Bloomington Junior High School

A building on Oakland Avenue in Bloomington has been renamed to honor Willie G. and Gloria Brown for their contributions to the local community.

If she wins, Bloomington Junior High School teacher Haleigh Couch plans to invest in her students and classroom — after the Hawaii vacation.

A large crowd honored Armoni Bennett on Thursday night between the seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball games at Bloomington Junior High School.

Armoni Bennett was one of four shot and killed in a domestic incident Sunday.

Illinois is not part of the growing movement from state legislators to have a larger say in how students are using phones in schools, leaving educators to make their own rules and regulations surrounding phone usage. In Bloomington-Normal, those policies vary widely.

According to a statement District 87 officials released to families, the lockdown was “out of an abundance of caution due to a received report implying a potential security concern.”

McLean County schools have been using restorative practices for years. A local expert wants to increase their use countywide.

Suspensions at Unit 5 and District 87 junior highs have been rising for years, with three of the five schools hitting a high last school year.

District 87 has changed its music program at Bloomington Junior High next year to allow those students to also take a class in the arts. But their school day will be a half-hour longer.

Next month the 2020 Illinois Teacher of the Year will be chosen from among the 10 finalists.One of those finalists is Helen Brandon, who was nominated by…