Billy Chester, who has his heart set on coaching boys’ basketball at Lawrence High School, is one step closer to possibly realizing his dream.
School district officials have agreed to write to the New Jersey State Board of Education in support of Chester’s request to waive the requirement that a public school coach must hold a teaching certificate or substitute teaching certificate.
The Lawrence Township Public Schools Board of Education announced its decision to write the letter of support for Chester at its Aug. 14 meeting.
Chester, who is a retired Lawrence Township police officer and who is now a security monitor at Lawrence High School, asked the school board for a letter of support at its July 10 meeting.
Chester retired from the Lawrence Township Police Department in December 2014 and was hired by the school district in August 2015 to work as a security monitor at Lawrence High School.
Earlier this year, Chester unsuccessfully petitioned the New Jersey State Board of Education to change the rule to allow any public school employee – not just teachers or substitute teachers – to coach sports, provided the employee has coaching experience.
Chester has coached youth basketball for the Lawrence Township Recreation Department since 1990, and also coached in the City of Trenton’s Cadwalader Park summer basketball league. He also played basketball on the Lawrence High School varsity boys’ basketball team when he attended the school.
In making his case for the school board’s support at its July 10 meeting, Chester pointed out that as a police officer, he was assigned to Lawrence High School to be the school resource officer. He said he fostered positive relationships with all students – from the valedictorian to those with the lowest grade point averages.
Chester told the school board at its Aug. 14 meeting that he had acquired several coaching certifications and completed related courses since he appeared before the board last month.
Those certifications include fundamentals of coaching, coaching unified sports (teams that include special needs children) and concussions in sports from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Once the school board told Chester that it would write a letter of support for him, Chester thanked the board for supporting him. “It has been a heck of a journey,” he said.
“We thank you for your perseverance,” school board president Kevin Van Hise replied. It has been an uphill battle, but the students will benefit from it, he said.