DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The 2024-2025 school year begins for Decatur Public Schools on Aug. 12 and a major policy change has some in the community feeling uneasy. 

For the new school year, DPS 61 has updated its school phone policy. According to the new policy, once students walk into the building, their cell phone must be in their locker or a designated location in the classroom. 

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Decatur leaders, pastors, law enforcement officers, and businesses gather to show their support for DPS61. 

"This is not a punishment, we are rededicating ourselves to our children so they can be successful adults," Superintendent Dr. Rochelle Clark told community leaders on Thursday.

Since changing the policy, Dr. Clark said she has been proactive in relaying the new change. From sending out robocalls to billboards around town, Dr. Clark said everyone should be prepared and ready for the new change to begin. 

However, there are consequences for those who do not follow the policy. The first offense is a warning. If a student doesn't follow that warning they will be taken to the office and the school will contact parents. Dr. Clark said the district and schools will not tolerate verbal abuse or aggressive behavior from students or parents. 

"Our goal this year is to focus on student achievement and to do that we need to remove all barriers," she said. 

In Spring 2024 DPS 61 experienced violence in the school, with a fight breaking out between student with parents getting involved. While the policy limits cell phone activity, Dr. Clark believed the new policy could curb violence. 

"I absolutely believe that changing the policy will be a step in the right direction," she told WAND News. 

On Thursday Dr. Clark called the community together at Main Street Church. Pastors, organization leaders, city leaders, and businesses gathered to show their support to DPS 61 students, staff, and administration. 

"If I'm invested in the community, I must be invested in our education system," said Rev. Courtney Carson. "It's extremely important." 

While the cell phone policy was the main discussion at Thursday's meeting, Dr. Clark was able to announce major investments made to the district. Of those, the district will have a heavy emphasis on mental health. She told WAND News students will have someone that they can talk to any time of the day. They will be able to go online or pick up the phone to connect with a mental health professional. 

The district will also be providing students from Kindergarten through 8th grade with free school supplies. It is a 45-piece school supply box that was in partnership with Cartwheel, a new mental health provider. 

Dr. Clark shared that academic and test scores are up across the district. She told the community while there is still room for improvement, she praised the teacher growth in the district from 14% to 19%. 

In 2021-22 Literature, English, and Math the percentage of growth was 5.7%, last year it was 9.4%. Dr. Clark said district-wide 9th-grade PSAT for reading and writing went from 26% to 36%. 

"Our kids are making strides because they have so many people in their corner." 

DPS 61 starts classes on Monday, Aug. 12. 

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