18 months ago, I almost became a statistic. In January 2025, Community students received an email advertising a paying job—no experience required, just a Google Form asking for personal information, which, if you think about it, is all a scammer really needs. Unit 5 caught it quickly and began...

The Unit 5 Board of Education unanimously approved an amended enrollment plan Wednesday, shaped by community feedback and aimed at improving equity across the district, with some changes taking effect as early as the 2027-28 school year. The vote marks the district’s first substantial redistricting...

More than 40 students, staff members, parents, grandparents and community members addressed the Unit 5 Board of Education on March 18 as the district moved closer to an expected April vote on enrollment planning proposals that could reshape attendance boundaries and change how some buildings are used. A...

Miguel Patiño-Diaz, right, performs as newsboy leader Jack Kelly during the All-State Musical production of “Newsies” at Illinois High School Theatre Fest in January at Illinois State University’s Braden Auditorium. Inspired by the real Newsboys’ Strike of 1899, the musical follows young newspaper...

Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle outlined how McLean County Unit District No. 5 decides whether to hold in-person classes, shift to an e-learning day or cancel school during inclement weather at the Jan. 28 board meeting. While the district’s first priority is safety, Weikle said, those decision,can...

Illinois public school districts, including McLean County Unit District No. 5, will be required to offer annual mental health screenings to students in grades 3-12 beginning in the 2027-28 school year under Senate Bill 1560, signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Because Unit 5 already administers...

Officer Jeremy Flood, Community’s school resource officer, will retire from the Normal Police Department on Jan. 9 after more than 20 years with the department and begin a new role at Country Financial later this month. “After 20 years of serving my community,” Flood said, “I had an opportunity...

Senior Oceane Mvita-Ilebo and juniors Colton Leonard and Pranika Kuella were recognized with Why I See You (YICU) Service Awards on Nov. 9 for their leadership and volunteer work in the community. The YICU award opens a space for “like-minded individuals” to come together and realize they are...

Unit 5 has launched an enrollment study to address growing discrepancies in school enrollment, evaluate how schools are used and create more equitable attendance boundaries across the district. In September the Unit 5 school board approved hiring Cropper GIS, a consulting firm that specializes in...

An inclusive playground at Parkside Elementary opened in mid-October, providing students with a space that accommodates a range of abilities and encourages play for all, according to Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle. Parkside has four specialized services classrooms and is the only Unit 5 elementary...

Unit 5 families facing reduced or delayed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this month will find a closer-to-home safety net at Kingsley Junior High School. Entering the 2025-26 school year, Unit 5 moved its district pantry to Kingsley to better serve families across the district,...

Unit 5 will continue enforcing its “silent and away during the day” phone policy this school year after evaluating and rejecting the use of Yondr pouches, Superintendent Dr. Kristin Weikle said. The policy, first enacted last year, limits student phone and device use during the school day. Entering...

As the September slips away, summer fades—along with sunburns, sandals and the scent of sunscreen. In its place: hoodie weather, falling leaves and the unmistakable aroma of bonfires and pumpkin spice. With fall comes a shift in more than just the weather. Our watchlists change too—ditching summer...

Community underwent critical infrastructure repairs and updates this summer as Unit 5 completed more than 140 maintenance and construction projects across the district—funded in part by a newly implemented school facility sales tax. The school received critical heating and cooling system upgrades...

The screen flickers on, and the opening notes of a timeless tune fill the room. A door swings open, and a familiar figure begins a quiet ritual: sweater zipped, sneakers laced. Whether it’s animated or filmed, the gestures are the same—deliberate, comforting. A signal that it’s time to slow...

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,...

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”...

The nursing vacancy has been filled with the hiring of Mrs. Melissa Scottberg. Although Scottberg, who started on Jan. 27, is a new hire, she’s no stranger to the school. With two daughters—a sophomore and a junior—attending Community and a role mentoring senior girls through a local church,...

The third-seeded Ironmen are set to open the postseason Oct. 22, hosting the seventh-seeded Minooka Indians at 6:30 p.m. The Iron ended their regular season 13-6-5 and 7-1-2 in conference play, good for second behind Peoria Notre Dame in the Big 12.   Minooka enters the postseason with a record...