E-Matters October 2024

Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, all parents and guardians in the North Penn School District will receive the monthly E-Matters and Bulletin Board newsletters. If you do not wish to receive these newsletters, you can unsubscribe through School Messenger in the "newsletter" category. Please ensure you do not unsubscribe from any other categories or you will no longer receive regular or emergency communications from your school. You can update your email address at any time through Infinite Campus.

You will also notice the newsletter is organized differently than in previous years, now centering around the 4 Es of the district: to ensure belonging, elevate learning, engage community, and exceed expectations. Each newsletter will feature stories exemplifying the work of students and staff that fall within each of the 4 Es.

• November 1- No school for students
• November 5- No school for students
• November 14- Report cards available on Infinite Campus, secondary schools
• November 25-29- No school for students

The full NPSD calendar, including school-specific events can be found here.

Dear North Penn Community,

Engaging this community in meaningful ways benefits both the school and the broader North Penn area in general. It has been one of my priorities as superintendent to review and revise as needed our efforts to listen to and have conversations with those whom we serve to improve all aspects of NPSD. In doing so, I believe we can improve student success, provide access to resources, enhance the educational experience, build trust and transparency and much, much more.

You will read in this edition of E-Matters how we relaunched the Superintendent’s Student Council, a decades-long approach to getting feedback from students. I am excited to get to know the students involved throughout the year and beyond. Only a few meetings of many have been held, but I already believe I am getting more meaningful feedback.

I am also excited to announce that we are changing the format for Community Conversations. Previously these meetings were held monthly, at varying times, in person and virtually and the goal was to talk with parents and community members about concerns and issues involving NPSD. I noticed last year a significant decrease in participation. In response, we are changing to a live format, held monthly, and recorded so it can be viewed at any time. The first one was held today on Facebook Live and can be viewed on Facebook or on NPTV afterwards. As we finalize specifics, future topics and timing of the new Community Conversations (maybe it will even be renamed), that will be communicated and promoted.

Another effort we are making is to better partner with the incredible resources this community provides. Next week, I will meet with representatives from our Home & School Associations and other parent organizations at North Penn Commons where we will all tour and learn about Manna on Main Street. I hope to do more of this outreach during the school year.

This is just a sampling of how we aim to engage with our community. I hope you will be a part of our efforts.

Sincerely,

Todd Bauer

During the month of October, we recognize Disability Awareness and Down Syndrome Awareness Months. This provides the perfect opportunity to honor 19%, or 2,470 students in our 18 schools that receive special education services and reflect on ways to best meet their needs.

One important strategy is called the curb-cut effect. This term originates from sidewalk ramps, or curb cuts, which were originally installed to help wheelchair users, but also became used by those riding bikes or pushing strollers. The concept is grounded in the idea that accommodations for specific needs can lead to improvements that enhance overall accessibility. In the school setting, curb cuts are designed to make environments more accessible for individuals with disabilities and also benefit many others in our community.

You may be wondering what curb cuts look like in our schools. Here are a few examples:

1. Interactive Learning Stations: Hands-on stations that use multi-sensory activities can help students with different learning styles, making lessons more engaging for everyone.
2. Flexible Classroom Layouts: Arranging furniture to allow for group work and movement helps students with social anxiety and benefits collaborative learning for everyone.
3. Text-to-Speech Software: This technology assists students with visual impairments or reading difficulties and can also help all students improve their comprehension and learning.
4. Flexible Seating Options: Providing various seating arrangements (standing desks, bean bags) supports students with different learning styles and comfort needs.
5. Use of Visual Schedules: Visual aids showing daily routines benefit students with autism or ADHD, while also helping all students stay organized and on track.
6. Quiet Spaces: Designating areas for students to decompress benefits those with sensory sensitivities and provides a calming space for any student needing a break.

For many years, the Superintendent has met with the "Superintendent's Student Council" once a month at schools across the district to hear directly from students about issues in the district. This year, the program has been relaunched as the Superintendent's Student Collaborative. At the high school, middle schools, and three elementary schools, groups of students will meet with the Superintendent and members of administration three times a year to advocate and help create positive change in their schools. By meeting with the same group multiple times a year, there are opportunities to help build relationships and develop ideas over an entire school year.

Last week the district held the annual Reading is Fundamental (RIF) play, a tradition in the North Penn School District for over 30 years. Every first grader in the district travels to the high school for a play all about the joy of reading, kicking off a whole year of activities surrounding literacy. RIF is a program supported by the NPSD Educational Foundation, providing innovative educational experiences for students across the district. Through RIF and the support of the Foundation, each first grader in the district will receive books to take home and keep, building their own home libraries and fostering a love of reading. Thank you to all the students and staff who volunteer as actors, chaperones, and more to make RIF a success each and every year!

A group of North Penn employees enjoyed a special trip to Broadway, taking advantage of a group ticket discount to see the Tony Award-winning musical The Outsiders, starring Sky Lakota-Lynch, NPHS Class of 2010. The musical, based on S.E. Hinton's classic novel portrays the rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs in 1960s Oklahoma. Sky, who earned a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Johnny, made the day even more memorable by meeting with his North Penn fan club after the show.

Join us for Knight at the Sixers! Come cheer on the Philadelphia 76ers as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies for a 7:30 PM game on Saturday, November 2 at the Wells Fargo Center. Seats are available in sections 107, 213, 216, and 216A. Tickets start at $64 and are available here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Northpenn35

Governor Shapiro and PA Secretary of Education, Dr. Mumin, hosted the winners of the School Breakfast Challenge at the Governor's Residence to celebrate the schools who had the highest increase in kids taking advantage of their free breakfast. The School Breakfast Challenge was held from January-March 2024 and focused on increasing free breakfast participation, incorporating more local ingredients at breakfast and adding more low-sugar options to our menus. Oak Park Elementary School saw over a 20% increase in free breakfast participation during the challenge. In attendance was Jonathan Winkle, Oak Park principal, Jill Brandis, Oak Park kitchen team leader, Hannah Brandis, NPHS and NMTCC culinary tech student, and Melissa Froehlich Green, Coordinator of School Nutrition Services. Congratulations to Oak Park on winning the School Breakfast Challenge! As a reminder- EVERY student in NPSD and in the state of Pennsylvania is eligible for free breakfast. NPSD students who qualify for either free or reduced lunch are eligible to receive free lunch meals. To apply or see if you qualify, visit https://www.npenn.org/central_office/school_nutrition_services_department/school_meal_application.