KINGSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) — Governor Tom Wolf was joined by teachers and other educators at the Luzerne Intermediate Unit to provide an update on the successful special initiative to vaccinate more than 100,000 Pre-K to 12 teachers and school staff across Pennsylvania.

Governor Wolf said the state COVID-19 Task Force set out a goal to have every teacher, bus driver, cafeteria staff, janitorial staff — public and private — vaccinated by mid-April.

Wolf announced Friday, that the goal has been met, a week early. 112,500 education professionals are now vaccinated through this initiative.

“Faculty staff and students are returning safely and increasing amount of in-person instruction, while keeping communities healthy” said Dr. Tony Grieco, Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 Executive Director.

Many schools are already offering in-person learning and the teacher vaccination initiative helped make this possible, Wolf said.

“Today is a turning point in the lives of our schools and our students here in Pennsylvania, and PSEA’s members are so excited about what lies ahead,” PSEA President Rich Askey said.

Intermediate Units have stepped up and made this possible, Wolf said. Across Pennsylvania, 28 IU’s participated in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine initiative.