Bulletin Board March 2025
Dear North Penn Community,
March is Music in our Schools Month, and as we are also celebrating Women's History Month, I am reminded of the countless women who have shaped education in the United States of America — from pioneering educators like Mary McLeod Bethune and Ella Flagg Young to advocates such as Malala Yousafzai. Their dedication emphasizes the importance of strong, equitable public schools for all children, especially in the present climate.
As one of your School Board members and one of your representatives on the North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC) board, I am deeply passionate about our students' future. Our school District's future and the funding necessary for us to deliver quality education and services directly influence our students' success. We should all be invested in this mission.
Recently, an audit of PA cyber charter schools conducted by the PA Dept of the Auditor General revealed significant concerns about the lack of financial oversight and accountability within cyber charter schools. While charter schools play a role in our educational landscape, this audit underscores the urgent need for greater transparency to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. For example, cyber schools charge NPSD approximately $18,000 per student while the North Penn Virtual Academy costs approximately $6000 per student, with similar or better student outcomes. A approximate $12,000 per student difference is very significant.
This issue is closely tied to the ongoing debate over school vouchers. Voucher programs divert public funds to private and religious schools, often without the same accountability standards. If expanded in Pennsylvania, vouchers could further strain public school budgets, diminishing resources available to students in our neighborhood schools.
Our public schools are the backbone of our communities, serving every child regardless of background, ability, or income. Please reach out to our local legislators, including state senators, and ask them to prioritize fair funding for public education while opposing voucher expansions that could jeopardize these critical resources.
Your voice matters. Charter School Reform is a bipartisan issue that affects all taxpayers. By standing together, we can work to ensure that all public, charter, and private school students have access to a quality education.
Speaking of quality education, I want to highlight some recent accomplishments within our quality schools. In March, all three middle schools held their musicals: The Little Mermaid, Newsies, and SpongeBob. Our students, supported by their teachers, successfully showcased their incredible talents. Additionally, the unified bocce team qualified for the regional playoffs, with Team Columbia finishing 5th. Our students also participated in Read Across America week, and the Odyssey of the Mind teams competed at the regional tournament, with 13 teams advancing to the state event in April! Furthermore, our NMTCC students excelled in the SkillsUSA District Competition, with 22 winners this year, including 11 from North Penn.
The list of accomplishments is long, but these are just a few areas. Congratulations to all our students for excelling in many arenas, and heartfelt thanks to our dedicated parents, teachers, staff, and administrators for their unwavering support.
April promises to be another exciting month at North Penn. We look forward to the high school musical, Children of Eden, and the International Spring Festival on April 26.
Thank you for your continued support of our students. Please consider using your voice to advocate for Charter School Reform, ensuring equitable funding for our students so that programs like those mentioned above continue to inspire and fulfill our students and community.
Happy Spring,
NPSD Board of School Directors
Education/Curriculum/Instruction Committee
The ECI Committee met on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. At that meeting, the committee reviewed overnight student travel requests which are on the agenda tonight to be approved. Also, several curriculum administrators provided information regarding student transition from sixth to seventh grade, eighth grade to ninth grade, and from ninth grade to tenth grade. This transition process addresses academics, course selection and placement, as well as a student's adjustment and sense of belonging.
Facilities and Operations Committee
The Facilities and Operations Committee met on Monday, February 24, 2025, in a virtual format.
The Committee reviewed the following items to be moved to the action meeting for the Board’s consideration:
- Permission to Advertise for RFP for Third Party Testing for upcoming HS Construction Project Phase 1
- Permission to Advertise for multiple RFP's for Miscellaneous Services
- Permission to seek approval of Software Upgrade proposal for Montgomery ES
- Permission to seek approval of Software Upgrade proposal for Hatfield ES
The Committee was presented and discussed informational items, including:
- High School Project Update and Phase 1 schedule update
- Update on the 10 year Capital Project Plan
- Update on the Pre-Purchased Electrical Gear for High School Project
- Update on Network Operations HVAC replacement
- Update on additional services requested by MCCD Review for High School Project.
Finance Committee
At the March 11, 2025 meeting, Mr. Linderman reviewed the 2025-2026 North Montco Technical Career Center Budget along with the February Budget Transfers for the district. He also reviewed the financial reports for the month.
At the March 18, 2025, Special Finance Committee meeting, department budget presentations for the 2025-26 fiscal year were made by Special Education and Student Services, Elementary Education, Curriculum, and Secondary Education.
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee met on February 24, 2025. At the meeting, the committee reviewed three revised policies that were moved to the action meeting for a first reading. Those policies are Policy 803 - School Calendar, Policy 805 - Emergency Preparedness and Response, and Policy 805.1 - Relations with Law Enforcement Agencies.
Safe Schools Committee
NPSD Educational Foundation
The Foundation is busy preparing for its annual online auction which will be held May 1-8. Currently we are soliciting donations from local businesses and individuals to be used in the auction. From restaurant gift certificates to unique North Penn experiences, the items we gather each year help raise more than $10,000 annually.
It's also that time of year when we ask North Penn staff to apply for grants for the upcoming school year. Innovative grant proposals are being accepted now through April 23rd for implementation in the 2025-2026 school year.
And congratulations are in order for two things. The Foundation once again hired an outside auditing firm to conduct a financial review and no mistakes or issues were found. In addition to this, we received an Award of Excellence from the Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association for our 23-24 Annual Report.
Any questions related to the Foundation can be directed to Christine Liberaski at the ESC, or you can learn more at npennedfoundation.org.