Town Government
Chester School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Melissa Matarazzo
About 721 students start their day in this district, and one person answers for all of it. Melissa Matarazzo leads the Gateway Regional School District, proposing the school budget, setting academic priorities, and running the schools day to day. The Superintendent is hired by and reports to the elected School Committee, which carries out an annual evaluation. Because Gateway is a regional district, that committee answers to six towns at once, so the person who runs Chester’s schools is chosen by a committee that Chester shares with Blandford, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, and Russell.
| Role | Superintendent of Schools |
|---|---|
| District office | 12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050 |
| Phone | 413-685-1000 |
| Website | grsd.org |
The School Committee
The Gateway Regional School Committee has fifteen seats, apportioned among the six member towns and filled by the district’s voters for staggered three-year terms. Chester elects three of those seats. The committee sets district policy, approves the school budget, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent who runs the schools day to day. Its chair, Jason Forgue, is from Chester, and its meetings at the Gateway complex on Littleville Road are public, which means a Chester student who shows up can speak.
Jason Forgue
Peter DeGregorio
Brian Forgue
Jessica Sakaske
Chester’s three seats are held by Jason Forgue, Brian Forgue, and Jessica Sakaske. Jessica Sakaske was elected to a Chester seat at the May 2, 2026 annual town election with 137 votes. The full fifteen-member roster is posted at grsd.org.
The District at a Glance
- Enrollment: 721 students, PreK through 12.
- Schools: three, including the regional junior and senior high school on Littleville Road in Huntington.
- In-town school: Chester Elementary School, PreK through 5.
- State data: DESE profile (code 06720000).
Meetings & Participation
- When: 7:00 PM at the Gateway complex on Littleville Road in Huntington, on the dates in the district’s 2026-27 schedule of meetings, with agendas posted on the district website.
- Public comment: residents may address the committee with the chair’s permission. Check the agenda for sign-up details.
- Watch: meeting materials and schedules are posted at grsd.org.
Curious how a bill becomes law, or how students can take on a civics project?
MassCivics last checked this page on September 26, 2026.
Sources
- Schools and districts: Massachusetts DESE, Gateway district profile, contact information (2025-26), as of October 1, 2025.
- School district records: Gateway Regional School District, About Us, as of September 21, 2026.
- School district records: Gateway Regional School District, School Committee, as of September 21, 2026.