Chester Community School District 139

CHS: REGIONAL GAME BROADCAST UPDATE The stream was reset, and is running again with score and commentator. Stop and restart to update.

CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL WELCOMES IHSA REGIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP ALTHOFF vs. PINCKNEYVILLE Doors Open 6 pm, Game Starts 7 pm SOLD OUT, NO TICKET FOR SALE AT THE DOOR Fans with tickets enter through Professor Sharp Cafeteria HUDL Pay Per View Broadcast Available with announcer Jim Beers live from Colbert Gymnasium. The broadcast is available at: https://fan.hudl.com/usa/il/chester/organization/14289/chester-high-school

CHESTER HIGH SCHOOL WELCOMES IHSA REGIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP ALTHOFF vs. PINCKNEYVILLE Doors Open 6 pm Game Starts 7 pm --- SOLD OUT --- NO TICKET FOR SALE AT THE DOOR Enter through Professor Sharp Cafeteria

Nominations for CGS Staff of the Month for March are now open! Submit your nominations using the link provided now through March 20 at 3:00 pm to vote for the faculty or staff member you find to be deserving! https://forms.gle/BdhMqpYmo9RQVt646

CHS: 2024-2025 SPRING FINAL EXAMS Seniors: May 12, 13 Underclassmen: May 27, 28, 29

TRACK TEAM STORE -spirit wear- DUE FRIDAY 2/28/25 http://chestertrack-field25.itemorder.com/

High School English teaching position open for the 2025-2026 school year. 🍎

CHS: 2025 GRADUATION Class of 2025 Graduation Sunday, May 18, 3:00 pm Colbert Gymnasium Enter Through Professor Sharp Cafeteria Doors Open 2:00 pm

CHS honors Al-Jassim and Palacio for setting 2024 YellowJacket football records (2 of 2) Al-Jassim sets 2 single-season records and 5 career records and Palacio sets 3 school records in 2024 BY JIM BEERS Devante Palacio Devante Palacio, a 6’3”, 195 lb. wide receiver and defensive back set three school records that were previously set by former CHS Football standout Jim Howie. Reception Records Devante set a new CHS Career Reception Record with 118 receptions Palacio also set a new career record for Reception Yards with 2,110 yards Devante further set a new record for Receiving Touchdowns with 21 Touchdowns. Palacio Awards Devante Palacio earned the following team and Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division awards for 2024: YellowJacket “Offensive Weapon Award” Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division “ Offensive All-Conference” Award Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division “Defensive All-Conference” Award “All-South” Football Award Together, Zain Al-Jassim and Devante Palacio helped the 2024 Chester High School YellowJacket Football Team win the 2024 Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division Championship. During their tenure at CHS the YellowJackets won the title three of the last four seasons. This year the Jackets had an undefeated 5-0 record in the Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division and had an overall 2024 record of 9 wins and just 2 losses. Chester also made the 2024 IHSA Class 2A State Football Playoffs with a first round, 40-35, win over Westville. The win improved Chester to 9-1 overall and advanced them to the 2024 “Sweet-16” of the playoffs. It took the No. 2 Maroa Forsythe Trojans to finally eliminate the Jackets, 28-7, in Round 2 of the playoffs. This was the 7 th year in-a-row that Chester qualified for the playoffs and Al-Jassim and Palacio were instrumental in that accomplishment. CHS Head Coach Billy Belton presented both Al-Jassim and Palacio with autographed footballs in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments as YellowJacket Football players. Both players received standing ovations from both Chester and Sparta fans at the conclusion of the recognition ceremony prior to the CHS vs Sparta Basketball game. PHOTO 1 Billy Belton, CHS Had Football Coach, presents senior quarterback, Zain Al-Jassim with an autographed commemorative football to honor him for his outstanding Career as a YellowJacket Football player. Jim Beers Photo PHOTO 2 Billy Belton, Head CHS Football Coach, presents CHS Wide Receiver Devante Palacio with a commemorative autographed football in honor of his outstanding career as a YellowJacket football player. Jim Beers Photo PHOTO 3 Shown here, Chester YellowJacket Football players Zain Al-Jassim (left) and Devante Palacio (right) are presented with commemorative autographed footballs during a special ceremony prior to the start of the February 14 basketball game when Chester hosted Sparta in a Cahokia Conference matchup. Both Al-Jassim and Palacio set several school records over their 4-year career at CHS. Making the presentations was Billy Belton (center) CHS Head Football coach. Jim Beers Photo

CHS honors Al-Jassim and Palacio for setting 2024 YellowJacket football records (1 of 2) Al-Jassim sets 2 single-season records and 5 career records and Palacio sets 3 school records in 2024 BY JIM BEERS Friday February 14 was a special day for most Americans as most people celebrate Valentine’s Day by to demonstrate their love for loved ones. At Chester High School it was also a night for exciting YellowJacket Basketball and the recognition of two very special CHS Football Players who set numerous records this 2024 football season. The YellowJacket Basketball team hosted long time rivals, the Sparta Bulldogs, in a Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division game in Colbert Gymnasium on Rocky Bridges Court. The JV YellowJackets won their game by a score of 43-38 and the Varsity YellowJackets won their game by a score of 49-43, to improve to 16-14 overall and 5-4 in the conference. In addition to exciting and successful YellowJacket Basketball, the Chester High School Cheerleaders concluded their 2025 Kids Camp with a pre-game performance by all 120 participants of their camp which was titled, “We Love Cheer”. That performance was a crowd favorite and brought in approximately 200 additional fans to Colbert Gym. A third highlight of the evening was a special presentation to Mike Lochhead, Stadium Announcer for YellowJackets Basketball, for his dedication as announcer for the past 31 years. CHS Principal Jeremy Blechle made the presentation which received a well-deserved round of applause from a packed house at CHS. As if these special events weren’t enough, for some Jacket fans, the highlight of the evening was the recognition of two very special Chester High School YellowJacket Football Players, Zain Al-Jassim and Devante Palacio. Both are seniors and for the past for years have given CHS Football fans tons of enjoyment and excitement on the gridiron! Both of these outstanding gentleman broke school records in football including School records, Single-Season records, and Career records for outstanding performances throughout their 4-years at Chester High School. Zain Al-Jassim Zain Al-Jassim, a 6’1”, 215 lb. YellowJacket quarterback and defensive end, set two single-season records and five career passing records. These records were previously set by former CHS quarterbacks Curt Clendenin and Nick Meyer. Single-Season Records Zain broke his own previous Single-Season record of 1,868 Passing Yards with a 2024 Single-Season record of 2,151 passing yards Al-Jassim also set the CHS record for Single-Season Passing Touchdowns with 25 touchdowns Career Passing Records Zain also set five career passing records including the following: Career Passing Attempts with 554 Career Passing Completions with 315 Career Passing Completion Percentage of 57% Career Passing Touchdowns with 49 Career Passing Yards with 5,033 Al-Jassim Awards Al-Jassim further earned the following post-season team, Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division, and All-State Awards: YellowJacket Team “Elite Warrior Award” for hard work, being a best teammate, and being of MVP material. Offensive All-Conference “Player of the Year” for the Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division. “All-South” Football Award “All-State” Football ‘Honorable Mention’

Family and Consumer Science Teacher needed for the 2025-26 school year. 👩‍🏫

These five 8th grade students from CGS participated in the inaugural Randolph County All Star Basketball Tournament held in Evansville this past weekend! We are proud of you! Congratulations on this achievement and for representing CGS! Go Jr. Jackets!!!!

CGS is excited to announce a Family Reading Night on Tuesday, March 4th! Join us for an evening of reading enjoyment as we commemorate "Read Across America Week." Check the flier for additional information! We look forward to seeing you there!

CGS & CHS: SPRING PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES (CORRECTION) Monday 3/10/25 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:00-6:30 pm Wednesday 3/12/25 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:00 pm Both are early release school days If you have questions please call the CGS or CHS offices .

Join CGS in celebrating Read Across America Week with some Dr. Suess themed dress up FUN the week of March 3rd-7th!

Congratulations to our CGS Staff Member for the month of February: Lisa Ketchum! Nominations for March CGS Staff Member of the Month will be coming soon!

CHS: BASEBALL PARENT MEETING Sunday, Feb, 23rd, 4:00 PM Professor Sharp Cafeteria Questions contact Coach Peters

School will be in session tomorrow, Friday, February 21. Please ensure your child wears a coat, as temperatures will still be very cold in the morning. Additionally, remind them to have all their work completed and ready to turn in. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!"

REGULAR MEETING of the Chester School District Board of Education will be held on February 20, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the Chester Community High School Juergens Gym at 1901 Swanwick Street, Chester, IL. Please be cautious when arriving. Some areas could be slick.

Chester CUSD 139: Due to the roads and extreme cold temperatures, Chester CUSD 139 will have an E-Learning on Thursday, February 20, 2025.