Ready for the bell!

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Champaign County students return to school next week and will find new policies in place.

Students at Urbana City Schools begin class on Thursday, except for kindergartners experiencing a staggered start. A new policy states students will have no cell phones or other personal communication devices from 7:35 a.m. to 2:37 p.m., except for lunch period.

According to Superintendent Charles Thiel, this is the first year that all high school students will be issued a Chromebook device, eliminating the need for each student to have a personal device during school hours. Thiel said the high school day has been extended by a few minutes to 2:37 to accommodate buses coming from the middle school.

“With the issues we were having with cellphones and students doing inappropriate things and causing a distraction, we thought it would be better to restrict their use during the school day,” he said. “Students will be allowed to use their cell phones in the cafeteria during their lunch period, but the rest of the time they need to be stored in their lockers before first period.”

This policy is the same for all grade levels, although Thiel said there have been no problems with students using cell phones at the elementary level. The change is being made to encourage academic engagement and minimize social issues. Parents are welcome to communicate important information to the school office that can be relayed to students when necessary.

The new cell phone policy at Urbana City Schools is similar to the policy at Triad Local Schools, where all students were issued Chromebooks last year. The Triad policy is different only in that high school students can have cell phones in class as long as they are turned off. Middle school students must keep them in their lockers. Superintendent Vickie Hoffman said the policy will be unchanged this year, and that the first day of school on Tuesday will include some sign-offs for equipment.

Busing

Urbana City Schools has modified bus routes with the new Transfinder system that electronically maps every student’s address and bus stop to create more efficient routes. There are now 12 regular bus routes, each with 15-20 stops in the country or five or six in the city.

Thiel said seven or eight buses were double-routed last year, meaning that in the afternoon buses would take elementary school students who lived in the city back to their bus stops, then return to the school to pick up another busload of students who lived outside the city. Students who lived farther from the school were at the school for 15-20 minutes more in the morning and in the afternoon than their peers who lived closer to the school.

“Some of these bus routes are also consolidated so that the total bus route is shorter than what it was in the past, which means kids are typically riding for shorter times,” Thiel said. “We’re increasing the efficiencies so that we have fuller buses so there’ll be more kids on the bus than what we had in the past.”

Most school buses can transport 72 passengers if there are three students in each seat, which Thiel said means that one bus can realistically take 55-60 students. This year, he said, only three elementary school routes are double booked, reducing the time students wait at the school before they can get home. Due to the Transfinder system creating more efficient bus routes, Thiel said, the district has eliminated 50-60 hours of driver time every week, or about 10,000 miles a year.

Graham Local Schools opens Tuesday and the district continues to have group bus stops throughout the district for high school students, a policy the district started last year. According to interim Superintendent Matt Curtis, this model provides group stops strategically located to reduce transportation time and distance for parents and guardians while reducing costs, rather than go to a state minimum transportation model, which would have required parents and guardians to provide transportation or for students to self-transport.

To check bus stop locations and bus stop times, visit the Graham Local Schools webpage and click on “Transportation” under the Departments tab.

Personnel

Curtis noted several personnel changes in the district. Former Graham Elementary School assistant principal Lynnette Roeth will become the principal, while the new assistant principal will be Brooke Hoblit, coming from a teaching position at National Trail Schools in New Paris. Former Graham Middle School assistant principal Nick Guidera will become the principal there, while Emily Shreve become the assistant principal, moving from a teaching position at Graham Elementary.

Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School District students will begin class on Wednesday. Students in the West Liberty-Salem Local School District will begin school Sept. 3.

A safety message from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office

Champaign County area schools will be back in session as early as Aug. 20. Sheriff Matthew R. Melvin and deputies urge everyone to be aware of these school safety tips:

While driving:

– Be on the lookout for school zone signals and obey speed limits.

– When entering a school zone, slow down and obey traffic laws.

– Stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children.

– Be aware of and watch out for children near schools, bus stops, sidewalks, in the streets, in school parking lots, etc.

– Never pass other vehicles while driving in a school zone.

– Never change lanes while in a school zone.

– Never make U-turns while in a school zone.

– Never text while driving in a school zone.

– Avoid using a cell phone, unless it’s completely hands-free, while driving in a school zone.

While at school or school events:

– Be aware of your environment and the people in it.

– If you see something suspicious, say something to school officials and law enforcement.

– Know laws regarding weapons, electronic devices and social media at school and school events. If unsure, check with the school administration or local law enforcement agency.

The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office continues to partner with area schools to provide the safest environment possible for children.

Twin brothers Joshua and Jake Blakeman, starting fourth grade this week, stand behind $130 worth of school supplies they donated to Urbana Elementary School for students in need. Their mother, Tina Blakeman, began collecting supplies at her shop, The Vintage Traveler, then the boys collected donations from 23 downtown businesses.
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2019/08/web1_SchoolSupplies.jpgTwin brothers Joshua and Jake Blakeman, starting fourth grade this week, stand behind $130 worth of school supplies they donated to Urbana Elementary School for students in need. Their mother, Tina Blakeman, began collecting supplies at her shop, The Vintage Traveler, then the boys collected donations from 23 downtown businesses. Christopher Selmek | Urbana Daily Citizen
School year begins with new policies

By Christopher Selmek

[email protected]

A safety message from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office

Champaign County area schools will be back in session as early as Aug. 20. Sheriff Matthew R. Melvin and deputies urge everyone to be aware of these school safety tips:

While driving:

– Be on the lookout for school zone signals and obey speed limits.

– When entering a school zone, slow down and obey traffic laws.

– Stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children.

– Be aware of and watch out for children near schools, bus stops, sidewalks, in the streets, in school parking lots, etc.

– Never pass other vehicles while driving in a school zone.

– Never change lanes while in a school zone.

– Never make U-turns while in a school zone.

– Never text while driving in a school zone.

– Avoid using a cell phone, unless it’s completely hands-free, while driving in a school zone.

While at school or school events:

– Be aware of your environment and the people in it.

– If you see something suspicious, say something to school officials and law enforcement.

– Know laws regarding weapons, electronic devices and social media at school and school events. If unsure, check with the school administration or local law enforcement agency.

The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office continues to partner with area schools to provide the safest environment possible for children.

Christopher Selmek can be reached at 937-508-2304

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