CHS to host 'First Responders Day'
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Chester High School will host a "First Responders Day" on May 5 as part of a tribute to fallen Chester Police officer and volunteer firefighter James Brockmeyer, a CHS alumnus.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The event will start at 10:30 a.m. and is anticipated to last about 45 minutes.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think this could be a wonderful event, if not an annual event," said Chester Grade School Principal Tim Lochhead during Thursday's meeting of the Chester District 139 Board of Education.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">All first responders are invited to attend. There will be a balloon launch and the Chester High School band is expected to perform patriotic songs.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Other details are still being finalized.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"There are many variations as far as how that tribute will go," Lochhead said.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's a great cause," added District Superintendent Rick Goodman.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">In other news, Goodman stated he had received multiple calls and letters in support of the district's decision to pursue a waiver for the more than $20,000 in general state aid the district lost for the half day students had while preparing CHS for Brockmeyer's funeral services in November.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) and State Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) have since sponsored House Bill 1254.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The synopsis of the bill is as follows:</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, expands the list for which partial days of attendance counts may be used to include the utilization of the school district's facilities by local or county authorities for the purpose of holding a memorial or funeral services in remembrance of a community member. Effective immediately."</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">An amendment to the bill, filed April 5 by Costello, states that no more than two school days per year could be utilized for that purpose.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've gotten calls from policemen I didn't even know stating how pleased we are that we are doing this," Goodman said, later noting that the situation had gone national.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">After the meeting, Board President Mitch Hammel stated the district intends to file the waiver this summer and isn't expecting any results or answers until sometime this fall.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">He added the district won't be making any public statements until it receives the answer.</span>
<strong>ROUNDUP</strong>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> District Curriculum Director Shirley Stegmann updated the board on recent assessment testing in the district, including pre-ACT for CHS sophomores and PARCC testing at Chester Grade School. She noted CHS juniors took the ACT test on April 19.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> CHS Principal Dr. Sarah Gass noted that College Signing Day will occur on April 27, with Honors Night on May 10.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Goodman noted that the board will have its reorganization meeting on April 28 at 6 p.m. when new board member Chuck Fricke will be seated. Fricke is replacing Troy Clendenin, who did not seek reelection and was honored after the meeting with a plaque for his 16 years of service on the board.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board approved the following coaches:</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Volunteer coaches for the current school year - Jenny Stumpe (CHS cross-country); CHS boys basketball assistants Aaron Halstead, Jake Cowan and Chase Rednour; Dwight Lochhead (trapshooting), Adrianne Brockmeyer (dance); bass fishing assistants Joe Crain, Paul Estel, Daniel Boone, Jason Korando and Donald Brockmeyer; football coaches Mike Heffernan, Trevor Kelkhoff and Charles Colvis.</span>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Employed coaches for the 2017-18 school year: Haley Williams (CGS cheerleading), Rachel Marshall (CHS cheerleading), Curt Eggemeyer (CHS football assistant), Dallas Redeker (CHS sophomore football coach), Jake Cowan (CHS freshman coach), Curt Gilpin (CHS cross country), Chris Toledo (CHS golf), Paul Zemlyn (CHS golf assistant), Luke Lochhead (CHS girls basketball assistant) and Chris Toledo (CHS boys basketball assistant).</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board approved a resolution to dismiss a non-certified employee, identified as custodian Ron Holley.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board accepted the resignation of Heather LaChance as CGS paraprofessional effective March 22.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board tabled a retirement request of Linda Sward as Spanish teacher at the conclusion of the school year.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board accepted the maternity leave request of Kacey Search, with a return date of Oct. 30.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The board approved employing Crystal Tindall as CHS 4-hour cafeteria aide and Lindsey Pritchard as CHS 3-hour cafeteria aide, both for the 2017-18 school year at $8.25 per hour.</span></li>
</ul>