Explore, Learn, Laugh
is for Kindergarten
Children must be five years of age by September 15, 2016 to register
for Kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year.
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year,
children must be five years of age by September 1, 2017 to register for
Kindergarten for the 2017-2018 school year.
NOTES
COMMUNICATING WITH NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT
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Welcome to NPSD from the Superintendent
Dear Families,
Welcome to the North Penn School District! Your child will begin an exciting adventure this fall when he or she starts
Kindergarten and hopefully a life-long love of learning. We know this time can be full of excitement and anxiety. We want to
help ease any fears and anxieties about your child beginning school by answering some of the many questions you may have
regarding AM or PM kindergarten assignments, transportation, day care and extended school care opportunities. We also want
to share some tips for engaging with your child’s school, and fun and educational ways to best help your child prepare for his or
her first year of school.
The elementary years are extremely important because they set the foundation for a child’s academic and social future. The
information included in this brochure will help ensure your child is well-prepared for the start of his or her educational career in
the North Penn School District.
Our district provides an educational experience that is safe, nurturing and fun. Each academic classroom is enriched by a
multitude of extra-curricular activities, including technology, assembly programs and student clubs.
We hope this information is helpful to you and look forward to welcoming you and your child to school in September.
Sincerely,
Dr. Curtis R. Dietrich
Superintendent
Letter from the Director of Elementary Education
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I take great pleasure in welcoming you as your child begins his or her educational journey in the North Penn School District.
Kindergarten is an ideal time to start teaching children the importance of school and introducing basic skills into their lives.
Learning is an important experience and we make it engaging and interactive so kids enjoy coming to school. Therefore, the
North Penn School District is pleased to offer very talented and nurturing staff members, a safe and friendly school environment,
and a developmentally appropriate and challenging curriculum so that kindergarten students can achieve their highest potential.
As the Director of Elementary Education, one of my greatest joys is visiting classrooms and seeing the enthusiasm of our young
children as they learn a new skill, make a new friend or complete a difficult project. I feel honored to be able to see kindergarten
students grow throughout the elementary years and am always impressed with their achievement and abilities by the time they
graduate sixth grade and move on to middle school. I hope you and your child will have an outstanding experience!
Sincerely,
Dr. Elizabeth Santoro
Director of Elementary Education
Frequently Asked Questions About Kindergarten
North Penn School District (NPSD) provides information and
resources to our families in a number of ways. One way is
through the “For Families” tab on our website, www.npenn.org,
is a great resource for general information. The Home Access
Center, also found on the district website, provides parents of
elementary-aged children the ability to review registration/
demographic information, daily attendance records, and
teacher and bus assignments. Information about HAC and how
to access it will be mailed to your home in August.
School Bus
How do I know which bus my child will ride?
AM and PM Kindergarten Sessions
How does the teacher know what bus my child will
ride, and how do I know my child will get on the
correct bus?
Your child should wear the bus tag you receive at
kindergarten orientation for the first few days of school.
You should write your child’s name and busing/van
pickup information on the tag. You can also pick up a
tag from the school secretary.
It is important to keep your child’s routine consistent.
Too many changes, too many times a week can be confusing for the child and our staff; for this reason, we
ask that notes are sent in the event of any change.
Teachers walk the morning students to their busses
and the office for pickup. In the afternoon, older grade
level buddies may also help the kindergarten teachers
by escorting the students to their bus lines or “parent
pickup” location.
How do I know which session my child will be
attending? Will it be AM or PM?
Your neighborhood busing is determined by the NPSD Transportation Department. They determine the
location of all children attending for the upcoming
year and balance the number in the morning session
and the afternoon session. It is always possible that
your neighborhood session may change from year to
year because of rising or declining registration. In June,
you will be notified of your child’s placement in either
AM or PM kindergarten.
Is there a process for a change of session request?
Changing sessions may be considered under rare
and compelling circumstances. The building principal
will review written requests on a first-come, firstserved, case-by-case basis. If a session is changed, the
parent/guardian is responsible for picking up the
student after the morning session or dropping off the
student for the afternoon session, depending on the change.
Just like teacher assignments, you can visit the district
website at www.npenn.org to access HAC to find out
your busing information. If you are unsure of your child’s bus stop, do not hesitate to contact the NPSD
Transportation Department at 215-368-9807.
School Supplies
What school supplies does my child need?
Teacher Assignment
A kindergarten supply list will be sent following
registration and may be accessed on school websites
during the summer.
How do I know which teacher my child will have?
School Safety
Once you receive your Home Access Center (HAC) login
information in August, you will be able to find your
child’s teacher assignment.
Is my child’s safety ensured while at school?
The buddy system is used in schools so students never
walk through the school alone. Teachers are posted
at all dismissal doors and used as greeters in the
morning. In addition, each school uses a buzzer system
that prevents anyone entering the building without
being buzzed in by a secretary or principal. Once inside
the building, all parents, volunteers and visitors must
sign in at the office and take a name tag/ID badge. All
persons walking through the building without a name
tag/ID badge are stopped.
Kindergarten Orientation
When is Kindergarten Orientation?
Orientation takes place the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
Kindergarten students come with their parents at
a designated time during the AM or PM session as listed
on your placement letter. The SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL
is actually the FIRST DAY for kindergarten students and
they can ride the bus into school that day.
After School Options
Sick Child
How do I communicate that I want my child to be
“picked up” by me or a relative or friend?
What do I do if my child is sick?
In order to pick up your child, send a note to the
teacher to let them know of a change in your child’s
schedule. Let the relative/friend know they must go to
the office to sign out the student. They will need to
present a driver’s license or some other form of picture
identification. If it is during the school day, the office
will call for the child to come to the office. For security
purposes and to maintain uninterrupted curriculum
time, relatives/friends will not be permitted to walk
down to the classroom during the school day.
How can my child go home with another child after
school to play?
A note from both the sending and receiving parents/
guardians must be brought into school to confirm this
request and a bus pass will be issued to notify the bus
driver so they do not question why the child is getting
off at a different stop. Even if the students are “parent
pickup,” notes from both families are required.
A major factor in a student’s school success is regular
attendance. Anytime a student is absent, it is the
responsibility of the parent to inform the school. A safeat-home call will be made if the parent fails to call.
Upon his/her return to school, a written or verbal
excuse must be sent to the teacher within three days of
the date of the absence. If an excuse is not received
within the appropriate time, the absence will remain
unexcused. Absences are only considered excused for
one of the permissible reasons listed in the Discipline
Code that is mailed home to all parents in August.
Additional information regarding absences can also be
found in the NPSD Elementary School Parent Handbook
which can be found on the district’s website at
www.npenn.org, under the “For Families” tab.
Day Care Option for Students
Extended Vacations (10 consecutive school days or more)
Does NPSD offer Extended School Care?
The North Penn School District offers before and after
school care for each of its 13 elementary schools
through its Extended School Care program. This program is held Monday through Friday and on several in-service days throughout the year. Students attending AM
kindergarten may attend the before care program from 7 am until the start of the school day. Those attending
PM kindergarten may attend the afternoon care program from the time of dismissal until 6 pm There is NO allday care program in NPSD elementary schools.
For information regarding specific rates and times of
the district’s Extended School Care program, please
contact 215-853-1039.
Home and School Association
How can I assist with the Home and School
Association?
You will receive a packet from your child’s “Home
and School Association” with information on activities
and fundraisers, how you can volunteer for year-long
functions, or volunteer as a classroom helper. Emergency
chain, clothing sales, student directory and much more
will be included!
If my child will miss at least 10 consecutive days of
school, what must I do when it is time for my child to
come back to school?
According to PA School Law, students who miss 10 consecutive school days shall be dropped from active
school membership unless evidence exists that the
excuse for absence is legal. When a child is removed
from school for an extended vacation beyond
10 consecutive school days, those missed days are
not considered legal absences. As a result, the student
is considered withdrawn from school and must
complete the registration process before the student
can return to school. During this extended vacation, the
school will not provide school assignments, nor will
credit be given for missed school work.
Dress Code
How should I dress my child for school? Where will
they keep their backpack/coat?
Please dress your child in kindergarten-appropriate,
comfortable clothing that allows your child to freely move around and participate in all activities. Please
check the weather regularly so your child is dressed
appropriately for each season. It is recommended to
label all coats and sweaters. Each kindergarten classroom has either a closet or cubby space for students to keep their items during the school day.
This varies from building to building.
Lunch
Curriculum and Assessments
Will my child be able to buy lunch?
What will my child learn in kindergarten?
NPSD does not offer lunch for kindergarten students
except on early dismissal days. A letter will be sent
home to parents regarding more information about
lunch on early dismissal days.
Curriculum will be covered at Back-to-School Night in
September. Curriculum guides are available from the
district office, as well as on the NPSD website,
www.npenn.org, under the “For Families” tab.
How will I be informed of my child’s academic
performance?
Elementary progress is reported three times per year in
grades K-6: December, March and June. Art, music and
physical education will report grades only twice a year:
December and June. Report cards are issued
approximately 15 days after the close of each trimester.
A parent/teacher conference will be held in early
November. Information about conferences will be sent
to parents during the school year. While specific
reporting conferences are scheduled, parents are
encouraged to arrange for additional conferences with
their child’s teacher.
Breakfast may be purchased daily for AM kindergarten
students. Parents can prepay for breakfast through the
MyPayments Plus Program. Please visit the
www.mypaymentsplus.com website or contact NPSD
Nutrition Services Office at 215-853-1081 for more
information or to register an account.
The NPSD encourages its families to participate in the
Free and Reduced Meal Program. To see if you qualify,
please visit the NPSD website at www.npenn.org and
click on the “For Families” tab. Completed applications for the Free and Reduced Meal Program should be
returned to the NPSD School Nutrition Services
Department at 401 East Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA,
19446.
Recess
Special Needs Child
Will my child have recess time?
Who do I contact if my child has special needs?
Due to half-day kindergarten sessions, recess is held
at the discretion of your child’s teacher. The duration
and frequency of recess may vary.
Individual services and programs are available for
children who are determined to need specially
designed instruction due to the following conditions:
autism, blindness or visual impairment, deafness or
hearing impairment, intellectually disabled, multihandicapped, neurological impairment, other health
impairments, physical disability, serious emotional
disturbance, specific learning disability and speech and
language impairment. If you believe that your child may
be in need of special education services or related
programs, you may request a screening evaluation in
writing to the Director of Special Education and Student
Services at 401 East Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA,
19446. For additional information, please contact
215-853-1060.
Health
What health examinations are required and what types
of health tests are conducted throughout the
kindergarten year?
Your child will be required to complete both a physical
examination and dental examination and submit this
to his or her school nurse by October 15th. These can also
be conducted by the school doctor or dentist at the
school if you do not have a private physician or dentist.
Please contact the school nurse if this is the case.
In addition to the physical and dental examinations,
the school will also conduct height, weight, body mass
index (BMI) percentage, hearing and vision for all
kindergarten students.
I don’t have insurance. What are my options?
Pennsylvania’s Children’s Health Insurance Program
(CHIP) provides health insurance to all uninsured
children and teens who are not eligible for or enrolled
in Medical Assistance. No family makes too much
money for CHIP because there is no income limit.
Gifted Program
I believe my child should be in the gifted program.
NPSD offers services that are designed to meet the
unique needs of gifted students in grades K-12, if they
qualify as a result of the district’s gifted testing process.
If your child is thought to qualify for gifted services by
school personnel, you will be notified of the evaluation
and screening procedures. Parental requests for
screening and evaluation should be made in writing to
the Director of Special Education and Student Services
at 401 East Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA, 19446. For
additional information, please contact 215-853-1060.
Bus and Transportation Information
Having your child ride a school bus for the first time can be intimidating, for both you and your child. To ease your worries, we
have provided information on the kindergarten busing policy, as well as transportation guidelines for all students. These are
used to ensure that all students riding the bus are as safe as possible.
Kindergarten students have the opportunity to participate in the annual K-Day event held by the NPSD Transportation
Department in August. This event is designed to ease the anxiety that kindergarten and first grade students who have never
ridden the bus before (and their parents!) sometimes experience when they take that first ride on the big yellow bus. Participants
will be invited to explore the bus while NPSD bus drivers explain school bus facts and safety information. Students will be invited
to take a seat for a short ride around the neighborhood. The exciting day will wrap up with a safety video and the distribution of
information regarding bus tags, bus schedules, emergency phone numbers and day care locations. Dates will be mailed home to
kindergarten families around July 1st.
Kindergarten Busing Policy
All kindergarten routes will have a permanent driver and alternate driver assigned. Except under very rare circumstances, one
of these individuals will drive the run.
Both the driver and the alternate will attend kindergarten orientation at the beginning of each year. They will drive the bus
assigned to their particular route. Both will familiarize themselves with students, parents and stops for their particular run. Both
will practice the run before the opening of school. During the first week of school, the alternate will ride-a-long until he/she is
familiar with all students and stops.
All kindergarten students will be assigned the same bus stop each day of the week. The only exception will be special situations
as directed by the Coordinator of Transportation. A morning kindergarten student will not be dropped off at a stop unless there
is a parent or other responsible person present.
If no parent or responsible person is present, the bus driver will follow these procedures:
• Keep the child on the bus
• Call the office at 215-368-9807 and the office will attempt to locate a parent/guardian
• Return to the stop at the end of the run
Transportation Guidelines
Bus transportation will be provided to elementary students who reside in excess of one and one-half miles from the school and
to secondary students who reside in excess of two miles from the school.
Exceptions to the one and one-half and two-mile rule are made in situations where students must travel a PennDot certified
hazardous route. In this case, bus transportation will be provided.
Handicapped or special education students are transported according to arrangements made by the school district on a caseby-case basis.
If parents request to enroll their child in a school outside the designated attendance area, admission will be granted only if space
is available in the requested school. If approval is granted, parents must assume responsibility for transportation of the student
to and from the requested attendance area. An application by the parent for transfer of school attendance must be completed
by the parent and submitted to the Director of Elementary Education at 401 East Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA 19446.
Requests for transportation to daycare centers or babysitter locations must be submitted in writing to the elementary school the
child is attending and approved by the building principal and the transportation department. Daycare centers’ or babysitters’
residences must be located within the attending school zone boundaries. All locations for stops will be made in accordance with
established district guidelines.
If transportation arrangements are made to a daycare or babysitter location, such arrangements must be the same on all school
days. For example, one set of arrangements for Monday-Wednesday-Friday and another set of arrangements for TuesdayThursday will not be allowed. This is necessary to ensure the safe and secure transport of all students.
Family Friendly Schools
The North Penn School District encourages all families to support their child’s academic career and become engaged with their
child’s school. There are many programs and services in place that enhance communication and partnerships between the
school, staff and family. In addition, individual schools and the district provide programming to support families.
Family involvement in early childhood education often results in greater student success in school. With this in mind, focus
is placed both at the district and at the building level to provide transition opportunities for new, incoming kindergarten and
first grade students through open houses and new family orientations. NPSD staff members are always available to talk with
parents/guardians about a child’s progress. During the year, parents will be given progress reports and are invited to a parentteacher conference. However, if a problem or question arises, parents or teachers may request a conference as needed.
Child Readiness
The first five years of a child’s life is a critical time for their social, emotional and cognitive development. Children entering
school need to be ready to learn, thrive and succeed. The academic program for a child begins in kindergarten. If children are
able to enter kindergarten at the appropriate levels, they will be able to continue these successes through to graduation.
Meetings are regularly held with preschool/early childcare center directors and teachers to align curriculum between
preschool and kindergarten in North Penn. These meetings create a stronger understanding of what early childhood programs
should provide so that children are prepared for kindergarten and first grade instruction.
NPSD recognizes and supports families as their child’s first and best teacher. A focus on readiness skills will support early
learning and serve to prepare children for success in school and in life. Families can help by providing a safe environment with
proper health and nutrition, by sparking curiosity and creativity through play, and by using everyday moments to teach.
Tips to Help Your Child Succeed
Families and child care play an important role in the learning and growing processes of a young child, especially preparing
them for school. Some of these tips will provide you with tools necessary to feel confident that your child is well-prepared.
Explore Language
• Recognize words that rhyme
• Identify beginning sounds in
words like “s” in “sand”
• Recognize sounds in words like
“c” and “at” in “cat”
• Speak in complete sentences
• Listen while others speak
• Take turns using words to
communicate needs and wants
Get Ready to Read
• Hold a book
• Use their finger(s) to follow
words across a page (from left
to right and top to bottom)
• Match words in print with
spoken words
• Use pictures to tell what is
happening in the story
Pay Attention
• Listen in a group
• Follow directions and routines
• Be interested in learning
• Stay on task
• Clean up after work and play
Get Along with Others
• Express interest in other children
• Follow directions and routines
• Be interested in learning
• Respect others and property
• Display self-control
Know Letters, Numbers, Colors, Shapes
• Recognize name in print
• Write name (first letter uppercase,
followed by lower case letters)
• Recognize letters of the alphabet
• Recognize written numbers 1-10
• Differentiate between written
numbers and letters
• Count and write 1-10
• Count objects
• Identify and recognize colors, shapes
Be Safe by Knowing
• His/her address and telephone number
• Name of his/her school
• Bus pick-up and drop-off locations
• How to cross streets (look both ways and
cross at corners)
• How to contact a safe adult in emergency
How YOU Can Help Your Child:
• Show a safe way to walk to school and
where to cross the street
• Send your child to school at the same
time as other children
• Explain to your child that they should
come straight home from school and
don’t talk to strangers
• Provide a school bag for items to arrive
safely to/from school/home
• Model good health habits
Do Things Themselves
• Practice good hygiene
• Use buttons or zippers
• Practice playground and fire safety
• Dress and undress themselves
• Received plenty of rest
• Attempt to tie his/her own shoes
• Eat a good breakfast and lunch
• Use the bathroom and wash hands
• Dress appropriately for the weather
with minimal help
• Promote regular attendance
• Correct use and grip of pencils and
• Encourage your child to talk about his/her
scissors
experiences at school