'Nothing short of remarkable'
<span>CHESTER -- With the 2014-15 school year only two days old, State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) returned to Chester on Aug. 21 to take a tour of the construction work at Chester Grade School.</span>
<span>Four months after the ceremonial groundbreaking on the $5.85 million project, which will replace the currently condemned gymnasium and classrooms, Costello received an update on the effort from CGS Principal Tim Lochhead and Chester CUSD 139 Superintendent Chris Diddlebock</span>
<span>"I think it looks extremely wonderful," Costello said. "I'm extremely pleased. For a project that we were told couldn't be done last year, I'm extremely pleased to see it on track and moving forward."</span>
<span>The district was issued its first check from the Capital Development Board, which is contributing $4.4 million of the project through Gov. Pat Quinn's "Illinois Jobs Now!" program, on Aug. 13 and was worth slightly more than $1.8 million.</span>
<span>"This project wouldn't be going if it wasn't for representative Costello getting into this," Diddlebock said. "It's nice to know he's willing to look in on us and make sure things are going alright.</span>
<span>"Sen. (Dave) Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) is the same way and they've been great to us."</span>
<span>Luechtefeld was unable to attend the tour.</span>
<span>Lochhead said construction workers hope to be doing inside work by winter and the construction of the gym's footings has become an attraction for the students.</span>
<span>"Every day, we get closer to having a facility our kids are going to absolutely love," Lochhead said. "Right now, I know the light at the end of the tunnel looks like a little pinhole, but even after three days, that light is starting to get brighter and brighter."</span>
<span>The current gymnasium was condemned in July 2012 due to foundation shifting and cracking from excessive rainfall in April 2011. </span>
<span>Added to the grade school in 1962, it served roughly 650 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.</span>
<span>"It means a lot to me to watch this each day and to be a part of this for our kids and our community," Lochhead said.</span>
<span>Lochhead said the first day of school on Aug. 19 went "extremely smoothly."</span>
<span>"I have to first complement our aides," Lochhead said. "We had a strategic meeting in which we set people up on dots on maps and arrows and all this stuff.</span>
<span>"You know as well as I do, that all looks good on paper, but when it really happens, you don't know."</span>
<span>Lochhead said the school is adjusting its student dismissal times around the construction schedule. There are now three bus departure times - an early bus, a late bus and a late-late bus.</span>
<span>"I could thank so many people for what they have done to get us started," Lochhead said. "My assistant principal, Dave Kaiser, has been out on the playground each morning and I've been out in the parking lot directing traffic.</span>
<span>"I am almost giddy with excitement because it only gets better from here and I want to thank our staff for an amazing start to the school year. It's nothing short of remarkable."</span>