I was in the l
ocal Wal-Mart over the weekend. It was jam-packed with families buying school supplies for the upcoming new school year. Cart after cart of pens, paper, computers, folders, and colorful crayons were flying out the door.
My wife was the queen of school supplies. Our boys never had to worry about running out of a thing. We had a big box several feet deep and several feet wide filled with the stuff. Need glue sticks? Got 'em! Posterboard? Check! Stencils? Bingo! We even had the boys' friends calling us at times. WE were the local supply store! They just knew Mrs. Mundt would have what they needed. No last-minute runs to the store in the wee hours were ever necessary for us or anyone we knew!
Thankfully, the school systems our boys attended were beneficiaries of great financial planni
ng and leadership. They were noted (and still are) as one of the top school districts within our state. Our boys were lucky to receive an extremely good education in a well-equipped, safe, and educationally nurturing atmosphere. Upon the youngest's graduation from high school, we reasoned we no longer needed a large home and downsized to a smaller home in a nearby community. At the time of our move, this community's high school was also rated highly within the state educational rankings.
But almost 8 years later, this community's high school board has now tried to pass a referendum multiple times. Each time it has been unsuccessful and been voted down. Now it may be argued that various finer talking-points of the referendum have not been explained, defended, or proven worthy of its' passing, but the one thing that cannot be argued is that the halls of the high school are over-packed with kids!
Safety has become an issue at the school because of this fact. Trailers are now attached to the school in multiple directions to help relieve hall congestion and provide more class space. There are now so many kids in this school system
, that for the first time this fall, they are beginning staggered class schedules during the school year.
Some kids are going to be getting up so extremely early in the morning that they're going to think they're dairy farmers!
Anyone in real estate will tell you ... your school systems are an integral portion of the valuation of your property. Talk with a realtor. If someone with children is pondering a move into your community, their number one question w
ill most likely be (and should be) ... "What are the schools like?"
When schools start to suffer from overcrowding, are in need of repair, or can no longer offer the curriculum and extra-curricular activities families want for their children ... the community suffers and values of the property contained within those community's school districts start to fall.
As an ex-real estate appraiser, I know this for a fact and it worries me greatly that this badly-needed referendum is floundering in our community. If I am concerned, potential home buying customers are or will be too.
All of this raced through my head while standing in line while at the store the other day. Our society's emphasis on the latest and greatest school supplies is ill-placed. Our focus should be on the schools themselves and spending dollars wisely there. Being aware of the school's needs and being willing to make it a priority is vitally and equally important.
In the long run, our children and grand-children will be much better served and our property values better protected by this ABC approach.
Gene Mundt, Sr. Vice President
Personal NMLS #216987
The Federal Savings Bank
1823 Centre Point Circle, Naperville, IL 60563
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