| NPSD Board Members |
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President
Tina Stoll
Vice President
Christian D. Fusco
Members
Edward Diasio
Elisha K. Gee
Jonathan M. Kassa
Timothy MacBain
Jenna A. Ott
Theresa Prykowski
Juliane Ramić
The NPSD Board of School Directors welcomes questions and comments from the community. To that end, community members may email the entire school board at
_npschoolboard@npenn.org.
If you would like to contact a specific board member via email or phone, please
click here for a list of contact information.
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| NPSD Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program |
At the March 2019 action meeting, the NPSD Board of School Directors unanimously approved a revised property tax rebate program that will see a discount of up to $195 for certain homeowners and renters.
To qualify for this discount, applicants must
have a household income of no more than $35,000 annually, and:
- be 65 years of age or older; or
- be a widow and widower aged 50 years of age or older; or
- be permanently disabled and 18 years of age or older.
The property tax and rent rebate program is based on the existing Pennsylvania Property Tax and Rent Rebate program which has been in effect since 1971 and is funded by state lottery and slot machine proceeds. North Penn homeowners and renters must qualify for the state rebate program to qualify for the district rebate program. NPSD is granting a 30 percent rebate as follows:
- 30 percent (maximum $195) annual rebate for North Penn homeowners and renters with a yearly household income between $0 to $8,000;
- 30 percent (maximum $150) annual rebate for North Penn homeowners and renters with a yearly household income between $8,001 to $15,000;
- 30 percent (maximum $90) annual rebate for North Penn homeowners with a yearly household income between $15,001 to $18,000; and
- 30 percent (maximum $75) annual rebate for North Penn homeowners with a yearly household income between $18,001 to $35,000.
For those who qualify for the Tax Rebate Program, forms can be found here or by visiting/calling your local legislator.
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Upcoming Meetings
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April 1, 6:00 pm, ESC
Finance Committee Special Meeting
April 9, 7:00 pm, Pennfield MS
Facilities Community Forum
April 11, 7:30 pm, ESC
Action Meeting
April 23, 6:00 pm, ESC
Safe Schools Committee Meeting
April 23, 6:30 pm, ESC
ECP Committee Meeting
April 29, 6:00 pm, ESC
Facilities and Operations Committee Meeting
To access the list of
meeting dates scheduled for 2019, please click here.
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| Attending Action and Work Session Meetings |
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The NPSD Board of School Directors Action Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month. These meetings give students, parents and community members an opportunity to address the board and speak on any topic for five minutes. The Work Session, another monthly meeting is held one week preceding the Action Meeting on Tuesday. Here, attendees are also given five minutes to express their views, but are limited to speak on the topics of the evening's agenda.
Both the Action Meeting and the Work Session meeting begin at 7:30 pm and are held in the NPSD Educational Services Center (ESC) located at 401 E. Hancock St., Lansdale, PA 19446. However, if you are unable to attend in person, intimidated by the televised setting or by the requirements, community members should feel free to call or email the members of the board, either individually or as a whole. For a list of contact information, click here. The televised board meetings are available for private viewing on local Comcast Cable Channel 28
and Verizon Cable Channel 29 as well as www.youtube.com/nptv within several days of the original meeting.
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| Meetings in Review |
NPSD Board of School Directors Meeting
To view agenda attachments and minutes from past meetings, please click here.
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Second Community Forum on Building & Renovation Needs
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Providing safe, efficient and modern learning environments has always been a priority of the North Penn School District (NPSD) and the community it serves. With several building and renovation needs in the school district's immediate future, NPSD is hosting its second community forum to review the condition of current buildings, renovations and repairs needed and the costs associated with this work. The forum will be held in place of the April work session meeting of the NPSD Board of School Directors on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm in the Pennfield Middle School Auditorium, 726 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield, PA 19440.
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Dear Community,
As we enter the warmer spring months and the slide toward the end of the school year, I am reminded that it is the staff of the district that have made this a wonderful school year. In fact, I believe we can all agree that the greatest asset of the North Penn School District (NPSD) and the asset that best helps us advance our
mission
are all those who proudly report to work each day f
rom teachers and teaching assistants to school bus drivers, our maintenance crew and beyond. On behalf of the NPSD Board of School Directors, I thank you.
I believe the second greatest asset of the district are our facilities, including the 13 elementary schools, our 3 middle schools, Northbridge and the high school where the
12,723
North Penn students gather each weekday to become "independent, adaptable, life-long learners." Our student buildings are places that must be safe and in good repair. Spaces within buildings must be trauma-informed and structured in a way that students can "exhibit creative, collaborative and critical thinking." Our schools must be structurally sound and designed in a way that supports and fosters our students in achieving their highest potential.
As a parent myself, I have entered these building where I have been greeted by eager and committed school personnel, have stopped to admire students' work proudly posted on the walls, and have taken in the noise and energy of students moving through the hallways on their way to their next class. At times when I have done this, I have failed to see what lies beyond the walls and have failed to recognize what it takes to keep these buildings operating with utmost efficiency and with up-to-date systems.
There is much we need to do to ensure that our buildings reflect the image of North Penn that we want share with our community and that our facilities provide a space for the students of the district to achieve their highest potential. In January, administrators and high school maintenance staff took board members of a tour of the high school making more than 12 stops to examine the school's physical plant. During the tour, we visited the boiler room to check on the HVAC system that was installed when the building was opened in 1971 and visited classrooms and areas in the school that where accessibility for students with disabilities was limited. We are also mindful that Knapp Elementary School and Penndale Middle School have major systems and design issues that are in need of attention as well. Likewise, there are facilities throughout the district that we need to prioritize for improvements such as the long-term use of modulars and access to air conditioning and proper ventilation in all buildings.
To remedy the concerns of our aging facilities, the board is working with the administration to create a 10 year Capital Improvements Plan. For the plan to be effective, we need the input of community members like you. We held our
first community forum
about building and renovation needs in November 2018. The information shared and the feedback received has helped us immensely in prioritizing projects. We have scheduled a
second forum
on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm at Pennfield Middle School and welcome your attendance in hope that you will share your ideas and feedback. The input we receive from the community will help us not only in the creation of the 10 year plan but will aid us in prioritizing work to be completed and support us in mapping out a plan to cover the costs in a manner that is both transparent and ensures the utmost in fiscal responsibility.
As we begin down this long road, I am reminded of a strategy that is used in my daughter's fifth grade classroom to support these young learners in becoming strong and confident writers. Students are taught to frame their essays or written arguments using the "RACER" method. RACER stands for
R
estate,
A
nswer,
C
ite and
E
laborate. To
restate
the problem, we know that greater attention must be paid our facilities. The
answer
to this situation requires us to be thoughtful, seek input from the North Penn community and create a plan that is rooted in fiscal responsibility recognizing the opportunity for targeted, responsible and worthwhile investment. We hope to have a comprehensive plan to
cite
that has been developed with input from the community. Through ongoing
Facilities and Operations Committee meetings
and community forums, meetings with architects and building engineers, and continued dialog, we hope to be able to
elaborate
on our initial vision and goal as we work throughout the upcoming decade to successfully complete the work outlined in the plan.
As my fifth grader sits down to begin working on an essay, she is most successful when she not only follows the RACER method but when she also takes the time to gather her thoughts and create a plan. I know she often wishes she could
race
through her homework and move on to more fun tasks but she is beginning to appreciate that when she takes the time to address each of the key elements, she is met with a positive outcome, favorable feedback and can be proud of the work she has completed. We are committed to ensuring that the renovations made to the buildings that serve our students are met with a positive outcome, have been conceived and designed with feedback from the community, and result in an end product that we can all be proud of.
As we launch this initiative, we hope that you will join us, continue to provide feedback and share your ideas, and know that this effort will take a great deal of time and will require thoughtful planning. I often wish we could move projects through at a more accelerated pace but like my daughter, I am learning that if we take the time to plan for both the design of new learning spaces and also on how to best finance projects, we will have the facilities that our students deserve and that our community values.
We hope to see you at the upcoming and any future community forums and know that you are always welcome at our Facilities and Operations Committee meetings.
Sincerely,
Juliane Ramić
Member, NPSD Board of School Directors
Term Expiration: 2019
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At the recent action meeting, the NPSD Board of School Directors recognized students in the district for their outstanding achievements by awarding them proclamations of excellence.
Students studying Horticulture at the North Montco Technical Career Center were honored for their accomplishments at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Agricultural Education Horticulture Competition.
Introduced by director Ralph Jackson, members of the Bridle Path/Montgomery Select String Ensemble were recognized for their performance at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra.
Finally, NPHS student Neha Velaga was honored as a member of the NPHS Girls' Tennis Team for placing first in Team All League Singles at the 2018 PIAA Girls' Tennis Championship.
Congratulations to these remarkable students and their advisors on these outstanding achievements!
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The NPSD Educational Foundation last met on March 6 at the Educational Services Center (ESC).
Trustees discussed two upcoming events made possible by Foundation support. On Monday, March 25 at 7 pm, NPHS Class of 1981's Ron L. James returned to his alma mater to talk about the power of choices and how decisions can build you up or tear you down. The NP Talks event, also co-sponsored by the Forst Foundation, told James' journey, and the lessons he learned along the way, after being involved in harmful relationships and spending 25 years in and out of prison. It was the culminating piece for a day focused on students that
included
opportunities for NPHS students to hear from James during large group presentations, but also speak with him one-on-one regarding individual concerns.
Then, on April 1 the Foundation is funding a special screening of the documentary "Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety" at 6:30 pm in the Penndale Middle School Auditorium to open up a dialogue between local families, community leaders
and
experts. The event will feature a viewing of the 56-minute film, followed by an informative discussion led by NPHS counselors Dr. Nicole Yetter and Mrs. Trish Pike, as well as outside social services partners.
Next up for the Foundation is its annual online auction being held April 24 through May 1. The Foundation is currently seeking donations from local businesses for this popular fundraising activity. The funds raised through the auction will help support innovative classroom projects in the 2019-2020 school year, for which the Foundation is currently accepting applications. For more information or to donate to the auction, click here.
Finally, the Foundation discussed the idea of working with a consultant on how the Foundation can support the growing needs of the school district on a bigger level. More information to come on this in
coming
months.
The NPSD Educational Foundation's next meeting will be held on April 3. For more information about the Foundation, please contact the Executive Director, Christine Liberaski at liberacd@npenn.org.
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The Safe Schools Committee met on February 26 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
Chris
Doerr, NPSD Coordinator of Emergency Management and Safe Schools, reviewed the current status of several ongoing safe schools projects including grant applications, the Safe2Say program,
behavioral
threat assessment and school climate survey.
Doerr shared that a series of community conversations are being planned for the month of April to share information about school safety, answer questions, and hear feedback from parents and families.
The committee discussed traffic safety concerns at several schools. The administration is working with local law enforcement to identify possible solutions.
The next Safe Schools Committee meeting will be held on April 23 at 6:00 pm at the ESC. Updates from the March 26 meeting will be reported in next month's newsletter.
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The Finance Committee met on March 4 at 6:00 pm for a special meeting and on March 12 at 6:00 pm at the ESC for the regularly scheduled meeting. The monthly financial reports were reviewed with additional discussion on the following items.
Meritorious Budget Award Presentation
Jay Himes, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO), presented the business office with the Meritorious Budget Award from Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International for the 2018-2019 year. North Penn is one of only 11 districts in the state to obtain this award.
2019-2020 Department Level Budget Presentations
Detailed presentations were made by the following department leaders for the 2019-2020 budget:
- School and Community Engagement
- District Communications
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- Transportation
- Facilities and Operations
- Security
- Technology
Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeal Policy
The proposed policy was reviewed which states all property types (commercial and residential) under-assessed by $600,000 or more would be subject to an appeal.
2019-2020 Real Estate Tax Rebate Program
Expansion of the program was discussed with the recommendation being to increase the rebate to 30% of the state rebate amount, include renters and address the hybrid property owner/renter situation.
Propane School Bus Bid
Results from the bid opening and the grant funding were reviewed with the Committee. The bid award of eight propane buses is being recommended for the March action meeting and the bid for six propane buses was awarded in February.
Cash Settled Forward Swap Presentation
The committee heard a presentation from Mr. John Frey of PFM Asset Management regarding background information about an interest rate hedge strategy as well as potential debt schedules for future borrowings.
The next Finance Committee meeting w
ill be held on April 1 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
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The ECP Committee met on February 26 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
Information regarding the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) was presented to the committee. This is a tool that is provided by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency at no charge to the district. It is administered every two years to students in grades six, eight, 10 and 12. Participation is voluntary. Data from the survey, which is proposed for 2019-2020, would be used to identify risk and protective of students.
One student overnight travel request was presented to and reviewed by the committee.
The status of curriculum development in the areas of English/Language Arts (ELA), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and specials for Full-Day Kindergarten was presented to the committee.
The next ECP Committee meeting will be held on April 23 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
Updates from the March 26 meeting will be reported in next month's newsletter.
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The Facilities and Operations Committee met on February 25 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
Scott Kennedy, NPSD Director of Facilities and Operations, shared an update on the NPHS Crawford Stadium project which included design development meetings and a project schedule.
The committee reviewed the proposed project schedule for Knapp Elementary School. The public bidding process should occur in February and March of 2020. Construction will begin in June of 2020 and conclude in the summer of 2022.
The committee discussed options for Construction Management Services for Crawford Stadium, Knapp Elementary School and the high school projects.
Kennedy shared the results for the lead in drinking water testing. Results were received for all district buildings which included 542 samples. Ten samples have exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threshold. Those ten locations have been turned off and will be retested.
The committee discussed the next Facility Forum which will take place on Tuesday April 9, 2019, at Pennfield Middle School. The topics will include the stadium project, Knapp Elementary School and NPHS.
Kennedy shared the Long Range Capital Improvement Plan with the committee.
The next Facilities and Operations Committee meeting will be held on April 29 at 6:00 pm at the ESC. Updates from the March 25 meeting will be reported in next month's newsletter.
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