NPHS Class of 2012
Video Memories
North Penn Television (NPTV)
is pleased to offer North Penn High School (NPHS)
seniors and their families the opportunity to order DVD
copies of the NPHS Class of 2012 year-end activities, including senior prom, senior awards, reflections, commencement and a senior class video.
Interested individuals can download an order form with additional information by clicking here.
Once this form is completed, it will need to be mailed to
North Penn Television,
401 E. Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA 19446. NPTV will then contact each individual via email when the order is ready to be picked up. | |
|
|
| |
Learn What the
North Penn School District
is Doing this Summer
Even though school is out for the summer, North Penn School District (NPSD) staff members are busy running educational and recreational camp programs and preparing for the start of the 2012-2013 school year, just a little over eight weeks away.
Many summer camps started in June. The North Penn Community Education program is running approximately 30 summer sports and discovery camps for students in kindergarten through 12th grades with 15 of these programs beginning last week. To view the NPSD Community Education 2012 Summer Camp Catalog, please click here. The North Penn Extended School Care Program also began its eight one-week summer camp sessions at Gwynedd Square and Bridle Path elementary schools. For specific information about each week of camp, as well as cost and payment information for these camps, please click here. The NPSD Summer Library Program started on June 26 and will be held through July 26 at Gwynedd Square and Hatfield elementary school. All elementary students and families are welcome to visit the libraries on scheduled days/times that can be found by clicking here. Other summer programs include the Title I Reading program, Extended School Year, the secondary Summer Education Program and the secondary Summer Enrichment program. For additional information about NPSD's summer programs, please click here.
Support Services staff members have many projects this summer, one of the largest being the renovations taking place at Inglewood Elementary School. Two core areas will be worked on with one expecting to be finished by September and the other to be finished by December. In addition to the renovations work, staff members are also putting in six modular classrooms that will be temporarily used at the start of school as construction continues on other areas of the building. Support staff personnel will also be performing regular maintenance work on the grounds of each school building which includes seeding, fertilizing, watering and cutting. Other projects include painting, cleaning, carpet/tile replacement and repairs on sidewalks, asphalt, oil tanks, gymnasium floors and much more.
In the Office of School and Community Engagement, staff members are diligently working on publications such as the district calendar, back-to-school information, school handbooks and a new alumni newsletter. The registrar is holding special dates in July to encourage families not to wait until the last minute to register their children for school. The Community Education Program is running approximately 30 summer camps while preparing for its fall/winter courses that will offer new online registration this year. NPTV is finishing its senior video packages while rebuilding its studio so that everything is ready for when the students arrive back in September.
Many teachers, support staff and administrators are participating in professional development activities and data retreats this summer. Staff members will continue to attend the Merck Institute for Science Education (MISE) Academy and Peer Teacher Workshops. Teachers and administrators will also be attending a Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP) program that focuses on best practices of classroom strategies. A Leadership Academy for Administrators is planned so they can become familiar with the H.E.A.T. tool which stands for High Level Thinking Process, Engaging Students, Authentic Connections and Technology Tools. This will help administrators record observations from classroom walkthroughs. In addition to these workshops, a Reading Apprenticeship will be held for seventh and eighth grade teachers and Data Retreats are scheduled for teachers and administrators to review 2011-2012 assessment results and formulate goals for the upcoming school year. Three middle school music labs are being upgraded to the Mac platform so teacher training will be performed to learn the operating system and music software applications.
The North Penn School District hopes that staff, students and their families are enjoying the summer and are reassured that the district is working hard so that the start of the 2012-2013 school year is a successful one. |
|
Want to know the latest news, events and highlights from North Penn?
Click the links below
to follow us
on Twitter and visit various
NPSD websites that
showcase up-to-date information most
important to YOU!
| |
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.
Click on the logo above
to check out NPTV's
media library, photos, and video production blogs - new content daily!
|
|
|
Important Announcements from the NPSD School Nutrition Services Department
The North Penn School District
(NPSD) School Nutrition Services (SNS) Department
has several important announcements to share with NPSD families that can be viewed below.
Meal Prices
Great news! For the fourth consecutive year, the North Penn School District SNS Department is happy to announce that there will be no price increase for the breakfast or lunch meal for the 2012-2013 school year. However, there will be minor increases in à la carte prices. Look for the new menu and new price list on the NPSD SNS website by August 1, 2012.
New Point of Sale System
Effective July 1, 2012, NPSD School Nutrition Services will no longer use the MySchoolBucks program and will be implementing a new Point of Sale Software used to account for meal and à la carte sales, served either as cash or as a debit from the student account. The new software will provide increased accountability for meals served at the school level. It will continue to provide anonymity for free/reduced students while helping students move through the serving line much faster with more accurate accountability. The new system will show the student's ID picture which will provide secure and accurate accounting to the student's account. Please note: if there is money remaining in a child's MySchoolBucks account from this current school year, it will be automatically
transferred to the Point of Sale Software for the 2012-2013 school year. More details regarding this new system will be communicated with families via School Messenger and the NPSD website in early August.
Free/Reduced Meal Applications
Please remember, a new school meal application must be submitted each school year even if your family qualified for free/reduced meals in the
past year. The 2012-2013 school meal applications will be available on the NPSD SNS website by August 1, 2012. The 2012-2013 school meal application will also be available in the North Penn School District Back-to-School mailing. All 2011-2012 free/reduced eligibilities will expire in October 2012.
Please be sure to submit the 2012-2013 family meal application before
October 1, 2012.
|
|
Keep up-to-date with
NPSD Board Meetings with June Agendas and Videos
|
NPSD Board of School Directors Meetings
(Action)
(Action)
(Work session)
(Work session)
Alternative Revenue Committee Meeting
Finance Committee Meeting
Support Services Committee Meeting To view agenda attachments and minutes from past meetings, please click here. For a list of NPSD Board of School Directors' meeting dates for 2012, please click here. |
|
North Wales Elementary School Receives Healthier US School Challenge Award
The North Penn School District (NPSD) is proud to announce that North Wales Elementary School received a HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) Award from the US Department of Agriculture.The HUSSC is a voluntary certification initiative established to recognize schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity.
North Wales Elementary School earned a Bronze Award, valid from May 2012 until May 2016, for the exemplary steps, leadership and team work it employed to make changes to its nutrition environment, to improve the quality of the foods served, to provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices and to enhance its physical activity program.
North Wales Elementary School was a pilot school for this program. Due to the successful results, NPSD will be implementing this program in all 13 of its elementary schools during the 2012-2013 school year.
NPSD's School Nutrition Services (SNS) Department made valuable, healthful changes to the North Wales Elementary School meal and à la carte items. This included adding whole grains, increasing the offering of legumes (protein beans) and offering a wide variety of fruits and dark green vegetables. For example, an ordinary menu might offer Nacho Supreme Salad with taco beef, corn tortillas and shredded lettuce while the HUSSC menu would add refried or black beans and shredded romaine rather than iceberg. The à la carte offerings changed in portion size as well as in sodium, calorie and fat content. For example, the fresh baked cookie offered at North Wales is a smaller portion with less calories and fat.
In addition to changes in the menu, the school's Health Council assisted with promoting good nutrition and physical activity. The North Wales Elementary School Health Council promoted Apple Crunch Day and Go for the Greens as well as hosted Walk to School Day.
North Wales Elementary School will receive a HUSSC award plaque, a banner to display and a monetary incentive award of $500 for meeting HUSSC's 2009 criteria. North Wales Elementary School will also be proudly added to the HUSSC awardees list on the Team Nutrition HUSSC website, available by clicking here.
-----------------------------------
The HealthierUS School Challenge was established in 2004. In February 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced Let's Move!, incorporating the HealthierUS School Challenge into her campaign to raise a healthier generation of kids. At that time, monetary incentive awards became available for each HUSSC award level: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold Award of Distinction. To date, HUSSC awards have been given to schools in 46 states. As of April 2012, there are 3,098 schools certified. | |
|
Class of 2012
Graduates Recognized on High School Marquee
Class of 2012 graduate names are listed on the North Penn High School marquee throughout the summer as indicated on the district and high school websites.
There have been some technical difficulties regarding this process and an updated marquee list of student names, dates and times will be
posted by July 6.
|
|
To learn about the NPSD Educational Foundation, including grant descriptions, how to donate and upcoming fundraising events, please click on the logo above.
|
The North Penn School District
now uses Phanfare, http://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.
|
|
To give feedback or suggest story ideas, please email lloydk@npenn.org.
|
|
|
 |
|
A letter from your Superintendent
Congratulations on another great school year for the students of the North Penn School District! We have so much for which we can be proud, and we couldn't do it without the support of the North Penn community.
The 2011-2012 school year saw student achievement as measured by the PSSA reach its all-time high district wide; all sub-groups in all buildings achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and we continued to narrow the achievement gap for these students. In addition, our ongoing Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtII) efforts took us on a path toward even higher achievement in the coming years.
North Penn High School was once again recognized by The Washington Post and Newsweek as a top high school in the United States. And I am also very pleased to report that Advanced Placement (AP) enrollment and corresponding scores at NPHS are also at an all-time high.
Operationally, we are also doing very well. Using the Performance Cost Index, a number calculated by dividing each school district's Per Pupil Cost by its achievement scores, NPSD's score of 174 ranks it second in Montgomery County. We strive to keep per pupil costs low by economizing on the operational side of the school district while focusing available dollars on instruction.
All of these successes would not be possible without your support. Thank you for your commitment to making the North Penn School District shine!
Sincerely,
Curtis R. Dietrich, NPSD Superintendent
 | | Dr. Dietrich enjoying the celebration at the NPHS commencement. |
|
|
|
Congratulations to the NPHS Class of 2012 |
It was a night that nearly 1,000 North Penn School District (NPSD)students have been awaiting for the past 13 years. Surrounded by their student peers, teachers, administrators, friends and family, the graduating class of 2012 proudly walked through the entrance of Crawford Stadium at North Penn High School (NPHS) on June 13, 2012.
One of many highlights from the evening was when class valedictorian Mikhail Khodak, salutatorian Bob Ni and class president Callie Rojewski took the stage to address the audience.
Valedictorian Mikhail Khodak centered his speech on luck, sharing how lucky he felt to be a North Penn graduate, the honor he felt being on stage that night and the connection that he felt with his classmates as they were about to move forward into adulthood.
Bob Ni received a warm chuckle as he introduced himself to nearly 10,000 people by simply saying, "Hello, I'm Bob." Pulling from personal experience, Ni spoke about the physical and emotional steps that he took as a student from kindergarten through 12th grade, and reveled in the satisfaction that he felt as an accomplished graduate.
Class president Callie Rojewski rounded out the student addresses as she spoke to her classmates about the excitement of the evening and her hopes for the class as they begin their future as post-graduates.
NPSD superintendent Dr. Curtis Dietrich, along with North Penn School Board president Vince Sherpinsky and NPHS principal Burt Hynes, spoke individually about the hard work and accomplishments that the students achieved during their educational careers with the North Penn School District.
Please click on the image below for photo highlights from the evening, and click here for full coverage from NPTV. Congratulations to the class of 2012!
|
|
District Moving Forward with Updated Alumni Directory |
Getting in contact with classmates is going to get a little easier for North Penn High School alumni. The district recently entered into a contract with Harris Connect, LLC to update the NPHS Alumni Directory, last published in 2006.
The project is expected to take approximately eight months and when completed will result in both a published and online directory of alumni from 1956 to 2012. Alumnus will be able to access information on classmates by purchasing a directory from Harris Connect or subscribing to their online services.
Alumni can expect to be contacted by Harris by the end of September through a combination of emails, post cards and telephone calls. For the directory to be as accurate as possible, it is important that alumni provide Harris Connect with updated information. The data provided will not be shared with third party providers.
Updating the alumni directory is the first step in improving communications with alumni. The school district's first alumni e-newsletter is being created for this summer and other future efforts include the possibility of forming an Alumni Association. Any questions regarding the alumni directory can be directed to Christine Liberaski, NPSD manager of school and community engagement, at 215-853-1020 or liberacd@npenn.org.
The work of the district's Alternative Revenue Committee is recognized as supporting and encouraging alumni development efforts.
|
NPSD Board of School Directors Approves 2012-2013 Budget |
The North Penn School District (NPSD) Board of School Directors approved a budget of $207,637,940 for the 2012-2013 school year at an action meeting on June 21st. The budget includes a 1.7 percent tax increase for residents, which is the state's Act 1 index. It equates to a $54 increase for the average tax payer.
Developing a balanced budget that included a minimal tax increase was challenging in the current economic times. Since the adoption of the preliminary budget in January, the board and administration worked extremely hard in reducing expenses. Many of these reductions came from the operational side of the school district and included living with vacancies, delaying pay increases for support staff and administration, health care cost reductions, significant energy savings and re-bidding of services.
In addition, NPSD received positive news late in the budget process that allowed the board to adopt a budget within the Act 1 index, and not use the exceptions for which it had previously applied. This good news included the withdrawing of a tax appeal equaling approximately $140,000 in revenues and $600,000 to be taken out of escrow and added to the general fund, new health care savings estimated at approximately $130,000 by joining the Southeastern Pennsylvania Schools Trust for Medical Benefits consortium, and indications from the state that some funding would be restored.
"The work done by NPSD staff this past year to cut expenses and increase revenues, through the Innovation Celebration and other efforts, is being applauded state wide. Several staff meetings, community forums and online chats were held to maintain open communication about the budget and its challenges," said Dr. Curtis R. Dietrich, superintendent, North Penn School District. "I want to thank everyone -- parents, community members, business partners, staff and students -- for their support and suggestions through this process."
Dietrich referenced Innovation Celebration II, an event held in May in which district employees, students and community members brought forward revenue enhancing and expenditure curtailment ideas. In its second year, Innovation Celebration received recognition from the Association of School Business Officials International as an outstanding practice.
Two areas NPSD is pursuing that Innovation Celebration II highlighted are advertising in schools and alumni development. Currently, an advertising policy is being drafted and reviewed by the school board and alumni development efforts are taking shape through the Office of School and Community Engagement.
NPSD approached the 2012-2013 budget knowing it would be challenging, but also understanding that the next several years will be just as difficult. Through it all the objective was to protect NPSD's core mission of educating students.
"Administration and the Board of Directors worked together to finalize a budget that maintained current programs in the North Penn School District while keeping taxes within the Act 1 Index," said Vince Sherpinsky, president, NPSD Board of School Directors. "Parents and community members can be assured that their tax dollars are being used wisely and where it matters most - on students."
|
|
North Penn School District Honors its Retirees |
On June 7, the North Penn School District (NPSD) celebrated its stars at the district's retiree reception. NPSD said goodbye to 53 of its finest staff members who retired during the 2011-2012 school year and were able to honor close to 40 of them at this special reception.
Music for the evening was provided by the very talented North Penn High School String Quartet consisting of NPHS orchestra director Erica Milbourne and NPHS students Bria Blackshear, Minzo Kim and Suyog Padgaonkar.
The program began with opening remarks from district administration, followed by dinner and additional remarks from the NPSD Board of School Directors, the North Penn Education Association and the North Penn Education Support Personnel Association. Then, each retiree was honored by their supervisor and NPSD Superintendent Dr. Curt Dietrich.
The 53 retiring staff members have given a combined 1,139 years of their time, dedication, knowledge, creativity and care to the students, families, staff and community members of the North Penn School District. The level of service, commitment and expertise that these retirees gave to the district will be greatly missed, but their impact on students and legacies of excellence will live on for many years to come.
For a list of all the 2011-2012 retirees, please click here. To view pictures from the district retiree reception, please click on the image below.
A video tribute to the retirees is also available. Please click on the image below to watch this North Penn Television production.
|
|
NPHS Reflections Video Goes Viral |
Check out the amazing talent of String Theory, comprised of three North Penn High School (NPHS) graduating seniors, as they provide a musical tour through their school years at the NPHS Reflections Ceremony. NPTV's coverage of this performance continues to go viral with more than 150,000 views! To view this video, please click on the image below. To view all of the performances from the NPHS Reflections Ceremony, please click here.
|
|
Register Studentsfor the 2012-2013 School Year
~ Special Registration Dates Available in July ~ |
It's crunch time for parents/guardians who need to register their child in the North Penn School District (NPSD) for the 2012-2013 school year. The district has scheduled a special two-week kindergarten through 12th grade registration during the month of July for those who have not registered yet.
Registration appointments are available on the following days at the Educational Services Center, located at 401 E. Hancock Street in Lansdale:
- Tuesday, July 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Thursday, July 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Monday, July 9 through Thursday, July 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Families who have not registered yet are encouraged to do so as soon as possible 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 will take registrants to a link that allows them to schedule an appointment online, as well as to all of 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
- 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, 2012. First grade students must be six-years-old by September 15, 2012.
NPSD families, staff and community members are asked to please share this information with friends, neighbors and family so that new students are registered and are able to begin on the first day of school with their peers on September 4, 2012.
For more information about this centralized registration, please contact the NPSD registrar at greshdj@npenn.org or 215-853-1097. |
|
Support the Students and Staff Members of NPSD - Participate in the 11th Annual NPSD Educational Foundation Golf Classic |
The North Penn School District (NPSD) Educational Foundation is inviting staff members and community members to participate in the 11th Annual Golf Classic on Monday, August 20 at PineCrest Country Club.
For interested golfers, the cost is just $120 per person and includes a luncheon provided by Texas Roadhouse, green fees, golf cart, awards and dinner. Registration and lunch begins at 11:45 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m. and dinner, awards and prize drawings at approximately 6 p.m. To register as an individual or as a group, please contact finkcl@npenn.org or 215-853-1021.
For individuals or businesses interested in becoming a sponsor, please view the various sponsorship opportunities below:
- Titanium (Major) Sponsor: For $3,000 your corporate banner will hang at the Golf Classic location, your corporate name will be included on major sponsor signs, your firm will receive individual recognition at the Classic Awards Dinner, your corporate logo will appear on the Golf Classic Program and a full-page advertisement for your firm will appear in the Golf Classic Program. Also, titanium sponsors receive four complimentary golfing spots in the Golf Classic.
- Metal (Dinner) Sponsor: At the cost of $1,000, your corporate name will be prominently displayed on signs on every table during the Awards Dinner, and acknowledgement of your company will be made at the Awards Dinner and in the Golf Classic program. Also, metal sponsors receive two complimentary golfing spots in the Golf Classic.
- Wood (Lunch) Sponsor: With a $500 contribution, your corporate name will be prominently displayed during lunch and acknowledgement of your firm will be made at the Awards Dinner and in the Golf Classic program.
- Chipper Sponsor: A $250 donation guarantees that your corporate name will appear prominently on one of the following: Beverage Cart, Putting Contest hole, Longest Drive hole or Closest to the Pin hole.
- Tee Sponsor: For just $100, every participant at the Golf Classic will learn about your firm with a large tee sign at each hole.
For more information, or to learn how to become a volunteer for the Foundation's 11th Annual Golf Classic, please contact finkcl@npenn.org or 215-853-1021. We look forward to seeing you there! |
|
Alternative Revenue Committee Update |
The importance of finding alternative and innovative sources of funding for the North Penn School District continued to take a priority as the Alternative Revenue Committee (ARC) ramped up its efforts that are focused on alumni development, advertising in schools and other areas.
Bob Potter from Potter Development Services and Greg Woodman from Affinity Connection met with the ARC at its June meeting to discuss alumni development and the related services of their organizations. Together these organizations help school districts and educational foundations develop alumni data bases, manage the data and secure donations.
Efforts recently begun by NPSD in terms of alumni development are highlighted in an earlier article in this newsletter and include working to update the alumni directory and an alumni e-newsletter planned for this summer.
The ARC has also been working with NPSD on the development of an advertising policy, which can be reviewed by clicking here. This policy has been discussed at the board work session and sent back to the Education/Community/Policy committee for review at an upcoming meeting.
The next ARC meeting is Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. at the ESC. |
|
North Penn Television News Update for June |
Check out news from around the North Penn School District (NPSD) for the month of June. This segment is produced by North Penn Television (NPTV).
|
|
NPSD Transportation Department to Hold Annual K-Day Event
for Kindergarten and First Grade Students |
For the past 12 years, the North Penn School District (NPSD) Transportation Department has held an annual K-Day event and has announced dates and times for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. 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 (and their parents) who have never ridden the bus before sometimes experience when they take that first ride on the big yellow bus!
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, emergency phone numbers and day care locations.
Last year's program was an exciting success and the transportation department is gearing up for another three days of K-Day fun! This year's program will take place on Monday, August 9, Monday, August 16 and Monday, August 23. There are two bus departure times for each date - 9 and 11 a.m. Parents/guardians and students are asked to 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.
Please note: 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. Kindergarten and first grade students from surrounding non-public and private schools are also encouraged to attend. No reservations are necessary.
|
|
NPSD Welcomes Elementary School Principals and
Director of Secondary Education |
The North Penn School District (NPSD) Board of School Directors approved the hiring of two elementary school principals and a director of secondary education at the June 21 action meeting.
The North Penn School District would like to welcome Loretta Hoch who is replacing Dr. Betty Santoro as the principal of Gwyn-Nor Elementary School. Santoro was approved in May as the Director of Special Education and Student Services for the North Penn School District. Hoch is currently the principal at Lincoln Elementary School in the Pottstown School District and brings a plethora of experiences at the elementary school level. Hoch has managed, supervised, trained, evaluated and worked collaboratively with administrative, professional and support staff to maintain high educational standards for a diverse student and parent population. Hoch attended Kutztown University for her Bachelor of Science, ESL certification and Master of Education degrees. She received her principal certification in 2002 from Alvernia College and is currently working towards her Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility.
Judith Steinberg will be replacing Lou Ann Justice as the principal of Gywnedd Square Elementary School. Steinberg is currently the principal at Francis A. March Elementary School in the Easton Area School District and brings with her close to 25 years of administrative experience at the elementary school level. During this time, she has participated and chaired many district committees that focused on curriculum, professional development, safety, reading and language arts, and testing standards. Steinberg received her Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University, her Master of Art in Mid-Management from the University of Texas and her Superintendent Letter of Eligibility from Marywood University. She also completed IDEA Fellow courses at Appalachian State College.
The new hire for the Director of Secondary Education position was also approved at the June 21 board meeting. Congratulations to Dr. Deborah McKay who will be joining the North Penn School District this summer. McKay has been the principal at Cecelia Snyder Middle School in the Bensalem Township School District since 2008. Prior to this, she worked as an Assistant Principal at three middle schools in PA since 1997. Dr. McKay has a vast experience in leadership and an extensive knowledge of the needs of secondary education at diverse school districts across the state. During her time as principal, she was responsible for all aspects of building-level administration that served a diverse population with 22 percent of the students having special needs and 8 percent identified as English Language Learners (ELL). During her five years at Cecelia Snyder Middle School, she met annual Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals each year with an average of a 5 percent increase in results while developing an action plan in collaboration with teachers and support staff to identify and support areas of strengths and weaknesses. McKay is a strong believer in the power of professional development as well and has created programs that include such topics as video-teleconferencing, differentiated instruction, interpreting data, research-driven reading strategies, creating behavior data, ELL strategies and culturally sensitivity. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science from Bloomsburg University and a Master of Education and a Doctor of Education from Widener University. The North Penn School District is thrilled to have McKay as part of the team and looks forward to having her background and expertise help the district continue on its path to being one of the top public school districts in the state of Pennsylvania. |
|
North Penn School District Hosts E-Learning Summit |
The North Penn School District (NPSD) recently partnered with the
Korean Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) and the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners to hold a summit that focused on the area of E-Learning.
Approximately 30 leaders from these organizations met with educators from the Republic of Korea to learn about their experiences and successes in this subject. The Summit allowed educational leaders and technologists from both countries to get a better understanding of the benefits, issues and challenges of implementing an E-learning environment. Montgomery County Commissioners are using this initial E-Learning Summit as an advisory session for a county wide summit to be held at Montgomery County Community College in the fall of 2012. The North Penn School District developed constructive dialogues with the most digitally "connected" country in the world and the technology providers who helped the Republic of Korea attain that status. This initial meeting positions NPSD to be on the vanguard of E-Learning nationally.
Everyone in attendance walked away from the summit with more information about E-Learning and the educational practices that complement it, as well as newly formed partnerships that will span the globe. "The E-Learning Summit provided an opportunity to learn from the world leaders in the integration of technology into the curriculum, instruction, and assessment process," said Diane Holben, Ed.D., NPSD assistant superintendent. "We hope to build upon the collaborative dialogue started at the summit so that the Republic of Korea and the North Penn School District continue to grow in their uses of digital educational resources."
To view photos from the summit, please click on the image below.
|
|
North Penn Kicks Off Wellness Program with Healthy Opportunities |
On November 6, 2012, the North Penn School District (NPSD) will kick off its employee wellness program with the Healthy Opportunities (HOP) in-service. On that day, over 1,500 NPSD staff will be able to attend a Wellness Fair, where vendors will share information and services that will support healthy lifestyles.
In addition, professional and support staff will be able to participant in medical screenings for cholesterol, BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar at no cost at the Wellness Fair and in support of the "Know Your Numbers" campaign. More information regarding the "Know Your Numbers" campaign and the ability to get a $50 gift card will be forthcoming in future communication to staff. Also, staff will be able to participate in a wide variety of workshops and demonstrations on wellness topics such as disease prevention and management, fitness, and nutrition.
For more information about becoming a vendor exhibitor or presenter, please click here or contact Dr. Toni Butz, NPSD Manager of Curriculum, at butzto@npenn.org or Irene Dickinson, NPSD Controller, at dickinie@npenn.org. |
|
|
|
|
