ABOVE: Danville High School principal Jacob Bretz speaks to the District 118 Board about a proposed purchase of special pouches that would hold students’ cell phones during the school day.
With state legislators trying to wrap up spring work in the state capital, one piece of pending legislation education has its eyes on would require schools to have a cell phone policy starting with the 2026-27 school year. District 118 is trying to get a head start, beginning with a focus on the Danville High School level. During Wednesday (May 28th) evening’s board meeting, DHS principal Jacob Bretz talked about a proposed $42,750 deal with a company called Yondr; to be paid for with Title 4 federal grant money.
The district would purchase cell phone pouches that would be electronically locked during the school day. Bretz stated the pouches would be designed to last six to eight years, coming out to a cost of $30 – $35 per student. Bretz mentioned that this would work better than teachers being distracted by needing to confiscate phones and keep track of them. Also, for concerns from many parents; YES, if a horrible situation breaks out at the school, students would be able to access the phones and call their families; AFTER the first priority of getting the students to a safe location is taken care of.
This will be voted on at a future meeting; and board president Darlene Halloran says that although the pending state law would cover grades K through 12, the district is starting with the high school level first. The high school students would take the pouches home; and would be responsible for them, such as with Chromebooks laptops.
Meanwhile, the new District 118 Board did make it official during Wednesday’s meeting that First Student will remain as the district’s provider of bus transportation. Two other bidders, Yellow Bus and Robinson Transportation, were cited as not having provided the complete documentation that the district needed. This deal will be for the next five school years; with an 11% increase to $6.8 million for the first year; followed by increases of seven, four, four, and four percent for the remaining years. This does not include the cost of diesel fuel, which the district purchases separately.
The board’s general consensus seemed to be that First Student has made improvements when it comes to issues such as being on time; but it was mentioned numerous times that parents need to do their jobs when it comes to getting their kids to the bus stops on time.
Board president Darlene Halloran said it’s good to have this done, so First Student can prepare for the new school year.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: We’re already entering June, and school begins for Northeast the third week of July. So, we need to get busy with our transportation.
District 118 Athletic Director Mark Bacys (also shown sitting in the first picture) addresses the District 118 Board on former Danville Viking and current NFL player Trent Sherfield’s athletic training center proposal.
Some good news was delivered during Wednesday’s meeting by District 118 Athletic Director Mark Bacys. Over Memorial Day Weekend; former Danville Viking, Vanderbilt Commodore, and current Denver Broncos football player Trent Sherfield was in town. Bacys says there was a celebrity basketball game, and a gala for his foundation Diamonds Amongst the Rough; with the two events helping raise $96,000 for district athletics, along with a $10,000 donation for the DHS football program.
But as Bacys explained, Sherfield wants to take that $96,000 and start raising funds to build a special athletic training center right in Danville; where all area athletes could work on their conditioning, as well as academics.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: A training center for athletes that takes care of their athletic abilities, their training, their nutrition, rehab afterwards; some mental health parts, some psychology. He met with our students at the high school on Thursday; got a lot of their input.
Bacys says this would be for all sports, including plans for a golf simulator.
Trent Sherfield’s annual football camp is coming up on Saturday, July 5th. Bacys says Sherfield will have a session for the girls flag football team during the day, and a session for the boys football team under the lights at night.
FOR MORE FROM DISTRICT 118 BOARD MEETING PLEASE GO TO JENNIFER BAILEY’S ARTICLE IN NEWS-GAZETTE https://www.news-gazette.com/news/danville-school-board-discusses-pouches-cost-for-a-student-cell-phone-free-dhs/article_d5d8181f-59e2-4aad-8e61-4ce1ae5a8ae6.html
