Helping young readers: Meet Chester Grade School's reading specialist

Meet Chester Grade School reading specialist Lisa Koester.

The 39-year-old Koester came to CGS in 2020 and loves her role as a reading helper at the home of the Junior Jackets.

"I like the community of Chester and love working with the students at CGS," Koester said. "I especially like working with small groups, but also like one-on-one teaching endeavors."

Koester adds that she has been really impressed with both the students and the teachers at CGS.

"Teachers here pull together to do the best for the kids. The administration at CGS is very supportive and teachers have been very helpful."

Koester is the daughter of Dennis Koester and Ruth Guebert. She attended kindergarten through eighth grades at Trinity Lutheran School, where she took part in volleyball, softball and cheerleading.

At Red Bud High School she was on the staff of the school newspaper, The Musketeer, and was a member of the Spanish Club. She graduated from Red Bud High School in 2000, then took classes at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) before transferring to the University of Illinois.

At U of I she studied education and sociology, and did her student teaching at Wiley Grade School in Champaign-Urbana. She graduated with a degree in elementary education in 2005.

Koester taught in Florida for two years before moving to St. Louis, where she taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels. During her 15 years of teaching in St. Louis, Koester she completed a master's degree in reading and sharpened her teaching skills and expertise.

Koester lives in Chester with her significant other, Greg Fillmer, who hails from southeast Missouri. They both love the Chester area and enjoy living close to her relatives in the Ellis Grove and Evansville areas.

"In our spare time we really enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors," Koester said.