We need to do the hard work here, to continue the message which is very clear,” he said. “It turns out, getting kids in school is easy. Matt Bradford, D-70th, also thanked Wolf and the district’s school board for their leadership. The delta variant is highly transmissible, and incredibly dangerous to those who have not been vaccinated, many of whom are children too young to receive this vaccine, many of whom are in this building right now,” Cappelletti said. Amanda Cappelletti, D-17th, thanked Wolf for the visit and said she felt the district “has taken every step imaginable to ensure a safe return to in-person schooling for everyone - including passing a masking mandate prior to the statewide order.”

“By working together, we can keep COVID out of our schools, and we can keep our students in our schools.” Now we need the help of the public,” Wolf said. “Safe learning in schools is possible because of the things we’ve done to help protect students, teachers and the greater community. This year’s state budget added education funding including a “Level-up” initiative meant to reduce inequity in education funding “for Pennsylvania’s 100-most-underfudned schools, and Norristown School District is one of those,” receiving $1 million via that program, Wolf said. State officials have worked with local districts to provide COVID vaccination clinics and testing, and the federal American Rescue Plan funding distributed over $4.9 billion to schools in the state. And that means more time in the classroom,” Wolf said. Masks protect each child, and they also reduce the risk that entire classrooms are going to need to quarantine due to positive COVID-19 cases. “That’s why masks are now required in Pennsylvania schools. “Let’s start with masks: Masks are one of the best tools we have to keep students in the classrooms, and COVID out,” he said. The governor outlined what he termed “four key resources” meant to help keep students in schools: the mask order, testing, vaccinations, and increased funding via federal COVID relief money. “And that’s basically what the school district and schools have done throughout this pandemic,” he said. “I want to thank everyone here - the school district, the volunteers, the community members, who stepped up to help the community, and your neighbors, in this time of need,” Wolf said. Speaking alongside masked teachers, administrators and lawmakers at Hancock Elementary School in Norristown Wednesday afternoon, Wolf made the case for the mandate. Last week Wolf’s administration issued an order that all students, staff and visitors at schools in the state are required to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, a mask mandate that took effect Tuesday. And that’s why we want to keep kids in the classroom this year,” Wolf said. They want to connect with their peers, inside school. They want to participate in the activities that help them build skills. “Our kids want to see their friends again. It’s to keep the kids in school throughout this year.”

Tom Wolf and education officials from across the state stopped in Norristown Wednesday afternoon with a simple message: “The goal this year is not just to start the year with kids in school.

Wolf style army of two masks