School Board awards tenure to eight educators

The Chester County School Board met Thursday, March 12, in regular session with all members present. The board celebrated Chester County High School accomplishments, discussed projects and programs and awarded eligible teachers with tenure status.
The Spotlight/Celebration portion of the meeting focused on Chester County High School academic and athletic successes. The Chester County Eaglettes celebrated an outstanding season with the following accommodations: 27/6 Season Record, District Champs, Regional Runner-Up, Section Game 18:42, and went to the state tournament for the first time since 2005. For academics, Daisy McManus and Jacob Mutter, Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the CCHS Class of 2024, were announced as both being named to the College Board National Rural and Small Town Board.
Greg Long, Southwest Human Resources, invited the board to share in implementing the SWHRA at-risk students’ after-school program. He said the focus is to provide meals for a certain number of the population of Chester County students identified as being less likely to have access to nutritional meals and snacks, but his goal is to provide for all Chester County students.
Dr. C.J. Vires and Jared Gott, both representing Freed-Hardeman University, were on hand to share successes through the dual enrollment program. Vires said in 12 years of working with CCHS, FHU has served 553 students. In the past 10 years, just over 400 students have taken more than 5,000 hours. He said this is a substantial cash savings for those students amounting to a potential $4.5 million if the classes had been taken at FHU, $1 million in savings for community college costs, and $2.5 million savings in the cost for a Tennessee Board of Regents school Superintendent Troy Kilzer II added Chester County had not just invested in FHU dual enrollment, but also through the AP classes, TCAT and other advanced learning programs, to prepare students for their next step in life.
The board unanimously approved the recommendation to accept eligible teachers for tenure, HR Director Beth Waller commended the teachers, saying this is “a testament to what you do in your classroom, and what you provide for your students.” The teachers awarded tenure included Julia Bland, CCMS; Misty Elliot, ECES; Ashley Fletcher ECES; Andrew Johnson, CCHS; Kady Powers, JCES; Dr. Leah Shull, JCES; Nicole Trask, WCES; and Ethan Venable, CCJHS.
A resolution to oppose Gov. Lee’s Education Freedoms Scholarship Act, School Vouchers, was approved. According to Kilzer, school leaders across the state are opposed to the school vouchers program. He further stated that Page Walley has indicated he is not in favor of it, but that Kirk Haston is backing the voucher program.
John Mark Williams provided an update on the ag/auto/vocational and multipurpose facilities. He said they have signed a purchase order with ACI metal company and are ready to move ahead with both projects. Williams said they be rebidding several items soon, including the window film and turf. Kilzer announced the approval by the Chester County Commission to pursue a $2.5 million note enabling the school system to cover the cost of both projects.
The complete meeting is available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n6zGvsdfPU. The next school board meeting will be Thursday, April 18, at the board conference room.