The Christian County School Board discussed the implementation of House Bill 208 and approved the creation of academy coach positions at Thursday’s meeting.
HB 208 was passed during the 2025 Kentucky General Assembly and prohibits students from having telecommunication devices in classrooms. Students will only be allowed to maintain their electronics if a teacher permits it for a specific reason or if the student has a disability that requires them to keep it with them.
Elementary schoolers are required to keep their devices in their backpacks, cubbies, or lockers, and middle schoolers are required to keep their devices in lockers or locked cabinets. Then high schoolers are required to put their phones in Yondr pouches.
At the beginning of the school day, high school students will place their devices in the pouch, which has a magnetic lock. Then at the end of the day, the bag can be unlocked by tapping it to a magnetic key.
Students attending the summer school program at Christian County High School have used pouches, and Student Services Director Kim Stevenson says some students tried to trick the system but were ultimately caught. She says some students put an old or unused cellphone in the pouch while keeping the cellphone they use.
The academic year starts on August 18, and for the first two days, Stevenson say high schoolers will be taught how to use the bags and will receive them on August 20.
During the break, many schools got some maintenance, and a lot of that work took place at Millbrooke Elementary School. District Facilities Coordinator Trevor Herndon shared that the school’s stage is being converted into three multipurpose classrooms. Workers have also repainted walls, window frames and doors; installed new flooring and carpet; renovated restrooms and built a dividing wall in the library.
Then, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early Learning Center, internal expansion work has begun and classes and restrooms are being renovated. Crofton, Indian Hills and Freedom Elementary Schools received maintenance as well.
Construction on the consolidated Christian County High School continues on schedule. Looking toward the school’s career academy model, Personnel Director Leslie Lancaster, requested the board’s approval to create academy coach positions.
Lancaster says academy coaches will support academy principals, maintain partnerships with businesses and post-secondary institutions and ensure the academy is in line with industry standards.
The board approved the establishment of the position, and the consolidated high school is set to be operational starting in August 2026.