< PreviouslLegislative Update Legislative Update BY STATE REP. ANITA KULIK February signals the start of budget season in Harrisburg, which can seem longer than the Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas movie season. Between now and June 30, the Capitol will be abuzz with groups from all over the Commonwealth seeking funding for their particular interests. Education, agriculture, infrastructure, workforce investment, senior and veteran’s services, as well as numerous other issues will be discussed by the Appropriations Committee. There will also be hearings in March and then Senate and House floor debates before a final budget is approved. The first step in this process occurred on Feb. 4, when the governor gave his budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate. Set forth below are some of the highlights of the governor’s proposal. I will refrain from comment on these topics, as I want to provide the facts as to what is being proposed. Understand also that much of what the governor has proposed will either be tweaked or will not make it into the final budget. A lot of politicking will go on in the next several months. • Increased funding for education would include expansion of universal free full-day kindergarten for all Pennsylvania students. There would be an increase for Pre-K Counts, the Head Start Supplemental Program, basic education and special education. There would be charter school reform aimed at saving school districts millions of dollars. The governor is also looking to repurpose $240 million from the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Trust Fund to support a tuition program which would provide assistance to full-time PASSHE students in order to incentivize them to stay in Pennsylvania after graduation. • Under the governor’s plan, there would also be funding to assist workers with transportation, child care, licensure and other issues. Among other things, there is a proposed reduction to the Corporate Net Income Tax and a plan to increase the minimum salary for teachers to $45,000. The governor is again revisiting the issue of the minimum wage. These proposals are aimed at strengthening the workforce in the Commonwealth. • Last year, there was a plan to assess a fee on municipalities that use the state police in place of their own municipal force. The new plan from the governor would assess a fee on all the municipalities in the Commonwealth by using a formula, regardless of whether that municipality supports its own police force. • Other proposals will fund programs for seniors, persons with disabilities, at-risk families and children, the environment and job creation. I have already heard from constituents and citizens from across the Commonwealth on many of the issues raised in the governor’s plan. I would encourage you to reach out to your legislators in the House and Senate with any questions, comments or concerns relating to the budget. Your voice counts and, as I have stated before, we legislators read all e-mails, Facebook comments, postcards and letters. Hearing from our constituents is important. For a complete look at the governor’s budget plan, please go to budget.pa.gov. State Rep. Anita Kulik represents Pennsylvania’s 45th District. Her office is located at 1350 Fifth Avenue in Coraopolis. She can be reached at (412) 264-4260. Visit her online at www.pahouse.com/Kulik. Key points in the governor’s budget 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020lLegislative Update Legislative Update It is an honor and privilege to represent the 37th Senatorial District, which includes Moon, Crescent, and Robinson townships, as well as Thornburg Borough, Pennsbury Village, the Quaker Valley area, the airport corridor, and the majority of the South Hills. In this update, I’m sharing some of my legislative accomplishments and district activities since being sworn in as your state senator in April of 2019. I look forward to providing regular updates to Allegheny West Magazine readers and am excited for a productive year ahead serving the 37th Senatorial District! Supporting our veterans and first responders Improving the coordination of veterans’ services In October, the Pennsylvania State Senate unanimously passed SR 170. This legislation, which I introduced, will improve the coordination of services for Pennsylvania’s over 800,000 veterans. SR 170, with strong bipartisan co-sponsorship from 22 democrats, 15 republicans and 1 independent, directs the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task force to study the coordination of the nearly 6,000 veteran service entities in the Commonwealth. This includes federal, state, local, not-for- profit and private programs. As noted in a 2014 needs assessment, there is no lack of programs and benefits for veterans. Rather, what is needed is increased awareness of and access to those benefits. The task force will conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the programs and procedures in Pennsylvania regarding the coordination of veterans’ services and will issue a report with findings and recommendations to the Senate. With these recommendations, the legislature and state can take informed actions to better connect veterans with the benefits that are available to them and that they have earned. Supporting fire departments First responders, a critical element of public safety in every Pennsylvania community, are facing a crisis of recruitment and retention. In the 1970s, Pennsylvania had more than 300,000 active volunteer firefighters. Today, there are about 38,000. In response to this ongoing crisis, I have used direct input from fire service personnel to craft a legislative package that will help them continue keeping us safe. Incentivizing Innovative Recruitment & Retention This legislation would create a new grant program available to fire and EMS departments that think outside of the box in their recruitment and retention efforts. An example is already in place at the Peters Township Fire Department, where they provide a “work from home at the station” workspace to allow volunteers to work remotely. Improving Fire Department Management Training Under this bill, management training would initially be recommended and eventually required for at least one member of fire department leadership. Additional grant funding would be available to assist departments with leadership training. The training would include legal and fiduciary guidelines, best practices to create efficiency of operations, human resources management, and working with public and elected officials. In addition to introducing legislation that benefits fire and EMS departments, I have also supported these departments’ annual grant applications to the Office of the State Fire Commissioner to help them maintain top-notch facilities, procure equipment, maintain training and readiness, and remain financially stable. I am proud to report the following grant awards to local departments: • Carnegie Volunteer Fire & Rescue: $11,509.46 • Crafton Volunteer Fire & Rescue: $13,837.24 • Imperial Volunteer Fire Department: $13,426.46 • Oakdale Hose Company: $12,467.96 • Valley Ambulance Authority: $9,192.44 State Sen. Pam Iovino represents Pennsylvania’s 37th Senatorial District. Her Robinson office is located at 5996 Steubenville Pike. She can be reached at (412) 788-2967. Visit her online at www.senatoriovino.com. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. BY STATE SEN. PAM IOVINO ABOVE: State Sen. Pam Iovino hears from local fire chiefs about their challenges and her legislation to support fire departments at a roundtable discussion in Robinson Township. BELOW: Iovino joins leaders in government, industry and academia - including state Representatives Anita Kulik and Valerie Gaydos - to announce Neighborhood 91 at Pittsburgh International Airport. This first-in-the-world development positions the region to become a hub for additive manufacturing and 3D printing. March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 21Perspectives Perspectives 5 Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2019 issue of American Cemetery & Cremation, published by Kates- Boylston Publications, and is being shared with permission. Visit www.americancemetery.com to subscribe. It is being reprinted here at the request of Alan Amoroso, board president, Robinson’s Run Cemetery. “Perhaps growing old is defined by knowing more people who have died than are alive. If that is so, I have been older longer than I have been young. Those remembered live constantly within my heart and mind. They are intertwined with my who. I cannot take a step without a memory bubbling up from deep within the recesses of my mind bearing an image that recalls one no longer there. So rarely do I walk alone. In step are legions of old friends and loved ones. Their shadows define me. There is never fear associated with the memories. They are like any old friend or family member whose presence exudes love and provides comfort. I am pleased to speak with them and find the compass of my life from the responses I hear clearly spoken. Though the conversations help ease the sense of loss, their physical absence always breaks my heart. I need not engage in the debate of whether there is a heaven or hell. Knowing that daily I have contact with loved ones who touched my soul, the question warrants no consideration. I accept one day that I will be walking alongside those I miss so deeply. Accepting this as a fact does not make me wish to hasten joining them but removes trepidation about the journey. My life is full. I have been blessed by people who loved me. They gave with their hearts. No price tags were attached nor expected. My constant fear was that when I die the memories of those who continue to live within me would perish. I have come to realize, though, that I will one day be a memory who speaks to those I leave behind. Within my voice that will speak long after I have passed on are all those who have made my life special.” I wrote the above when my son died nine years ago and had it inscribed upon his headstone. The effect of his death on the family, including myself, has been profound. My grandson, born after the death of his uncle, was blessed with the name of my missing child. It is both a joy and a reminder of the loss shared by all who loved him. I have suddenly become aware of my own mortality. I have entered a time when it seems each news report of the death of a celebrity states an age not too distant from mine. This sudden acknowledgment of the pendency of my life reaching its climax has caused a sudden awareness of how I truly have not considered death as a possibility pertaining to me. That is strange considering I have been at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Queens, New York, for nearly 20 years. The number of families I have counseled and shared tears and the joy of remembrance with at this point defy counting. Yet for so many, the emotional contact was thankfully brief. Their emotional pain was not mine to carry. Often I would laugh at my father for falling asleep before the TV. The rest he enjoyed before the tube was more comforting than that earned between the sheets of his bed. We spoke many times about the end of life. Mostly the conversations were about his fear and his inability to accept that life would come to an end. His favorite saying as to the issue was, “I hope the last voice you hear will be mine!” He desperately wanted to live forever. I became numb to his wishing to revisit his past by sharing memories and repeating the stories told so often they are ingrained in my brain. He would tell me about his dreams and being back to places and with people long gone. I trained myself to grunt at the appropriate times. Nightly I no longer have dreams but visitations with my deceased parents, family members and friends. I relive moments from the past. Daily I am shocked and outraged by my acts and statements of stupidity that caused so much hurt and anger over a lifetime of seemingly selfish acts. Seeking a way to amend these violations and knowing there is no time machine, I know not what to do. It is said that we may ask God to forgive our sins committed against Him but only an aggrieved person can forgive an act of egregiousness against them. I do not have voice or the required courage to seek absolution from the trove of people I have offended. I don’t know if any of this has consciously impacted my interaction with those who depend upon me or St. Michael’s, but I find that the time I spend with them has increased. My level of interest into the lives of those who surround me and who are recalling a loved one engages me more intimately. My emotions now compel me to say, “I love you” to my children and those I care so much for. I feel more deeply for those whose tears bring them to St. Michael’s. To repeat how I began this, perhaps growing older is nothing more than life’s way of giving us an opportunity for reflection and emotional growth. We were born by a loving mother and hopefully held by a father who adored us. Our lives are planned but hardly ever follow the fantasy we mapped out in our youth. The only question that can never be repeated is when we take our last breath, will there be anyone who holds our hand with love? • Growing Old BY ED HORN Robinson’s Run Cemetery is a nonprofit, non-denominational cemetery located in South Fayette Township just outside of Oakdale and McDonald. For more information, visit www.RobinsonsRunCemetery.org and see the page at right. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020Your SchoolsYour Schools N STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ST. PHILIP CATHOLIC SCHOOL St. Philip Christian School Under the auspices of the Junior Achievement program, students from Bishop Canevin High School spent the day at St. Philip School teaching their younger peers about economics in its various forms. Lessons were presented at all grade levels and included topics such as money use in kindergarten, business strategies in fifth grade, and communications and transportation in sixth grade. St. Philip students enjoyed being taught by students just a little older than themselves and related well to the style of learning. JA Worldwide is a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers - all of whom work together to inspire young people to dream big and reach their full potential. JA’s hands-on, experiential programs teach key concepts of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy to young people all over the world. Bishop Canevin students train and present this event yearly and seemed to enjoy being teachers for the day. The Pittsburgh JA program and Bishop Canevin High School offer scholarships to eighth-graders who have attended catholic school and participate in the JA program. Last fall, St. Philip School began its own chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, which works to bring the accomplishments of outstanding students to the attention of parents, teachers, peers and the community. A high academic average in itself does not earn membership into NJHS. Rather, NJHS recognizes the total student as one who excels in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship. These values need to be demonstrated both inside and outside of school and be verified by teacher observation. These students were invited to join St. Philip’s NJHS chapter for the 2019-2020 school year: Eighth grade: Presley Holmes, Sean Kelsch, Gianna Marino, Lillianna Peterson, Annalise Wrabley, Maslen Anselm, Charles Colantonio, Joseph Hurley, Isabella Malloy, Keeley Sniadach, Will Stickman and Julianna Umalin; Seventh Grade: Rachel Boehm, Addison Hazuda, Natalie Kirsch, Tavon Lane, Rachel McDevitt and Everett Sargent; Sixth Grade: Hope Avery, Caroline Hall, Katelyn Miller, Sophia Muoio, Angelina Och and Luke Wrabley. St. Philip School’s LEGO lab was recently renovated to accommodate the newly formed St. Philip LEGO Robotics Club. The lab offers a fresh and welcoming environment where students can explore robotics with the use of two LEGO EV3 Mindstorm education kits and 10 LEGO NXT Mindstorm kits, computers and iPads. At LEGO club, students learn about the basic components of robots, the kinds of jobs they perform, and how they are built and programmed. Students can choose to follow online instructions on building robots or design their own robots to complete a challenge. They must then use LEGO programming applications to program their robots. With some of the kits, students also learn about how robots collect data and how that data can be used. Several St. Philip students delivered outstanding performances at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science regional competition Feb. 1. Eighth-grader Sean Kelsch received first place in microbiology while eighth-grader Violet Chabala received second place in chemistry. Sean will be going to the PJAS State Competition at Penn State University in May. For the competition, students must conduct an experiment, collect data, draw conclusions and present their findings in a PowerPoint presentation. At the conclusion of Catholic Schools Week, St. Philip students hosted a luncheon to show appreciation to area first responders. Crafton and city police and firefighters “answered the call” and had a great time sharing food and fun with students. The lunch was just a small way for St. Philip School to show their appreciation to all first responders. Sean Kelsch receives his NJHS membership from Dr. Brian Dougherty, St. Philip principal, and Rev. John Gizler, St. Philip pastor. National Junior Honor Society First responders lunch Crafton and Pittsburgh police officers enjoy a pizza lunch with St. Philip students. PJAS winners Violet Chabala and Sean Kelsch both performed well in the PJAS competition. Junior Achievement day Bishop Canevin freshman Molly Frick helps St. Philip first-grader Geri Eubank work on JA assignment. LEGO lab renovations Sal Lozano and Jaden Cohen work on their LEGO robots. 24 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020OPEN HOUSE: Sunday, March 22, 2020 12pm - 2pm Contact us for a tour today! St. Philip School prepares your child for a lifetime of achievement. rough award-winning teaching, technology, and faith formation, • Academic Enrichment for Advanced Students • High School Math & Science Courses • Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science • National Junior Honor Society • STEAM Lab & Lego/Robotics Room • Various Extracurricular Clubs & Activities • K-8 Instructional & Competitive Sports • Community Service, Character, and ANGEL Way Virtues Programs Kindergarten through 8th Grade • Preschool & Pre-K Programs St. Philip School Pittsburgh, PA 15205 412-928-2742, ext 4 www.spsangelway.org Academic Excellence. Christian Values. AFTER SCHOOL CARE PROGRAM AVAILABLEYour SchoolsYour Schools N Robinson Township Christian School STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ROBINSON TOWNSHIP CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Robinson Township Christian School is singing the praises of senior Tess Meyers after she kicked off 2020 by representing the school at the PMEA District 1 Choral Festival. This was her second consecutive year at the festival. PMEA, short for Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, is a statewide organization dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. Students are required to audition for the festival. This year, the festival was held at South Fayette High School. Meyers felt well prepared going into the event. She credits her music teacher and choir director, Abbey Frick, for going above and beyond to ensure that she was successful. She’s also performed many roles in various RTCS productions over the years. Those include roles in “Charlotte’s Web,” “Anne of Green Gables,” “Narnia,” “Seussical” and two original RTCS musicals. Music has also played a starring role in Meyers‘ personal life. “Music is a great way to express emotion when you don’t have the words,” she says. Meyers hopes to attend Carnegie Mellon University, where she plans to study chemistry or French and Francophone studies. She will always be grateful for her experiences at PMEA, which she calls, “once in a lifetime.” Since Family Fun Night’s inception two years ago, the evening’s themes have included “Snowball Bingo,” “Christmas ornament making” and a “Clay Café.” For Family Fun Night, RTCS students of all ages - along with parents and teachers - informally gather on a Friday evening at the school once every other month for an evening of games and snacks. One of the things that people love most about RTCS is the strong emphasis on the value of family and community. The addition of regular Family Fun Nights has been a great way to highlight this. Melissa Impavido, whose daughter Victoria is in kindergarten this year, looks forward to attending Family Fun Nights with her family. “I definitely feel that Fun Nights are an awesome way for us to connect with other RTCS families and even the teachers,” she says. “Victoria loves getting to hang with her classmates in a more unstructured, playful environment. She also gets to meet many other kids from other classes that she doesn’t see much of during the school day.” The main purpose of Family Fun Night is to slow down and make time for what’s important. Often, with the hustle and bustle of work and school during the week, it doesn’t leave much room for downtime and conversation. These evenings help bring people together to make new memories and friends at school. It’s also a great way to include working parents who might not have the flexibility to attend events during the school day. Tess Meyers represents RTCS at PMEAFamily Fun Nights at RTCS Tess Meyers Students and parents get to enjoy activities at RTCS during Family Fun Nights. 26 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020N Your Schools Your Schools STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ARCHANGEL GABRIEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL Archangel Gabriel Catholic School 100 days smarter Students in the primary grades dressed as though they were 100 years old to celebrate their 100 th day at school this year. Classrooms also did many activities that involved the number 100, including sorting balloons and dividing colors into fractions. As well, they wrote 100 words that begin with certain letters and much more. Career Day Children in grades K-8 had a blast dressing up as their future self for career day. Classrooms were filled with scientists, doctors, teachers, athletes, broadcasters and more as special guests inspired students to pursue various fields. Parents, special guests from Merakey and Covestro, and others did a fantastic job engaging students and helping to show them what it takes to succeed. The school is extremely proud to be able to watch students’ young minds learn and grow during special days like this. Special delivery Sixth grade students were tasked with an “out of the box” assignment when they were asked to create a pizza-in-a- box book report. After reading a biography of their choosing, Mrs. Mattarochia creatively asked students questions coordinating with parts of the box and each slice. Students were asked what they learned, what they knew before reading the book, what their subjects’ major accomplishments were and the purpose of the book. They loved seeing these books come to life in such a fun and memorable way. STEM challenge accepted What would you do if you had a paper plate, cotton balls, tape, pipe cleaners and straws? It didn’t take fourth grade students in Mrs. Corona’s class long to figure out an idea. They teamed up and were given allotted amounts of supplies while the boys and girls were tasked with building the tallest, three-sectioned, free-standing snowmen possible. The winning project measured 52 inches tall! Students then wrote a report about their STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) challenge. Catholic Schools Week “We are all God’s children” was a key message that Rev. Sam Esposito brought to Archangel Gabriel School as it celebrated the opening of Catholic Schools Week in February. During a morning mass, students participated as lectors, servers, speakers and bringing up the gifts. Phenomenal testimonials were also delivered by eighth-graders Grace Murray and Elena Polar. Each expressed that they were extremely grateful for the opportunities given to them through their Catholic education. As lectors, student council members, participants in many extra-curricular activities, and excellent students, they have taken advantage of all that the school has to offer. Students dressed as though they were 100 years old for their 100th day of school. Students celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Rev. Sam Esposito. Students pose with a tower they constructed during a STEM challenge. Students reported on biographies they read by creating these works of “pizza art.” March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 27Express knows jobs. Get to know Express. O ces in Robinson & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional No Fees! 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 29 Montour School District Montour ranked among area’s top schools Montour is the 14th best school district in the Pittsburgh area, according to a list compiled by Niche.com. The website’s rankings were based on a number of key statistics, including reviews from students and parents, U.S. Department of Education data, state test scores, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality and other factors. Niche’s section on Montour cites its 97 percent graduation rate, 1160 average SAT score and 80 percent reading proficiency percentage, among other statistics. It also lists the school’s 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio, which is lower than the national average. Reviews highlight Montour’s athletics, AP courses, caring teachers, updated facilities and technology as positive factors. Distinguished Wall of Honor nominations now open The Montour School District established a Distinguished Wall of Honor in the spring of 2019 to recognize exemplary Montour High School graduates. The wall serves as a lasting tribute to those who have brought honor to themselves, their school and their communities. Its intent is to honor the success and excellence of these alumni and to inspire both present and future students. Nominations are now open for the Distinguished Wall of Honor’s class of 2020. To nominate, visit www.montourschools.com and download the information packet. Nominations must be received by April 30. All previous submissions are kept for consideration and do not need to be resubmitted. Snow make-up day update Due to the recent snow day on Feb. 7, the following changes have been made these dates in April: April 8 is now a full school day rather than an early dismissal. School will be in session April 9 but with an early dismissal. Superintendent’s Message Dear Montour Family: It is hard to believe we are only a few weeks away from our Spring Break – a week when we will get to enjoy a bit of time to rest and recharge. After that, it is back to work to finish this year strong! We still have much to accomplish and, as always, your involvement is needed! The months of April and May mark the beginning of the annual PSSA and Keystone State Assessments for students in grades 3-11. The schedule can be found on the Montour School District website under Quick Links / PA Standardized Testing Calendar. Reminders will also be sent home from the building level regarding specific testing logistics. We truly appreciate your cooperation with ensuring students are present in school on these important dates. Experience has shown that students who take the assessments with their class perform at a higher level than those who take a make-up assessment at a different time. If you need to schedule a medical appointment for your child in the next couple of months, be sure to check with your child’s teacher to find out what days to avoid when scheduling the appointment. As always, we also have a lot of upgrades happening over the next several months to ensure Montour’s learning facilities are world-class. These include: • New bleachers / court refinishing at DEW Middle School • Phase III of the new roof at DEW Middle School • Auditorium upgrades to include new seating, flooring, and various aesthetics at DEW Middle School • Montour Bus Garage resurfacing project and building painting project • Montour High School pool tile and tub repair work / project So, as you can see, there are busy months ahead! Thank you, once again, for your ongoing partnership to help ensure Montour is the BEST school district in Pennsylvania! Dr. Christopher Stone - Superintendent of SchoolsNext >