York County teachers celebrate new Pre-K classroom
By James Wesser December 9, 2022
Friday’s hometown heroes are the teachers at Crispus Attaucks Early Learning Center.
State officials joined the staff to celebrate a new pre-k classroom. This was made possible by an extra $79 million in this year’s budget. The new space makes early education accessible to more families.
“That leads to kids experiencing a nurturing and caring and constructive atmosphere that really helps them develop and get a strong foundational start for their academic careers.” State Director Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Bruce Clash said.
In Pennsylvania, nearly 70% of eligible kids do not have pre-k. In York County, that number jumps to 80%.
Watch the video here.
PennLive: Capitol Christmas Tree ceremony returns: Watch the lighting of the 20-foot tree
December 6, 2022
After a short hiatus, the Pa. Capitol Christmas tree lighting returned for a special holiday ceremony inside the Rotunda on Monday.
The Rotunda tree stands at 20-feet tall, decorated with over 900 LED lights and more than 400 different ornaments created by senior center members throughout the commonwealth.
Several other decorations added to the tree have been contributed by the Pre-K and head-start students through Pre-K for PA.
Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf were among the guests present, with a performance from the Central Dauphin High School Chorus singing Christmas carols.
According to Governor Wolf, this time of year is a magical time for young children and stresses the importance of uniting all throughout central Pa.
“I’m always struck during the holiday season by the compassion and strength of Pennsylvanians,” he said. “I grew up here. I am a strong Pennsylvanian and one of the things that I love about this commonwealth is we know compassion. We know how to live together.
He adds that this time of year is a time to reach out to one another and support those around us.
“We’re going to light this magnificent tree,” he said. “That’s going to serve us a reminder that even when times are dark, even when we feel alone, even when things are hard, times are tough, hope, community and friendship survive.”
Watch the tree lighting video here.
Read the full article here.
Tribune-Review: Gov. Wolf welcomes the holidays to the Capitol
December 5, 2022
Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf ushered in the 2022 holiday season at the Capitol in Harrisburg with the 2022 Tree Lighting Ceremony.
“Each year, this ceremony reminds me of the common bonds we share across humanity,” said Gov. Wolf. “During this holiday season, let us celebrate and strengthen those bonds by reaching out to those in need, by sharing what we have with others, and by extending our kindness beyond our friends and families to strangers and acquaintances who we know to be different than us. Pennsylvanians will celebrate many holidays over the next several months. No matter which holiday you celebrate, I wish every Pennsylvanian a very happy holiday season.”
The tree is a 20-foot Douglas Fir from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Carbon County. It is decorated with more than 900 LED lights and more than 700 handmade ornaments donated by students and seniors throughout the commonwealth coordinated by Pre-K for PA and the Department of Aging.
Musical selections by Central Dauphin High School Chorus directed by John Madas.
Read the full article here.
ABC27: Christmas Tree Lit at Pennsylvania Capitol
December 5, 2023
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf held the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the state Capitol on Monday.
The Central Dauphin High School Choir performed during the ceremony to celebrate the lighting of the 20-foot-tall tree from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Carbon County. The tree is decorated with more than 900 LED lights and more than 700 handmade ornaments.
The ornaments were donated by students and seniors throughout the commonwealth coordinated by Pre-K for PA and the Department of Aging, according to the governor’s office.
Ornaments were made by seniors from around the state, according to the Department of Aging, and were submitted by locations including Big Spring Senior Center and Schaner Senior Center in Cumberland County; the Franklin County Area Agency on Aging; Millersville Senior Center in Lancaster County; Myerstown Senior Community Center in Lebanon County; the Mifflin-Juniata County Area Agency on Aging; Central Perry Community Senior Citizens Center in Perry County; and South Central York County Senior Center and Windy Hill Senior Center in York County.
“Each year, this ceremony reminds me of the common bonds we share across humanity,” said Gov. Wolf. “During this holiday season, let us celebrate and strengthen those bonds by reaching out to those in need, by sharing what we have with others, and by extending our kindness beyond our friends and families to strangers and acquaintances who we know to be different than us.“
Read the full article and watch the video here.
Pre-K Kids Join Governor Wolf, First Lady Frances Wolf at Tree-Lighting Ceremony
Adorn PA Capitol Christmas Tree with Hand-crafted Ornaments
HARRISBURG (December 5, 2022) — The Pre-K for PA campaign joined Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf at the Pennsylvania Capitol tree lighting ceremony to mark the official start of the holiday season today. The 20-foot Douglas Fir Christmas tree from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Carbon County was decorated by pre-k students from all corners of the commonwealth who crafted hundreds of original ornaments.
“Each year, this ceremony reminds me of the common bonds we share across humanity,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “During this holiday season, let us celebrate and strengthen those bonds by reaching out to those in need, by sharing what we have with others, and by extending our kindness beyond our friends and families to strangers and acquaintances who we know to be different than us. Pennsylvanians will celebrate many holidays over the next several months. No matter which holiday you celebrate, I wish every Pennsylvanian a very happy holiday season.”
Joining Governor Wolf and the First Lady for the in-person Christmas tree lighting ceremony was staff, students, and families from York Day Early Learning and Pre-K for PA supporting organizations.
“Every year, our holiday wish is for lawmakers to make serious investments in our kids to continue to keep early learning strong — and Governor Wolf and the General Assembly did just that,” said Steve Doster, State Director of Mission: Readiness, a principal partner of Pre-K for PA. “The $79 million pre-k expansion in this year’s budget will provide high-quality pre-k to over 2,300 additional students as well as increase rates for providers to support the early care and education workforce and address rising costs.
“We thank Governor Wolf and our champion legislators who continue to prioritize Pennsylvania’s youngest learners and look forward to working with Governor-elect Josh Shapiro and new and returning members of the General Assembly.”
Today, less than 40 percent of eligible children in Pennsylvania has access to high-quality pre-k, leaving more than 100,000 children without the benefit of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yet, according to recent polling, 90% of registered Pennsylvania voters believe that early childhood education is important in helping set kids on a path to leading healthy and productive lives.
A study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill confirmed that the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k is paying dividends for the children fortunate enough to access pre-k through Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Counts program. In language and math skills, the study showed that these kids outperformed their kindergarten peers who did not enjoy access – an advantage that equated to four to five months of learning gains, which is a substantial difference in development at that age.
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Our vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
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Daily American: Turkeyfoot opens new pre-K classrooms
November 22, 2022
The Somerset County Commissioners and other local leaders visited a new Head Start expansion classroom at the Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District. The commissioners were joined by Turkeyfoot and Community Action Partnership for Somerset County officials, as well as Head Start students to mark the new classrooms with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I am very excited by so many visitors to our program today to mark the passage of the 2022-23 state budget that includes a $79 million increase for more of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds to attend Pre-K Counts and Head Start,” said Anne Garrison, director of Early Childhood Education at CAPFSC.
“This $79 million increase is important because we know that 62% of income eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Somerset County do not yet have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-K. This equates to more than 600 income eligible 3- and 4-year-olds still lacking access to these services every year in our county.
“Across Pennsylvania more than 100,000 eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are waiting. Tableland Services Inc. Early Childhood Programs are committed to helping educate the youngest learners to keep the Commonwealth growing in its early childhood programs.”
The Head Start expansion classroom at Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District was made possible by the infusion of an additional $60 million in funding for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program and $19 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program as part of the state’s 2022-23 budget.
Together, this new funding will allow roughly 2,300 additional students access to pre-K. Pre-K Counts and the Head Start State Supplemental are the primary state funding sources for pre-K in Pennsylvania.
Kara McFalls, associate executive director of the Pennsylvania Head Start Association and a principal partner in the Pre-K for PA Campaign, said that access to high-quality pre-K is an important part of a child’s opportunity to lead a prosperous life.
Read the full article here.
