Dear North Penn Community,
One of many goals that I have had as Superintendent these past 12 years was to move forward with needed renovations to North Penn High School and the possible addition of ninth grade to the school campus. Though I am disappointed that I will retire before work on this great endeavor begins, I am proud to say that this much-needed project is on the horizon.
The process began in 2019 with a community forum but was stalled because of COVID-19. We picked up in June of last year, when NPSD contracted with Schrader Group Architects to perform programming and campus master planning for this major project. The contract identifies two specific goals: the feasibility of adding a ninth grade center to the current high school campus, and a well-developed phasing plan for renovations to NPHS.
Renovations include basic necessities to correct inefficient systems, outdated equipment, deteriorating pipes and HVAC systems that are due to the school being more than 50 years old. In addition, much of NPHS contains outdated learning spaces due to its age and we need to create an environment that meets the needs of our current and future students.
For the past couple of months, NPSD staff and Schrader Group representatives have toured some of the best high schools in terms of design. Both locally and as far as Virginia, the visits included conversations with staff and students to gather input. The next tasks in the project include workshops with stakeholders to begin design and planning for the new NPHS. The ideas and solutions determined will then be used by Schrader to start actual design proposals and prepare cost estimates. From there schematic designing will begin.
Also needed to complement the design work are parallel activities such as traffic and enrollment projections. But all along the way, it will be critically important to keep open communication with staff, students and community members. Everyone’s input is vital to the success of this project as this building is for you and your future as well.
If all goes as planned, NPHS renovations will begin in the summer of 2024. There will be a different superintendent, and many new students and staff members. What will clearly be the same is this community’s commitment ensuring our schools are safe, efficient and learning centered.
Sincerely,
Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed. D.
Superintendent
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NPSD Board of Directors Conducting Search for Next Superintendent |
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The NPSD Board of School Directors is conducting a search for the school district’s next superintendent following Dr. Dietrich’s announcement last month that he would retire at the end of his contract in June 2022.
To assist with the nationwide search, the board contracted with Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates (HYA), an executive search firm that specializes in education. There are four phases to the HYA search process. Those phases are engagement, recruitment, selection, and transition. The engagement phase consists of designing and planning a process of engaging the Board and stakeholders through interviews, online surveys, and focus groups. Information from these interactions will assist the Board in developing a leadership profile and selection criteria that match the priorities of our community and that meet the unique needs of the students who are served through the North Penn School District. This disciplined, inclusive, and research-based approach will be designed to ensure all stakeholders have an opportunity to be part of the search process and will provide valuable feedback about the school district that will assist the search firm in better understanding our district in the broader marketplace.
The first step in the process will be to conduct focus groups with varying stakeholders to better understand the needs and values of the NPSD community. Meetings will be scheduled with NPSD staff, students, parents, local government officials and representatives from other community organizations. Additionally, other opportunities for interested individuals may be offered.
It is expected that a new superintendent will be appointed some time this spring with a start date this summer. As the process continues, the NPSD Board of School Directors will continue to involve the community.
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Knights of Honor 2022 Honorees Selected |
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The Knights of Honor for 2022 have been selected and will be honored at a ceremony on May 5, 2022, 6 p.m., at NPHS. Joel Brown, Don Ryan, Dr. Francis Jeyaraj, Bonnie Knauss, and Ted Knauss are the honorees for 2022. The next E-Matters newsletter will highlight the achievements of the honorees that have earned them the title of Knights of Honor. Congratulations to those selected and stay tuned for more information! |
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North Penn Safety Assessment |
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The North Penn School District is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all. To that end, the North Penn Board of School Directors approved an agreement with Margolis Healey & Associates to conduct a comprehensive study of school safety for NPSD which began this month. Margolis Healey, a firm specializing in safety, security, and emergency preparedness, was chosen after a detailed selection process which included over a dozen proposals reviewed and vetted by NPSD.
“Investing in the resources to make safer schools a priority requires challenging our assumptions and perceptions,” said Jonathan Kassa, NPSD Board of School Director and Chair of the Safe Schools Committee. “One way to do this is by having independent, objective experts review our strategies so that we can build on our strengths while always evolving to make improvements in an ever-changing world.”
This comprehensive, third-party assessment of school safety includes an in-depth review of North Penn’s school safety and behavioral health programs, accomplished through the review of written policies and procedure, as well as interviews with various stakeholder groups. Also included is a full on-site physical security assessment of all 20 NPSD facilities using criteria based on industry leading practices. The assessment team will deliver their final report to NPSD in May of this year, outlining detailed findings and recommendations. A public presentation will be shared with the community at the conclusion of the project.
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NPAGE Hosting Super Saturday |
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Kindergarten Registration Is Open |
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The North Penn Association for Gifted Education (NPAGE) is holding Super Saturday on April 2, 2022 from 9 AM to 12:15 PM at Pennfield Middle School. Students in grades K-6 can come and take classes in a variety of topics that may be of interest. Class sizes are limited, so take a look today! Registration must be completed by 3/23. |
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Kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year opened February 1, 2022. Families can register their children online until April 1, 2022. Students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2022 to enter kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year. For a full list of required documents, visit the North Penn website. |
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NPSD Hosts Black History Oratorical Competition |
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The North Penn School District held the third annual Black History Oratorical Competition. Students from grades 3-12 presented speeches from influential Black leaders and competed in their speech skills. Congratulations to all those who competed and to the winners of the competition! To see the whole show, visit North Penn Television on YouTube. |
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An Eye on Equity
A monthly feature from Dr. Pamula Hart, NPSD Director of Curriculum and Equity
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English Language Development
English Language Development formerly ESL (English as a Second Language) supports English Learner (EL) students as they navigate school while learning a new language.
North Penn School District is fortunate enough to have a very diverse population which includes a robust English Learner population that is growing with leaps and bounds.
As of February 2022 NPSD currently has 868 English Learner students in grades K-12. This is about 6.5 percent of our overall student population. Our students speak many different languages. Our top commonly spoken languages are Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin), Vietnamese and Hindi.
To support our English Learner students we have a strong team of 32 ESL teachers in almost every building in our district. We are also fortunate enough to have ESL instructional assistants that also help our students access the content they need in their classes.
In order to help families communicate with any school personnel we utilize a system called Transperfect that will offer a live translator via the phone or in a Google Meet. We can also get any needed documents translated via this service.
Some good strategies for communicating with English Learners include:
- Speaking slowly and clearly
- Keeping written communications concise (think bullet points).
- Try to utilize visuals whenever possible.
- Always strive to be welcoming! A new school and a new location and culture can be overwhelming for students and families.
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Community Education Summer Camps Open for Registration |
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The North Penn School District Community Education has opened registration for Summer Camps. Camps are open in Cooking, Music, Specialty, and Sport, and provide different options for all ages. Turn off the TV this summer and have some fun in the community! For more information or to register, visit the Community Education website. |
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NPHS Custodial Staff Wins Wawa Contest |
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NPHS Unified Bocce Team Heading to States |
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The custodial staff at NPHS won Wawa's "Catering to Our Communities" initiative, honoring unsung heroes in the local areas. Staff were treated to a catered lunch from Wawa. Thank you to our custodial staff for your extra hard work these past few years in keeping us all safe! |
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The NPHS Unified Bocce Team is headed to states! The Columbia Team won the League Championship. Teams will be playing against NPHS staff to prepare for the state tournament. Good luck students! |
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NPSD Educational Foundation Seeking Donations for Online Auction |
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The North Penn Educational Foundation is seeking items for the annual online auction, held May 4-11, 2022. Your item will support innovative learning experiences for over 13,000 students in the district. All funds raised will go back into the district through grants and supplemental programs. To donate an item for the auction, please visit the link below. As a 501(c)(3), your item is a tax-deductible donation. |
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You Could Save Up to $585 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! |
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We need your help. Every school district across the state is experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers, which can impact student learning. If you have a four-year degree and enjoy working with children and teens, you can help us by joining the North Penn School District as a substitute teacher!
In addition to paying the highest rate in the county (starting at $180 per day; $170/day for guest teachers; and bonus incentives), we also provide great flexibility regarding daily assignments. You can share your availability and work as it fits your schedule. We will also provide training!
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