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Welcome to the Chester School District!
The Chester School District strives to promote a positive learning environment that fosters high academic standards and expectations for our students and our dedicated staff. We offer a challenging curriculum which creates an environment that is appealing and responsive to each child’s developmental needs. Critical thinking, initiative, problem-solving, collaboration and perseverance are skill sets that the school district instills in each of our children to better prepare them to integrate into a globally diverse workforce. We seek to promote a positive, safe, caring and respectful environment for our children that will empower them and prepare them to be reflective, confident and responsible adults. We strive to have parents, teachers and community members become actively involved in our students’ learning environment so our children will be prepared, independent and socially responsible citizens in a global and changing world.
The Chester School District is a fully accredited elementary district responsible for the education of students in Kindergarten through eighth grades. Students in grades nine through twelve go to the West Morris Regional High School District.The district is composed of Dickerson Elementary School (K-2), Bragg Intermediate School (3-5), and Black River Middle School (6-8). Dickerson and Bragg Schools are located on Route 24, east of Chester Borough; Black River Middle School is on Route 513 (North Road), north of Chester Borough. The school district serves two municipalities, Chester Borough and Chester Township. The Borough of Chester is a 1.6 square mile village centered on the main street lined with specialty shops, old homes, and historic buildings. Widely known for its distinctive charm, Chester Borough draws many visitors who enjoy a day in the country atmosphere.The surrounding Chester Township is a 29.3 square mile residential community made up of farms, estates, and attractive housing developments.
The two municipalities share other common bonds in addition to the school system. These include the public library, an active athletic association, a theater in the round, and many civic organizations. Residents also have ready access to nearby colleges, hospitals, shopping centers, and cultural facilities located in Morris County and nearby Somerset and Sussex Counties.
In choosing to be a substitute teacher in the Chester Schools, you will be working with a dedicated group of professionals. The staff is devoted to instilling a love of learning and helping students reach their personal achievement goals. Professional, successful substitute teachers can have a significant, positive impact on the quality of education while the permanent teacher is away. By learning and putting into practice certain skills, techniques, and methods, you can be a successful, requested substitute teacher. Please use this manual as a starting point and guide from which to develop your skills as a teacher.
We welcome you and hope you will find working with our students and in our schools as wonderful and rewarding as we do.
DISTRICT ORGANIZATION
There are three schools in the Chester school system:
Dickerson Elementary School– This school welcomes children in grades K-2, as well as our pre school Program. Students spend their day with the same teacher for all of their content area classes, concentrating on Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. They also study Science and Social Studies within the same classroom. These young learners also get to experience Related Arts classes (Specials) daily, rotating through "Readers are Leaders," Art, Physical education, Health, Music and Library/Computer Application.
Bragg Intermediate School– This school contains our students in grades 3-5. Students in grade 3 are in self-contained classes, while fourth and fifth graders have one teacher for Math/Science and a partner teacher for Integrated Language Arts/Social Studies. The students have a Related Arts (Specials) class daily which include Spanish, Art, Music, Physical Education, Health, STEM and Library/Computer Application.
Black River Middle School– This school educates students in grades 6-8. A traditional Middle School, students have a 8 period day. They have different teachers for Integrated Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Foreign Language is a core subject now, taken daily. The other three periods are filled by lunch and Related Arts. Students have Physical Education and Health all year while changing their other RA quarterly. These classes are Art, Performing Arts, Technology, and Writing.