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                        New report card data released Thursday show more Bloomington-Normal public schools are flagged for certain underperforming student groups and fewer schools are in the Top 10% statewide, even as local students joined their statewide peers in showing academic gains.
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                        The forum hosted by Unit 5 and Cropper GIS laid out the criteria, process and timeline for the enrollment planning study, including a website, unit5enrollmentplanning.com, where interested parties can see progress and submit feedback.
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                        Unit 5 will host a public meeting on Monday night to share information about an enrollment planning study underway that could lead to school boundary adjustments.
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                        At least eight community members spoke in support of Matt Chapman, a Normal Community High School civics teacher and girls soccer coach.
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                        Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle provided updates about the Normal-based school district during an interview on WGLT's Sound Ideas.
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                        Superintendent Kristen Weikle told the board she intends to retire at the end of the 2029-30 school year. That would take her to the end of the five-year contract the board approved in August.
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                        District 87 changed its policy for Bloomington High School that bans cell phones throughout the school day. Unit 5 refreshed its policy to keep student phones away during class in all but a few circumstances.
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                        Chief Financial Officer Marty Hickman presented an outline of the budget for the 2026 fiscal year during Wednesday's school board meeting.
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                        Unit 5 families and employees are mourning the death of an eighth-grade teacher, Shawn Anderson, just as the new school year begins.
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                        A senior at Normal Community High School learned about federal policymaking at Girls Nation this month.
 
 
 
 
 
 
