Methacton School District, Norristown Area School District, The Pathway School, Perkiomen Valley School District, Pope John Paul II High School, Spring-Ford Area School District, Ursinus College.

I look forward to hearing about all of the achievements and opportunities our students will experience this year. And neighbors, please be mindful of school zones, buses, pedestrians and new drivers on our roads so that we can have a safe school year.

It’s back to school in our area, and I want to wish all students, teachers, staff and families a happy and healthy school year as they make their return to the classroom both this week and next.

Applications are due by Wednesday, October 1, 2025, and can be emailed to pahousefellowship@pabmc.net. More information can be found at

The #PAHouse Fellowship Program is now accepting applications for the Spring 2026 semester (January – April). This program is based in the Pennsylvania Capitol Building in Harrisburg, and fellows will be assigned to work in House Standing Committees or House Leadership Offices.

- Ms. Angela McFarland, Founder and Director of Coffee Closet with @BaristaJake.- Mr. Jacob McFarland, Founder and Manager of Coffee Closet with @BaristaJake.- Ms. Pooja Chanda, Methacton School District School Board Director.

- Dr. Robyn Hannigan, President of Ursinus College.- Dr. Gundolf Graml, Provost of Ursinus College.- Mr. Todd McKinney, Senior Director of Inclusion and Belonging at Ursinus College.

- Ms. Veronica Trejo, Mission Kids Bilingual Community Prevention Educator.- Ms. Amy Smith, PA State Representative Joe Webster Chief of Staff.- Dr. Janine Darby, Coroner of Montgomery County.- Dr. Ashley Wilkerson, Physician at Nemours Children's Hospital.

- Ms. Shannon Peffer, President of the Methacton Education Foundation.- Ms. Carly Morris, Mission Kids Community Prevention Educator.- Ms. Jenn Capone, Mission Kids Community Prevention Educator.- Ms. Lola Quigley, Mission Kids Community Prevention Educator.

- Dr. Jamie Gravinese, Methacton School District Director of Pupil Services.- Ms. Kimberly Plummer, Director of Children's Services at Central Behavioral Health.- Ms. Meredith Frank, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Montgomery County Community College.

- The Reverand Mayor Aidsand Wright-Riggins, Mayor of Collegeville Borough.- Ms. Fran Held, Director of @MitzvahCircle Foundation.- Dr. Josh Weikert, Policy Director for PA State Representative Joe Webster.- Dr. Che Regina, Methacton School District Assistant Superintendent.

Thank you to the community leaders who so graciously contributed their time and talent to inspiring and instructing the Methacton 2025-2026 Community Cares cohort!.

This year's partner organizations are The @TheArcAlliance, @LaurelPA, Mission Kids, Victim Services Center of Montgomery County, and Montgomery County's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as well as @mccc Professor of Communications Meredith Frank.

Once prepared, they will mentor the 6th grade class at Skyview Upper Elementary and the 7th grade class at Arcola Intermediate Unit to share what they have learned.

Throughout the school year, these high school leaders will receive training from our partner organizations on a variety of topics.

A cohort of 50 high school juniors and seniors attended leadership training on @UrsinusCollege's beautiful campus to explore ways to empower respectful, safe, and inclusive schools.

This week members of my staff and staff from @MissionKidsCAC kicked off Community Cares, a new program we have developed together to pilot this school year in @Methacton School District.

As our elections continue to face attacks and new methods of disenfranchisement, including today's assault on mail-in ballots, we must protect the sanctity of our free, fair and safe elections so that all eligible voters can participate in our democracy.

While this moved our country closer to a gender-equal society, women of color still had to wait another 45 years until the Voting Rights Act was implemented to fully practice their right to vote. As we celebrate this achievement, it's important to remember that barriers remained.

105 years ago, on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified and added to the United States Constitution. This milestone granted white women the right to vote after years of work in the women’s suffrage movement—though it didn't benefit all women