CHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT

CHESTER, NEW JERSEY 07930

______________________________

Telephone (908) 879-7383

Fax (908) 879-5887

Christina Van Woert, Superintendent of Schools 

Peter Frascella, Business Administrator 

September 2024

Dear Parents/Guardians of Bragg Students,

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is our country’s most important federal education law. In 2001, this law was reauthorized and is now called the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB was designed to make changes in teaching and learning that will help increase academic achievement in our schools.  Part of NCLB is Title 1, which, according to the U.S. Department of Education, “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.”

This year, based on a federal formula, the Chester School District’s Bragg School is eligible for Title 1 Funding. The law requires all schools receiving Title I funds to inform parents of their right to ask schools about the qualifications of their child’s teachers. We are happy to share this information with you at your request. We believe that nothing is more important to your child’s education at school than having a well-prepared and highly qualified teacher. The law requires that all teachers who teach in core content areas must meet a specific legal definition of “highly qualified” in order to teach in schools that receive Title I funding.  The legal definition of a “highly qualified teacher” has three parts. It states that the teacher must have the following:

1.       A four-year college degree

2.       A regular teaching certificate/license

3.       Proof of his/her knowledge in the subject they teach

New Jersey has some of the most qualified teachers in the country, and we are extremely proud of the quality of the teaching staff in the Chester School District. All our regular teachers have college degrees and many have advanced degrees. The state of New Jersey has always required a teaching certificate/license for all teachers. In addition, every teacher continues learning through professional development activities and our teachers are evaluated each year to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level. A highly qualified teacher knows what to teach, how to teach, and has a full understanding of the subject matter being taught. We believe that every teacher in our school is fully qualified and dedicated to teaching your child.

I encourage you to support your child’s education and communicate with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis. For more information on NCLB, and the role of parents, please visit the United States Department of Education website at www.ed.gov/nclb. If you have any further questions, please contact Mr. Brad Currie, Director of Planning, Research and Evaluation and Title I Coordinator, brad.currie@chester-nj.org. By partnering, families and educators can provide our children with the best education possible.

Sincerely,

Dr. Christina Van Woert

Superintendent of Schools