May news & updates
Volume 11 • Issue 4
Dear Community . . .
When asked what holiday is in the month of May, most people will naturally say Memorial Day. It’s a state and federal holiday in remembrance of those who have died in war. Always held the last Monday of the month, many enjoy the day off from work and a long weekend.

But a closer look at May from an educator’s point of view shows multiple other observances and days of significance. In this month we also celebrate School Principals Day, National Child Care Provider Day, National Physical Education and Sport Week, National Music Week, National Teacher Appreciation Week/Day, School Lunch Hero Day and National School Nurse Day.

It’s a lot but it is not even close to acknowledging all the groups of employees who support our schools, students and the North Penn Community. Those staff members also have days, weeks and months set aside for them, including National School Counseling Week in January, National Arts in Education Week in September, Education Support Professionals Day in November, and the list goes on.

So this month of May, I encourage you to celebrate those being honored this month. Seek out North Penn principals, teachers, nurses, Extended School Care staff, physical education and music teachers and our School Nutrition Service team members and thank them for their service to this school district. I for one am extremely grateful for the work of these colleagues every single year, but especially now as we weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

I must have said it a thousand times, but the North Penn School District (NPSD staff is exceptional, dedicated and compassionate. Partnered with the North Penn community, we can achieve anything.


Sincerely,
Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D.
Superintendent, NPSD

Learn more about Driver Training Services
Learn more about NP ADvantage
You Could Save Up to $487 through NPSD Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program
Are you eligible? Do you know someone who is? Learn more and help us spread the word about this program!
North Penn partners with Montco Mobile Crisis Unit to form Traumatic Event Response Team
To support mental health and traumatic event needs of students and staff, NPSD has recently partnered with Access Services’ Mobile Crisis Program to build and implement a Traumatic Event Response Team (TERT). TERT provides coordinated, mobile, mental health crisis support during traumatic events at the building, district and community level within NPSD.
We encourage you to visit our website for additional information and resources for families, teachers and staff.
North Penn Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
North Penn Music Education Program Earns National Recognition
NPSD has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 22nd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
NPSD Board of School Directors Appoint Two Elementary Principals

The NPSD Board of School Directors are pleased to share that they recently appointed Dipa Patel Richardson and Matthew Edwards as principals of York Avenue and Gwyn-Nor elementary schools, respectively.
North Penn High School named to U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools Rankings
North Penn High School (NPHS) has once again been named as one of the top public high schools in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings coming in at number 1,814 nationally and number 63 in the state of Pennsylvania.

Scoring an 89.84 out of 100, these rankings land NPHS in the top 10% in the national rankings and the top 9% percent in Pennsylvania. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to complete kindergarten registration applications for the 2021-2022 school year ASAP!
Will your child be five years old on or before September 1, 2021?
If so, then it's time to register for kindergarten!

This fall, NPSD will welcome its new class of incoming kindergarten students, the future NPHS Class of 2034. As each incoming class looks different, there is much work to be done to prepare staffing and resources for this new group of students. For this reason, registering as early as possible is a big help to North Penn. Community partnership in helping to spread the word and register ASAP plays a key role in providing the best education and experience possible for our youngest learners!
North Penn High School student earns first place in Montgomery County Opioid Overdose Awareness Billboard Contest
Congratulations to NPHS senior Colby Seelig who has been named the first place winner of the Montgomery County Opioid Overdose Awareness Billboard Contest! As a first place finalist in this competition, he receives a $200 Amazon gift card and his work will be featured on digital billboards around the county from June 2021 through August 2021. He will also be acknowledged at the Montgomery County Commissioner’s Meeting on May 20, which can be virtually observed. He winning submission can be seen above. Way to go Colby!
North Penn High School students place first in PA SkillsUSA Competition, advance to nationals
We are proud to congratulate NPHS students for their accomplishments at the 2021 Pennsylvania SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference.

Each year, students from the North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC) compete in the SkillsUSA Leadership and Skill Competition. NPHS students recently competed with several of their classmates at NMTCC from other sending schools in the state competition. Congratulations to the following NPHS students who took first place in their program and will advance to the national competition this summer:

  • Morgan McClain, Grade 12 - Restaurant Service, Culinary Arts
  • Andrew Gibson, Grade 11 - Power Equipment Technology, Recreational Power Equipment
  • Kenneth Roberts, Grade 12 - Industrial Motor Control, Electrical Trades
  • Jayla Collins, Grade 11 - Career Pathways: Culinary Arts (team), Culinary Arts
  • Julia Fredericks, Grade 11 - Career Pathways: Culinary Arts (team), Culinary Arts
Local companies donate PPE
While the past year has been challenging in so many ways, one silver lining has remained through it all: the support of our #NorthPennStrong community. Please join us in thanking local businesses including Ocean State Job Lot, TJ Maxx and Big Lots in Lansdale (just to name a few) for their recent donations of PPE to our district. Thanks for helping us remain safe and #NorthPennStrong!
NPHS Crawford Stadium is ready...