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Post by proschool on Jan 21, 2008 8:01:36 GMT -6
Metea Valley site choice could be finalized Tuesday
January 21, 2008
By BRITT CARSON bcarson@scn1.com
A final decision on where to locate Metea Valley High School could come Tuesday.
The Indian Prairie School Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora.
It will hear an informational presentation from the administration on why it is recommending an 87-acre site on Eola Road, just south of Interstate 88.
The presentation will be made in open session, and public comment will be allowed, but residents must sign up before the meeting. The Metea Valley site is the only item on the agenda.
Administrators went public with their choice last week, also discussing three other sites they considered.
The district originally planned to build Metea on 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie parcel, along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora, but a jury determined the land would cost $31 million, more than twice what the district wanted to pay.
The Eola Road land will cost $16.5 million and is currently owned by St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church and Midwest Generation.
The district hopes to open the 3,000-seat high school in the fall of 2009 with freshmen and sophomores.
If the board approves the site Tuesday, the administration hopes to have a recommendation on new boundaries within the following weeks.
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Post by gumby on Jan 21, 2008 8:47:22 GMT -6
Metea Valley site choice could be finalized Tuesday January 21, 2008 By BRITT CARSON bcarson@scn1.com A final decision on where to locate Metea Valley High School could come Tuesday. The Indian Prairie School Board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. It will hear an informational presentation from the administration on why it is recommending an 87-acre site on Eola Road, just south of Interstate 88. The presentation will be made in open session, and public comment will be allowed, but residents must sign up before the meeting. The Metea Valley site is the only item on the agenda. Administrators went public with their choice last week, also discussing three other sites they considered. The district originally planned to build Metea on 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie parcel, along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora, but a jury determined the land would cost $31 million, more than twice what the district wanted to pay. The Eola Road land will cost $16.5 million and is currently owned by St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church and Midwest Generation. The district hopes to open the 3,000-seat high school in the fall of 2009 with freshmen and sophomores. If the board approves the site Tuesday, the administration hopes to have a recommendation on new boundaries within the following weeks. It almost seems a little hopeless. The fact that they'll take comments on Tuesday and then make their decision on the same day makes it seem that comment taking is just a sham. Clearly the SB is going to vote this through. Glawe, M2 and Tyle (from whom I received an email yesterday responding to an earlier inquiry) are clearly supporting it. I assume JC and Bradshaw will fall in line as well. |
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Post by proschool on Jan 21, 2008 9:12:18 GMT -6
The school board would be wise to get some more information out there so the public is not caught by surprize. The board can vote the site down and vote again next week after a public hearing. It might not change the results but it would save the SB from having to deal with a lot of resentment for a long time.
I still think that BB would like to come to some kind of agreement. If they want to do so they better make a phone call.
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Post by casey on Jan 21, 2008 9:51:54 GMT -6
At this point, I think that we're looking at a runaway train that can't be stopped! Our SB has every intention of putting that school at AME and there's not a damned thing we can do about it. Many of us recognize how wrong this location is but at this point it really doesn't matter. They are bound and determined to push this location through and get started asap. At this point the only thing that could stop it would be dissolving out SB (is that even what you call it?). Guess how you go about that? Contact the Illinois State School Board Association - the one that MM is now president. How's that for the fox watching the hen house?  There are just so many WRONG things going on now in our SB and I'm just sick!!! |
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Post by WeBe204 on Jan 21, 2008 9:57:49 GMT -6
At this point, I think that we're looking at a runaway train that can't be stopped! Our SB has every intention of putting that school at AME and there's not a d**ned thing we can do about it. Many of us recognize how wrong this location is but at this point it really doesn't matter. They are bound and determined to push this location through and get started asap. At this point the only thing that could stop it would be dissolving out SB (is that even what you call it?). Guess how you go about that? Contact the Illinois State School Board Association - the one that MM is now president. How's that for the fox watching the hen house? There are just so many WRONG things going on now in our SB and I'm just sick!!! It's a runaway train that never gets anywhere... (very strange  ) I have had this feeling since the summer. There are a few more twists in the road I believe. I would not despair even if they pass the land recommendation tonight. Edit: I mean Tuesday night. |
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Post by proschool on Jan 21, 2008 10:47:12 GMT -6
WE and Fry will be happy at WV. It's a great school. So will I if I get to stay there. I wish the train tracks weren't there.
I feel bad for whomever takes the long commute to MV. I feel bad for the north siders who will wisjh to stay at WV but are staying quiet. I feel bad for the sinking feeling the MV parents will feel when they actually see the MV site.
I feel bad for the school board for utting this through on an eight day notice without a public hearing.
It would have been better if the district was sold on the site prior to being told that they will have to buy it. Dr. D.seems pretty confident that he knows better than the rest of us. Good for him.
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Post by confused on Jan 21, 2008 10:52:18 GMT -6
WE and Fry will be happy at WV. It's a great school. So will I if I get to stay there. I wish the train tracks weren't there. I feel bad for whomever takes the long commute to MV. I feel bad for the north siders who will wisjh to stay at WV but are staying quiet. I feel bad for the sinking feeling the MV parents will feel when they actually see the MV site. I feel bad for the school board for utting this through on an eight day notice without a public hearing. It would have been better if the district was sold on the site prior to being told that they will have to buy it. Dr. D.seems pretty confident that he knows better than the rest of us. Good for him. I think anyone will be happy at WV as well, but it still seems very unfair to be right across the street from NV and have to drive 20 min, on a good day, to WV. And I know some people are right near a 203 school and don't go there, but they are not in 203. Tall Grass is in NV's district and should be allowed to continue to go there as it's under a mile from 3/4 of the homes. |
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Post by proschool on Jan 21, 2008 10:55:41 GMT -6
What is a NV district?
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Post by WeBe204 on Jan 21, 2008 10:59:51 GMT -6
Dr. D.seems pretty confident that he knows better than the rest of us. Good for him. This will not be the first time in history a top executive was brought to push through an unpopular change and then quickly parachutes out. The parachute of course is a full pension. There is a feeling this is being done quickly and expediently so the parties involved are out of office before the problems start. |
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Post by Arch on Jan 21, 2008 11:13:44 GMT -6
Dr. D.seems pretty confident that he knows better than the rest of us. Good for him. This will not be the first time in history a top executive was brought to push through an unpopular change and then quickly parachutes out. The parachute of course is a full pension. There is a feeling this is being done quickly and expediently so the parties involved are out of office before the problems start. Just call him the Roto-Rooter man. We all know what they plunge through. |
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Post by EagleDad on Jan 21, 2008 12:10:30 GMT -6
As I understand it Daeschner gets nothing pension wise if he is terminated before the end of 3 years of service. I wonder if he has some employment contract which grants him otherwise.
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Post by Arch on Jan 21, 2008 12:12:26 GMT -6
As I understand it Daeschner gets nothing pension wise if he is terminated before the end of 3 years of service. I wonder if he has some employment contract which grants him otherwise. Can the SB vote to grant him that regardless? |
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Post by parentadvocate on Jan 21, 2008 12:12:39 GMT -6
Even if the board's collective wisdom is much better than my own and those who have shared their concerns, I suspect that this decision will be long remembered as a rush to judgment.
How can the enormity of this AME decision not deserve more than a week of public scrutiny?
I pray for all the children in our district who are the ones to bear the brunt of continued acrimony and divisiveness.
Thank you so much to those of you who have your insights, so that my family and others are able to be better informed.
Peace.
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Post by casey on Jan 21, 2008 12:19:44 GMT -6
Just call him the Roto-Rooter man. We all know what they plunge through. Yes, but why, oh, why, is our SB allowing it? Here's their last chance to stand up for what's right. Put the runaway train to a stop and then rethink the whole thing. Give the community a choice as to what we want. IMO, I think the majority is saying let's go back and reexamine everything with regards to a full disclosure. Take 2009 out of the equation and let each site stand independently and then decide what's right. Why would we choose such a wrong site and suffer a permanent wrong for the District. I want to know if the SB is really examining the final site costs (especially in lieu of the "bomb" Dr. D dropped on Saturday regarding a land site at the cost of $155k/acre!). How in the world does that information just get swept under the rug? No matter how they want to spin the AME site, I think most of us can come to the same conclusion. That site is costing more than they're telling us and it definitely has some hidden costs with regards to transit issues, safety issues, etc. and there's no way that school will open in 2009. Also, here's just a little "fun fact" that I learned. Did you know that 75% of Elementary students in District 204 kids live south of 75th Street? Won't that be fun down the road when they're all headed north for HS? Please someone tell me that our SB is at least responding to your emails saying to rethink the site. They're not answering mine! |
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Post by proschool on Jan 21, 2008 12:42:24 GMT -6
Wv is southn of 75th street but 70% od the district is east of the railroad tracks.
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) I have had this feeling since the summer. There are a few more twists in the road I believe. I would not despair even if they pass the land recommendation tonight.
