Dream Big, Achieve Greatness 

North Penn E-Matters

A Monthly Newsletter from the North Penn School District

Volume 5; Issue 2 
August
2014

 
 
   
Table of Contents
NPHS Teachers Attend National Advanced Placement Conference
NPSD Educational Foundation Invites You to Tee Off for the Foundation
Keep Up with the Hatfield Elementary School Renovations Project
NPSD Transportation to Hold Annual K-Day Event
NPSD Encourages Parents to Register Students for 2014-2015 School Year
Lasting Memories Made in NPSD Community Education Program Summer Camps
 
 
School Supply Lists for Elementary School Students
   

The North Penn School District knows that students like to personalize their supplies and belongings by having special folders and favorite colors of pens and pencils. With this in mind, elementary staff members created grade level lists of necessary supplies and ask that families consider purchasing the recommended items. These lists are available on each individual elementary school website and available here. Any questions regarding this communication should be directed to the student's elementary school.

 

Please note: school supply lists for incoming kindergarten students are available online in addition to being mailed home to families with other important kindergarten information in the summer.

 

Thank you in advance for helping to supply your child with the materials and resources that are needed to be successful in our schools.

 

 
2014-2015 School Calendar is Now Available Online
  

The 2014-2015 school calendar is now available on the district website. Click here to see when important dates including the First Day of School, Back to School Nights and other evening activities are scheduled for the upcoming school year. To view the calendar, please click here.  

 

The printed calendar will be mailed to families in the end of August.

 

Keep up-to-date with NPSD Board Meetings

  

NPSD Board of School Directors Meeting

 

  
To view agenda attachments and minutes from past meetings, please click here
  
To access the list of meeting dates scheduled for 2014, please click here.

 

 NPHS School Store is Online!

  
Stock up on all your NPHS apparel with an online order. To visit the School Store's website, please click here.  

 

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In an effort to improve communications, the district has created "Say What" to provide people with a place to get answers to questions and to address rumors and inaccurate information that sometimes circulate throughout the community.


 
Press Releases 
 
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The North Penn School District  uses Phanfare, npsd.phanfare.com

 to upload and share its

photos and videos.

 

NPSD families, staff and community members are encouraged to submit their photos and videos here. Please check with your school to ensure that no students in the pictures are on the publicity refusal list.

 

For additional information, or questions about how to submit pictures through this site, please contact Chris Doerr at doerrcj@npenn.org.

 

 

 

 

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To give feedback or suggest story ideas, please email bergmamv@npenn.org.  

 

 

 

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Dear Community,

 

The start of the 2014-2015 school year is almost here! As September 2 quickly approaches and as our administrators and staff members make the final preparations for the school year, I look forward to opportunities to work with community members to find ways to continuously improve the North Penn School District.

 

One of my favorite aspects of my job is interacting with the North Penn community, from parents and students to community members and our staff. I welcome hearing your feedback and input, whether it is an accolade for our district or if there is something we can improve upon. The job of educating a student is an extremely important responsibility and one that we cannot take lightly. When I receive a phone call or e-mail from someone, I know he or she is committed to ensuring our community maintains strong and successful schools.

 

There are many ways you can get involved this school year. I invite you to attend a district event including community conversations, school board meetings or Back to School nights. Dates of these events are posted on the district's online calendar. I look forward to meeting you and appreciate your continued support.

 

Sincerely,

Curtis R. Dietrich

Sincerely,

 

 
Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D.  
Superintendent, NPSD
dietricr@npenn.org 
 
North Penn High School Teachers Attend National Advanced Placement Conference

Several teachers from North Penn High School traveled to the National Advanced Placement Conference in Philadelphia on July 11 and 12. Teachers learned about the AP results of the 2014 exams and the best practices models. New initiatives from College Board were also featured in the conference.

 

NPHS teacher Janet Kratz presented a workshop on close reading strategies for pre- 20th century literature during the conference. Her presentation earned rave reviews by participants and other nationally known presenters.

 

The North Penn Advanced Placement program is ranked one of the top, excellent programs in the country. Our students achieve high ranking scores with many students achieving in one of the AP Scholar categories.

NPSD Educational Foundation Invites You to Tee Off for the Foundation

The community is invited to participate in the 13th Annual North Penn School District Educational Foundation Golf Classic on Monday, August 18, 2014, at the PineCrest Country Club in Lansdale. Proceeds will support the NPSD Educational Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that benefits North Penn students.

 

Golfers will be treated to a full day of activities including a shotgun start, scramble tournament, skill contests and on-course refreshments. Golfers will enjoy a lunch and an awards dinner.

 

The Golf Classic begins at 11:45 a.m. with registration and lunch. The shotgun start is at 1 p.m., followed by the awards dinner at 6 p.m. The best golf bargain around, cost is only $125 per golfer and includes greens fees, cart, luncheon, hospitality, awards and dinner. Other opportunities to become involved are also available, including tee sponsorship at $100 and other sponsorships ranging from $500 to $3,000.

 

Golfers will also learn about the NPSD Educational Foundation. Founded in 1988, the Foundation sponsors enrichment programs within the district's schools. Through the years, the organization has funded more than $700,000 in programs, created and implemented by teachers that enhance the district's curriculum. These programs represent every school and subject area, and are made possible through generous contributions and fundraising events like the Golf Classic.

 

To reserve your spot in a foursome or to register a foursome of your own, call 215-853-1020 or visit the Foundation's website.

Keep Up with the Hatfield Elementary School Renovations Project

This summer, facilities crews started the renovations at Hatfield Elementary School. Built in 1970, Hatfield has had very few renovations since its inception. This project will not only change the look to school fa�ade, but will update the infrastructure and provide the best spaces for instruction.

 

Because of Hatfield's circular layout, the building will be renovated in whole, over a 15 month period.  Students and staff will move to the Pennfield Middle School where they will occupy the existing modular classroom wing and a new, temporary modular wing. The Hatfield Elementary project is expected to be finished in August 2015.

 

In order to keep community members up-to-date on construction, a new website was created on the district website. Be sure to check the website frequently for updates from Support Services, stories from former Hatfield staff and students and pictures from the construction site.

 

The NPSD Twitter page and NPSD Facebook page will also feature pictures and updates. Are you a former Hatfield Elementary School Hawk? Send in your memories or old photos of Hatfield Elementary School to bergmamv@npenn.org.

 

 

North Penn School District Transportation to Hold Annual K-Day Event

kdayFor the 14th consecutive year, the North Penn School District Transportation Department is holding its annual K-Day event! More than 500 students are expected to participate in this wonderful program, which is designed to ease the anxiety that kindergarten and first grade students who have never ridden the bus before (and their parents!) sometimes experience when they take that first ride on the big yellow bus! Kindergarten and first grade students from surrounding non-public and private schools are also encouraged to attend. No reservations are necessary.

 

Participants will be invited to explore the bus and even sit in the driver's seat while NPSD bus drivers explain school bus facts and safety information. Then, if they wish, parents, students and their siblings will be invited to take a seat for a short ride around the neighborhood. The exciting day will wrap up with a safety video, safety education regarding the "danger zone" around the bus when loading and unloading and the distribution of information regarding bus tags, bus schedules, emergency phone numbers and day care locations.

 

Last year's program was an exciting success and the transportation department is gearing up for another two days of K-Day fun! This year's program will take place on Thursday, August 7 and Thursday, August 14. There are two bus departure times for each date at 9 and 11 a.m. Please practice being on time for your stop and be prompt. The event will once again be held at Walton Farm Elementary School, located at 1610 Allentown Road in Lansdale.

 

Participation in K-Day is voluntary and does not preclude the safety training that occurs in all 13 of the district's elementary schools each fall.  

NPSD Encourages Parents to Register Students for 2014-2015 School Year
Kim.RegistrarIt's time for parents/guardians who need to register their child in the North Penn School District for the 2014-2015 school year. For students who are not registered yet, NPSD strongly encourages their parents/guardians to make an appointment as soon as possible so that new students are registered and are able to begin on the first day of school on September 2, 2014.

 

Families who have not yet registered can do so by clicking here or going to the North Penn School District website, www.npenn.org, to schedule an appointment. Information is available on the home page under Quick Links. This link will allow registrants to schedule an appointment online, and print the forms that need to be completed for the registration appointment. If registrants do not have internet access, they may also call the district registrar office at 215-853-1097 to schedule an appointment.

 

Please note: parents/guardians must bring the following items in order to register their child:

  • Proof of residency in the North Penn School District (current utility bill, lease or other official document showing your name and address);
  • Proof of child's age, such as a birth certificate;
  • Proof of immunizations for child;
  • If applicable, report card from previous school or transcript; and
  • If the child has participated in a special education program in the previous school district, please bring the most current evaluation report and Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Kindergarten students must be five years old by September 15, 2014. First grade students must be six years old by September 15, 2014.

 

NPSD families, staff and community members are asked to please share this information with friends, neighbors and family.

 

For more information about this centralized registration, please contact the NPSD registrar or 215-853-1097.

 

 

Lasting Memories Made in NPSD Community Education Program Summer Camps

Children throughout the district have spent the summer on exciting adventures while learning new skills in North Penn School District summer camps. Nearly 1,000 children enrolled in one of the 55 NPSD Community Education Program summer camps. The camps covered a wide variety of subjects. In the discovery category, camp themes included multimedia art/cartooning, JROTC leadership, languages, robotics, theater and even ponies! Sports camps offered included aquatics, football, baseball, girls' and boys' lacrosse and basketball, along with many more.


More than 160 players attended the ever popular Baseball Summer Camp, led by Coach Kevin Manero. Campers received well-rounded instruction in all areas of the game of baseball. Younger players focused on fun activities intended to teach the proper fundamentals and to decrease the chance of injury in the sport. Older players focused on more intensive, higher level baseball fundamentals and skills. All players finished the week-long camp with improved skills and a greater respect for the game. To view pictures from the camp, please click the image below.

 

 

 

Students in the TV Production Camp learned all about the TV news including how to write, shoot and edit. Campers produced two news shows that aired on NPTV and are available below.

 

2014 NPTV Summer Camp - Show #1
2014 NPTV Summer Camp - Show #1
2014 NPTV Summer Camp - Show #2
2014 NPTV Summer Camp - Show #2