On Thursday, March 3, the Secretary of Education for the state of Pennsylvania, Noe Ortega, will visit Pleasant Valley Elementary School and tour the Altoona Area High School.

Being “Read across America ” day, Ortega was initially planning on coming to Altoona in order to work with students at Pleasant Valley Elementary School and highlight some reading initiatives. 

“His goal was to come to focus on early literacy… He will come to see our ‘book vending machine’,” Assistant Superintendent Hailey Fleegal said. 

However, the newly built B building was also an interest to Ortega.

“I’m just happy that he’s coming to and taking an interest in Altoona. I think we have a beautiful facility here, so I’m anxious for him to see that and get some of his feedback. I really am excited about the S.T.E.M. classrooms that we’ve added because the old B-building didn’t have any of those types of classrooms,” Neely said. 

Throughout the day, honors physics teacher, Deidra Dumm’s and physics teacher, Jeremy Rupeka’s physics classes will be in the Science Commons.

“They’re going to be using the Science Commons to do some physics experiments, a lab that they’re working on,” Neely said. 

After seeing the literacy initiatives at Pleasant Valley Elementary School and touring our high school, Ortega will be at a short meeting in the library.