Hicks: Indiana needs another wave of school consolidation - Affect on Indiana High School Football?

[psaboy]

On 2/9/2024 at 11:00 AM, Basementbias said:

There have been some change in the enrollment at Bellmont due to new move ins from the Chicago area. Many of the rural Bellmont families have not been pleased with this & fear safety concerns. There is also a preconceived notion that the academics & culture at Adams Central & South Adams are a better fit for those families now. I will say that this is not me speaking personally, but what I've been told. I know North Adams sent out something on Facebook about thoughts to curb enrollment decline. We all saw that AC was moving to 2A in football due to success factor, but would have any way as the enrollment jumped up a bit.

Jay County has to cancel school more frequently during weather events than the 3 Adams County schools. If Adams County residents had their way, you would see the prior consolidations reversed to a degree. Many in Adams County feel that the one school system is not conducive to learning and that Jay County students are not getting the same quality of education. Jay County would probably be better served to have 2 smaller schools in all honesty. As for Blackford, that area is really struggling economically. I believe that has had a major impact on the academics as well as their athletics.

What really needs to happen is a career centered school/building to be built between Bluffton & Monroe. Look up Vantage Career Center in Van Wert County Ohio (next door so to speak). If I'm not mistaken, students that want to take certain trade classes, medical, and etc have to travel to one of the schools that offer it. For example media was at Bellmont, small engines at AC, machining at South Adams, and etc. This career center would service students from the 3 Wells County, 3 Adams County, Jay, & Blackford schools.

For me personally, I would like to remain at 3 schools in the county. I'd be fine with more than 3 actually.  I think 6 small schools would be great academically. For athletics, I'd say request co-ops for football & baseball but separate for basketball & maybe wrestling & individual sports. 

Why are people from Chicago moving to the Decatur area? Have family that live in that district (Belmont) and haven't hear that being an issue??

1 minute ago, psaboy said:

 

 

Edited February 11, 2024 by psaboy

[Basementbias]

10 hours ago, psaboy said:

Why are people from Chicago moving to the Decatur area? Have family that live in that district (Belmont) and haven't hear that being an issue??

 

Chicago & Illinois are paying to move them instead of constantly paying for them year after year. Basically trying to be a write off. I believe the real estate company has slowed down as they've probably hit capacity. 

[psaboy]

3 hours ago, Basementbias said:

Chicago & Illinois are paying to move them instead of constantly paying for them year after year. Basically trying to be a write off. I believe the real estate company has slowed down as they've probably hit capacity. 

Not sure what you are trying to say? Can you clarify? 

[Basementbias]

12 hours ago, psaboy said:

Not sure what you are trying to say? Can you clarify? 

State of Illinois can't afford them to stay there, so they pay our local RE agency to take them & house them on the move. Then they're on their own. Illinois & especially Chicago are trying to reduce the population in the state.

[Muda69]

45 minutes ago, Basementbias said:

 Illinois & especially Chicago are trying to reduce the population in the state.

I would like to know what Chicago or Illinois state department or agency is in charge of this "program".   You make it sound like it is something that has come about through legislation, so such information should be publicly available. 

[Bash Riprock]

On 2/8/2024 at 8:25 AM, Muda69 said:

Adams County would be a prime candidate for the consolidation that Mr. Hicks is talking about.   Much cost savings could be realized, and overall better services for the students.

 

How do you prove that?  So larger always equals better??  

I was a part of a consolidated school system, and I would say it was better in more opportunities for education.  But that was a long time ago and the schools consolidated were far smaller than the examples provided in Adams County.  It absolutely provided less opportunities for kids to participate in extracurricular activities, especially athletics.  Not to mention can't tell you how much I enjoyed the hour bus ride one way.

[Basementbias]

19 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

I would like to know what Chicago or Illinois state department or agency is in charge of this "program".   You make it sound like it is something that has come about through legislation, so such information should be publicly available. 

Hard telling with Illinois & Chicago if any of this is being done above board. Just stating what I've been informed by city residents. Chicago has a history of corruption, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it's being done illegally somehow.

[Muda69]

15 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

How do you prove that?  So larger always equals better??  

 

No, it does not.  And neither does smaller always equals better. 

 

[psaboy]

1 hour ago, Basementbias said:

State of Illinois can't afford them to stay there, so they pay our local RE agency to take them & house them on the move. Then they're on their own. Illinois & especially Chicago are trying to reduce the population in the state.

So, you talking about US citizens or the people from the Biden border disaster? 

[Gipper]

33 minutes ago, Basementbias said:

Hard telling with Illinois & Chicago if any of this is being done above board. Just stating what I've been informed by city residents. Chicago has a history of corruption, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it's being done illegally somehow.

What?!?  Chicago isn't run perfectly?  

[Basementbias]

50 minutes ago, psaboy said:

So, you talking about US citizens or the people from the Biden border disaster? 

US citizens 

[Bash Riprock]

1 hour ago, Muda69 said:

No, it does not.  And neither does smaller always equals better. 

 

I never said it did either....but someone who has lived through it, there are pros and cons...it is not one-sided.  And I could see where there would be some both positive benefits and negative impacts to the schools in Adams County given their current size.  To be fair, one has to discuss both the positives and negatives before jumping in with both feet.  Every situation is not identical and there is certainly not a "one size fits all" approach.

[psaboy]

1 hour ago, Basementbias said:

US citizens 

So Chicago is moving US Citizens to Decatur because they can't afford to have them live in Chicago anymore? Are these US citizens on welfare?? Decatur and Indiana are not sanctuary destinations. I'll discuss with my contacts in Decatur and see what they say. 

[Basementbias]

18 minutes ago, psaboy said:

So Chicago is moving US Citizens to Decatur because they can't afford to have them live in Chicago anymore? Are these US citizens on welfare?? Decatur and Indiana are not sanctuary destinations. I'll discuss with my contacts in Decatur and see what they say. 

I believe that it may be low to moderate income from my sources. They have been in the rough apartments just east of the school. Your contacts should definitely know those ones.