The rules for Washington Community High School students' use of cellphones during the school day have been tweaked by the school board.
Among the changes in the student handbook the board approved last month is the direction that cell phones can be used only for instruction, and only with the teacher's permission during class periods.
"The old rule was more passive when it came to the teacher's decision-making responsibility for cellphone use during class time," said Assistant Superintendent Karen Beverlin.
Cell phones can continue to be used by students during class passing times and lunch.
Ex-football coach rehired as assistant AD
Also at the board meeting:
• The board approved the rehiring of former WCHS football coach Darrell Crouch as assistant athletic director for the 2025-26 school year. Crouch served in the new position last school year. He works about 10 hours a week, mostly as a supervisor at competitions.
• The board approved the hiring of Curtis Whisker as girls tennis coach, replacing Gary Garver, who resigned. Whisker formerly was a volunteer coach for the team and has been a long time assistant boys tennis coach.
• The board approved the future retirement of Spanish teacher/foreign language department chair and girls cross country coach Troy Walcott. He'll retire after the 2027-28 school year.
• The board approved paying $13,742 to raise the new HVAC system in the Torry Gym ceiling so it's no longer too close to the new bleachers. The work should have cost around $20,000, but contractors and engineers reduced the cost.
• The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Washington Park District to share the park district's field painting robot. The robot can do a multitude of tasks in addition to lining fields.
• The board learned a new door security system that has been installed at the main entrance of the high school requires visitors to press a button to request access to the building.
• The board learned a new security camera with better video resolution than the former one was installed at Babcook Field.
Superintendent honored by colleagues
Superintendent Kyle Freeman was recently named the 2025 Superintendent of Distinction by his colleagues in the Central Valley Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators.
Freeman is going into his 32nd year as an educator and his 12th year as the WCHS superintendent.
During his time at WCHS, he's guided the high school through its recovery from an EF-4 tornado that devastated the city of Washington in 2013, created a safe learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseen construction and renovation projects including a new music wing and the addition of air conditioning in most of the high school, and helped WCHS receive the highest possible rating for fiscal responsibility from the Illinois State Board of Education.
"It takes a great team to accomplish those things, and that's what we have at WCHS," Freeman said.
The Central Illinois Valley Region covers Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford and Mason counties.
