‘Unapologetically ourselves’
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis tours Jefferson-Morgan schools
Lt. Gov Austin Davis still remembers when then-Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker, visited his school during his fifth-grade year at McKeesport Area School District.
“When I got sworn in as lieutenant governor, he brought pictures from that visit to my office, so it was pretty cool,” he said. “So you never know where life’s gonna take you.”
Davis potentially launched another full-circle moment Tuesday. He toured Jefferson-Morgan schools, visiting with Teacher of the Year Madeline Loring and talking about some of the administration’s education priorities.
Superintendent Dr. Brandon Robinson said he appreciated the chance to show off the district, and to give students across all grade levels the chance to speak with the lieutenant governor.
“The student voice is extremely important in our district, so for them to be able to have a talk with the lieutenant governor is such a valuable experience that they’ll remember forever,” he said. “…We’re very proud of our school and very proud of our staff, so being able to show that off has been very rewarding.”
Davis’s tour took him throughout the elementary and high schools, where he met with groups of students and ducked into classrooms for impromptu greetings.
In a meeting with students from Jefferson-Morgan’s Rocket Launching Leadership program, Davis explained his role as “basically the vice president of Pennsylvania.”
But he spent more of that meeting hearing out students, asking for their thoughts on topics like the proposed cellphone ban in K-12 schools.
Tenth-grade student Beautiful Medlen said students should be able to use their cellphones for educational purposes like broadcasting class and yearbook, where students use them to take photos and upload them to their computer.
“It would just kind of set us back a little bit because we would have to get funding to get digital cameras, SD card readers, all that stuff,” she said.
Davis praised the students for bringing shades of grey to the conversation.
“You’re hitting on a really good topic, and that’s nuance, and that is something that we often miss in the state capitol. It’s usually all or nothing,” he said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal includes $100 million for school safety and mental health grants for public schools, the same amount as in last year’s budget. Davis quizzed the students on how they felt the district was meeting those goals.
The school resource officers were “welcoming,” students said. And they felt like they could open up to their teachers if they had problems.
“They can tell if you’re upset or something’s going on,” one student said. “They’ll ask you, even if you’re too afraid to speak up about it.”
Davis encouraged students to continue working to support each other and their community. That might look like elected office. Or it might take the form of volunteering at City Mission, or an after-school program.
“I’d encourage you all, as you go forward, to keep figuring out what that role is for you, and always be somebody who’s giving back,” he said. “Because … it just comes back to you tenfold, and it makes this world a better place.”
Other stops included Brittany McIntire’s life skills and autistic support classroom, where he spoke with students and grabbed a coffee from Mac’s Coffee Shop.
At the elementary school, stops included the library, where he heard a presentation from the school’s Gifted & Talented Education Students.
“Do you guys practice public speaking in the GATES program?” Davis said afterwards. “Because you all are so good. I might need to come get some lessons.”
Tying in to another administration budget priority — a $5 million increase in student teacher stipends to $35 million annually — Davis heard from Caroline Poole, a former student teacher of Loring’s who had received the grant.
“With that stipend, it really reinforced that our time is valued and that our passion for shaping the young minds is a gift, and a lot of people really want to see us succeed,” she said.
The tour also took Davis to Barry Mylan’s Trout in the Classroom program, where students help raise trout to be released into local waters, and the elementary’s life skills and autistic support rooms.
Finally, Davis visited Loring’s classroom, where he watched students play the math game “Centers.”
“What’s so great about our district is they’re so focused on all of us just being unapologetically ourselves, which is part of the message I want to take across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, that when we can tap into what brings us joy, then we’re able to share that with our students,” she told Davis.
Davis was impressed by the students’ joy for learning, and the festive atmosphere.
“I love the decorations in here,” he said. “It really does feel like each room is its own personality,”
Robinson hoped the visit communicated the importance of rural districts like Jefferson-Morgan.
“Rural schools matter just as much as any other place, and we do just a great of a job as anybody else,” he said.