Chester Community Unit School District 139 announced on Mar. 10 that it plans to enter into a Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract with GRP|WEGMAN for all district buildings in a phased approach, beginning on or after March 19. The Board of Education has directed the Superintendent to proceed with the contract following this date.
The decision is part of an effort by the district to improve energy efficiency across its facilities. The move follows a recommendation made on February 24, 2026, approving GRP|WEGMAN as the provider for the district’s Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting.
Chester Community Unit School District 139 represents Randolph County and includes Chester Elementary School and Chester High School, according to the Illinois Report Card. The district enrolled 1,013 students in the 2019-2020 school year and serves grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is located in Chester and Randolph County, according to state data.
The Illinois State Board of Education reports that Chester Community Unit School District 139 employs 65 teachers who earn an average salary of $49,260 before pension contributions; women make up 81.6 percent of the teaching staff while men account for 18.4 percent. There are no teachers in the district with more than ten absences in a school year, according to official records.
Demographically, the student body is composed of approximately 85.7 percent White students, with Black students at 1.8 percent, Hispanic students at 8.7 percent, and Asian students at 0.2 percent, as reported by ISBE. In terms of spending, the district allocated $14,605 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $14,795,128 according to state data.
In addition, there were 67 chronically truant students enrolled during the 2020 school year—a rate of about 6.6 percent—compared to a statewide average truancy rate of 9.6 percent; chronic truancy is defined as missing five percent or more of mandated school days without valid excuse according to ISBE.
The upcoming contract with GRP|WEGMAN marks a step toward addressing facility needs within Chester CUSD #139 as it continues serving its community.
