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Upcoming EventsW. Hanover Township Roundtable with
Hanover School District Town Meetings
September 11th 10:00 10:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12 Noon PA National
Fire Museum 9/11 Memorial Service Speak: Students
First Conference on Education Reform Efforts in PA Recent HappeningsVisited and toured the John J. Shumaker Public Safety Center on the HACC campus
Spoke at the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations' Lobbying & Advocacy Training Day on best practices of cultivating relationships between elected officials and nonprofit leaders Attended a back to school party in Steelton hosted by the Monumental AME Church, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and New Hope Living Church |
In the Headlines
News & ViewsPA Loses Out in Race to the Top Funding "Clearly our application was not strong enough. It lacked an education empowerment piece, and it needed total buy-in from teachers' unions and school districts. Only one-third of school districts and teachers' unions signed on to the RTT application at a time when we need all hands on deck for a major sea change in education. I salute the Obama Administration for its honest assessment of progress and its selection of states that have made tangible progress. I find it ironic that the federal government has exposed the soft underbelly of failure in Pennsylvania's education system. Throwing more money at education is not the answer. Taxpayers now pour $26 billion into education every year, and our scores on national tests, such as the Nations Report Card, have barely budged despite the billions more flowing into that sector. Now we can stop running after the dollars and work on real reform. The Rendell Administration has been so focused on chasing money that they have failed to enact proven strategies to turn around failing school districts, and our children are paying the price. This announcement underscores that Pennsylvania is not nearing 'the top.' We are lagging behind other states in real education reform. As we look to the future and a new state Administration, we will strive for greater parental choice, higher expectations and increased academic rigor, and an equitable, objective system of teacher and principal evaluations that is linked to student performance and greater accountability for all adults working in public education." Previewing my Fall Education Agenda In addition to these public hearings, we'll be addressing many legislative matters relating to vocational education, school consolidation, driver's education, and others. My website will include information on these committee meetings and hearings as well as relevant testimony and video coverage www.piccola.org Public Safety Center Valuable to Communities & Region
New Website to be Unveiled |
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Last week, I had the opportunity to tour and spend time visiting the John J. Shumaker Public
Safety Center located on the north end of the HACC campus. Named for my
predecessor in the State Senate, the center provides state-of-the-art safety training, preparation, and education to our police,
fire, and emergency service personnel.
Created in partnership with Dauphin County in 1988, the Public Safety Center includes burn and smoke buildings and a drill tower used to simulate a variety of physical
conditions public safety employees frequently encounter while on the job.
Recognizing their great work and the growing demand for high quality training, I will be
featuring the center in my monthly television report,
"Piccola's Report from Harrisburg" beginning in September on three local cable
stations in the area. Visit my website to view this program and for details on air times.