$5 Concert on Jan. 17 Will Aid Homeless Shelter

Andy's Two Dollar Bills

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by The Hill School.

Student leaders from The Hill School, Pottstown School District, and Montgomery County Community College have collaborated on behalf of Pottstown CARES to organize their fourth annual “Welcome Home” concert on Friday, Jan. 17 from 6:30 – 9 p.m. in The Hill School’s Center For The Arts (CFTA) venue at 760 Beech St.

This family-friendly, affordable pop music concert will directly benefit the Ministries at Main Street, a Pottstown homeless shelter organization that offers meals and a warm place to sleep to all who need it.

Tickets are $5 at the door or may be purchased via Eventbrite. For those unable to attend the event, but interested in supporting this great cause, donations also can be made at the Eventbrite site. 

Raffle prizes and food will be available for sale from local vendors including Little Italy’s, with all proceeds benefitting the cause. Free parking is available on the lot at the center for the arts

The fourth annual occurrence of this inspirational student-driven event will feature Andy’s Two

Dollar Bills, local musicians who have performed at popular Pottstown venues including the Pourhouse, the Pottstown United Brewery, and Pottstown FARM.

Andy's Two Dollar Bills is part of the Pottstown Music Collaborative, “a developing, dynamic band of musicians from the Pottstown community, all focused on bringing people together through the power of sound,” according to Bill Robertson, a Collaborative founder and drummer in the band.

Talented student-musicians from the Pottstown High School and Hill School Jazz Bands also will rock the stage. CARES also is working to announce a surprise artist. All musical groups are generously donating their time and effort for this good cause. 

Student members of Pottstown CARES.

Trojan Jazz Band members who will perform include Xzavier Francis Williams,Akira Love,Chloe Hebert, David Hicks, Anthony Russo, Savone Nash and Rafi Sanchez

“Everyone in Pottstown CARES is committed to giving back to the community we cherish,” said Sheridan Ameo, Hill class of ’22. “There’s so much to love about Pottstown. I’ve never met a community so willing to band together and make a real difference. The Welcome Home Concert is our attempt to show gratitude toward the town we care about so much.”

Student leader Nethmin Liyange, Hill ’20, says, “The Welcome Home concert is an amazing opportunity for students from different schools to come together and support an important cause. The concert is a way to raise awareness for the problems of homelessness faced within the Pottstown community.

“I hope in the future this event continues to get bigger and bigger, and hopefully we can help even more,” she added.

Trojan organizers include,Chloe Hebert, David Hicks, Mariana Pearson and David Wallace.

The Rev. Kork Moyer, director of Ministries at Main Street, said any contribution from the event will be used toward housing and housing subsidies for “our guests as they transition into their own homes.”

“Homelessness is not the absence of housing, but the absence of all that creates a home,” Moyer said. “What makes a home is the nurture of family and friends. We thank the CARES students and the supporters of this event for becoming part of a really big and diverse family with us.”

The CARES student leadership team is comprised of students from The Hill School, Pottstown School District, Montgomery County Community College, and, recently, Perkiomen Valley. Students serving on the CARES leadership team were appointed based on their organizational skills and desire to serve the community in a meaningful way.

Individuals or organizations interested in becoming involved with the Pottstown CARES collaborative can contact Katie Scanlan at kscanlan@thehill.org or 610-454-8050.

New Montco Machines Make a Paper Trail for Votes

Photos by Evan Brandt

Jeffrey Cades of Gilbertsville, left, gets instruction from county employee Frank Spollen on amending his paper ballot during a demonstration of Montgomery County's new voting machines Tuesday at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown. The machines will make their debut during next month's primary election on May 21.

In the wake of fears about tampering with electronic voting machines during the 2016 elections, Montgomery County is in the midst of a roll-out of its new voting machines, which will create paper records of every vote.

Montgomery County Commissioners Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh said the county was already in the process of replacing its previous machines, now more than 20 years old, when Gov. Tom Wolf signed a law requiring Pennsylvania voting machines to keep paper records.

June Landis of Limerick watches as her ballot is submitted.

"We had been socking money away to pay for new machines before the governor signed that bill," she said.

The Dominion Voting System cost $3.5 million, nearly $1 million of which was provided by federal funding.

When all is said and done, the contract will cost about $5 million over the course of eight years of maintenance, servicing and upgrades.

Arkoosh said the system chosen was the least expensive and the one overwhelmingly preferred by the 300-or-so people who showed up last year at the Montgomery County Community College's main campus in Blue Bell where the 11 possible models were on display.

County employee Frank Spollen explains the new voting machines
to, from left, Pottstown Councilwoman Trenita Lindsay, Annette
Kobb of Pottstown and Ted Josey of Collegeville.

"This is what our constituents wanted," she said.

"I love a paper ballot," said June Landis of Limerick as she tried it out during the demonstration at the community college's West Campus in Pottstown Tuesday night. "It can't be hacked and it's available for a re-count if necessary."

Arkoosh said the county decided against issuing paper receipts reflecting the vote cast "because it would be used for intimidation, like if a spouse demands to see how a spouse voted. Also, it could be used as proof to sell votes."

These machines will not be connected to the Internet, which was also true of the previous machines, Arkoosh said.

She said the paper records will be kept for at least two years and the county is in discussions with the Pennsylvania Department of State to look into holding random accuracy audits of machines to match them against the paper records.

"We're just trying to figure out how many we need to audit to be statistically significant," Arkoosh said.

Joan Chambers of Lower Frederick isn't so sure about the new machines. Here she is having the machine explained to her:



"I think I'm too old for change," Chambers said with a laugh after she finished. "The first time I tried it got spit back out and told me there were four things wrong with it."

Faux voters fill out faux ballots as part of the effort Tuesday to
familiarize themselves with Montgomery County's new voting
machines which will be used for the first time during the
May 21 primary election.

Teresa Harris, communication manager for Montgomery County, said the county has been keeping track of concerns raised by residents as the machines tour the county for similar demonstrations.

"The most frequent complaint we get is people didn't know we were changing them," she said. "People are also worried it will take too much time and make the lines longer."

But the fact that the machines will be used for the first time in an off-year primary election, traditionally the one with the lowest voter turn-out, may help voters ease into the new method, Harris said.

The faux ballot.

For the test, those who showed up were given a faux ballot for the "Famous Names Acceptance
Election." It asked faux voters to pick their favorite sports team, author, musician, artist, TV talk-show host, college and even past president.

On the reverse side, ballot questions, one simple, one complicated, offered yes/no options. Voters fill in "bubbles," much like standardized tests from school, to make their selections.

The ballot is scanned optically and the machine takes note if there are any discrepancies, like an "under vote," someone not filling in a bubble, or offering a write-in alternative.

This reporter's attempt to befuddle the machine by writing in two votes proved futile, this despite the fact that I indicated the New York Mets are one of my favorite sports teams. (They're not, but I like them more than the Yankees.)

Here is video of my vote being cast:



"It's pretty simple," Gilbertsville resident Jeffrey Cades said of the new voting method. "And I'm glad they have some way to verify the vote and do a re-count if they have to."

"I think it's an improvement over what we had previously and it works pretty fast once you know how to use it," Cades said.

Pottstown Land Bank Chairwoman Deb Penrod and Pottstown

School Board member John Armato get instruction on the

new voting machines being demonstrated last night.

There will be two more demonstrations and, like in Pottstown, they will be held at 6 p.m. and precede "Conversations with the Commissioners" town hall meetings.

The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, May at in Pennsburg, in the multi-purpose room of the Upper Perkiomen Education Center at 2229 East Buck Road.

The last one will be Monday, May 6 in the Great Room in the commons Building at Arcadia University, 450 S. Easton Road in Glenside.

And now, without further ado, are the Tweets from the event. (Look for coverage of the Conversations with the Commissioners event which followed the voting machine demonstration in a subsequent blog post.)

Making a Voting Paper Trail

Helping Middle Schoolers Make 'Liquid Connections'

Submitted Photos

Students in the Pottstown Middle School Environmental Education Club learn about water systems and aquaponics at the Montgomery County Community College campus in Pottstown as part of the "Liquid Connections" program.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Foundation for Pottstown Education.

The Foundation for Pottstown Education is now helping to fund a community collaborative program designed to teach students in the Pottstown Middle School students about our local water environment.

The Foundation is funding the program in cooperation with Green Valleys Watershed and the Montgomery County Community College.

This program will provide students in the Pottstown Middle School Environmental Education Club an opportunity to learn about local waterways.

Program topics include adaptations and birds, water quality and orienteering. The group will also participate in field trips to various local sites for hands-on studies and hiking, including Warwick County Park, Green Valleys’ headquarters of Welkinweir, and Murgia Park in West Pottsgrove for pond and stream studies. 

They will tour the Pottstown Wastewater Treatment plant and canoe a portion of the Schuylkill River in Phoenixville. The group will work with the Montgomery County Community College taking part

Pottstown Middle School students are learning about
the ecology of water at MCCC and other locations.

in water quality studies at the Pottstown campus.

The program is titled Liquid Connections – How Water Quality Affects Biological Organisms. 

Through this seven week course the students will learn about how water quality is a measurement of the condition of water relative to the requirements of the biological species the water supports. 

The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a body of water have a direct impact on the health of the organisms that rely on the water. In nature, pollution and agricultural run-off have major impacts on the water quality of lakes, streams and rivers. 

These pollutants also affect the biological species that the water sustains, often causing species to die off and ecosystems to collapse. Therefore, limiting pollutants and maintaining ideal water quality conditions is vital for the survival of the ecosystems that rely on the water. 

Likewise, in artificial systems, such as the hydroponic systems that are used to grow much of our commercial produce, maintaining proper water conditions is vital to sustained plant growth and yield.

In these sessions, students will learn how to measure various water quality conditions and then use these measurements to investigate how water quality affects the health of natural and artificial water systems.

Specific topics include:

• Session 1: Introduction to Water Quality and Water Quality Measurement Techniques 
• Session 2: Field Study on Water Quality of Schuylkill River and Manatawny Creek 
• Session 3: Field Study Data Analysis 
• Session 4: Automated Water Quality Sensor Introduction and Deployment 
• Session 5: Introduction to Hydroponics and Aquaponics and Water Quality Measurements of  These Systems 
• Session 6: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Systems Data Analysis and Water Quality Experiment Set-up 
• Session 7: Water Quality Experiment Data Collection and Analysis 

From left, Pottstown Middle School science teacher
Ginger Angelo, Carl and Sylvia Landis, and
Dawn White, all from from Green Valley Watershed, along with
Dr. Karen Buchkovich-Sass, Dr. Jamie Bretz and Regina Kline
from  Montgomery County Community College.

Funding for this program is made possible by donations to the Foundation for Pottstown Education to the Foundation for Pottstown Education specifically for environmental studies.

Previously, the Foundation has provided funding to support the Middle School Environmental Club trip to the Pocono Environmental Education Center as well as programs in environmental after school programs for all four Elementary Schools in the Pottstown School District.

The Foundation is currently seeking additional funding to continue to support these programs.

Anyone interested in contributing to these funds is encouraged to contact the Foundation at 610-970-6616 or the Foundation’s Executive Director, Joe Rusiewicz via email jrusiewicz@pottstownk12.org.

About FPE: The Foundation for Pottstown Education’s (FPE) mission is to support, promote, sponsor and carry out educational, scientific or charitable activities and objectives within or related to the Pottstown School District.

Visit www.foundationpottstowned.org for more information about the Foundation for Pottstown Education. You can also follow FPE on Facebook and Twitter.

19 Graduate from MCCC Gateway to College Program

Photo by Matthew Wright

Nineteen area high school students received their diplomas through Montgomery County Community College’s award-winning Gateway to College program. 

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College

During this time of year, many high school seniors and their families are attending graduation ceremonies and celebrating the accomplishment of this education milestone. At Montgomery County Community College, 19 high school students recently received their high school diplomas, too, through the Gateway to College program.

Only a year ago, these students were not on track to graduate, but MCCC’s Gateway to College program changed their future. Part of a national network, Gateway to College enabled them to complete their high school requirements, receive their diplomas and continue taking college courses, all with the guidance and support of MCCC’s dedicated faculty and staff.

Since MCCC launched the program in 2013 at its campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, 135 students have earned their high school diplomas. Because of its success, the Gateway program at MCCC is one of 10 community college programs nationwide to be named a finalist for the prestigious 2018 Bellwether Award in the Instructional Programs & Services Category.

“Only 30 schools in the nation are named as finalists, and Montgomery County Community College was recognized for this program. This is the premier Gateway to College program in the country,” said MCCC President Kevin Pollock.

“When we talk about student success, we’re talking about you,” he told the graduates. “You should be proud of what you accomplished because it is remarkable.”

The graduates are Giana Berrios, Upper Perkiomen School District; James Breinig, Jenkintown School District; Dominick Clark, Cheltenham School District; Camiyyah Cousins, Pottsgrove School District; Samantha DeJoseph, Boyertown Area School District; Aspen Fiorentino-Alberto, Upper Merion School District; Janeth Galeana-Bruno and Tierra Green, Wissahickon School District; Kristian Heard and Dennis Knox, Pottsgrove School District; Stephanie Marburger, Commonwealth Diploma; Zachary Myers, Phoenixville; Aliyah Rocco, Wissahickon; John Everett Seavy, Souderton School District; Nathan Schultz, Phoenixville School District; Toné Thompson, Wissahickon; Carlos Vieyra, Upper Moreland School District; Karl Vondra and Jada Young, Upper Merion.

“It’s not going to get easier; it will be harder,” Gateway Director Keima Sheriff told the graduates as they received their diplomas. “But, you have the tools you need and the support system. Most importantly, you believe in yourselves now, and that’s what you need to keep going.”

Thirteen graduates will continue their education at MCCC in the fall. The other graduates will be entering the workforce or continuing their education at another institution.

MCCC collaborates with 18 school districts, who refer students to the program. Additionally, partners Waste Management, PECO, Wells Fargo, Univest, TD Bank, the Kahn family, Maguire Foundation, Malik family, Ambler Savings, Thompkins VIST Bank, First Priority Bank and the Gateway to College National Network have provided financial support for the program and student scholarships.

“I believe the true success of the program is the tireless dedication of the entire Gateway team, and I cannot thank them enough for their work in supporting our students,” said Sheriff. “We work together to make the goal of student completion the primary focus of the program.”

The team includes Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Nicole Henderson, Program Director Keima Sheriff, Resource Specialist Jezerey Weiderman, Resource Specialist Esau Collins, Administrator Michelle Kulla, English Assistant Professor Diane McDonald, Reading Senior Lecturer Karen Harding-Tasca, Math Senior Lecturer Tracy Halsey and Math Senior Lecturer Donald Slaughter.

Want Fireworks This Year? Donate at the Pottstown GoGourth Kick-Off Event Wednesday 5:30 to 7:30

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown GoFourth organization

After an overwhelmingly successful inaugural Pottstown GoFourth! Festival last year, a reorganized committee is dedicated to providing a fireworks finale for area families attending the holiday celebration on Wednesday, July 4.

The festival will begin around noon, immediately after the Pottstown Fourth of July parade.

To officially kick off fundraising efforts, Pottstown GoFourth! is hosting an event on Wednesday, April 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 140 College Drive, Floor 2R, Montgomery County Community College Innovation Hub.

A $10 suggested donation will provide admission to a fun gathering with food, beverages, raffles, and live music by area favorite Rebecca Shoemaker, accompanied on piano by her son, Sam Pattine.

The Pottstown GoFourth! organization now is an official Pennsylvania 501c3 non-profit corporation, operating under the TriCounty Community Network, which manages all GoFourth! finances and reporting.

Co-Chairpersons Amy Francis and Amy Wolf emphasize that not a penny of taxpayer money supports the July 4 festivities, which is why fundraising is so essential.

The Whiskeyhickon Boys performed last year

“No Pottstown Borough funds help to pay for this celebration,” Wolf says. “It is completely funded by sponsorships and donations made by businesses and individuals who want to offer our greater Pottstown community a fun, family-oriented event -- a happening that showcases all the positive community spirit and amenities that Pottstown has to offer.”

Last year’s GoFourth! featured a laser and music show. “People were open-minded about seeing the laser show as an alternative to fireworks,” Francis says, “but we also heard a clear preference for traditional fireworks. As a result, the committee has dedicated itself to raising the funds to make fireworks happen as part of this free, true community event. However, folks should know that fireworks cost about $1,000 per minute in addition to ancillary costs such as fire department fees.”

“We cannot begin to fund this festival through bucket collections alone,” Wolf says, adding that the
volunteers are seeking two headlining fireworks sponsors of $10,000 each (or one official and extraordinarily generous sponsor at $20,000).

The co-chairs note that last year’s attendees loved the variety of professional live music that was performed all day, in addition to the food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, and the Sly Fox beer tent -- all of which will return this year – as well as hot air balloon rides by the U.S. Hot Air Balloon Team. 

The festival also will include activities geared toward children, ranging from face painting to the appearance of “Grandpop Bubbles,” a performance artist who creates enormous bubbles much to delight of young and old alike. Grandpop Bubbles’ performance and all of the children’s activities for the day are being generously sponsored by ROG Orthodontics.

Also new this year will be a “Royal Court” competition: Area school districts will be asked to encourage their Homecoming Kings and Queens to compete through fundraising to be named King and Queen of the Pottstown GoFourth! Royal Court – and runners up will be named Prince and Princess of the Court. All Royal Court selections will appear in the Rotary Club-sponsored July 4th parade and will be officially honored at the GoFourth! festival.

Other activities that will complement the GoFourth! events at the park will include, confirmed to date, opportunities to play miniature golf at Manatawny Green and board the Colebrookdale Railroad which will conduct short runs to and from the park to the Boyertown station.

The Rotary Club parade will take place again, as noted. Interested parties should contact pottstownrotary@gmail.com as soon as possible to register. (There is a modest registration fee that will cover traffic control and other related expenses.) 

The giant duck means the annual duck race is on.

The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at High and Adams Streets and continue west to Manatawny Street – and participants as well as spectators will be encouraged to continue on to the King Street entrance of Memorial Park to participate in the GoFourth! Festival!

The Rotary Club also will hold its 26th Annual Duck Race on Manatawny Creek the afternoon of July 4. By selling duck sponsorships, the Rotary will benefit charities in the greater Pottstown area – including PottstownGoFourth! 

 To sponsor a Rotary duck, go to pottstownrotary.org (or purchase a duck at the GoFourth festival on July 4); to make a parade contribution, please send a tax-deductible donation to the Pottstown Rotary Community Endowment Fund (PRCEF) via P.O. Box 227, Pottstown, PA. 19464.

“When you look at photos from last year’s GoFourth! Festival, it’s striking to see the beautiful cross-section of Pottstown people – diverse smiling faces, young to old,” says Wolf. “The volunteers want to build on 2017’s wonderful event and provide an even better experience for our hometown.”

While last year’s festival was a two-day event, this year’s GoFourth! will be limited to July 4 only, which will help save costs on items ranging from parking lot rental fees to portable restroom facilities. Carnival rides will not be offered this year, notes Francis, citing not only the prohibitive costs but difficulty in finding vendors who will set up rides for a one-day-only event.

Help Bring Back the Fireworks and Support PottstownGoFourth!

Area businesses and citizens can play a vital role in ensuring the success of this year’s all- volunteer led effort to throw a successful July 4 event for the community and guests. In addition to supporting the April 4th benefit event:

• Tax-deductible donations can be made by donating online at PottstownGoFourth.org, or by sending a check made payable to the TriCounty Community Network (TCN) and noting “Attention: GoFourth” in the memo line on the check. Checks may be sent to Pottstown GoFourth! Festival, PO Box 1362, Pottstown, PA 19464. 
  
• Businesses or individuals may sponsor various entertainment providers and activities – and in exchange they will receive outstanding publicity and other benefits including (for upper level sponsors) preferred seating during the fireworks display. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, go to PottstownGoFourth.org or email PottstownGoFourth@gmail.com. To date, in addition to those sponsorships already noted, the Pottstown Mercury is a generous GoFourth! supporter. 
• Roughly 20 food vendors are expected at the festival, additional culinary offerings are welcome. Vendor applications can be found at: www.pottstowngofourth.info/vendor-apps
• Similarly, quality arts and crafts vendors will be featuring their wares, but additional artisans are encouraged to participate. Again, the PottstownGoFourth.org website provides relevant information. Vendor applications can be found at: www.pottstowngofourth.info/vendor-apps
• Friends of PottstownGoFourth! Festival can purchase GoFourth! merchandise, including the popular hats, which always sell out quickly. GoFourth! Merchandise can be purchased at www.pottstowngofourth.info/2018-gofourth-gear when available and while supplies last. 

Please look for updates about Pottstown GoFourth! at www.pottstowngofourth.org or www.pottstowngofourth.com and at www.facebook.com/PottstownGoFourth and www.twitter.com/GoFourthFest .

(While there is not a rain date for the entire festival, the rain date for fireworks only will be July 13.) 

Work on Keim Street Bridge Pushed Back to 2020

Seven years and counting for the closure of the Keim Street bridge.

Do I need to say the words?

The Montgomery County Commissioners made their annual pilgrimage to Pottstown Tuesday night and had lots of good things to say about the county and Pottstown's place in it.

Sure, I could tell you about the growing population, the growing jobs, the low unemployment rate or the high financial rating from Moody's.

But I know what you want to read about. Three words: "Keim Street Bridge."

Photo by Evan Brandt

Montgomery County Commissioners, from left, Ken Lawrence,

Val Arkoosh and Joe Gale address a crowd of about 45 at a

town hall meeting Tuesday night in Pottstown.

Last year when the commissioners visited, we asked and they said construction would not begin until 2019.

This year, the start date they offered is 2020.

The bridge was closed in October of 2010 after being declared structurally unsound and since then, it seems to be the unenviable task of whomever is the vice chairman of the commissioners to deliver this update.

That means that this year, the task fell to Kenneth Lawrence, the board's newest member.

Preliminary design work is going on right now, said Lawrence. Final design work will apparently take until the end of 2019 and shovels won't hit the first until 2020.

Here is some video of what he said:

He said the vehicle registration fee enacted by Montgomery County last year raises money that can only be used for roads and bridges in the county -- "including the Keim Street Bridge" -- and that it helps speed things along.

But somehow, the county's version of things being speeded along results in the the start date for construction being pushed back by another year.

Was it ever thus.

Anyhoo, here are the Tweets from the rest of the meeting.

Kraybill, Guttha Named to MCCC Board of Trustees

David Kraybill

The Montgomery County Commissioners recently appointed Dr. Raj Guttha of Lansdale and David W. Kraybill of Pottstown to the Montgomery County Community College Board of Trustees.

“On behalf of the College, I welcome these talented leaders to the Board of Trustees,” said MCCC President Dr. Kevin Pollock. “Dr. Guttha and Mr. Kraybill bring strong expertise and experience in their fields which will strengthen the College and help us achieve new levels of success for our students.”

Guttha, a senior risk, compliance, finance, information technology and change management executive, is managing partner of Guttha Global Consulting Group of New York, N.Y. He has proven success in establishing global enterprise risk, governance, compliance and internal audit functions in financial services companies.

He has held senior level positions at several companies including Z&A InfoTek, Inc. in Parsippany, N.J.; General Electric Capital Corporation in Norwalk and Danbury, Conn.; McGraw-Hill Financial in New York, N.Y.; Citibank in New York, N.Y.; and J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Columbus, Ohio, among others.

Guttha also served as an associate professor of Finance at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, and as an assistant professor of Finance at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. He holds a doctorate in Economics/Econometrics from Nagaruna University in India, a master’s degree in Econometrics and Finance from Temple University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Mathematics from Nagaruna University.  

Kraybill is president of the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation which seeks to encourage children and families to adopt healthy habits through health promotion and education. In his 13 years as president, he has focused the Foundation on four areas including nutrition and physical activity in schools; access to primary and behavioral health care services; non-profit infrastructure and capacity building; and recreation and community economic development.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Kraybill served as director of development for The Commonwealth College of Pennsylvania State University, interim director of University Development for Pennsylvania State University, and president and executive director of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, a certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Indiana and a certificate from the Penn State Management Institute.

Guttha’s appointment to the Board of Trustees runs through December 2018, and Kraybill’s appointment is through December 2020.

For more than 50 years, Montgomery County Community College has grown with the community to meet the evolving educational needs of Montgomery County. The College’s comprehensive curriculum includes more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as customized workforce training and certifications. Students enjoy the flexibility of learning at the College’s campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, at the Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale, and online through a robust Virtual Campus. 

As an Achieving the Dream Leader College, the institution is positioned at the vanguard of national efforts to increase completion, improve learning outcomes, and remove barriers to access for students. The College is also recognized regionally and nationally for its sustainability leadership, work with military veterans, community service and service learning opportunities, and use of classroom technology. 

For more information, visit http://www.mc3.edu. 

Rock the Block Returns to Pottstown on April 22

Volunteers head out for Rock the Block activities in Pottstown last year.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County.

Twelve community organizations will join forces for a second year in a row with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County and Pottstown CARES to beautify the borough of Pottstown.

A Hill School student Anya Gupta mans the
Pottstown CARES  

table during last year's
Rock the Block event.

Rock the Block on April 22 will bring together more than 150 volunteers who will pitch in to clean, paint, repair and improve a neighborhood, in conjunction with Pottstown CARES community cleanup day, a partnership of The Hill School, the Borough, the Pottstown School District, Montgomery County Community College, Tri-County Chamber of Commerce and Lowes.

In addition to the Pottstown CARES organizations, Rock the Block enlists volunteers from Genesis Housing Corporation, Matt Green at Glocker and Company Realtors, Mosaic Community Land Trust, Phillies Fire Company, Pottstown Fire Department and Victory Christian Life Center.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, volunteer teams will complete deck and stair repairs, landscaping, spruce up efforts and more on the 300, 400 and 500 blocks of Beech, Cherry and Walnut Streets. 

They will begin work on 629 Walnut St., a new Habitat house in Pottstown. All the while, they will be building community pride.

“Rock the Block shows the power of people coming together in just one day,” said Marianne Lynch, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County. 

Marianne Lynch, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of

Montgomery County at a Rock the Block house on Walnut Street

during last year's clean-up.

“Look deeper, and you see the incredible spirit in Pottstown, and the passion residents and officials have for making it the best it can be. We are in year two of a holistic neighborhood revitalization plan and the community couldn’t be more excited and supportive,” she said.

The revitalization plan is being created by a coalition of residents, borough officials and non-profit organizations and is looking at workforce development, resident leadership, housing and quality of life issues such as arts and culture. 

In addition, Habitat Montco is partnering with the Pottstown School District to give students in construction classes hands-on experience at 629 Walnut St., and is planning to recruit for its AmeriCorps jobs from Pottstown.

Pottstown High School student Raekwon Artley 

joins Hill students Lyndsey Williams, Bridget Mayza and 

Ryan Wallace in a demolition job at 430 Walnut St. 

during the Rock the Block clean-up event on Friday, April 15, 2016.

Pottstown High will have about 40 students who will be associated with the Pottstown CARES event on Earth Day.

About 20 students, most of whom are part of the soccer team, with be doing landscaping around the high school/middle school campus and another 20 Student Government students with Dave Woodley and Trojan Man will be doing clean up in the parks.

In addition to volunteering for Habitat Montco projects, Pottstown CARES participants will be working in the MOSAIC community gardens on Walnut Street and Chestnut Street. They will be cleaning up litter in various Pottstown “pocket parks” and along Armand Hammer Boulevard. as well as planting trees. 

In addition, the Pottstown Community Arts group is going to be out cleaning up the lot on the southeast corner of King and Manatawny streets where a new Welcome to Pottstown sign will be painted.

MCCC Earns Silver Rating for Helping Veterans

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College has been named a Silver Medal Military Friendly® School recipient in the category of community colleges for 2017.

New this year, Military Friendly® Awards showcase the most powerful and effective programs of more than 200 companies and 1,200 post-secondary schools that were designated as “Military Friendly®” in November. 

Of those designated, 154 employers and 541 schools have been recognized for excellence in different categories, highlighting not only “Are you Military Friendly®?” but “How Military Friendly® are you?”

Dr. Kevin Pollock, President of MCCC, said the recognition was a tribute to the efforts of the Veterans Resource Center and the hard work and dedication of the College’s faculty and staff to serve veterans.

“Montgomery County Community College strives to provide outstanding services and amenities to our veterans and their families,” Dr. Pollock said. “They have made tremendous sacrifices to serve our nation and deserve high-quality educational opportunities and programs to help them make a smooth transition to civilian life.”

The Veterans Resource Center at MCCC, with offices on the Central Campus in Blue Bell and on the West Campus in Pottstown, currently serves more than 450 veterans, service members, and spouse/dependents with their transition to college. 

A sample of the services include Veterans Administration (VA) work study opportunities, priority registration for veterans, a Student Veteran Organization, Veteran Service Team (VST) meetings, a veteran lounge and computer area, assistance with VA educational benefits, VA educational certifying officials, and general VA information.

The Center also invites campus and community resources to provide services and other outreach events to assist veteran students with their transition to collegiate life such as employment opportunities, non-traditional therapies like yoga and equine therapy for veterans, and workshops.

“All of our Military Friendly® award recipients set the standard for excellence,” said Daniel Nichols, Chief Product Officer of Victory Media and head of Military Friendly® development. 

“They offer exceptional examples of what it means not just to build a program that meets federal requirements, but one that serves the military and veteran community from classrooms to careers.”

Victory Media, originator of the family of Military Friendly® employment, entrepreneurship and education resources for veterans and their families, published its special awards for 2017 Military Friendly® Schools and Employers at https://militaryfriendly.com. For more than a decade, Military Friendly® ratings have set the standard for companies and colleges demonstrating positive employment and education outcomes for veterans and their families.

Companies and schools must have successfully completed a 2017 Military Friendly® survey and been designated as a 2017 Military Friendly® School or Employer to be considered for the Awards program. The names of awardees are published online at https://militaryfriendly.com and will be printed in the December issue of G.I. Jobs® or Guide to Military Friendly® Schools. To see a complete list of this year’s award winners, or to learn more about Military Friendly® ratings and how to participate, visit https://militaryfriendly.com.

Focus on Education at PottsTown Talks Forum

Fuzzy inadequate photos by Evan Brandt

From left, Federation of Pottstown Teacxhers Vice President Robert Decker, president Beth Yoder and Vice President Mike DiDonato discuss the challenges faced by the Pottstown School District and why they have the best students on the planet, at least according to Decker.

The next in Pottstown School Board member Emanuel Wilkerson's ambitious PottsTown Talk series was held Tuesday night with moderate turn-out and maximum enthusiasm.

The subject this month was education and a series of speakers talked about the advantages of each of their educational institutions and efforts.

Representatives from the Federation of Pottstown Teachers, the Pottstown School District administration, Pottstown Early Action for Kindergarten Readiness and Montgomery County Community College were present.

Montgomery County Community College teachers presented at

Tuesday night's PottsTown Talk.

There was a decided public education flavor to the presentations given that The Hill School and The Wyndcroft School, both of which are also in the borough, were not represented.

Much of the college presentation was focused on its arts programs, music, dance and theater; how successful careers are built in those fields; and how the community college prepares students for success in four-year colleges.

Valerie Jackson, PEAK's new community engagement coordinator, talked about the many initiatives the nationally recognized early education partnership have undertaken.

Newest are the effort to deal with the impact trauma has on children and families, and their ability to learn, as well as a brand new program that aims at helping healthy brains grow in children before they are even born.

Stephen Rodriguez, acting superintendent

of the Pottstown School District.

The teacher federation focused on its outreach efforts to better connect with the Pottstown community. High school math teacher Robert Decker emphasized that many of the district's teachers are there because they want to be.

"I would not want to teach anywhere else," said Decker. "Our students are the most polite, most respectful I have seen, compared to some others I have seen from wealthier districts."

Fifth grade teacher Michael DiDonato emphasized the important the federation places on fair funding for education, and its attempts to advocate for change in Harrisburg to enact it faster.

Last up was Stephen Rodriguez, the acting superintendent of Pottstown Schools.

He talked about the many ways in which Pottstown is an excellent school district, how often that excellence is recognized; the thriftiness it exercises with taxpayer dollars and the many opportunities the district offers.

Wilkerson said the purpose of Tuesday night's meeting was to highlight the partnerships in the community and to demonstrate a foundation on which future education forums would be built.

There were no questions taken from the audience.

Here are the Tweets and video from the meeting

The Unexpected View From the Bus

Photos by Evan Brandt

Borough and Montgomery County officials and guests, head for the bus that took them on a tour of Pottstown Wednesday.

Obviously, the bus tour undertaken by the Montgomery County Planning Commission and company was not something I needed to go on for informational purposes.

There were few things highlighted on the tour that I haven't written about in the 19 years I have been covering Pottstown for The Mercury.

Just as obviously, I was there to report on the impression of the people on the tour, including several planning commission members who were not -- shall we say "familiar?" -- with Pottstown.

But I did discover that my perspective shifted nonetheless.

It was a cumulative thing.

Sure, I know about the process that converted a former industrial PECO building in Riverfront Park into the home of both the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and the new sustainability and innovation center of Montgomery County Community College's West Campus, shown in the above photo.

And yes, I know about the conversion of the former Mrs. Smith's Pies complex into market rate

The adaptive re-use of the old Fecera's building into apartments for

artists and a new home for ArtFusion 19464, as seen from the bus.

housing and -- coming soon -- a mixed use office and retail complex at the southern gateway to Pottstown.

The multi-modal train station off Keim Street in the middle of the old Bethlehem Steel complex? Yup.

The businesses which have taken over some of those buildings, including one that runs almost entirely on solar power? Yes.

I would have to be blind to have missed the re-construction of the Route 422 Armand Hammer Boulevard intersection and the four new bridges over the Schuylkill River.

The Walk/Bike Pottstown trails planned for the borough; the well-designed Wawa and McDonald's in the east end; the conversion of the Jefferson School into affordable senior apartments; Hobart's Run efforts around The Hill School; the conversion of the old Facera's warehouse into apartments for artists and the new home of ArtFusion 19464 ongoing now -- I've reported on them all.

The slow-but-steady improvements to Memorial Park, its spray park, BMX and skateboard parks, the "Bark Park" for dogs and the trails that will connect all that to the Schulkill River Trail and parks upstream on the Manatawny and in Upper Pottsgrove, all are improvements worth lauding.

Pottsgrove Manor, the Manatawny Green mini-golf and the almost-but-never-quite-finished Carousel

The Colebrookdale Railroad's ever-informative Nathaniel Guest

explains the railroad's plans for a new station in Memorial Park.

at Pottstown and, of course, the Colebrookdale Railroad's "Secret Valley Line" and its lovingly restored vintage rail cars -- all things to be applauded over the years.

The attraction of Sly Fox Brewery (a personal favorite) and Manatanwy Stillworks (also a personal favorite); upgrades and improvements at Pottstown Municipal Airport; two-steps-forward-one-step back improvements on High Street have all been closely watched.

There is the tree park at Beech and Charlotte, the street trees (sorry, I'm a fan), the three community gardens with another coming at Barth Elementary School -- all good things

I've had a seat by the fountain in Smith Family Plaza dozens of times, had a beer (or three) at The Brick House; eaten in Grumpy's and Lily's Grill and even managed to scrounge up enough money to see a show at Steel River Playhouse.

Reporting on these things during the day-in day-out hurly burly of daily news reporting can give a close-in up-close perspective.

But on the bus, explaining details to visitors and seeing the sum total of these developments all at once, all at the same time, gave me pause enough to say that is no small record of accomplishment over the years.

Would we like more? Sure.

You can get a free bike to ride around Pottstown. How cool is that?

Was all of it handled with the greatest of foresight and efficiency? Not always, but close enough often enough. (After all, if you saw how efficiently we handled some things at The Mercury, you might say "who are you to point fingers pal?)

Have we lost a few battles in Pottstown? No question.

But we haven't given up yet.

People are quick to get frustrated with the pace of these improvements and just as quick to criticize and lament the lost glory of the old days, when everyone had jobs and there was enough money in town to sustain a well-balanced and even thriving borough.

But times and circumstances have changed, more because of things out of our control than in our control, and the best we can do is try to react and, when possible, predict those changes and make smart adjustments to take advantage of the ones we can.

There has been no small amount of that over the years.

So take a moment to pause, take a breath and look around and say "we haven't been sitting on our heels. We're still in there swinging and, when you look at it all, we have some things to be proud of."

OK, enough of that, now back to making progress.

Here are the Tweets that helped fuel this momentary revelation:

The County Commissioners Are Coming to Town

Montgomery County Commissioners, from left, Josh shapiro, Val Arkoosh and Joseph Gale.

Did you have anything you'd like to ask the Montgomery County Commissioners?

Maybe you want to know what so much county funding drives so much low-income housing to the borough.

Maybe you'd like to hear why they don't provide additional county dollars to help with the additional load those low-income families put on our police department and schools.

Or maybe you just want to know when the Schuylkill River Trail will be finished.

Well Monday night is your chance.

The commissioners are starting their goodwill tour, which they call "Conversations with Commissioners” town hall meetings right here in Pottstown.

They will be at the Montgomery County Community College West Campus South Hall Community Room located at 101 College Drive, on Monday at 7 p.m.

Maybe you should be too.

“These sessions are a very effective way to keep residents informed about what we are doing and to hear what issues are foremost on their minds” Commissioner Chair Josh Shapiro said in a prepared statement.

“These sessions are another way we use to keep residents informed about what we are doing in county government,” said Commissioner Val Arkoosh said in a press release about the series.

“We live stream our board meetings online and use social media a great deal to inform everyone about what is going on in the county," she said, "but the ‘Conversations’ provide a true, personal level of contact with our constituents.”

MCCC Takes Top Spot in Tech Ranking

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College is ranked as the top community college in the country for its use of technology according to a recent Digital Community Colleges Survey issued by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Education . 

The 250 data-point survey analyzes how community colleges use digital technologies to improve services to students, faculty, staff and the community at large.

MCCC, with campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, has ranked among the survey’s top 10 large community colleges since CDE introduced it 11 years ago. This is the fourth time MCCC has ranked first.

“Earning the top spot in CDE’s annual survey is an impressive honor. Earning it four times in the past 11 years is extraordinary. I am extremely proud of Montgomery County Community College’s faculty and staff for embracing technology and using it in creative ways to build student access and success and to improve student retention and completion,” shared MCCC President Kevin Pollock.

A key reason for MCCC’s success over the last decade is its holistic approach to using technology.

“IT innovation is no longer about the technology itself. However, when that technology is combined with vision, creativity and leadership, it has the power to revolutionize teaching and learning,” said Celeste Schwartz, vice president for information technology and research at MCCC.

At MCCC, Schwartz and her team of IT professionals play an integral role in college-wide initiatives and planning.

“It’s important for my team to see the connections between their work and the work of other areas—to understand, for example, how IT can support initiatives in Academic Affairs or Student Affairs,” said Schwartz.

Empowerment is key. MCCC’s IT team works with faculty and staff to help them leverage technology so they can make informed decisions that lead to improved student access and success. The technology can, in turn, empower students to take charge of their education.

Blackboard Analytics

Analytics through MCCC’s learning management system Blackboard provides an excellent opportunity. By using analytics, faculty can follow student behavior trends and can personalize the student learning environment, identify potential learning concerns and adjust the course content flow as needed.

To illustrate, MCCC Political Science Assistant Professor Jodi Empol-Schwartz worked with Instructional Designer Mary-Kathleen Najarian to redesign course assessment based on student retention throughout the semester.

“Throughout the semester, student retention would fluctuate based on the due date of the assignment. I tried to adjust the dates, introduce rough drafts and instituted a number of failed reforms, but retention and the level of critical thinking did not change,” explained Empol-Schwartz.

She worked with Najarian to change the assignment. Instead of one large research project, she divided it into two parts—one research and one analytics. She also divided her exams into two parts—multiple choice and essay—and gave students an entire class period to complete each.

“After using Blackboard Analytics, student retention not only increased, but the students were actively engaging in critical thinking. The quality of the students’ work increased dramatically,” she said.

MCCC faculty also use predictive analytics to help students stay on the path to success.

“Analytics might not tell you the whole story, but it does give you talking points to start the conversation with a student and provide early intervention if he or she continues on the current path,” said Najarian.

The students, themselves, can also access analytics tools in Blackboard so they can see, in real time, how they are doing compared to their classmates.

“Don’t be left behind by your fear of data. You can use data to lead the pack,” said Empol-Schwartz.

Advising and Student Planning

The College’s redesigned advising process is another example of how MCCC uses technology to improve student success and completion. A grant from the Gates Foundation enabled MCCC to launch an Integrated Planning and Advising Services (IPAS) initiative as part of its Student Success Network.

Phase one of MCCC’s Student Success Network was comprised of three parts: an early alert system that enables faculty and advisors to monitor progress and identify at-risk behaviors; an educational planning tool that allows students to map out their entire degree or certificate program; and a student dashboard system that provides a single source for information about their financial aid, Blackboard engagement, early alert and education planning.

“We have seen a number of positive results. There has been an increase in student persistence as students gain greater access to planning resources and as they receive greater feedback on their progress. We have also seen increases in full- and part-time persistence rates from 2011 through 2015 for all new and returning students,” explained Assistant Professor and Academic Advisor Stefanie Crouse.

Work on phase two is underway and includes building out career exploration and financial planning components of MCCC’s Student Success Network, as well as adding additional analytics.

“This work will complement our ‘Student Success Matters’ resource: an online, open-source, interactive series of free courses we developed to educate students in the areas of financial, civic, and digital literacies,” explained Crouse.

Virtual Campus

Earlier this year, MCCC’s Virtual Campus received its first-ever “Learning! 100” award from Elearning! magazine. The award recognized the comprehensive process through which MCCC faculty design and refresh their online courses.

According to Kelly Trahan, director of MCCC’s Virtual Campus, that process is two-fold. New faculty learn how to teach online and build academic courses by participating in a collaborative course of their own—e-Learning 101 (EL 101), facilitated by an instructional designer. Meanwhile, existing online faculty engage in a “refresh” process any time curricular modifications are made.

“Our faculty are dedicated to creating a high-quality learning experience for students, regardless of location,” shared Trahan. “We also have a very strong information technology team that supports faculty and students and is always looking for the best products and tech to improve students’ experiences.”

MCCC’s Virtual Campus also offers support services to online students. Examples include online advising, access to live tutors, support discussion boards and online readiness resources.

“We have a tutorial that teaches students how to navigate Blackboard, time management and technical literacy. It’s free once they register for an online course,” said Trahan.

About the Center for Digital Education

The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute specializing in K-12 and higher education technology trends, policy, and funding. CDE provides education and industry leaders with decision support and actionable insight to help effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.

CDE is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education. To learn more, visit centerdigitaled.com.

Open Houses Upcoming at all Three Montgomery County Community College Campuses

South Hall of Montgomery County Community College's

West Campus in Pottstown

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) will hold three open houses this spring to provide prospective students and the community with information about the college’s programs, campuses and activities. The open houses are free of charge and are open to the public. 

For more information and to pre-register, visit mc3.edu/openhouse, call 215-641-6551 or email admissions@mc3.edu.

The College’s Central Campus, located at 340 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell, will host an open house on Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. to noon in Parkhouse Hall. The open house is held in conjunction with the 16th Annual Montgomery County Wellness Expo, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon in College Hall. 

Admission to the expo is free and will include presentations, giveaways and free and low cost screenings. For information on the Wellness Expo, call 484-622-0200 or visit einstein.edu.

The College’s West Campus, located at 101 College Drive in Pottstown, will host an open house on Thursday, April 14, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the South Hall Community Room.

Both the Central and West Campus open houses will provide prospective students and their families with information about MCCC’s credit and non-credit programs. 

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Admissions representatives will be on hand to answer questions about the admissions process, transfer opportunities, the Virtual Campus, financial aid and intercollegiate athletics, among other topics. In addition members of the College’s faculty will share information on the 100+ associate degree and certificate programs that are part of a comprehensive curriculum.

The Culinary Arts Institute of Montgomery County Community College will also host an open house on Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at its facility in the Towamencin Town Square complex, located at 1400 Forty Foot Road in Lansdale, 

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the kitchens and classrooms while learning about MCCC’s Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts and Hospitality associate degree programs, as well as its Culinary Enthusiast and other non-credit offerings. Student Success Center advisors will be on hand to answer questions about the admissions process and financial aid, among other topics.

In addition to the three spring open houses, MCCC will host specialized Dual Enrollment Information Nights for high school students and their parents on Wednesday, April 20 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Central Campus in Blue Bell and on Thursday, April 21 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the West Campus in Pottstown. During the sessions, participants will learn about opportunities to earn college credits while in high school.

To learn more about all that Montgomery County Community College has to offer, visit mc3.edu online.