Forest City High School’s FBLA Team Meets with State Legislators

January 25, 2019

Forest City High School’s FBLA Team Meets with State Legislators

Sen. Lisa Baker and I had the pleasure of meeting with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) team at Forest City High School. They are a very impressive group of young adults that I am certain will be successful and make the world a better place!

Johnson College will Soon Offer Career and Vocational Courses to Students and Adult Learners

Forest City Mayor Christopher Glinton brought community leaders and stakeholders to the table to meet with Johnson College. A plan is now in place to begin offering career and vocational courses to Forest City students and adult learners, thus giving our residents looking to enter the workforce, or those who are currently employed, the opportunity to enhance their skill set. Workforce readiness is essential to attracting employers and other industries. I applaud Forest City municipal leaders, Forest City School administrators and Johnson College for taking this positive step.

Fritz Honored to Serve on House Appropriations Committee

I was recently appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee for the 2019-20 Legislative Session. It is a huge honor to be appointed, and it is not too common for a sophomore member of the House to be selected to serve on this committee. I am humbled to be given this opportunity and will strive to keep the public’s best interests at heart when considering legislation and helping to make policy decisions.

The House Appropriations Committee is the primary committee of the General Assembly tasked with overseeing state government spending, state fiscal policies and developing a state budget each fiscal year.

Great News for Area Schools

PAsmart Targeted Grants were awarded to several of our local area schools, which are listed below!

Choconut Valley Elementary School.
Evergreen Elementary School.
Lathrop Street Elementary School.
Mountain View Elementary School.
Mountain View High School.
Robert D. Wilson Elementary School.
Wallenpaupack Area Middle and High schools.
Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School.
Western Wayne Middle and High schools.

These $35,000 grants help schools that currently have limited to no computer science (CS) offerings. These grants are meant to fund teams of educators (four or more) who would like to be trained on ways to implement CS in their classrooms.

The program is aimed at expanding classroom instruction and professional development in the fast-growing fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and computer science (CS), as well as training for in-demand careers, emerging industries, and underserved populations.

Safe2Say Tip Line Now Live

The statewide Safe2Say tip line designed to give students, teachers, parents and community members the ability to anonymously report potential threats and other problems is now live in Pennsylvania.

To report a possible dangerous or violent situation, individuals can call the state tip line at 844-723-2729. Tips can also be reported to safe2saypa.org or through the Safe2Say app on iPhone and Android devices.

The Safe2Say tip line gives students a way to share information without fear of repercussions or blame from their peers.

Individuals are encouraged to report physical or verbal assault and bullying, discussion about an upcoming planned attack on the school or a person, depression, excessive guilt or hopelessness, suicidal threats or self-harm, substance abuse, or social isolation or withdrawal.

The tip line was modeled after the Safe2Tell program in Colorado, which has received more than 30,000 reports since its inception in 2004, including reports of a planned school attack, suicidal threats and child abuse.

Wear Red Feb. 1 to Raise Awareness of Women’s Heart Disease

Women across the country are encouraged to wear red on Friday, Feb. 1, as part of the “Go Red for Women” campaign to raise awareness of women’s heart disease. Legislative efforts over the years, including a resolution currently being prepared for this year, have made the official designation in Pennsylvania as a way to remind women of the risks of heart disease.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year, or about one per minute. According to the American Heart Association, 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.

The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women vs. men and are often misunderstood. By increasing awareness, speaking up about heart disease and empowering women to reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease, we can save thousands of lives each year.

You can learn more about the symptoms of a heart attack and what to do by clicking here.

New Tool to Fight Drug Abuse

To help continue efforts to fight prescription drug abuse, there is a new tool available for health care providers and the general public to report suspicious activity involving prescription medication.

The Suspicious Activity Report form, administered by the Office of Attorney General, gives an easy way for people to report fraudulent, stolen or altered prescriptions, or a suspicious doctor/pharmacy.

Tips can be submitted anonymously or with your contact information included for follow up from the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations.

The form and answers to frequently asked questions can be found here.

Flu Season is in Full Swing - It’s Not too Late for a Flu Shot

The winter brings the dreaded flu season, but there are many things you can do to keep yourself from getting sick.

The most effective way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot. While it is January, there is still time to get one to protect yourself.

Along with getting the flu shot, people should make sure to wash their hands often, cover their mouth and nose when sneezing, avoid touching their face, and stay home if they are sick to avoid spreading the disease.

You can learn more about the flu and the vaccine here.

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