By Holly Roeder
Staff Writer
The Chester County Board of Education met in regular session Jan. 19 with all members present.
The spotlight school, and meeting location, was Chester County Middle School. CCMS Librarian Karen Callis presented winners of last week’s classroom spelling bees. According to Callis, the school has recently resumed registration with Scripps National Spelling Bee. Classroom winners will compete Jan. 31 in a school-wide spelling bee. That overall winner will take an online test, competing with the West Tennessee Region. Qualifying competitors will proceed to the Nashville competition; winners will go on from there to participate nationwide in Washington DC.
CCMS teacher Jerra Leek shared a new project she and Marilyn Stout have begun working on in connection with the TSII collaborative 22/23 cohort, encouraging students with STEM based learning projects. The after-school program just completed their first project, animal adaptations, and are preparing for the next – aircraft design.
Following the spotlight presentations, Stewart Brown of Chester County High School, class president, approached the board with fellow students Anna Bolton, Carissa Jones and Fonta Burnett, requesting funds for Project Graduation, to be held for high school seniors on the night of graduation. The board voted to donate $2,000 to Project Graduation, an increase from the usual $1,000 donation, citing a rise in costs.
Superintendent Troy Kilzer detailed procedural steps for providing records or documents, sharing examples of other area district guidelines. Secondly, Kilzer addressed a revision to policy 4.600 concerning the 10-point grading scale. According to Kilzer, the state board discussed assigning different weights to points and courses, including CLEP exams. The board voted to approve the changes to policy with all in agreement.
The next item on the agenda was a request to adjust the zoning map for East Chester and Jacks Creek Elementaries. Presently, East Chester is at capacity at 483 with Jacks Creek at 128, well below their capacity of 160. The last time the zoning map was adjusted was in 2017. According to Kilzer, if approved, the new zoning map will apply first to incoming kindergarten students, allowing a “grandfather clause” for students already enrolled. Kilzer also said they would also be looking more closely at out of county admissions for the coming school year. The board approved the new zoning map unanimously.
Kilzer requested, on recommendation of attorneys, the board approve that he (Director of School) have the authority to grant approval of the settlement agreement of a JUUL lawsuit. The school system entered into the lawsuit because of problems with vaping at the Junior High and High School. The amount of the settlement is not yet known but is not expected to be sizable. Any funds received are expected to be used toward “No Vaping” campaigns within the school system. The motion carried with all in favor.
The board also unanimously approved capital project plans at the Seely Property with new CTE projects for Ag and Auto mechanics.
In other news Kilzer shared a move toward “Work Ready” students within the school system’s vision.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 23, at Chester County High School.
