With over $52 million in facility repairs projected over the next five years, Unit 5 schools face mounting infrastructure needs—from roof replacements to outdated HVAC systems, according to Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle. Normal Community alone accounts for nearly $18 million of those needs,...

Community recognized student accomplishments across athletics, academics and the arts during the Spring Walk of Champions on Friday, March 14, a tradition that began during the 2023-24 school year.  

After saving two lives in separate incidents last spring, Officer Jeremy Flood, Community’s School Resource Officer, was named Normal Police Department’s “Officer of the Year” in February. Despite the honor, Flood credits his role at Community as the most rewarding part of his 20-year law...

San Diego’s Marine Band took the Kevin Yale Vernon stage on March 6, performing a rock-heavy setlist for Community music students. Choir, band and orchestra members were excused from their eighth-hour classes to watch “America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization”...

Over 200 members of the sophomore class gathered in the auditorium Feb. 24 as Mock Trial presented “People of the State of Illinois v. Peyton Reed,” a criminal case, to English II students. The event, a collaboration between the Mock Trial team and sophomore English teachers, aimed to provide students...

Community’s dance team closed out its season with the annual Guy/Girl routine, performing during halftime of the boys basketball team’s regular-season finale against Normal West on Feb. 21. The performance served as a farewell for the Iron Dance seniors, marking the end of their seasons. Iron...

“Mamma Mia!” featuring the chart-topping hits of Swedish pop group ABBA, will bring disco-era energy to Community’s stage when the jukebox musical debuts on April 10. The show follows Sophie (Em Irey) as she searches for the identity of her father before her wedding day. After discovering an...

Students in Mrs. Sydney Batty’s 6th-hour Molecular and Structural Biology class dissected lamb kidneys on Feb. 19 as part of their unit on the urinary system. The hands-on lab allowed students to explore kidney structures up close, reinforcing concepts studied in class. “In Biology,” Batty said,...

With the American Red Cross facing a critical blood shortage due to severe winter weather and the California wildfires, Student Council and Red Cross club are partnering to host a blood drive on Friday, Feb. 21. The drive, held in the school’s multipurpose room from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., aims to surpass...

President Donald Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education—echoing Republican efforts that date back to when the department was established in 1979—raises questions about how federal funding would be redistributed, how student protections would be maintained and what responsibilities...

Community’s annual Stay Another Day night highlights the growing impact of alum Mackenzie Nelson’s mental health movement, showing how a personal mantra has become a nationwide call for awareness and support.  

“Grease,” “Ferris Bueller's Day Off,” “Superbad,” “Booksmart,” “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” Senior year has served as a legendary backdrop for some of the most iconic coming-of-age films of all time. Chances are that long before we ever entered high school hallways, we...

The Theatre department is bringing a modernized version of “Little Women” to the Kevin Yale Vernon Auditorium stage in February, offering audiences a fresh take on the beloved classic.  While Kate Hamill’s 2019 stage adaptation remains faithful to the novel, Community theatre director Ms. Cassie...

The Mock Trial team opened its season with a 7th-place finish at the Wheeling Wildcat Warm-Up Tournament on Jan. 25. The Ironmen earned a trophy in its first appearance at the event, finishing among the top-eight teams from the field of 20 competitors. Mr. Ricky King, one of the team’s coaches,...

Community is without one of its two full-time nurses after Mrs. Tamara Ahrens transferred to Oakdale Elementary School on Monday, Jan. 13. Mrs. Jessica Murphy, Community’s other full-time nurse, will work with a Unit 5 float nurse or substitutes filling in until a replacement is found. The staffing...