Dear Community,


August 2016 will go down in NPSD history as a significant step forward in our effort to provide one-to-one technology for all of our students. It is an effort of which I am extremely proud. I am also very grateful for the support that this Digital Age Learning Initiative has received from the North Penn community.

With every new endeavor comes challenges, and we know we will face some as we roll out 4,800 Chromebooks to students in grades six through nine and their teachers. We have detailed implementation plans in place that range from cataloguing and distribution of devices to professional development for teachers and incorporating the new tools into classroom learning. And so far, so good. Everything is moving along nicely.

Teachers and students are currently receiving their Chromebooks. Families are asked to pay a nominal $25 insurance fee to take a device home. And since we are ahead of schedule this is happening before the start of school so that we can begin learning and using our Chromebooks from the get go.

In the coming years, one-to-one technology will expand to NPHS where we are making infrastructure changes to support the added technology. At the elementary level, excluding 6th graders, who are receiving Chromebooks, we are moving toward every student having access to a personal device during the school day.

This is an exciting time for NPSD, its students, staff and community.  As we progress through the year, we plan to share many stories about the Digital Learning Initiative and how it is helping our student succeed.

 
Sincerely,
        
Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D.  
Superintendent, NPSD
dietricr@npenn.org  

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July NPSD Board of School Directors Meetings
 

 
To view agenda attachments and minutes from past meetings, please click here.  


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Knights of Honor Monthly Spotlight : Davis Giersch
In May 2016, the North Penn School District announced its Inaugural Class of North Penn Knights of Honor. An induction ceremony for honorees has been scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, November 23rd at North Penn High School.

Over the next few months leading up to the induction ceremony, you will have the opportunity to learn more about each of our five honorees through a monthly spotlight. This month, NPSD would like to introduce to you Dr. Davis Giersch, retired NPHS teacher, music department chair and chorus director. Click here to learn more about Davis Giersch.

Transportation Department Hosts
 16th Annual K-Day Program

For the 16th consecutive year, the North Penn School District Transportation Department held its annual K-Day event. More than 500 students participated in this wonderful program, designed to ease the anxiety that can be felt by kindergarten and first grade students (and their parents!) who are first-timers on the big yellow school bus!
 
Participants had the opportunity to explore the bus while NPSD bus drivers explained school bus facts and safety information. Parents, students and their siblings were then invited to climb on board for a short ride around the neighborhood. The exciting day wrapped up with a safety video and safety education regarding the "danger zone" around the bus when loading and unloading. Information regarding bus tags, bus schedules, emergency phone numbers and day care locations were distributed as well.
 
This year's program was once again a huge success, proving to be both educational and adventurous for our incoming Kindergarten and first grade students as well as their families.
 
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.

NPHS Reorganizes Student Home Offices
Although school is out for the summer months, staff members at North Penn High School have been busy implementing some exciting changes for the 2016-2017 school year.
 
Beginning in September, students at NPHS will be introduced to a new student organizational system that will be arranged by grade level. Instead of the previous system which divided some 3,000 students between five Home Offices alphabetically and by grade level, NPHS is implementing a "three house" system of only three Home Offices separated by sophomore, junior and senior classes.
 
Each Home Office will consist of two assistant principals and three guidance counselors who will be assigned to students alphabetically. Students will remain in the same Home Office throughout all three years at North Penn High School, keeping the same principals and guidance counselors from grades 10-12.

NPSD Introduces New Online Student
Meal Payment Portal, School cafe
  The North Penn School District, School Nutri tion Services Department is changing its online cafeteria payment system for the 20 16-2017 school year. All balances will be transferred to the new system. Parents will be able to make payments and view all transferred balances beginning August 8, 2016.  Please keep in mind, parents will need t o re-register their students on the new payment system using their student's name and ID number.

The new payment system is called School cafe and can be accessed here. School cafe allows parents to: 
  • View your student's cafeteria account balance and purchases.
  • Receive low balance email notification messages.
  • Monitor what your student has been purchasing.
  • Utilize a convenient mobile app for parents on the go! 
  • Make secure online payments anytime, anywhere (for a small convenience fee).
  • Set up hassle-free automatic payments for each student

Read more... 

  

Knapp Elementary Receives $50,000 Grant after being Named Reward - High Progress School
In April 2016, Knapp Elementary School was named as a Reward - High Progress School for its achievement as a Title I School under the state's School Performance Profile. This Reward is now paying off in terms of a $50,000 Innovation Grant, a competitive grant designed to promote new learning structures and processes that meet individual student needs.
 
The funding will support four programs designed by Knapp and district-level staff. These programs are focused on closing the achievement gaps overall and with specific student populations.

 

NPSD Encourages Students to Stay Active & Healthy over the Summer

 
Helping students maintain a healthy lifestyle is a top priority at the North Penn School District.
 
Throughout the school year, students participate in a variety of physical activities through specially designed curriculum to incorporate both fun and physical challenges for students of all ages and abilities. Students are also taught how to make nutritious food choices that will give their bodies the proper fuel needed to learn and grow to the be their best. The NPSD School Nutrition Services works diligently to deliver such products to students through breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria each day.
 
NPSD encourages students and families to continue these healthy trends by remaining active and nourished throughout the summer months.
 

NPSD School Nutrition Services Coordinator Named President of SNAPa at 2016 Annual Conference 

The North Penn School District is proud to announce that Pamela Gallagher, Coordinator of School Nutrition Services at NPSD, was installed as President of the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania (SNAPa) at the 2016 Annual Conference in August.
 
The School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania (SNAPa) is the premier professional association for all school nutrition professionals in the Commonwealth and is committed to advancing the quality of child nutrition programs through education and advocacy.
 
North Penn School District's School Nutrition Services Coordinator, Pamela Gallagher, was installed as the President of SNAPa at the 2016 annual conference. Pam has been a member of SNAPa since 1989 and a strong advocate of its mission since then.

NPHS Renovates and Repurposes Office Space for Innovative Use in 16-17 School Year
While much of the staff at North Penn High School enjoyed a nice break during the summer months, many administrators and facilities employees were hard at work revamping office space at the high school.
 
The reorganization this upcoming school year from five Home Offices to three has opened up a lot of space to be developed for innovative, exciting initiatives at NPHS. The K-Pod reception office, which previously housed the security office and administrator offices, has been expanded and turned into the Class of 2020 Home Office. The security office has been relocated to A032, a previous location of one of the five Home Offices. Administrator offices have also been relocated throughout the building to more convenient locations.

Beginning this school year, students arriving late to school will also utilize a new "check-in" system. Previously upon arriving late to school, students reported to their Home Office to sign in and then reported to class. For some students, this meant walking all the way across the large building to check in, only to turn back around and head to class in the front of the building. To expedite the process and maximize learning time, a centralized "check in" office has been adapted. This will occur in the K-Pod reception area, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Late students will now be able to report their attendance in the front of the building and then head directly to class.
 
So, what about E112? For those unfamiliar with the lay of the land at NPHS, E112 was previously used as one of the five Home Offices. This summer, the office space has undergone perhaps the most exciting and innovative repurposing of all. Beginning the 2016-2017 school year, E112 will act as North Penn's Inclusion Resource Center, housing district inclusion facilitators, NPHS behavior specialist and the Special Education Department Chair.

NPHS '16 Grad Selected by The College Board
for 16-17 AP Studio Art Exhibit

The North Penn School District is proud to recognize North Penn High School Class of 2016 graduate, Carter Yanagawa, for being selected by The College Board for the 2016-2017 APĀ® Studio Art Exhibit.
 
The prestigious exhibit is produced each year by the Advanced Placement (AP) Program to honor and celebrate the work of outstanding AP Studio Art students. The exhibit also informs students, teachers, parents and the art education community about opportunities available through participation in the AP Studio Art program; as well as the diverse subjects, styles, media, techniques and forms of expression addressed by AP students. The 30 pieces featured in the exhibit were selected from all of the AP Studio Art portfolios submitted in spring 2016, meaning Carter Yanagawa's work was selected from more than 50,000 portfolios.
 
NPSD Encourages Students to Keep their Mathematical Minds Moving During Summer Months

The start of the school year is just around the corner, and the North Penn School District encourages students to continue to keep their brains active. Summer vacation offers students the chance to further develop their educational skills on a wider spectrum and through more liberating platforms, especially in the area of mathematics.
 
Research has shown that practicing math during the summer helps to stem the "summer learning loss."  Kids can lose more than two months of grade level equivalency in math over the summer, and the loss can become cumulative, worsening year after year. At the elementary level, North Penn teachers have sent home the "Getting Ready" lessons from Go Math!  Those lessons help students with prerequisite skills needed for the next grade level. Families are encouraged to complete these lessons with their students to keep their brains active and healthy.
 

July North Penn News Update from NPTV
North Penn Television (NPTV) students produced updates on what was happening around the NPSD during the month of July. This month's video update includes videos from NP Community Education's annual NPTV middle school camp in July.


Middle School TV Camp 1 
Middle School TV Camp 1
  
Middle School TV Camp 2 
Middle School TV Camp 2



To see more from NPTV, check out our