A little mud can't stop Metea ceremony

Years from now, historians looking back at photos from the groundbreaking ceremony at Metea Valley High School may be confused to see the Stonegate subdivision in the background.

Well, note to the future. District officials had their hard hats and silver shovels ready Tuesday afternoon, but heavy storms left the site at Eola Road just south of Diehl Road one big mud pit and not suitable for the loafers, slacks and pantsuits that would accompany those hard hats.

So instead, students, district officials and contractors took turns digging small divots in the south lawn of Indian Plains Alternative High School, about a mile south on Eola Road.

Inside the school's gymnasium, before the photo opportunity, Superintendent Stephen Daeschner and board President Mark Metzger thanked the hundreds of PTA moms, community members, municipal leaders, their lawyers and members of St. John AME Church for helping them get to the groundbreaking phase.

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner said Tuesday was a "great day in Aurora and a great day in Indian Prairie District 204."

"I can't tell you the number of hours that most of you in this room have spent with us as we attempted to move over hills, through valleys, and whatever else to build this outstanding high school," Daeschner said. "I appreciate you all being here to celebrate with us today."

No one in the room, however, seemed to be more appreciated than the Rev. Jesse Hawkins, whose St. John AME Church sold its entire 84-acre parcel to the district earlier this year after the district's deal with Midwest Generation fell through. Though speaking in a normal tone and promising to "hold himself together," Hawkins received a standing ovation from everyone in attendance.

"I would like to send my heartfelt congratulations to (the district) for your commitment to excellence and for consistently making the interest and education of our children paramount," Hawkins said. "Though it was a difficult decision to sell our entire 84-acre parcel, we recognized the critical need for this high school located on the north end of this district. We understand the building of this school will provide exposure to a curriculum which will focus on the importance of local involvement and local leadership for a great number of our students."

Work already has begun on the Eola Road site and the district has said it plans to open most of the campus in August 2009 to house freshmen and sophomores.

District leaders said the school, which eventually will serve all four grade levels, is needed to ease crowding at Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley high schools in the district that includes portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook.