass is a good friend of mine. I agree with her that Tall Grass has great people in it. We all hope our neighborhood will be there for us in a time of need. We all hope our school board will represent the best interest of our neighborhoods. Unfortunately the school board members all live in the northern part of the school district. Alka Tyle is the only one of the 7 members that lives in Will county, all the rest are Dupage county. The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will. I know our school board has a tough job that I would not do for a large salary, yet they do it as an unpaid position. Given that, it does seem personal agendas might come into play. Naturally they would know their own neighborhood better than other parts of the district. Which is why I feel the board should be made up of residents that represent each area. Like the city council wards. That way it is assured each areas interests are looked out for. That would also help the north vs. south thing that seems to be starting. We are one community. One school district. One large neighborhood. Lets try to work together to look at the issues, and do what is right for our whole neighborhood. I know many people agree our school board has made some reckless decisions, acted hastily, misrepresented the facts, or hidden the truth. Time to hold them accountable. SLOW DOWN! Get organized. Make a real long term plan. Get input from the community, and listen. Do it right. Ask them this at the meeting, through emails, phone calls, letters.......

[3woodgal]

momof156graders said:

Erin who wrote the letter about Tall Grass is a good friend of mine. I agree with her that Tall Grass has great people in it. We all hope our neighborhood will be there for us in a time of need. We all hope our school board will represent the best interest of our neighborhoods. Unfortunately the school board members all live in the northern part of the school district. Alka Tyle is the only one of the 7 members that lives in Will county, all the rest are Dupage county. The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will. I know our school board has a tough job that I would not do for a large salary, yet they do it as an unpaid position. Given that, it does seem personal agendas might come into play. Naturally they would know their own neighborhood better than other parts of the district. Which is why I feel the board should be made up of residents that represent each area. Like the city council wards. That way it is assured each areas interests are looked out for. That would also help the north vs. south thing that seems to be starting. We are one community. One school district. One large neighborhood. Lets try to work together to look at the issues, and do what is right for our whole neighborhood. I know many people agree our school board has made some reckless decisions, acted hastily, misrepresented the facts, or hidden the truth. Time to hold them accountable. SLOW DOWN! Get organized. Make a real long term plan. Get input from the community, and listen. Do it right. Ask them this at the meeting, through emails, phone calls, letters.......

Personal agendas is obvious. Stephens coming up with the Owen East was priceless. Parent of my daughter's friend that lives in Brighton Ridge told me that their neighborhood would remain at WV BEFORE it was announced. She knew about the Owen split and was actually not pleased at all. Guess the neighborhood was talking.

[doctorwho]

3woodgal said:

momof156graders said:

Erin who wrote the letter about Tall Grass is a good friend of mine. I agree with her that Tall Grass has great people in it. We all hope our neighborhood will be there for us in a time of need. We all hope our school board will represent the best interest of our neighborhoods. Unfortunately the school board members all live in the northern part of the school district. Alka Tyle is the only one of the 7 members that lives in Will county, all the rest are Dupage county. The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will. I know our school board has a tough job that I would not do for a large salary, yet they do it as an unpaid position. Given that, it does seem personal agendas might come into play. Naturally they would know their own neighborhood better than other parts of the district. Which is why I feel the board should be made up of residents that represent each area. Like the city council wards. That way it is assured each areas interests are looked out for. That would also help the north vs. south thing that seems to be starting. We are one community. One school district. One large neighborhood. Lets try to work together to look at the issues, and do what is right for our whole neighborhood. I know many people agree our school board has made some reckless decisions, acted hastily, misrepresented the facts, or hidden the truth. Time to hold them accountable. SLOW DOWN! Get organized. Make a real long term plan. Get input from the community, and listen. Do it right. Ask them this at the meeting, through emails, phone calls, letters.......

Personal agendas is obvious. Stephens coming up with the Owen East was priceless. Parent of my daughter's friend that lives in Brighton Ridge told me that their neighborhood would remain at WV BEFORE it was announced. She knew about the Owen split and was actually not pleased at all. Guess the neighborhood was talking.

THis was not a well hid secret -- I posted this days before the 'boundary meeting' from multiple people from that area who also knew. Then I'm not supposed to think that our area, 2 minutes north or Brighton Ridge, wasn't getting screwed when we didn't even warrant a mention at the meeting. The boundary ' discussion' was a sham.

[momto4]

momof156graders said:

The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will.

Is this true? How do you know?

[Arch]

momto4 said:

momof156graders said:

The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will.

Is this true? How do you know?

anecdotal evidence, look at how far 'south' they have to pull to fill a 'northern' HS.

If the reverse were true, Watts and COWL would not be going to MV, but would be going to the 'central' school... WV.

[rew]

I would agree. I beleive 70% of the district lies south of 75th and 87th is Will County. Excluding all that prairie, a lot of kids have to be south of 87th.

[momof156graders]

momto4 said:

momof156graders said:

The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will.

Is this true? How do you know?

In dashners presentation of site selection (still available on district website) one of his slides was a population map. There were little bubbles or circles on the map to indicate which houses in the district had a current student. The bubbles are very concentrated in will county. Also as Arch points out people are having to go north to fill the schools.

[doctorwho]

rew said:

I would agree. I beleive 70% of the district lies south of 75th and 87th is Will County. Excluding all that prairie, a lot of kids have to be south of 87th.

Sure that makes sense then why we'd put the 3rd high school closer to Kane County than Will County

[macy]

I don't buy for one second that transportation costs will not go up substantially for this site. If 75% of the kids in 204 live south of 75th and you build WAY NORTH of 75th street- it's pretty obvious that the cost of transporting kids north will end up costing all of us a pretty penny.

[concerned2]

Transportation costs will be insane with the increase in gas prices!!!

[macy]

Common sense, to me at least, would be to build a school south of 75th street if 75% of the student population of 204 lives in that vicinity.

Take note of the budget line for transportation out of this year's budget. Let's compare that same line in 2012 when we are busing grades 9-12 north of 75th.

I guess this school board and district thinks we (residents) are and endless money pit. Me thinks they are wrong.

If I were a teacher (or administrator), I'd be pretty concerned with the current state of 204 and they impact of the Eola site decision on the district. It's pretty simple math to me. I've talked to many teachers that are really upset. That's why I'm posting this information. Seems they are really concerned as they should be.

More money in the transportation budget line than necessary = less amount available for increased salaries, lower health care, pension, etc.

Add to the above the impact of pissing off a huge amount of the voting population needed to pass a tax increase = a bad situation for teachers/administrators in 204.

Good luck passing another tax increase in 204. Many of us will still be around and will not support any future request for funding.

[Avenging Eagle]

Apr 7, 2008 18:10:37 GMT -6 macy said:

Common sense, to me at least, would be to build a school south of 75th street if 75% of the student population of 204 lives in that vicinity.ng.

Good point...

Maybe we can lobby or petition to get the street name changed to "75 percent street" so they will come to realization.

[macy]

Love that idea Avenging Eagle. I'm all over it.

75 percent "south of here" street. It could be a historical marker for the worst mistake district 204 ever made.

[gman413]

Apr 6, 2008 21:47:24 GMT -6 momof156graders said:

Erin who wrote the letter about Tall Grass is a good friend of mine. I agree with her that Tall Grass has great people in it. We all hope our neighborhood will be there for us in a time of need. We all hope our school board will represent the best interest of our neighborhoods. Unfortunately the school board members all live in the northern part of the school district. Alka Tyle is the only one of the 7 members that lives in Will county, all the rest are Dupage county. The majority of district 204 student population resides in Will. I know our school board has a tough job that I would not do for a large salary, yet they do it as an unpaid position. Given that, it does seem personal agendas might come into play. Naturally they would know their own neighborhood better than other parts of the district. Which is why I feel the board should be made up of residents that represent each area. Like the city council wards. That way it is assured each areas interests are looked out for. That would also help the north vs. south thing that seems to be starting. We are one community. One school district. One large neighborhood. Lets try to work together to look at the issues, and do what is right for our whole neighborhood. I know many people agree our school board has made some reckless decisions, acted hastily, misrepresented the facts, or hidden the truth. Time to hold them accountable. SLOW DOWN! Get organized. Make a real long term plan. Get input from the community, and listen. Do it right. Ask them this at the meeting, through emails, phone calls, letters.......

What do you consider the "northern part of the district"? At least 3 SB members I can think of (Stephens, Vickers and Metzger) all live very close to or south of the "equator" of the district.

[sushi]

Not to mention BG who lives in WE, maybe right on the Will/Dupage line.