When roughly 2,700 Metea Valley High School students walk through the doors on Monday, Aug. 17, they'll meet a new principal with a plan. Consistent rules in every classroom. Phones in pockets from first bell to last.
Dr. Sara Jennings is taking over the top job at Metea Valley after former Principal DeBruykers transferred to Crystal Lake South High School. Jennings spent 21 years at DeKalb High School, 17 as a Spanish teacher and four as assistant principal, before making the move to Indian Prairie District 204.
Her first priority is a new school-wide expectations matrix she's building with other administrators this summer. The goal: eliminate the classroom-by-classroom inconsistency that students have navigated for years.
"Expectations aren't always clear, and that's school wide," Jennings told Metea Media on July 30. "You might go to your English class and your teacher has this set of expectations, and you go to math and [have] this set of expectations."
The matrix will spell out uniform standards so students face the same behavioral guidelines whether they're in a science lab or a history seminar.
Phones in pockets, no exceptions
Jennings' second focus is stricter enforcement of Metea Valley's existing "Bell to Bell No Cell" policy. Every student will be expected to place their phone in a classroom cell phone pocket for the duration of each period.
That push arrives weeks after Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2427 on July 28, establishing a statewide bell-to-bell cellphone ban for Illinois public schools. The law doesn't take full effect until the 2027-28 school year, but Metea Valley's existing policy already aligns with the law's requirements. Under SB 2427, high schools may still allow phone use during lunch and passing periods at district discretion.
The state law, which passed the Senate 55-2 and the House 102-4, prohibits schools from enforcing phone bans through fines, suspensions, or expulsions. It also mandates exceptions for students with IEPs or 504 plans, those with medical needs, English language learners requiring translation devices, and student caregivers. The Illinois State Board of Education will release a template policy by Sept. 1 to guide community discussion statewide.
For Metea Valley families with students on IEPs or 504 plans, those protections apply now and going forward. The school's special education department can clarify how the phone policy intersects with individual accommodation plans.
From the classroom to the front office
Jennings holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, a master's in reading and administration, and an associate degree from McHenry County College. She studied Spanish language and literature at Northern Illinois University. She first connected with the Metea Valley community when DeKalb High School joined the DuPage Valley Conference, giving her a window into the school she now leads.
The building itself is also getting upgrades before Aug. 17. As we reported July 30, Metea Valley's stadium is receiving its first turf and track replacement in 17 years, part of District 204's referendum-funded construction program. A new secure entryway is also under construction, according to the Chicago Tribune.
School Week Ahead
- Monday, Aug. 17 — First day of school for all District 204 students, including Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, and Waubonsie Valley high schools.
- August (date TBD) — District 204 public hearing and budget adoption vote addressing a projected $4.9 million deficit. Check ipsd.org for the exact date and agenda.
