McHenry County Blog

The Prairie Ridge High School cafeteria was filled with Pack 158 Cub Scouts this Sunday. They could eat anything they wanted and no one would know.

The last time I was in a high school cafeteria was when the Cub Scouts were having their annual Blue and Gold Awards Ceremonies.

Before that, it was either the time when

• there was a District 155 candidates’ night after which the superintendent said, “Why didn’t you come to speak to me about running?” or
• at the meeting my father called that led to the formation of McHenry County College.

But it’s time to visit District 155 cafeterias again.

Somethings happening that you might find of interest.

Let me first remind you of First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to get kids to eat more vegetables and less food that turns into fat.

Maybe that has something to do with this and maybe it doesn’t.

District 155 is tracking what kids eat for lunch.  Staff, too.

For those who pay for their lunch with money on a student identification card, not only the amount subtracted is recorded, but what they have purchased is saved in a computerized fashion.

What about those who pay with real money?

Their food purchases will also be tracked, because the student ID card must be scanned in order to buy lunch.

Eventually, District 155 will allow parents to find out what their teens are chowing down on.

District 155′s Jeff Puma explained the program:

The information you’re looking for is related to the new point-of-sale system, which is currently being implemented at our schools. This will allow parents to load money onto student IDs rather than sending cash with their children. This is a more secure option for our families because we can cancel an ID card and recover unused funds, but it is unlikely that cash would be returned if it is lost.

With regard to your specific questions, the system does record what is purchased by all individuals–students, staff, and guests. First and foremost, this allows the cafeteria staff to monitor inventory in order to optimize the purchasing process. It also allows the user–and in the case of a student, his/her parents–to budget more effectively by tracking purchases, if they choose to do so.

He also pointed me to what District 155 has on its web site about the change:

District 155 Introduces Point-of-Sale Lunch Purchases

System To Allow Cafeteria Purchases With Student IDs
District 155 will begin a point-of-sale payment system in the coming weeks. The system will allow students to use their student identification cards to purchase meals in school cafeterias without the need for cash. Parents will have the option to add credit onto the ID cards using the district’s Family Access website or by bringing cash or a check to the school’s designated account replenish area.

Point-of-sale purchases will be available in September once system testing is complete. At that time, parents will be able to add money to student accounts using Family Access. A tutorial and detailed instructions will be available through this website at that time.

Advantages of the point-of-sale system include:

• Allows parents to see their student’s lunch purchases.
• All account information can be viewed and managed through Family Access.
• Provides a secure alternative to cash:
  • Student’s ID will work like a debit card.
  • Reduces the need to send cash with your student each day.
  • If a student loses his/her ID, the fund balance will be transferred to a new card.
• Auto-replenish option allows for automatic reloading when your child’s balance becomes low.
• Streamlines free and reduced lunch application process.

I have been told one or more parents offered District 155 a swimming pool at Prairie Ridge High School.

McHenry has an indoor pool at McHenry West High School. The McHenry Marlins, sponsored by the City's Recreation Department, practice and hold meets there, as do the high school water sports teams

But the offer was turned down by either the administration or the school board because the decision-making authority did not want one school have a swimming pool while the other three did not.

No big surprise that families living on the north side of Crystal Lake in the vicinity of Prairie Ridge are better off than families attending the other three high schools.

Last month the Chicago Tribune ran a front page article about how school districts coped with parental financing of school activities in districts with diverse demographics.

So, I’m not surprised that that one or a couple of parents were able to finance a pool.

The logic of all schools getting a swimming pool or none at all is interesting.

From an egalitarian point of view, I guess it can be defended, but look at the location of Prairie Ridge High School.

It is close enough to Cary-Grove High School that those with Cary addresses near East Crystal Lake Avenue in Lake Kilarney were assigned to Prairie Ridge when it opened.

And, it certainly isn’t a world apart from Crystal Lake Central and Crystal Lake South.

Now, District 155 have a combined swim team that practices at the YMCA.

It would be hard to argue that the team could not easily have beeen transported to Prairie Ridge for practice.

So, that leaves gym class.

Prairie Grove students would have been able to take gym in a pool, while those attending the other high schools wouldn’t have been able to do so.

Inequality of instruction, then.

Runners in last year's March Madness Half Marathon in Cary (click to enlarge)

The Hillsrtiders Run Club will hold its 32nd March Madness Half Marathon next Sunday at Cary-Grove High School. It took five hours to sell the 1,000 spots.

The group’s press release is below:

On Sunday, March 21st, the local Hillstriders Run Club will host the 32nd March Madness Half Marathon (13.1 miles) at the Cary Grove High School. This race has become very popular in the Chicagoland race circuit. The 1,000 entries for this year’s event were sold out within 5 hours.

The course is renowned for its hills. The March Madness Half Marathon Course has been dubbed the most challenging in Northern Illinois and an excellent training race for spring marathons.

Proceeds from this race fund the Hillstriders Distance Running Scholarship. To honor a former member and President, Fritz Kaufman, this scholarship is for McHenry County, High School, Senior distance runners.

Four $2,000 awards will provided this year. These scholarships are awarded based on the best essay on how running has influenced and changed their young lives. Officers of the club, local educators and representatives of the press judge the entries. Scholarship applications have been sent to all McHenry County High School running coaches and can be found on the club’s web site; www.Hillstriders.com.

The Hillstriders Running Club was founded roughly 30 years ago. The Club consists of nearly 100 members, runners from around the McHenry County area. Members come from all levels of running experience and are committed to sharing their joy in running.

The following press release has been received from 16th District

Congressman Don Manzullo:
Cary-Grove High School Student
Appointed to U.S. Naval Academy

[CRYSTAL LAKE] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today announced that Daniel Jacquier of Cary, Illinois, has received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Daniel will graduate in June 2010 from Cary-Grove High School in Cary.

Daniel is a member of the National Honor Society and an “AP Scholar with Distinction” for his perfect scores on all five Advanced Placement exams.

As a Link Crew Leader, he led a group of 20 Freshmen in various lessons and teambuilding exercises throughout the year to help them better adjust to high school.

In addition, he volunteers his time at his church and with the McHenry County Conservation District.

At Cary-Grove, Daniel competes on both the Track and Cross-Country teams. Daniel is the son of Kenneth and Regina Jacquier of Cary.

16th District Congressman Don Manzullo has announced another service academy appointment. His press release follows:

[CRYSTAL LAKE] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today announced that Corey Bruns of Fox River Grove, Illinois, has received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Corey will graduate in June 2009 from Cary-Grove High School in Cary. At Cary-Grove, Corey is a member of the Honor Roll. He also works at Light of Christ Lutheran Church.

In addition, Corey is a member of the Varsity Baseball team and was named All Area, 2nd Team, for the Spring 2008 season. He also played basketball and football at Cary-Grove. Corey is the son of Scott and Alisa Bruns of Fox River Grove.

16th District Congressman Don Manzullo has announced another service academy appointment. His press release follows:

[CRYSTAL LAKE] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today announced that Corey Bruns of Fox River Grove, Illinois, has received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Corey will graduate in June 2009 from Cary-Grove High School in Cary. At Cary-Grove, Corey is a member of the Honor Roll. He also works at Light of Christ Lutheran Church.

In addition, Corey is a member of the Varsity Baseball team and was named All Area, 2nd Team, for the Spring 2008 season. He also played basketball and football at Cary-Grove. Corey is the son of Scott and Alisa Bruns of Fox River Grove.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, the Cary Police Department and Cary-Grove High School have sent out the following press release announcing indictments of two 17-year olds and one unnamed 16-year old minor with regard to the October 1st Cary-Grove bomb threat:

State’s Attorney Louis A. Bianchi announces, jointly with the Cary Police Department and Cary-Grove High School, that on October 15, 2008, the grand jury returned a four-count bill of indictment charging

• Tyler J. Becker and
• Lucas F. Medansky

each with CONSPIRACY (class 4 felony) and DISORDERLY CONDUCT (class 3 felony) in reference to an alleged bomb threat that was made by telephone on October 1, 2008 to the Cary Grove High School.

A juvenile was also charged with CONSPIRACY and two counts of DISORDERLY CONDUCT in reference to two separate telephone bomb threats allegedly made the same day to the Cary Grove High School.

It is alleged that the minor made the initial telephone bomb threat while acting alone and that Becker and Medansky aided and abetted the second call after agreeing with one another to commit the act.

The Cary Police Department recently completed a thorough investigation of the events that transpired on October 1st. The case was reviewed this week by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and presented to the grand jury.

The Cary-Grove High School administration cooperated with law enforcement efforts and is supportive of the resulting charges.

An evacuation of students in the high school occurred after the alleged bomb threats were made, resulting in the disruption of the school day and the response of a substantial number of law enforcement officers and firefighters.

If convicted, the adult offenders could be sentenced to up to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, the Cary Police Department and Cary-Grove High School have sent out the following press release announcing indictments of two 17-year olds and one unnamed 16-year old minor with regard to the October 1st Cary-Grove bomb threat:

State’s Attorney Louis A. Bianchi announces, jointly with the Cary Police Department and Cary-Grove High School, that on October 15, 2008, the grand jury returned a four-count bill of indictment charging

• Tyler J. Becker and
• Lucas F. Medansky

each with CONSPIRACY (class 4 felony) and DISORDERLY CONDUCT (class 3 felony) in reference to an alleged bomb threat that was made by telephone on October 1, 2008 to the Cary Grove High School.

A juvenile was also charged with CONSPIRACY and two counts of DISORDERLY CONDUCT in reference to two separate telephone bomb threats allegedly made the same day to the Cary Grove High School.

It is alleged that the minor made the initial telephone bomb threat while acting alone and that Becker and Medansky aided and abetted the second call after agreeing with one another to commit the act.

The Cary Police Department recently completed a thorough investigation of the events that transpired on October 1st. The case was reviewed this week by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and presented to the grand jury.

The Cary-Grove High School administration cooperated with law enforcement efforts and is supportive of the resulting charges.

An evacuation of students in the high school occurred after the alleged bomb threats were made, resulting in the disruption of the school day and the response of a substantial number of law enforcement officers and firefighters.

If convicted, the adult offenders could be sentenced to up to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Part 1 of this article can be found here.

The Wednesday before last, when I was computer-impaired because of Microsoft’s Vista, Governor Rod Blagojevich agreed to the suggestion of the NIU president to use $40 million to tear down and replace Cole Hall, where the massacre took place, and build another lecture hall and an on-campus memorial in its place.

Maybe it is because I was on the House Appropriations Committee through which big capital expenditures flowed in the 1990′s, but I immediately thought of how much $40 million would buy.

It would have been bought 40 right-turn lanes back at the turn of the century.

It would go a long way toward re-building and widening Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry, surely the most needed road improvement in McHenry County. (And, yes, leaves have been on the trees sometime in the distant past before Narnia’s White Witch turned our area into what seems like a perpetual winter.)

Then, Sunday morning, I woke up thinking of how $40 million (or, maybe it was only $20 million in the late 1990′s) would have paid for an underpass in Fox River Grove. Fox River Grove is the only town on the Union Pacific main northwest line without any underpasses or overpasses.

Even though the state managed to come up with money for an overpass for Cary in the 1990′s when Route 14 was widened, as you can see above, and Metra officials discussed an overpass in Fox River Grove, it was apparently too much money.

Despite the tragedy.

That would have been an appropriate memorial, it seemed to me.

Instead Fox River Grove residents did what they always do. They did what they could with what they had.

There is a rock with bronze plaques on two sides at the accident site that this little girl is looking at with her mother watching her.

There is also a small plaza in front of the library a block away built with donations and some legislative initiative money, otherwise, known as “pork,” from my allotment.

Five innocents died in DeKalb.

Seven died as a result of the Fox River Grove school bus-Metra train crash.

I think most of the $40 million the NIU president and Governor Blagojevich propose spending tearing down and replacing Cole Hall and building a memorial could be spent better elsewhere.

Instead, in addition to a memorial on campus, why doesn’t Governor Blagojevich build a memorial sign over the tollway before the NIU exit (built on land I have been was owned by former Republican State Senator Dennis “Denny” Collins)?

One something like the one you can see to the left of the photograph at the O’Hare Oasis above.

Each Blagojevich sign cost about $15,000.

Then people off campus could be reminded of the tragedy, too.

= = = = =
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Part 1 of this article can be found here.

The Wednesday before last, when I was computer-impaired because of Microsoft’s Vista, Governor Rod Blagojevich agreed to the suggestion of the NIU president to use $40 million to tear down and replace Cole Hall, where the massacre took place, and build another lecture hall and an on-campus memorial in its place.

Maybe it is because I was on the House Appropriations Committee through which big capital expenditures flowed in the 1990′s, but I immediately thought of how much $40 million would buy.

It would have been bought 40 right-turn lanes back at the turn of the century.

It would go a long way toward re-building and widening Route 31 between Crystal Lake and McHenry, surely the most needed road improvement in McHenry County. (And, yes, leaves have been on the trees sometime in the distant past before Narnia’s White Witch turned our area into what seems like a perpetual winter.)

Then, Sunday morning, I woke up thinking of how $40 million (or, maybe it was only $20 million in the late 1990′s) would have paid for an underpass in Fox River Grove. Fox River Grove is the only town on the Union Pacific main northwest line without any underpasses or overpasses.

Even though the state managed to come up with money for an overpass for Cary in the 1990′s when Route 14 was widened, as you can see above, and Metra officials discussed an overpass in Fox River Grove, it was apparently too much money.

Despite the tragedy.

That would have been an appropriate memorial, it seemed to me.

Instead Fox River Grove residents did what they always do. They did what they could with what they had.

There is a rock with bronze plaques on two sides at the accident site that this little girl is looking at with her mother watching her.

There is also a small plaza in front of the library a block away built with donations and some legislative initiative money, otherwise, known as “pork,” from my allotment.

Five innocents died in DeKalb.

Seven died as a result of the Fox River Grove school bus-Metra train crash.

I think most of the $40 million the NIU president and Governor Blagojevich propose spending tearing down and replacing Cole Hall and building a memorial could be spent better elsewhere.

Instead, in addition to a memorial on campus, why doesn’t Governor Blagojevich build a memorial sign over the tollway before the NIU exit (built on land I have been was owned by former Republican State Senator Dennis “Denny” Collins)?

One something like the one you can see to the left of the photograph at the O’Hare Oasis above.

Each Blagojevich sign cost about $15,000.

Then people off campus could be reminded of the tragedy, too.

= = = = =
All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.