Please click on the picture to view the slideshow of the NPHS National Merit Scholarship recognition breakfast

North Penn High School proudly recognizes 18 semifinalists in the 2010-2011 National Merit Scholarship Competition (NMSC). This number is doubled from last year and is the most National Merit Scholarship Competition semifinalists recognized in one year in the high school's history! And to boast even more, the cut qualifying score was raised so the level of achievement was even more difficult this year than in the past.

The North Penn School District would like to congratulate the following students on this remarkable accomplishment: Yash Ambegaonkar, Corinne Curcie, Carolyn Huangci, Doo H. Kang, Rachel Kang, Jordan Ledbetter, Brina Malachowski, Alexander Mavis, Vy Nguyen, Kimaya Padgaonkar, Briana Pedroni, Julian Pei, Progga Rashid, Megan Ro, Kelly Rogers, Aalok Shah, Joseph VanGalen and Rebecca Wai

Click here to read more, including the list of NPHS commended students.

At the last action meeting, the NPSD Board of School Directors approved a motion to refinance a bond that would result in an estimated $750,000 in savings for the school district. After a competitive online auction for the refinancing of this bond, administration is pleased to announce that the refinancing actually saved the school district $1,067,000.

"We are thrilled with the better than expected results of this bond refinancing," said Dr. Curtis Dietrich, Superintendent, NPSD. "The great success of the refinancing was part strategy, part luck and partly attributed to the district's great credit rating, which can be attributed to the school board and administration's long-range fiscal planning."

On Monday, October 25^th, at 12 p.m., Public Financial Management (PFM) Group Inc.held a competitive auction for the District's Series A of 2010 Bonds which were used to advance refund a portion of the Series A of 2003 Bonds. According to a memo from PFM, NPSD received "exceptional results on the Bonds, culminating in over $1,067,000 (or 5.12% of refunded par) of net local effort savings to be realized in the 2011 and 2012 fiscal year. NPSD's target for this refinancing was 3.00% of the bonds being refunded and in the time that PFM has been monitoring this refunding, savings varied from 1.00% to 3.70%.

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The North Penn Board of School Directors sets the policies that define the nature of public education from kindergarten through grade 12, including special education, community education and summer school programs, for the entire district. As elected officials, school board members must answer to the electorate and to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The nine school directors that make up North Penn's board assess the community's needs and aspirations to develop an educational program that is consistent with community resources. It is then the job of the superintendent of schools to work with the district's administration to creatively execute the board's objectives. It is also the superintendent's responsibility to bring recommendations to the board for action in carrying on the work of North Penn School District.

Residents of the North Penn School District elect nine school directors at-large to serve four-year terms. Board members receive no compensation for their considerable commitment of time and energy; it is purely on a volunteer basis.

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As budgeting for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year begins, the North Penn School District Administration updated the Board of School Directors on the current economic conditions and its effect on the current and future budget. The Administration outlined steps being taken to maintain fiscal responsibility while ensuring continued and improved academic excellence.

"Priorities remain the same with efforts on the academic side being focused on ensuring all students succeed and achieve at least one year's worth of progress in one year of time. Our resources will continue to be directed to help achieve this goal," said Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D., superintendent.

The presentation outlined how NPSD will face severe limitations to raising revenue due to the prolonged recession experienced by the entire nation. Since Act 1 of 2006, the index averaged 3.5%. But, in the last year, this lagging index has dropped to 1.4 percent, and could easily drop further in future years.

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Please click on the picture to view the slideshow from the day

Student safety is a top priority in North Penn schools. Therefore, NPSD continues to implement the renowned Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in four of its schools during the 2010-2011 school year. Nash Elementary School and Pennbrook Middle School held its bullying prevention kick-off event days in October, with Kulp and York Avenue elementary schools' events scheduled for November and December.

Pennbrook Middle School also held an exciting and interactive OBPP kick-off event. One of the featured activities during the day for students and in the evening for adults was a special presentation by Mr. John Halligan called Bullying, Cyberbulling and Youth Depression. This 90-minute presentation told the life story of his son, Ryan, who died by suicide in 2003 at the age of 13 after being bullied by classmates at school and online. The student and adult presentation by Halligan was partially funded by the NPSD Educational Foundation.

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Please click on the photo to view the video from NPTV.

This month on North Penn's Finest, Host Ted Heller sits down with
Nicole Yetter, Olweus Coordinator about North Penn's anti-bullying efforts and members of the NPSD transportation department who showcase the annual bus safety program held in all of North Penn's 13 elementary schools.

Please click on the picture to view the slideshow.

In October, the North Penn School District Transportation Department celebrated Bus Safety Month by holding Transportation Safety Committee shows at all thirteen elementary schools. The theme this year was "Alice in Safetyland" and featured many of the children's favorite characters who taught them the safety rules of the school bus. This interactive presentation included question and answer segments throughout the show. This award-winning program has been recognized with the Governor's Highway Traffic Safety Award.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) recently passed new graduation requirements for students starting with the Class of 2015, North Penn's current eighth grade students. These new graduation requirements consist of students taking specific end-of-course assessments known as Keystone Exams. These exams are designed to assess student skill levels and set stronger, more consistent high school graduation requirements for students across the state.

Beginning with the Class of 2015, students will have to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of English composition, English literature, algebra I and biology. In 2017 and beyond, students will have to demonstrate proficiency on six Keystone Exams in the following areas:

• Two English courses - literature and composition
• Two math courses - algebra I and either algebra II or geometry
• One science course - either biology or chemistry
• One social studies course - either American history, world history or civics

This May, the first Keystone Exam, algebra I, will be administered to all seventh and eighth grade students currently enrolled in this subject. Exams will include multiple choice items and open-ended responses. There is no time limit in which a student must complete the exam, but it is estimated that each exam should take between two and two and a half hours. Students will be permitted to retake the exam or portions of the exam multiple times. However, if a student does not demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam after two attempts, he/she will be eligible to complete a project-based assessment, provided the student has taken the course and met local attendance and supplemental instruction requirements.

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The North Penn School District congratulates its North Penn Marching Knights on its successful 2010 season. The Knights took first place at the Yamaha Cup Regional Championship in the new Meadowlands Stadium on Saturday, October 2^nd. The Knights captured first place in Group 4 Open with a score of 82.975. The Marching Knights also received the second highest score in the entire field of 50 total bands with special awards in best music performance and best overall effect.

Another impressive accomplishment thus far was at the Demoulin Challenge at Rutgers University on October 16^th. The Marching Knights were a finalist at this event, breaking 90 for the first time this year, and placing third overall at finals.

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