PA School Districts

Parents, Kids Reminded About School Bus Safety

/in /by

Kids will be heading back to school over the next three weeks across Pennsylvania.   Parents are encouraged to have a safety talk with their children, about the right way to get on and off the bus and how to behave while on board.

Allyson Fulton, Child Safety Coordinator for Safe Kids PA, says there’s a 10 foot danger zone around the bus where a bus driver cannot see a child.  She says those areas are directly in front of the bus, directly behind the bus and on the right side towards the back of the bus.  She says children should be out in front where they can make eye contact with the bus driver, and they should stand five giant steps away from the bus. 

Fulton says a school bus is a very safe way for children to travel back and forth to school. Safe Kids PA says getting to and from the bus is more dangerous than riding it. 

Fulton recommends that children arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes early so they’re not running to catch the bus.  She says that way, the bus driver will see them standing at their bus stop. She says they should be on the sidewalk or grass so they’re a safe distance away when the bus pulls up.  Children should not try to board the bus until the driver opens the doors and motions them forward.

Fulton says Pennsylvania law requires vehicles to stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended.  However, she says people violate that law every year, so students are urged to be cautious and always look left, right, then left again to make sure no vehicles are coming.

Fulton says if something falls near the bus when a child is getting on or off, the child should never try to retrieve it. The bus driver should be notified immediately.

In some areas, budget cuts have caused a reduction in school bus service.  Fulton says students who are walking to school need to walk against traffic and use sidewalks. She says bike riders need to ride with traffic, and walk their bikes across intersections.

 Fulton says children under 10 should not cross the street alone. Safe Kids PA recommends using the “walking school bus” if there are a number of children from the same community.  It involves one adult walking in front of the group of children and the other in the back to make sure the group gets to school safely.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time to get to their destinations as school buses return to the roads.

CDC Releases Information for Upcming Flu Season

/in /by

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released the recommendations for the upcoming influenza season.   The same three flu strains that circulated last year are expected again this year.  

Dr. Carolyn Bridges, associate director for adult immunizations, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, says people will still need to get a flu shot, because levels of protective antibody against influenza viruses can decline over the course of a year.  Dr. Bridges says this is especially true for the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and others who could be susceptible to complications of the flu.

Children ages 6 months to 8 years usually need two doses of the flu vaccine, at least four weeks apart, to get the best protection. But since the flu strains this year are expected to be the same as last year, the CDC says  a child may only need one dose of 2011-12 vaccine, as long as they had at least one dose of the 2010-11 vaccine.

Dr Bridges says vaccination levels for health care workers have increased but have still not reached national health objectives.  Rates overall were 63.5%, with coverage of 84% among physicians and 70% among nurses. But the CDC recommends all workers in health care settings be vaccinated.

Dr. Bridges says influenza vaccination protects the health care worker and reduces the risk that a patient may be exposed to the flu through contact with a health care worker.  She says when vaccination is required at a health care facility; the vaccination rate was 98%.  It fell to 56% in facilities were it was not required.  However, they found in health care workplaces where vaccination was not mandatory, rates went up when the  vaccine was offered on site at the work place, free of charge with opportunities offered more than one day.

Dr. Bridges says vaccination rates among pregnant women are just below 50%. She says pregnant women, and children less than 6 months of age, are known to be at higher risk for severe illness from influenza.  She says vaccination during pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk in the mother as well as decrease the risk of influenza and influenza hospitalization among infants in the first six months of life.  Flu vaccinations are not available for children under six months of age.

Dr. Bridges says women whose medical providers offered them a flu vaccine were five times more likely to get vaccinated. But she says 4 out of 10 pregnant women did not receive an offer for a vaccination from their health care provider. 

Hometown Favorites to Play in Little League World Series

/in /by

It may only be a 30-minute drive from Lock Haven to Williamsport, but the journey was long for the Keystone Little League all-stars, who have earned the right to play for the championship at the 65th Little League Baseball World Series.  “They’re a really talented bunch, they play with a lot of heart, they love the game and they like to play,” says manager Bill Garbrick.  “They put in a lot of hard work and it’s good to see it pay off for them.”    

Little League World Series Logo

The Little League Baseball World Series runs through Aug. 28th in South Williamsport.

The Clinton County-based squad won the Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament in Bristol, CT to become one of 16 teams, from around the globe, to make the trip to South Williamsport.  They’ll take on a team from Kentucky in the opening round of the United States bracket tonight at 8pm.  Little League officials have actually moved the game to the larger Lamade Stadium to accommodate the crowds, which are expected to top 15,000. 

“There’s going to be a lot of people here, a lot of locals.  I’ve heard rumors that there are 22-buses coming just from Lock Haven,” Garbrick says.  Being so close, Garbrick says every member of the Keystone team has witnessed the Little League World Series in the past.  “I think it’s a dream for every kid who plays Little League to end up here.”   

This is the Keystone Little League’s first trip to the Little League World Series.  The last Pennsylvania team to win the championship was Levittown, back in 1960.

Solid Year for Pennsylvania’s 529 College Savings Program Despite Uncertain Economy

/in /by

Pennsylvania’s 529 College Savings Program had a good year despite the uncertain economy. The Guaranteed Savings Plan had an investment performance of more than 18%, its best year ever. Treasurer Rob McCord says   the program’s investment performance helped boost its actuarial funded status to nearly 98% as of June 30th. It was just 89% last year.

Michael Smith, spokesman for the state Treasurer’s office, says people have until the end of the month to buy credits in the Guaranteed Savings Plan at the current rate. Due to more than average tuition increases at publicly funded colleges and universities, credit rates for that plan will go up on September 1st.

Smith credits sound investment strategies for the performance of the 529 plans.

The Treasury is offering free enrollment for all new 529 GSP accounts opened in August and September.  Smith says that’s a $50 savings.  He says people just need to go on line to http://www.pa529.com and use the term “save 50” when prompted.

In addition to the Guaranteed Savings Plan, the program also has an Investment Plan. The Treasury says families saving in both plans receive tax advantages. The program’s assets totaled $2.347 billion as of June 30th, an increase of 23.6% from the previous year. The total number of accounts increased 5.8% and contributions grew 6% during the year.

Smith says it’s never too early to open at 529 account and start saving for college.  He says for every dollar saved today, that’s one dollar less you have to pay down the road, with interest.

Smith adds it’s also not too late to open an account if you’re already in college or heading to college this fall. He says many students use such accounts to cover a variety of qualified educational expenses.  He says it’s best to log on to http://www.pa529.com and look at both plans to see what works best for them.

State Education Department Reviews reports from School Districts Flagged for PSSA Results

/in /by

State education officials are reviewing reports from the nearly three dozen school districts and chartered schools flagged in a review of 2009 standardized test scores.  All but one of the schools has responded with a review of areas flagged in their Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results. State Education Department spokesman Tim Eller says that school was given an extension.

Eller could not discuss what was specifically in the reports, because the department’s investigation is not complete.  He did say that the reports will be used in conjunction with the department reviewing the data in detail, going over it with a fine toothed comb.  He says the department will decide if the investigation is closed or if further investigation is warranted.

The department is also awaiting the results of forensic reviews of the 2010 and 2011 PSSA results. Eller says while the 2009 report does stand on its own, the other reports will provide a trend analysis.

Eller says the 2009 report is not an indication cheating occurred; it just raised areas that needed review.   He says they’re also looking at whether there needs to be any change in the way the results are analyzed due to shifting school populations.

Gaming Board, Parx Discuss ‘Kids in Cars’ Problem

/in /by

Nine incidents were reported last year; three more have already been documented in 2011.  At issue are adults who go inside Parx Casino to gamble, while leaving children unattended in the parking lot.  Appearing before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Tuesday, Parx officials said all offenders are subject to arrest by Bensalem Police.  “Anyone who has left children unattended are permanently evicted by us… and that permanent eviction then makes them subject to criminal trespass if they are to appear again at our property,” added Parx General Counsel Thomas Bonner.  Offenders also have their players club accounts canceled and are removed from any marketing lists. 

Those are just the patron sanctions.  Bonner went on to explain how the casino has ramped up enforcement.  “Before these incidents began to occur with greater frequency last year, we had about 16-cameras in our parking lots.  We’ve just about doubled that number to 29-cameras in our parking lot areas,” Bonner says.  Parx has also installed signage at the casino doors, warning patrons of the problem and penalties, and increased the number of security vehicles conducting roving parking lot patrols.  “The last several incidents that we’ve had, response times were 6-minutes, 17-minutes, 15-minutes.  They were very short response times,” Bonner says.

Greg Fajt

Greg Fajt

Members of the Gaming Control Board appeared pleased with the response times, but concerned with how to prevent such actions and the penalties for them.  “This segment of the population just doesn’t appear to get it, and these folks need to be given a message,” says Gaming Board chairman Greg Fajt.  The board took no enforcement action, but some members suggested that lawmakers could help them create tougher penalties.

State Capitol Facing North Office Building

Redistricting Panel Seeks to Beat the Clock

/in /by

A five member state panel has 90-days to craft a preliminary redistricting plan for Pennsylvania’s 253-House and Senate districts.  If Wednesday’s meeting is any indication, they’re up for the challenge.  In mere minutes, the Legislative Reapportionment Commission allocated its $4.8-million dollar budget, OK’d a new website that allows the public to track its progress, set two public hearings for September and deemed the new US Census data “usable.”   

State Rep. Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny)

House Majority Leader Mike Turzai talks to the media following Wednesday's Legislative Reapportionment Commission meeting.

“I have every confidence that we will work through the process and get it done in a timely manner,” says Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny).  House Majority Leader Mike Turzai thinks they can even beat the 90-day deadline.  “You have to give the electorate an opportunity – before the petition process – to know exactly where the lines are,” Turzai said after Wednesday’s meeting.

The Legislative Reapportionment Commission is comprised of all four legislative floor leaders in Harrisburg and their court-appointed chairman.  They are tasked with using the new population data to redraw Pennsylvania’s legislative map in time for the 2012 elections. 

The two Democratic members voiced concerns over precinct-level data to be used in 129 of the 9,254 voting precincts in the state.  “Right now, we’re trying to maintain the integrity of the voting precincts that have existed for 40, 50-years,” says House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny).  Turzai, however, doesn’t concede that there are problems and the panel agreed to make any necessary refinements as they go. 

Good government advocates will be watching to see that every district has an equal size population, that no existing geo-political area is unnecessarily divided and that districts are compact and contiguous.  Turzai says it’s too soon to talk specifics: “Some districts have to get larger, some districts have to get smaller and as a result there may be some shifts within the state.  Those are decisions that the commission’s going to have to address.” 

Once the preliminary map is ready, there will be a 30-day window for public comment.  Then, the commission will have another 30-days to adopt a final redistricting plan.