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The Salem Community High School Board Monday night gave first reading approval to a student handbook change that would require students to place their cell phones in a holder before starting a class.   Incoming Principal Clint Wolfe says the goal is to eliminate phone distractions during class time.

“The idea of taking phones away from them is not the heart of our direction,” Wolfe said. “Our direction is just to maximize instructional time. The students will still have access to their phones. This is to limit the notification interruptions, the desire to maybe take an extra-long bathroom break, and watch a YouTube video. It is to just simply to maximize instructional time. When the bell rings and students leave the classroom, they’ll be able to see any type of notification they may have received.”

Wolfe says students will also have their phones available during lunch and study halls.

Incoming Assistant Principal Kelsey Pogue says the concept appeared to work during a pilot program in eleven classrooms at the end of the last school year.

“The majority of the feedback from teachers and students was that the temptation had been removed, but they also felt a sense of comfort that their phone was still there,” Pogue said. “They were more engaged in the classroom and the lesson, and again, the temptation of wanting to leave the room wasn’t there.”

The student handbook will once again contain a social suspension program for students who reach a certain level of absences and tardiness, barring them from participation in after-school sports and activities such as Prom and Homecoming.  To make sure parents understand the consequences, they will be asked to sign off on the policy.   Another change will allow seniors who are not going to college or into the military to use their two visitation days to job shadow businesses in the community.  Final approval of the student handbook will be on the July agenda.

The cost of school lunches will increase to $3.50.   Registration fees will remain at $ 50.

Salem Community High School will have two open houses for parents at the start of the school year.  The first would be on August 13th, the first day for teachers.  It would run from four to seven pm.  School for students will start the next day, August 14.  A second open house would be held near the end of the first semester on October 30th.   In exchange, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will become a non-attendance day to make up for the hours teachers spent in the open houses.

The board approved the retirement resignation of custodian Jeff Littrell.

The board hired Tony Dial as the Assistant Director of Building and Grounds, Earl (Ross) Henry as a custodian, Landon Szopinski as a kitchen helper, Trevor Corry as an assistant football coach, and Olivia Wayer as assistant volleyball coach.

The board approved a four percent salary increase for non-certified personnel not covered under contract for the 2025-26 school year and set all bus driver pay at $24 an hour.  The district is looking to hire three drivers to replace retirees and Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering felt the higher wage was necessary.  Drivers will now be paid the $24 rate for transportation to extracurricular events as well, instead of a lower rate.   The board added a head wrestling coach stipend at 10-percent of base salary and assistant coach stipend at 5.5-percent of base salary.