It's over!!!

The last Booster meeting of the school year - woohoo!!!

We are trying something new for us - a brick fundraiser. We are the ugly stepchild school in the district. The one high school separated about 10 years ago - and we became the 'new' school when they built our building. So - all of the alumni ($$$) stayed with the old school as their Alma mater. Even when their new school was built 3 years ago - they still claim that as their school. Their old high school is now a junior high.

Anyhow - raising money has been difficult for any group in the school. Post Prom struggles every year to raise funds. Boosters - the same. We try to keep up with the 'Jones' (the other high school) but frankly, cannot compete with those alumni dollars.

So - we found a couple of West alumni who now have their own landscaping business. It's new and they are young and working hard and are willing to take a chance with us. So we are selling engraved bricks and have this wonderful layout for a huge patio with landscaping and everything to be installed near the main entrance. It is gorgeous. Well, last night we approved the final drawing. I am always the devil's advocate for this group - they have these rose colored glasses on and I seem to have to shake them into reality. For example - the landscapers want to plant a Japanese Maple smack dab in the center of the circle walkway. Chris and I had a Japanese Maple for about two years - nursed it, fertilized it, tlc - and it still died. They have a very hard time in the best of conditions - so they really struggle in Illinois. Let's face it - there will be 1000 kids messing with this tree on a regular basis. So I asked - what is the warranty? Who will replace the plants? Who is going to maintain the mulch? Who is going to weed? For some reason, these folks think that the District is going to do this. Are they kidding? Have they seen the football field? That area is a mess. The district doesn't hire landscape firms - the custodians are already overworked and underpaid. I just wanted them to realize that I 'graduate' next year - so somebody needs to think about who will be held accountable for the maintenance. I recommended that we 'hire' the horticulture class to maintain it and give them a donation of some sort every year - but it fell on deaf ears...

It's still a great idea - a huge asset to the school. I just hope someone takes care of it or it would be just a shame...