Chester ISD receives good marks in report

By Chuck Davidson

CHESTER – Board president Bryan Martin called the regular monthly meeting of the Chester ISD Board of Trustees to order at 6 p.m. on Monday evening with four board members, three staff members, two adults and one student present.

After the prayer and pledges, district superintendent Dr. Paul Drake gave a detailed report on the district’s 2022-23 annual report, covering test scores, graduation and attendance rates, financials, meeting objectives etc. The district was and is in compliance with all state and federal guidelines.

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Next business manager Austin Odom gave an update on revenues and expenditures, highlighting the insurance claim from water damage resulting in new library shelves and some tile flooring.  The district has made its first payment on the bond and current work is focused on utilities, finding, fixing, and in some cases moving lines.  Anyone interested in the details can go to the TEA’s website looing for Chester’s bond disclosure report.

Principal Amy Dinger then reported that enrollment stands at 196, with attendance currently at 94.66 percent.  Goal is to get that up to 96 %. She reported that coaches like the new UIL alignment and that a recent community blood drive exceeded its goal recently.

The consent agenda was approved without comment and several action items all resulted in approval:  Wage payments for the Jan. 16 closure, agreement with the Polk County Special Services Cooperative, updating some signers for a bank account, sale of a one-acre (former church) property, and one amendment to the current campus improvement plan. The board also adopted the 2024-25 district calendar with the first day of school being August 7 and their last day May 22 with graduation on the 23.

The board went into executive session at 6:55 and returned at 7:15 moving to adjourn at that time.  The next regular board meeting is set for March 18.