The Knox County Schools Board of Education passing a new cell phone policy plan on first reading.

The school board decided during last night’s (Thursday) meeting they want to ban cell phone use across all grades.

This is happening due to a new State Law requiring all school districts to have a plan in place for cell phone use in schools.

KCS’s previous plan allowed students to use their phones for educational purposes during class. Now this new plan would allow students to keep their phones turned off and use their phones during emergencies only.

This policy does require another approval before it goes into effect .

Also during last night’s (Thursday) meeting, Knox County Schools says the District is cutting almost 30 jobs due to a recent freeze in federal funding.

These jobs are from the District Office and include more than a dozen Regional Content Facilitators, 11 Students Staff Support and 3 Family Center Liaisons.

Their Human Resource team is working to put these people in other open positions.

The Knox County School Board has approved its contract with the construction company chosen to renovate Sterchi Elementary School.

Renovations include building new encore spaces, a special education space as well as more offices.

It’s expected cost 8 million dollars but the money had already been squared away for Sterchi improvements in 2024 as part of KCS’s Capital Improvement Plan. That money was carried over into the current budget.