Post by fence on Feb 23, 2006 18:09:12 GMT -6
From the Daily Southtown. I heard about this on the radio today. I thought it was very interesting. I guess we're not the only place full of angst these days.
The article is from last month....
Homer Glen residents call for own high school
Sunday, January 29, 2006
By Steve Schmadeke
Staff writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A plan to build a high school in Homer Glen is stirring some of the same concerns that led to the village's creation nearly five years ago.
Lockport Township High School District 205 — which serves students in Crest Hill, Lockport and Homer Glen — will ask voters March 21 for permission to sell $122 million in bonds to build a new school and add a gym and a synthetic turf field to Lockport East.
Under the district's plan, Lockport Central, which serves only freshmen, would close, and freshman centers would be established at the two schools.
District 205 officials said a new four-year school is needed to keep up with rising enrollment.
But the plan faces an uphill battle in Homer Glen — where residents voted to incorporate in 2001, partly out of fear of being swallowed up by Lockport.
Many village residents believe Homer Glen, projected to have 40,000 residents in 20 years, should have its own school district — in part because Homer Glen provides the lion's share of District 205 revenue.
These residents don't like that the new school, to be built near 151st Street and Cedar Road, will bear Lockport's name and will draw students from outside Homer Glen — with village residents picking up the tab.
"They're calling it the 'H school,' " said Lisa Bolek, who serves on a District 205 citizens committee that's working on attendance boundaries for the new school. "They can't even say Homer."
A District 205 official said the term is being used until the new high school is named and that Lockport East High School is called the "L campus."
Bolek said she favors the referendum measure but believes there are enough Homer Glen students for the new school to enroll only students who reside in the village.
"There's a reason people chose not to live in Lockport and paid twice as much to buy a home in Homer Glen," she said.
"I feel like they're leaving Homer Glen people out," village resident Ashley Miller said. "We have half the kids (in the school district)."
District 205 officials understand the territorial tensions at play but think Homer Glen residents will accept the expansion plan once they learn more about it.
Supt. Garry Raymond said District 205 is averaging 136 more students per year and has little choice but to build a new school if it is to avoid severe overcrowding.
Raymond said the school board wants to adopt boundaries that are as "equitable" as possible in terms of racial diversity, household income and test scores.
"Yes, it's an issue," he said of the attendance boundaries. "But I think once people see the information, they'll do a 180. It's $100 to solve the problem."
That figure refers to the district's estimate that the owner of a home with a market value of $250,000 would pay an extra $100 a year in property taxes if the bond issue were approved.
And Raymond said the Homer Glen school would not open until the 2008-09 school year, leaving plenty of time to choose a name.
Campaign literature developed by District 205 addresses some Homer Glen residents' territorial concerns.
"Many Homer residents believe they would benefit from a detachment from the Lockport High School district. The state will discourage this change, and in the end the costs would be prohibitive," a promotional newsletter says. "It's critical that we recognize our issues of the present and the future — undeniable growth — must take precedence over history. For the reality now is that we are one district composed of three unique townships."
Another obstacle for District 205 in persuading Homer Glen voters to back the bond issue is their fear of rising taxes — something that incorporation opponents hammered away at during the April 2001 referendum. They contended that forming a village would lead inevitably to higher taxes to pay for municipal services.
Homer Glen still operates with few such services and has only a storefront village hall. Will County sheriff's police patrol the streets, and Homer Township's highway department takes care of the streets.
But as the village continues to grow, it will have to assume such services eventually and raise taxes and fees to finance them.
After failing six straight times, the Homer Township Library District last year dropped efforts to pass a tax increase that would have added an estimated $60 more in yearly taxes on a $250,000 home.
Steve Schmadeke may be reached at sschmadeke@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5966.
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The article is from last month....
Homer Glen residents call for own high school
Sunday, January 29, 2006
By Steve Schmadeke
Staff writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A plan to build a high school in Homer Glen is stirring some of the same concerns that led to the village's creation nearly five years ago.
Lockport Township High School District 205 — which serves students in Crest Hill, Lockport and Homer Glen — will ask voters March 21 for permission to sell $122 million in bonds to build a new school and add a gym and a synthetic turf field to Lockport East.
Under the district's plan, Lockport Central, which serves only freshmen, would close, and freshman centers would be established at the two schools.
District 205 officials said a new four-year school is needed to keep up with rising enrollment.
But the plan faces an uphill battle in Homer Glen — where residents voted to incorporate in 2001, partly out of fear of being swallowed up by Lockport.
Many village residents believe Homer Glen, projected to have 40,000 residents in 20 years, should have its own school district — in part because Homer Glen provides the lion's share of District 205 revenue.
These residents don't like that the new school, to be built near 151st Street and Cedar Road, will bear Lockport's name and will draw students from outside Homer Glen — with village residents picking up the tab.
"They're calling it the 'H school,' " said Lisa Bolek, who serves on a District 205 citizens committee that's working on attendance boundaries for the new school. "They can't even say Homer."
A District 205 official said the term is being used until the new high school is named and that Lockport East High School is called the "L campus."
Bolek said she favors the referendum measure but believes there are enough Homer Glen students for the new school to enroll only students who reside in the village.
"There's a reason people chose not to live in Lockport and paid twice as much to buy a home in Homer Glen," she said.
"I feel like they're leaving Homer Glen people out," village resident Ashley Miller said. "We have half the kids (in the school district)."
District 205 officials understand the territorial tensions at play but think Homer Glen residents will accept the expansion plan once they learn more about it.
Supt. Garry Raymond said District 205 is averaging 136 more students per year and has little choice but to build a new school if it is to avoid severe overcrowding.
Raymond said the school board wants to adopt boundaries that are as "equitable" as possible in terms of racial diversity, household income and test scores.
"Yes, it's an issue," he said of the attendance boundaries. "But I think once people see the information, they'll do a 180. It's $100 to solve the problem."
That figure refers to the district's estimate that the owner of a home with a market value of $250,000 would pay an extra $100 a year in property taxes if the bond issue were approved.
And Raymond said the Homer Glen school would not open until the 2008-09 school year, leaving plenty of time to choose a name.
Campaign literature developed by District 205 addresses some Homer Glen residents' territorial concerns.
"Many Homer residents believe they would benefit from a detachment from the Lockport High School district. The state will discourage this change, and in the end the costs would be prohibitive," a promotional newsletter says. "It's critical that we recognize our issues of the present and the future — undeniable growth — must take precedence over history. For the reality now is that we are one district composed of three unique townships."
Another obstacle for District 205 in persuading Homer Glen voters to back the bond issue is their fear of rising taxes — something that incorporation opponents hammered away at during the April 2001 referendum. They contended that forming a village would lead inevitably to higher taxes to pay for municipal services.
Homer Glen still operates with few such services and has only a storefront village hall. Will County sheriff's police patrol the streets, and Homer Township's highway department takes care of the streets.
But as the village continues to grow, it will have to assume such services eventually and raise taxes and fees to finance them.
After failing six straight times, the Homer Township Library District last year dropped efforts to pass a tax increase that would have added an estimated $60 more in yearly taxes on a $250,000 home.
Steve Schmadeke may be reached at sschmadeke@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5966.
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