Harrisburg, PA – More than 200 people participated in the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s Virtual Community Conversation to discuss the department’s State Plan on Aging for 2020-2024 and to provide feedback on strengthening aging services throughout the commonwealth.

Those who attended the conversation included stakeholders, elected officials, and representatives from aging services providers. The department began with an overview of the goals, objectives and strategies of the proposed state plan. Participants then heard testimony on the importance of supporting senior community centers, the need to address health disparities of older Pennsylvanians of color and in the LGBTQ community, the work of the Health Equity COVID-19 Response Team 65 and Older Task Force, suggestions on work to support individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders, preventive health services for seniors, social isolation among older Pennsylvanians and the importance of having broadband internet access across the entire commonwealth. Attendees also had a chance to submit questions in advance.

“The Virtual Community Conversation allowed us to discuss the development of our draft plan and to receive a variety of insight on how we can steer our State Plan on Aging for the next four years,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “This opportunity to engage with the public and community stakeholders has helped the Department obtain a greater assessment of the needs for older Pennsylvanians and how we can continue to prioritize them by creating a stronger, solid plan that will guide these efforts.”

A draft of the State Plan on Aging is available on the department’s website here until Aug. 3 for the public to view and provide feedback.

Prior to the conversation, the department sent out a brief survey that asked respondents to prioritize services and quality-of-life issues that are most meaningful to them in ensuring age-friendly communities across the commonwealth. The department received 5,600 responses from all 67 counties, with the biggest turnout from southeastern Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh metro area. Survey responses came in from a wide variety of stakeholder including veterans, people living with a disability, family/unpaid caregivers of older adults, grandparents raising grandchildren and members of the LGBTQ community.

The State Plan on Aging is designed to help Pennsylvania meet the objectives of the Older Americans Act and will be submitted to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) containing a vision and direction for the delivery of Pennsylvania’s aging services over the next four years. The Department of Aging is required to submit a plan every four years, with the next plan commencing on Oct. 1, 2020.

Legislation includes Keller amendment to prioritize domestic tungsten, support jobs in northeast Pennsylvania

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) today voted in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual funding for the U.S. military which included Keller’s amendment to increase the domestic production of tungsten and tungsten powders — critical materials used in defense products.

Currently, China controls more than 80 percent of global tungsten mining. Congressman Keller’s amendment works to turn back China’s growing influence throughout the world by increasing domestic capacity of tungsten in the United States and in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District.

Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District is home to Global Tungsten and Powders, the top employer in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, and the leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of refractory metal powders such as tungsten.

Earlier this week, Congressman Keller spoke on the House Floor in support of his amendment, stressing the importance of expanding domestic tungsten production to support jobs in Pennsylvania’s 12^th Congressional District, reduce American dependence on China for critical resources, and boost national security.

Here are some key excerpts from Keller’s remarks:

For too long, our supply chain, including critical defense materials, has been overly reliant on resources located and produced within the People’s Republic of China.

One area of supply crucial to the United States is tungsten.

These materials are used in critical defense products like penetrators, artillery projectiles, and tank shells.

With China’s growing military influence throughout the world, it is clear that we need to ensure domestic production of this material.

This amendment would prioritize the domestic procurement of tungsten so we can strengthen our vital industrial base and improve national security.

On the passage of the NDAA, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement:

“I am glad to support the NDAA and put our service members, their families, and our national security first. Every day, our men and women who serve this great nation put their lives on the line to protect our God-given freedoms. Congress has a responsibility to ensure our armed services have the resources they need to complete their mission to protect and defend America. I am proud that our team was able to amend the legislation to support northeast Pennsylvania jobs and reduce our reliance on China for resources critical to our national security.”

The National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $740.5 billion in FY 2021 for critical defense initiatives including:

• $635.4 billion for the Defense Department
• $69 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding
• $26.7 billion for Nuclear weapons programs
• $1 billion for a Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience National Security Fund.

The following is an opinion editorial authored by Todd Bartley, Talk Williamsport, todd@talkwilliamsport.com.

Given the responsibility as an elected official why do you remain silent, after failing to respond to constituents after calling them all systemically racist?

In front of me at a WASD school board meeting, you, Jennifer Lake turned a blind eye and deaf ear to a motion for a second to investigate what Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner subsequently characterized as “criminal sexual misconduct”.

The predictable response of elite, woke, white woman Jennifer Lake to this series of opinion editorials mirrors that of the school district she leads as a board member.

Maybe she hates the fact her entire narrative of being an elite, woke, white woman “hear me roar” has been leveled; by her own words.

Instead of defending her allegations, she allowed her social media acolyte trolls to emerge from under the bridge and from their mother’s basements to speak for her as she sits silent, again.

She pivoted to being a victim when she called multiple attorneys in town attempting to pursue a defamation claim against me; including her call to attorney Allen Page III from the firm McNerney, Page, Vanderlin and Hall.

Glad you are paying attention in class Jennifer, that firm is representing former WAHS Baseball Coach Ryan Miller in a defamation claim over the FSW series “A Baseball Story in the birthplace of Little League Baseball” against me and other defendants.

Again, glad your paying attention.

Why are you still silent?

Because you have to stick to your weak woke; like mindlessly voting yes to whatever the WASD administration and employees tell you.

Jennifer Lake and her followers have referred to these stories as “hate”.

Is the woke act a smoke screen to the fact you failed to identify what Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner characterized as “criminal sexual misconduct?”

You and your fellow Marxists were asked 20 questions in January about your response to the Myrtle Beach incident which took you and your fellow WASD board members 22 months to acknowledge in a statement.

In February of this year, the entire WASD school board and most of the administration was asked to resign by Carlos Saldivia because you and your fellow board members failed to answer any of the 20 questions.

Silence is your operational status quo to divest yourselves from any accountability.

Jennifer Lake is now speaking to constituents because she is offended by symbols supportive of police.

Police, those who protect and serve.

Police, those who when they leave their family to go to work may not come home because they choose to selflessly protect and serve.

Police, those who are there to have bricks, bottles, rocks and any number of projectiles hurled at them and insults just because they wear the uniform to protect you while you protest.

Police, those that protect elected leaders President (Secret Service), Governor (State Police) and so on for any number of elected officials.

Police, who as recently as this past Saturday stood between a group of BLM antagonists looking for a confrontation with the National Socialist Movement (NSM) demonstrators at Brandon Park as they prepared to leave having concluded a peaceful march and protest.

As profane and racially charged as the NSM demonstration was; they were exercising the same First Amendment rights and privileges granted to you and your fellow Marxists BLM and other protest groups.

So when you and your fellow woke, elite take out your BLM card and play it on the wife of a local police officer, it is despicable!

You and the Marxists BLM folks could not allow Amy Bolt to keep a small blue flag representing Blue Lives Matter up and got her to apologize for even daring to fly it in the first place.

Shame on you!

The Police!

The very same Police department where Agent Bolt works.

You and your woke, elite army had an officer pay a home visit to Carlos Saldivia who asked for the entire WASD School Board and Administration to resign as previously noted.

Saldivia, was born in Venezuela and is of Latino decent.

Jennifer, so for you – Black Lives Matter, but do Latino lives matter?

Jennifer, so we all understand you clearly, is that the same Williamsport Bureau of Police you and your Marxists Black Lives Matter colleagues want to defund?

Right?

Amy Bolt, July 1

Dwell Orphan Care information including the need for the organization to file an IRS form 990 has been obtained by FSW from the Guidestar and Bridge databases publicly available online.

Jennifer as a registered Democrat is quite clever; she uses her registered Republican husband as her shield in the fight against racism.

Remember, by definition Republicans are racists, ask the Democrats they tell them every chance they get.

So Matt Lake interviewed Mayor Derek Slaughter on June 15, 2020 on the topic of racism; neither wore a mask.

For context, Mayor Slaughter refused a debate invitation as candidate Slaughter last October from this author, after giving his word three times he would participate.

Rhetorically speaking, if you are a WASD high school teacher and students in your classes that were in Myrtle Beach on the baseball team trip talk about what happened or discuss a video; do you have an obligation as a mandated reporter?

Another elite woke white woman Beth Fausnaught Sweeting the wife of former WASD school board member Spencer Sweeting has chimed in on social media during this series.

“These are by far the worst articles I have ever read!! The lake family has done nothing but live their lives to better our community – not from behind a desk – but in the community being the hands and feet of Christ.”

This post was screen saved and has been deleted by its author.

Similarly to the post encouraging anyone who read it to boycott these websites and to call any sponsors listed on the page including UPMC.

Spencer Sweeting resigned from the WASD school board in August 2018, right around the time of publication of Millionaire Baseball Mayhem in Myrtle Beach.

From their new church home in Colorado Springs, Colorado the Sweeting family continues to comment on the disaster they left as if they had no knowledge either.

Spencer Sweeting with all of his innate knowledge; before moving to Colorado is the same person who shared with a source in regard to the Myrtle Beach case, “there is no there, there!”

Maybe the fact “there is no there, there” is why the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is investigating the matter.

Sweeting and his innate knowledge was so immense in depth and breadth, it took an elite woke white woman named Jennifer Lake to identify systemic racism in the WASD, two years after Spencer Sweeting resigned his WASD school board member seat.

Could it be argued, Sweeting so deeply believed in the Black Lives Matter movement while serving as a WASD school board member he was blinded, then failed to codify and recognize what Jennifer Lake memorialized has been going on for years?

Spencer, it might be a good idea to reach out to the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro to share with his team what you claim you have no knowledge about before they have to take the jet to the Rocky mountains to ask you in person.

The demonstrated and subscribed to mindset in the WASD, is all about enabling those people leadership believe can bring any value to the student experience, no matter the cost.

Jennifer Lake enables just like school board president Lori Bair people like Darrick Dixon to be around students even though he is a convicted felon.

Dixon was convicted and served time for a crime of a sexual nature against a 14-year old female who was a basketball player for him as outlined in PART III of “A Baseball Story in the birthplace of Little League Baseball.”

In the years leading up to the crimes Dixon served time for, he appeared on the Jenny Jones Show as a rapper with his fellow artist Gigi.

The performance was so bad, fellow performers seated on the stage covered their ears and the audience booed both of them off the stage.

If that is what success looks like in the WASD, count me out.

Dixon is the same person who reached out to the FAMILY OF JOHN DOE #1 the same day Millionaire Baseball Mayhem in Myrtle Beach was published in August 2018, offering assistance.

Other facts related to that call are now being investigated by the office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

Have you ever asked yourself how Dixon knew who the victim was and how to contact them?

Another Dixon, Bair and Lake defender as well as FSW critic WASD employee Matthew Radspinner had his own recent crisis with a trip cancelled due to the cornavirus pandemic.

From a May 6, 2020 Facebook post on the WAHS Music Department page: “Frozen on Broadway refunds for students and parents to use for the refund process.”

The link sends users to the following page and online form:

WAHS Music Department Broadway Trip Refund Request form

Please complete this form to request a refund for the WAHS Broadway trip that was to occur on April 15.  All refunds will be issued as a check and mailed to the parent/guardian.  

Fundraising money has no cash value and will be returned to the student account for future opportunities.  If you have any questions please contact Mr. Matthew Radspinner at mradspin@wasd.org.  

All refunds will be processed by June 15.

A concerned parent gave Radspinner a 48-hour window to provide the refund or this parent was going to the Magistrate Judge.

There was an e-mail exchange blaming volunteer parents for the mix-up.

The parent received a refund check on July 13, 2020 drawn on the WAHS Orchestra Association account at Woodlands Bank. It was dropped off in the parents home mailbox.

The copy of the check has been obtained by FSW and is being withheld from this story.

Matthew Radspinner and his wife also signed Jennifer Lake petitions during the last election cycle.

Last Tuesday, on the News Talk WMPT Facebook page Radspinner responded:

“Matthew A. Radspinner

Hello Todd,

It was not a personal check, it was issued from an Orchestra account.

Thanks for your concern.

Matthew Radspinner

WAHS Orchestra Director”

Is a list of students going on the trip too tough of a concept for the WASD?

Is there “a there, there” with this trip too?

Or is the lack of a list standard practice in the WASD when taking students out of state on trips?

Still waiting on former WAHS baseball coach Ryan Miller to provide a hotel room assignment list from the 2018 Myrtle Beach trip.

The family of George Floyd filed a civil action in Minnesota last week seeking damages.

So if the family of George Floyd can file a case against the Minneapolis Police Department which Black Lives Matter and the Minneapolis City Council have been called upon to be defunded; does this mean the FAMILY OF JOHN DOE #1 can pursue civil litigation against the WASD?

Just like in the George Floyd case, the “criminal sexual misconduct” against JOHN DOE #1 was captured on video.

Jennifer, what it must be like for you on a daily basis having to live with the reality that you now have the knee not only in the neck of local law enforcement with your support of the Black Lives Matter movement; but still on the neck of JOHN DOE #1 nearly two years later with your inaction on his behalf.

The real problem is the mindset of people on the WASD school board and people like Jennifer Lake.

The byproduct of that mindset is the Myrtle Beach incidents, accusations of systemic racism and poisonous injustices of people in their charge.

Jennifer Lake and the WASD school board are the personification of the mindset of corrupt bureaucratic atmosphere of silence, intimidation and coercion.

The next virtual meeting of the Williamsport Area School Board is slated for tomorrow, Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 6 p.m. preceded by an executive session at 5 p.m. to discuss legal matters.

Previous installments of this series:

ENDGAME

OP-ED: Jennifer Lake Wokebegone – PART III

OP-ED: Jennifer Lake Wokebegone – PART II

OP-ED: Jennifer Lake Wokebegone

BALTIMORE – Former WNBA player, Laura Harper, has been named as the new Coppin State University women’s basketball head coach, it was announced by Director of Athletics Derek Carter on Monday morning.

“It is a dream come true to be named the new head women’s basketball coach at Coppin State University,” said Harper. “I am very thankful for the special opportunity that President Jenkins, Mr. Carter, Mrs. Person and Mrs. Carrington-Johnson have granted me. Having a platform as a woman of color, while coaching at an HBCU during this racially sensitive time in our country, inspires me, and I am beyond ready to help lead this group of committed, young women into a new era of Eagles basketball.”

Since the conclusion of her playing career, Harper worked as an assistant coach at four NCAA Division I institutions as well as a season as head coach at a top collegiate preparatory school.

“We are excited for Laura Harper to be joining the Coppin State family and look forward to her leadership during the next exciting phase of Eagles women’s basketball,” said Carter.  “Laura will bring incredible passion, energy, and a championship mentality to our team.  Throughout her career, she has worked hard to establish herself as a winner in all phases of basketball. I feel that she will provide a valuable influence in the lives of the young women in our program.”

Harper most recently served as the head coach at Montverde Academy, one of the premier high school programs in the State of Florida.  Harper guided the Eagles to an 18-6 mark this past season and helped all five of her seniors earn NCAA Division I scholarships.

Prior to her time at Montverde, Harper assisted the women’s basketball team at the University of Florida for two seasons.  Under Harpers’ tutelage, Paulina Hersler, who is now playing professionally in Sweden, and 1,200-point scorer Haley Lorenzen, had career years as seniors.

Before moving to the Sunshine State, Harper spent the 2016-17 season at George Washington University under Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Jennifer Rizzotti. That season, the Colonials won an Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship and advanced to the WNIT, while Harper helped post players Lexi Martins and Caira Washington receive All-Conference honors.

For two years, Harper also worked as an assistant coach at High Point University. In her first season, senior Stacia Robertson was named the Big South Player of the Year and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American before going on to play overseas.  The Panthers won 20 games during the 2014-15 season and advanced to the Conference Championship Game.

Harper got her start in coaching as an assistant at Loyola University Maryland during the 2013-14 campaign where she was responsible for post player development, scouting, and served as an academic liaison for the Greyhounds.

A four-year standout at the University of Maryland, Harper was named the 2006 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the Terrapins to a National Championship.  Harper was also part of two Maryland teams that advanced to the Elite Eight, a 2007 Naismith Award Finalist and a two-time Naismith Award Preseason Candidate.  As a senior, Harper was a Third Team All-ACC honoree and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American. Harper still owns the Maryland record with 198 blocked shots while scoring 1,407 points and ranked seventh in rebounds upon graduation before being named to the 2014 ACC Legends Class.

On February 5, 2009, Harper’s No. 15 jersey was raised to the rafters at the Xfinity Center following a game against North Carolina State.

Also, a presence on the international scene, Harper was a starter for the 2004 USA Women’s U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.  Harper also played for the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship Team and was a teammate of Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and other Olympians at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament.

Following her collegiate career, Harper was the 10^th overall selection of the Sacramento Monarchs in the 2008 WNBA Draft.  As a rookie, Harper played in 34 games while making one start and put up 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds before starting in 11 games the following season.  Harper also played professionally overseas in Turkey, Italy and Russia.

What They Are Saying About Laura Harper

Cam Newbauer – University of Florida Women’s Basketball Head Coach

“We are so proud and excited for Laura as she is a rising star in women’s college basketball. Her energy and passion for teaching young women the game of basketball is infectious. After such an accomplished career as a player, she has really demonstrated a great ability to connect and relate with young ladies. We are looking forward to watching Coach Harper lead a successful program in Baltimore.”

Jennifer Rizzotti – George Washington University Women’s Basketball Head Coach

“I’m happy for Laura and her opportunity to lead the women’s basketball team at Coppin State. She has been part of successful programs in her career and has played at the highest level. Her players will benefit from having a role model that is hardworking and driven. We wish her the very best as her neighbor in the DMV.”  

Brenda Frese – University of Maryland Women’s Basketball Head Coach

“Coppin State is getting one of the most passionate people we’ve ever had in our program. I am thrilled for her and for our local community. She will be great for the players at Coppin, because she fully understands what it takes to be successful. Laura is a fun person who makes friends easily. We had a great player-coach relationship at Maryland and I think she will model that. She’s also well connected in both our area and Philadelphia, which should serve her well in building the program. A lot of people will want to help her be successful. I’m excited to see them play and see her take this next step.”

$5,551,562 awarded to Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) announced today that the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Lycoming-Clinton Counties Commission for Community Action, otherwise known as Success Through Engagement and Partnership (STEP), a grant that will fund social service initiatives.

A grant in the amount of $5,551,562 to STEP will go toward comprehensive child development and family support services.

On the awarding of the grant, Congressman Fred Keller made the following statement:

“I am thrilled to hear that STEP received this grant from HHS. STEP is an outstanding partner to our communities in Lycoming and Clinton counties and operates more than 30 programs to serve our families and their kids. STEP is one of many local organizations that has played a major role in helping our community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant will ensure they have the resources necessary to continue its outstanding service.”

Harrisburg, PA – Three former Pennsylvania governors today voiced their support for how Governor Tom Wolf and his administration have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, including endorsing statewide mitigation efforts and mask-wearing.

“As a former Governor of Pennsylvania, I know all too well the importance of swift action to keep Pennsylvanians safe during a crisis,” former Gov. Mark Schweiker said. “Governor Wolf has worked throughout this pandemic to both safeguard our citizens and keep our economy moving during this hard time. Yesterday’s executive order is meant to help us all avoid the public health issues which we faced this past spring. These summer measures, as I see it, are part of a strategy to help us avoid a second public health and economic crisis later in the year. Wearing your mask amounts to saying let’s beat the virus now, not later when it might be too late.”

“All Pennsylvanians should heed the Wolf Administration’s directives to wear a mask when out of the home,” former Gov. Tom Ridge said. “Like all Pennsylvanians, Gov. Wolf and Secretary Levine are hoping to avoid the COVID-19 spikes impacting other states so that we can get our economy back up and running as soon as possible. Wearing a mask is a simple, selfless act all of us should support.”

“A global pandemic like this requires leadership and swift action to prevent devastating effects on our citizens and our society,” former Gov. Ed Rendell said. “Governor Wolf’s mitigation efforts have been both effective and strong, and, as a result has saved the lives of countless Pennsylvanians. The recent spike means we must pull together again as a Commonwealth to stop the spread of this disease and keep our citizens and communities safe. The Governor’s new executive order on mitigation is the right thing to do, is measured and Pennsylvania will be better and safer for it. I encourage all of my fellow Pennsylvanians to stay safe, to wear a mask, to practice social distancing, and to help stop the spread of this disease.”

The governor’s most recent order on mitigation efforts can be found here.

The secretary’s order on mask-wearing can be found here.

FAQs on mask-wearing can be found here.

Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12) joined Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey and business leaders this morning at the Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

Keller, again took exception to the orders issued by Governor Wolf that took effect at midnight.

Most of the questions both elected leaders took were directly related to the economic devastation caused during the coronavirus pandemic.

Congressman Fred Keller provided News Talk WMPT with an exclusive interview prior to the event.

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey visited with business leaders this morning at the Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

After his prepared remarks he took several questions from the attendees.

Most of the questions were directly related to the economic devastation caused during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senator Toomey provided News Talk WMPT with an exclusive interview at the conclusion of the event.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine and Education Secretary Pedro Rivera today jointly announced updated guidance to help Pre-K to 12 schools prepare to reopen and safely educate students for in-person learning. Each school entity will determine if classes resume in person at school buildings, remotely or a combination of both options

“Our goal is to ensure a safe return to school for students, educators and staff by following best practices to mitigate the spread of the virus, including wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “In those instances when someone tests positive, public health staff from the department will immediately assist the school with risk assessment, isolation and quarantine recommendations, and other infection control recommendations.”

The guidance represents endorsed best public health practices related to social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfecting in school settings. It also outlines how to accommodate individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions, procedures for monitoring symptoms, and responding to confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the school community.

“The health and safety of students, teachers and staff must be paramount as schools prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “The Department of Education has been focused on supporting schools with resources and best practices to help school leaders make informed decisions within their local contexts and in response to evolving conditions.”

The best practice recommendations for schools outlined by the departments of Health and Education include:

• Masks must be worn by students and staff at school and on the bus as required by the order signed by Sec. of Health Dr. Levine on July 1, with some exceptions. Masks can be removed to eat or drink.
• Students or caregivers should do a daily symptom screening before leaving for school.
• Students, teachers and other staff are strongly encouraged to follow social distancing throughout the day with 6 feet of separation between desks and other seating.
• If possible, hold classes in gyms, auditoriums, other large spaces or outdoors, where physical distancing can be maintained.
• Student seating should be facing in the same direction.
• Limit student interactions by staggering class times, creating one-way walking patterns in hallways, and, when feasible, keeping students in a classroom and rotating teachers instead.
• For breakfast and lunch, consider serving individually packaged meals in classrooms and avoid across-the-table seating.  If meals are served in a cafeteria, sit students at least 6 feet apart.
• Limit the number of students on playgrounds at one time and encourage social distancing.
• Encourage the use of virtual gatherings, events, and extracurricular activities.

The guidance released today provides a list of best practices for schools to consider before the start of in-person classes.

The guidance for school sports is unchanged. Coaches, athletes, and spectators must wear masks unless they can maintain 6 feet of separation outdoors. Athletes can remove masks during a workout or competition.

Today’s guidance builds on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s preliminary guidance issued June 3 outlining steps schools must take before they may resume in-person instruction.

The preliminary guidance requires school districts, charter schools, regional charter schools, cyber charter schools, career and technical centers and intermediate units to develop a health and safety plan. The plans must be approved by the school’s governing body and made available on the school’s public website before bringing students and staff back to campus. Nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to create plans tailored to their unique needs and post them on their websites.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs please visit the Department of Education’s website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.