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EASTTOWN — Education is essential.
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Sixth of Easttown, held a town hall Tuesday on education.
The digital discussion board featured particular visitors George Fiore, govt director of Chester County Intermediate Unit, and Jill Hackman, govt director of Berks County Intermediate Unit.
“As a former educator, I have seen firsthand how in-person learning can impact a child’s trajectory,” Houlahan mentioned forward of the occasion.
“The past two years have been incredibly disruptive for all of us, but our students and teachers have faced unique challenges while navigating remote learning,” she mentioned. “Our education system can be a powerful guide for young people as they develop and learn, which is why we must address the issues putting it under strain.”
During the town hall, the congressional consultant and panelists mentioned the third spherical of funds from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) in Berks and Chester counties.
Since March 2020, Congress has allotted $189.5 billion for ESSER funds via three coronavirus supplemental payments together with the CARES Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act underneath former President Donald Trump and the American Rescue Plan underneath President Joe Biden.
In this most up-to-date wave of ESSER funding from the American Rescue Plan, Pennsylvania’s colleges obtained greater than $209 million.
“Through federal legislation, including the American Rescue Plan, I proudly voted to secure Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds for Pennsylvanian students and educators alike,” Houlahan mentioned throughout her opening remarks on Tuesday.
“Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, those funds totaled over $200 million for schools in our congressional district, which includes all of Chester County and the southern portion of Berks including the City of Reading,” she mentioned.
The town hall was Houlahan’s 54th such occasion since in workplace.
“Each event focuses on a particular theme,” Houlahan mentioned. “In tonight’s case, we are focused on education.”
Houlahan previously labored as a chemistry instructor for highschool college students.
“I have seen firsthand how in-person learning can impact a child’s trajectory,” she mentioned.
“The past two years have been incredibly disruptive for all of us, but our students and teachers have faced unique challenges while navigating remote learning,” Houlahan mentioned. “A strong education system is a powerful guide for young people as they develop and learn, which is why we must address the issues putting our schools under strain, both nationally and here in our community.”
Some college students have struggled over the past two years given the pressures of digital studying, being remoted from pals throughout the spring of 2020, and studying to learn and write with the addition of masks being added into the equation.
Depression is up amongst teenagers because the onset of the pandemic shutdown in 2020, as beforehand reported.
Depression can also be up amongst younger adults. According to TIME, there was a 49.6 p.c improve in despair and 67.5 p.c improve in generalized anxiousness dysfunction amongst 19- to 22-year-olds throughout the U.S. in April 2020 in comparison with April 2019.
Well-being and psychological well being assist is among the key areas through which intermediate items in Berks and Chester counties plan to spend federal funds for education from the American Rescue Plan. Staffing can also be a key space of focus.
“Now is the time to take what we have learned over the past two years and build upon it as we continue to examine, refine, and revise our educational delivery models to reflect best practices and meet both the academic and social-emotional needs of our children,” mentioned Jill Hackman, govt director of Berks County Intermediate Unit.
Hackman mentioned it was a privilege to participate in Houlahan’s education town hall occasion on Tuesday.
“In Berks County, all conversations being held and decisions being made by administrators and educators are centered on what is best for the more than 70,000 students and 5,000 staff members across the county,” she mentioned. “Our top priority continues to be the health and wellness of all individuals while engaging students in high-quality education.”
She mentioned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, collaboration and communication between directors, workers, and fogeys was essential to make sure partaking studying experiences have been offered for college kids in grades pre-kindergarten via 12.
“As we navigate ahead, the Berks County Intermediate Unit remains committed to fulfilling our mission of service to our schools and the greater community,” Hackman famous.
“Education is evolving,” mentioned George Fiore, govt director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit. “Chester County is home to some of the top performing schools and school districts in the nation. Innovation has been the mantra for our county and has continued through the pandemic.”
In his function as govt director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, Fiore and his group serve many college students with numerous wants.
“I have been inspired by our educators, students and families during the pandemic,” he mentioned. “We have worked collaboratively to continue to educate students during the pandemic. Our schools in partnership with our families have been in-person for education since August 2020.”
As for a way music and artwork may very well be taught extra in public colleges particularly these inside districts the place there’s vital ranges of poverty, Fiore mentioned: “Music and art are cornerstones of quality schools. In order to increase access to these programs, equitable funding for schools that are in high levels of poverty must be a priority. Unfortunately, there are schools in our state that do not have the necessary funds to support a comprehensive school program that all students sorely need.”
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