| NPSD Board Members |
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President
Tina Stoll
Vice President
Edward Diasio
Members
Christian D. Fusco
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 Rebate Program
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NPSD has a new way in which some of our taxpayers can benefit from tax relief. At an action meeting of the NPSD Board of School Directors in October 2017, the school board unanimously approved a property tax rebate program that will see a discount of $62.50 to $162.50 for certain homeowners.
The property tax 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 must qualify for the state rebate program to qualify for the district rebate program. NPSD is granting a 25 percent rebate of the state's rebate.
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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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Upcoming Meetings
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October 9, 7:30 pm, ESC
Worksession Meeting
October 18, 7:30 pm, ESC
Action Meeting
October 23, 6:00 pm, ESC
Safe Schools Committee Meeting
October 23, 6:30 pm, ESC
ECP Committee Meeting
October 27, 6:30 pm, ESC
Finance Committee Meeting
October 29, 6:00 pm, ESC
Support Services Committee Meeting
To access the list of
meeting dates scheduled for 2018, please click here
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Dear Community,
 My name is Elisha Kanada Gee and I am one of your North Penn School District (NPSD) School Board Directors. On behalf of the entire board, I would like to welcome you to a new school year and share some exciting information about the upcoming year. As a member of the board, a NPSD parent, community volunteer and an educator, I am eager to see all of the outstanding things that our students, teachers, administration and support staff will achieve in the months to come.
With our students headed back to school, the season is filled with anticipation, planning and thinking about the possibilities a new year can hold. A number of board initiatives passed last year are now currently underway like the recently completed air conditioners installed at Gwyn-Nor and Oak Park Elementary schools and a new PA system in the high school which will soon be installed. We've also welcomed 20 new staff members to the North Penn family, many of whom were hired to improve the climate and culture in our buildings. Realizing there is more work to be done, this year will also bring about many positive changes for North Penn as we plan for the 2019-2020 school year.
One area of focus for the school board and administration is to reaffirm and strengthen our commitment to embrace the diversity of our students and staff by engaging with the community in an open dialogue around this topic. To meet this standard, NPSD will continue to actively pursue feedback from community stakeholders and we will continue to support teacher leaders who are dedicated to our work in cultural proficiency. In addition, other board commitments this year will be to closely evaluate class sizes, support our teachers with the best resources and professional development, and maintain communication and transparency with our community.
At the landmark Action Meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2018, the NPSD Board of School Directors voted to implement Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) for the 2019-2020 school year. This is a significant undertaking for our district, but due to years of extensive planning, we are well poised to provide a high-quality, full-day program starting in 2019. FDK has been something that many of us feel passionate about because we believe it will bring great value to the educational experience of our students. Increased demand in the Pennsylvania standards for Kindergarten education reflect a changing reality that more than 90 percent of PA school districts offer full day kindergarten programs. Research has shown that students in full-day kindergarten classes have demonstrated gains in reading and mathematics over their peers in half-day classes. Early formal education correlates with fewer grade retention and special education referrals and has been shown to narrow the achievement gap in at risk populations of students. In addition to academic gains, there are many social and emotional benefits for students in full-day kindergarten programs. Full-day kindergarten will make the North Penn community a more attractive place for young families to consider when purchasing a new home, keeping our tax base strong for years to come. For resources and more information about FDK at North Penn, click here.
Over the next few months, there will be many discussions around facilities, curriculum, transportation, hiring and professional development in regard to FDK at North Penn. All progress as NPSD plans for FDK in the 2019-2020 school year will be reported monthly at the Education/Committee/Policy Committee meetings. These meetings are open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend. Click here to view a list of dates for these meetings.
In closing, I would like to take the time to acknowledge the 1,925 employees who welcomed back 12,677 students this year to our 18 schools. From teachers and support staff to facilities, transportation, administrators and more, the board thanks each and every one of you for dedicating your time, passion and talents to the future generation of our community. These individuals are the foundation for our district and we are proud to serve and support each of them in their work.
Sincerely,
Elisha K. Gee
NPSD Board of School Director
Term Expiration:
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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.
At the action meeting, students from the International Friendship Committee were honored for their participation in the Foreign Exchange Student Program during the 2017-2018 school year.
Congratulations to these remarkable students and their advisors on these outstanding achievements!
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The NPSD Educational Foundation last met on September 5 at the Educational Services Center (ESC).
The trustees reviewed the very successful North Penn Community Build-A-Bag Backpack and School Supply Drive which the Foundation initiated for the first time this year. Close to 400 bags were collected and filled with donated school items for needy students in all of our schools.
Other Foundation activities discussed were the Rita's Water Ice-Breaker held for all new teachers at the New Teacher Induction in August as well as the Golf Outing that was postponed due to weather. Originally scheduled for August 13, the annual golf outing will now be held October 1. The great news is there is still room to golf if you have not registered and the Foundation can always use additional golfers.
Also discussed at the meeting was the NPSD Staff Payroll Deduction Drive that we will hold for the first time ever in October and the upcoming Knights of Honor Ceremony on October 26 when Cindy Louden, Rick Carroll and Yolanda Wisher will be honored. With the school year up and running, the Foundation is busy helping North Penn teachers implement their grants and look forward to receiving additional requests in the fall.
The NPSD Educational Foundation's next meeting will be held on August 1 at the ESC. For more information about the Foundation, please contact Executive Director, Christine Liberaski at liberacd@npenn.org.
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The Safe Schools Committee met on August 28 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
Scott Kennedy, NPSD Director of Facilities and Operations, and Chris Doerr, NPSD Coordinator of Emergency Management and Safe Schools, gave an update on the current security initiatives which include new security cameras, upgrades to the visitor management system, progress with behavioral threat assessment, critical event response team training and state-mandated drills.
The committee reviewed the proposed selection process for mass notification providers.
Doerr provided an update on the PA Safe Schools grants along with PA Senate Bill 1098.
Reports from the Safe Schools Committee meeting held on September 25 will be published in next month's newsletter.
The next Safe Schools Committee meeting will be held on October 23 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
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The Finance Committee met on August 27 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
The monthly financial reports were reviewed with additional discussion on the following items.
Bond Financing Presentation
Representatives from Public Financial Management, the district's Financial Advisor for bond issue financing, provided an overview of bond financing and a possible structure for future borrowings for building projects. Steve Skrocki, NPSD Chief Financial Offier, reviewed the three proposals received for bond counsel and made a recommendation to utilize the firm that provided the lowest proposal, Kegel Kelin Almy & Lord. The committee recommended proceeding with a $10 million bank qualified bond issue for later this calendar year.
Real Estate Tax Rebate Program
Skrocki presented an update on the rebate program regarding the number of applicants and rebates issued to date. Discussion ensued regarding the structure of the program for the 2019-2020 school year. Skrocki will be presenting data regarding a possible expansion of the program at a future Finance Committee meeting.
2017-2018 Capital Reserve
Skrocki reviewed the background and history regarding end of fiscal year transfers from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve Fund. There are unexpended funds in the 2017-2018 budget that are being recommended for transfer to the Capital Reserve Fund. When the exact amount is known as part of the audit process a resolution will be presented for the Board's consideration.
2019-20 Proposed Budget Calendar
Skrocki reviewed the draft budget calendar which includes preliminary budget approval in February, proposed final budget approval in May and final budget adoption in June.
Assessment Appeal Appraisal Contracts
Skrocki recommended the approval of several firms to work with the district to provide valuation reports for property owner-initiated real estate tax assessment appeals.
Reports from the Finance Committee meeting held on September 26 will be published in next month's newsletter.
The next Finance Committee meeting will be held on October 27 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
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The ECP Committee met on August 28 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
Proposed extra duty changes for the 2018-2019 school year were reviewed by the committee. These include adding two new positions/activities, removing eight positions, reducing the group level for one position, increasing the group level for another position and changing the names of five activities.
The committee reviewed the information pertaining to the implementation of Full-Day Kindergarten, including facility capacity, curriculum and materials needed, professional development, hiring needs and timeline, and budget.
Updates concerning the Cultural Proficiency work that is being done in the district were discussed. Planning for the current school has taken place. Executive Committee members will lead subcommittees this year to address specific areas. Dr. Barbara Moore Williams will continue to work with the district in the role of consultant in this endeavor.
Reports from the ECP Committee meeting held on September 25 will be published in next month's newsletter.
The next ECP Committee meeting will be held on October 23 at 6:30 pm at the ESC.
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The Support Services Committee met on August 27 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
Scott Kennedy, NPSD Director of Facilities and Operations, reviewed change orders for additional engineering services at Hatfield Elementary School, electrical and general construction at Gwyn-Nor Elementary School and electrical work at Oak Park Elementary School.
Kennedy reviewed the progress with the design along with budget estimates to replace the PA System and classroom phones at North Penn High School.
Dave Horn from Architerra Inc. presented the proposed design for NPHS Crawford Stadium along with the details about variances that would be required from Towamencin Township.
The committee reviewed the long-range facility improvement plan. Projects were identified per school and given preliminary budget estimates.
Reports from the Support Services Committee meeting held on September 26 will be published in next month's newsletter.
The next Support Services Committee meeting will be held on October 29 at 6:00 pm at the ESC.
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