First Lady Wolf Visits Bristol Twp. Elementary School

As part of her :Schools that Teach Tour,” First Lady Frances Wolf stopped at LaFayette Elementary School in Bristol Township Monday morning to hold a special roundtable discussion with school teachers and administrators.

The roundtable discussion was unique to Bristol Township schools in that it discussed how Governor Wolf’s 2015-2016 budget will improve the education system within the district. The district, according to staff member Linda Weaver, is a result of a “declining tax base,” and the children are “hurting because of it.”

More than three dozen teachers and administrators filled the LaFayette classroom Monday to discuss everything from school culture to technology in education.

The district, which serves a population of over 54,000, is undergoing major changes as it consolidates it’s elementary school’s into three central schools, which means LaFayette will soon close it’s doors. It is the school board’s hope that the consolidation will help to cut costs and bring the district into the next stage of technology and learning.

Heartfelt and dedicated teacher’s filled the room as they discussed why their job is so important. The school which serves the lower end of the district financially, has become a safe haven for it’s students – a matter which struck a chord with the first lady and others.

The First Lady, who began the conversation with various talking points, was shocked to learn that a district which has received grants to help improve it’s technology, including the purchase of 60 iPads for LaFayette, does not have universal wireless internet.

It is times like these that staff member Joe Skubis said the teachers feel like “digital immigrants”.

While Dr. Sam Lee spoke highly of the district and it’s hopes to regain more secure footing with the building of three central primary schools, he wasn’t ashamed to admit the district purchases everything with a coupon. “We are clearly not affluent, but we are incredibly rich,” he said of the positive interactions between students and teachers.

The roughly 45 minute long roundtable ended as the First Lady visited a second and third grade language arts support class to read ‘And then it’s Spring’. The class of a dozen children, took time to memorize facts about the Governor and his wife in hopes they would be selected for a special visit with the first lady.