Dream Big, Achieve Greatness 

North Penn E-Matters

A Monthly Newsletter from the North Penn School District

Volume 5; Issue 6
December
2014

 

Table of Contents
Community Members Take a Ride to the Future
Honor a NPSD Employee with a Contribution to the NPSD Educational Foundation
North Penn Marching Knights Place First at USBands National Championships
NPSD Board of School Directors Approve Calendar for 2015-2016 School Year
North Penn School District Represented at Lansdale Mardi Gras Parade
NPSD Board of School Directors Hold Annual Reorganization Meeting
The Halls at A.M. Kulp are Alive with Art
November North Penn News

  
North Penn Students are Thankful this Holiday Season

A Kindergarten class at Montgomery Elementary School is thankful for the troops serving overseas. One of the students in the class has a father who is in the armed services and currently deployed. The class donated snacks and created a few crafts to send over to the troops.

 

Thanksgiving Thanks for our Troops
Thanksgiving Thanks for our Troops

 

At A.M. Kulp Elementary School, members of student council assembled packages of food to send home for families at need in their school.

 

 

 

Pennbrook Students Succeed in Statewide Poster Contest


Three Pennbrook Middle School students were selected as the winners of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's School Bus Safety poster contest.

 

Juliana Gober placed first in the competition and her poster design will be entered in the national competition. Brian Durkin and Ryan Munch received second and third place respectively. All students received a trophy, gift cards, cash prize and a tour of the governor's mansion.

 

NPHS Student Appointed to National FBLA Board

North Penn High School senior Oscar Armas-Luy was recently appointed to serve on the Future Business Leaders of America's (FBLA) national council. He was appointed by the National FBLA president to serve as the programs director on the National President Council. Armas-Luy is one of four students from across the country to serve on this panel.

 

Armas-Luy currently serves as the North Penn High School FBLA chapter's president.

 

Keep up-to-date with NPSD Board Meetings

  

NPSD Board of School Directors Meeting

 

November 11 Agenda 


To view agenda attachments and minutes from past meetings, please click here
  
To access the list of meeting dates scheduled for 2015,
please click here.  

 

 NPHS School Store is Online!

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

 

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NPSD families, staff and community members are encouraged to submit their photos and videos here. Please check with your school to ensure that students on the publicity refusal list are not in the pictures.


 

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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Dear Community,

 

It is hard to believe that the holidays are upon us and that winter break is just three weeks away. It's a busy time in school, at home and in life in general. There are papers to grade, tests to administer, lessons to plan, students to feed, classrooms to clean, and the list goes on and on.

 

I am asking that our parents and our community remember how tirelessly the NPSD staff works to care for every one of our students each day. As a whole, NPSD is student focused on ensuring every child receives an exceptional education in a safe environment. It is not a gift to these students, but what they deserve and what this community expects.

I am grateful to my coworkers, from principals and bus drivers to building secretaries and teachers, for the jobs they do every single day. I am also thankful for a supportive community that helps us to provide the very best to our students.

 

In this edition of E-Matters there is information about the NPSD Educational Foundation's Staff Tribute Program. This holiday season, please consider supporting this program, the Foundation and our students with a tribute in honor of those staff members who make a difference every day in the life a child.

 

Have a wonderful holiday season.

 

Sincerely,

 

Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D.  
Superintendent, NPSD
dietricr@npenn.org 
 
Community Members Take a Ride on the Bus to the Future

North Penn School District families and community members toured the NPSD schools on the 2014 Bus to the Future. The day started off at Pennbrook Middle School with a breakfast and welcome remarks from NPSD superintendent, Dr. Dietrich. After breakfast Pennbrook Middle School students guided the group into various classrooms, including biology class, English class and family consumer sciences class. The tour ended with a performance by the Pennbrook chorus and band.

 

The next stop for the bus was Montgomery Elementary School. Tour members were greeted by the school's chorus, staff, students, principal and the school mascot, Monty. Principal Dr. Sean Arney spoke to the group about some of the school initiatives and the work of the Home and School Association does to support the school. Representatives from Montgomery Elementary School's student council spoke about their experience as students and then guided the group on a tour of the school.

 

After visiting Montgomery Elementary School, the bus continued on for a brief stop around the NPSD Bus Garage. The group then continued on to North Penn High School where they toured classrooms and spoke to students about the opportunities provided to them as high school students. Stops included a peek at the Engineering Academy, a demonstration from the NPHS Junior Reserves Officers Training Corps (JROTC) and the chance to view some artists in action during an art class. The group then came back together for a performance from the NPHS Chamber Choir.

 

 After visiting NPHS, the tour boarded the bus and went on their way to the final stop at North Montco Technical Career Center. Guests ate a delicious lunch prepared by the NMTCC students and then learned about some of the programs the school offers.

 

"Bus to the Future is the ideal time for community members to see firsthand the amazing accomplishments and achievements our students have been making at all levels," said Christine Liberaski, director of School and Community Engagement. "Although we only stop at three of district schools, community members leave the day knowing that all students in NPSD are receiving the best education and resources available."

 

To view pictures of Bus to the Future, please click here or enjoy the video below.

 

Bus to the Future 2014
Bus to the Future 2014

 

Honor a NPSD Employee with a Contribution to the NPSD Educational Foundation

Celebrate the holiday season by saying thank you to one of the 1,923 North Penn School District staff members, who makes a difference, by contributing to the NPSD Educational Foundation.

Many families and community members wish to show their appreciation to a special teacher, principal or support person by offering a small gift during the holiday season. While our staff greatly appreciates these genuine gestures of thanks, please consider giving a gift that keeps giving long after the holidays are past.

Your gift will not only honor a special staff member, but also will also provide new educational opportunities not available through the school budget. Maybe the best bonus of all, a Staff Tribute donation saves you time and trouble during one of the busiest times of the year.

It's easy to make a contribution in honor of a NPSD staff member. Make your donation today by following these simple steps:

  1. Click here to make a donation online. You can also mail a donation by filling out this donation form. Please be sure to provide the staff member's name in the donation box. 
  2. The staff member will receive a note informing him or her of your kindness. Please note, the gift amount will not be released. 
  3. Your gift will be returned to the students in the form of an innovative classroom grant awarded annually for each subject and grade level. This year, the Foundation plans to award approximately $30,000 in funding.
Read about current grants by clicking here.

The NPSD Educational Foundation was established in 1988 to raise funds for innovative and creative programs to improve our students' overall educational experience. To date, the Foundation has raised more than $750,000 to enrich the lives of children in our school district.

The North Penn School District administration, the North Penn Education Association, and the North Penn Educational Support Personnel Association have endorsed this program and hope you will consider joining other parents and community members in this effort. If you have any questions about the Foundation or the Staff Tribute Program, please call Christine Liberaski at 215-853-1020 or e-mail liberacd@npenn.org.    

 

North Penn Marching Knights Place First at USBands National Championships

Capping their 2014 season in spectacular fashion, the North Penn Marching Knights won first place at USBands National Championships, Group V Open division, on November 15 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

 

NPMK scored 97.950 on a 100-point scale and won the "overall effect" caption award. The competition included 60 high school bands from 10 states: Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia. The bands competed in six divisions based on size. Led by Director Mike Britcher, senior drum major Jared Boyden and junior drum major Stephen Popp, 113 Marching Knights presented their 2014 show, "These Kingdoms United," featuring a British Isles theme and the music of English composer William Walton's "Henry V," Irish song "The Minstrel Boy," Walton's "Crown Imperial," and Mumford & Sons' "I Will Wait."

 

The season began with their first practice in June. In addition to the USBands National Championship - Group V Open on November 15, NPMK also won first place at the following competitions this fall:

  • Upper Dublin High School's "Spectacle in Sound," in Cavalcades circuit, on September 20.
  • Spring-Ford Area School District's "Pageantry of Sound," in Tournament of Bands circuit, on October 11.
  • USBands Music in Motion Series at Navy-Marine Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, on November 1 (31 bands competed in preliminary competition).

 

Additional 2014 highlights:

  • For only the second time in school history, the NPMK were the Class AAAA Regional Champions in the October 25 Bands of America preliminary competition at the University of Delaware, Newark, with the band later placing sixth in finals (out of 10 bands in finals, from a field of 23 high school bands).
  • Second place at James Madison University's "Parade of Champions," Class AAAA (out of 12 bands), Harrisonburg, Virginia on October 18.
  • Second place, Patriot Open Division (out of 12 bands) at Cavalcade of Bands Championships at Hershey Stadium, Hershey, Pennsylvania on November 9.
  • Opened the season with a halftime performance at the Philadelphia Eagles - New York Jets game on Thursday, August 28 at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
  • Played at all North Penn High School home and away football games.

NPSD Board of School Directors Approve Calendar for 2015-2016 School Year

During the November 20, meeting of the North Penn Board of School Directors, the board approved the school calendar for the 2015-2016 school year. The 2015-2016 school year will begin instruction on September 1, 2015.

 

The extra days gained at the beginning of the year, due to starting before Labor Day, will help students academically and give educators additional time to meet the needs of their students before spring assessments 

 

The North Penn School District would like to thank the families and staff members who participated in the survey. To view the approved calendar, click here.

North Penn School District Represented at Lansdale Mardi Gras Parade

North Penn School District was represented by several groups and organizations in this year's Lansdale Mardi Gras parade. Performers in this year's parade included the middle school marching band and the North Penn Marching Knights. Floats were present from York Avenue Elementary School, while the NPHS Knight Riders showed Lansdale their holiday spirit and town pride with beautifully decorated floats. The North Penn Alumni Association celebrated that North Penn is more than just a knight by having the elementary school and middle school mascots walk in the parade. To review a video of the day's celebrations, please click the image below.  

 

North Penn Alumni Association @ Mardi Gras 2014
North Penn Alumni Association @ Mardi Gras 2014

 

NPSD Board of School Directors Hold Annual Reorganization Meeting

The annual reorganization meeting of the North Penn School District Board of School Directors was held Monday, December 1.

 

The school board also re-elected Vince Sherpinsky as board president and Tim Kerr as vice president. Suzan Leonard was approved to serve on the North Montco Technical Career Center Joint Operating Committee. The board also approved the meeting schedule for 2015. To see a list of dates for board meetings and committee meetings, please click here.

 

The Halls at A.M. Kulp are Alive with Art

An artist once said, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see". Throughout the halls of A.M. Kulp Elementary School, all are able to see artistic expression at its best.

 

Visiting A.M. Kulp during American Education Week was truly a delight for community members and NPSD staff members.They were surely fascinated by the amazing and talented art work seen throughout the halls of A.M. Kulp. The students take pride in their "Art Challenges", and more significantly; knowledgeable about the elements of art that works best for their creation.

 

The students are encouraged to do their best. The students can even have their art exhibited on the "Wall of Fame" which is featured in Mr. Huebner's office. The selected student(s) receive a certificate, name is announced in the morning opening address, and a trip to Mr. Huebner's office to see their work displayed on the "Wall of Fame".  

 

Mr. Huebner is very proud of his students and very thankful for the support of the Home and School Association. Their tireless work on behalf of A.M. Kulp's students and the surrounding community is commendable. They have purchased Art Display Panels that will go into the school's library to further support the Arts at A.M. Kulp. These panels depict designs that Mrs. Burbich (art teacher), and the students have created. The panels depict facts about the local history of Hatfield and highlighting A.M. Kulp's school pride. All of which translates to the school's central theme, "Together We Can".

 

November North Penn News Update from NPTV
North Penn Television (NPTV) students produced updates on what was happening around the North Penn School District during the month of September. This month's video update includes York Avenue Elementary School making Salt Maps and two NPTV News Updates. To view the video library, please click here.
York Avenue Students Make Salt Dough Maps
York Avenue Students Make Salt Dough Maps
North Penn News 11-19-14
North Penn News 11-19-14
North Penn News 11-12-14
North Penn News 11-12-14