Sen. Judy Schwank visited Kutztown Elementary School on Sept. 12.
“I had a brief chance to meet with some of the students in different grades,” said Schwank. “It’s just great to be around kids. It’s just something I really enjoy doing.”
The State Senator visited a kindergarten classroom, the school garden and a computer and technology class. Out on the playground, she spoke with second graders, asking them how they like school while some of them showed her their skill on the monkey bars.
“I don’t know that they all know exactly who I am or what I do but I’m sure hopeful when they come up to Harrisburg for their fourth grade visit that I’ll get the opportunity to meet with them again. Talk with them about my role and state government,” she said.
Schwank likes to visit schools in her legislative district to know what is going on in education. She visits different schools every year. Kutztown Elementary was one she had not visited before.
“One of our biggest jobs is to make sure that education is well funded and that our students are getting the kind of education that they need. State resources are a big part of that,” she said. “I like to visit the schools because it gives me a chance to see what innovative things that our teachers and our administrators are doing. How students are learning and what changes are there. That will certainly impact legislation and how we allocate resources for education on the state level.”
Schwank was joined by Kutztown School District Assistant Superintendent George Fiore who will be replacing Superintendent Kathy Metrick after her retirement. Metrick’s last day is on Sept. 30.
“We just want to keep dialogue open between our House and our Senate and the partnership between both for our school districts. That relationship is critical so that we can continue to grow and maintain not just funding but also a voice for our kids. To me that is the most important part, the voice for our children across the school district and across the Commonwealth for that matter,” said Fiore.
The new superintendent hopes KES students gain something from the experience of meeting a senator at their school.
“I hope that they see that our senator works for them. I think that’s so important at a young age and for them to see the relationship with government. I know they are very little but I have to say that’s what made me want to be part of Congress, the House. I always said I really want to be President one day. That’s because a senator visited my school when I was in second grade and I still remember it til this day.”