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DIST RICT- WIDE HIGHL IGHT
NPHS Technology education teacher
Michael Boyer received the prestigious
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Teacher Excellence Award from the International
Technology Education Association. Boyer was
also named a recipient of the MIT Excite Award.
NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT
2008 | 2009
ANNUAL REPORT
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E A T N E S S.
LETTER FROM YOUR
SUPERINTENDENT
AND BOARD OF
SCHOOL DIRECTORS
Dear Community,
The 2008-2009 school year was Year One
of the implementation of the North Penn
School District’s strategic plan for the years
2008 through 2014. Last year’s challenge of
dreaming big proved to be successful in
achieving greatness in all facets of the district.
For example, the North Penn School District
continued its upward trend for overall
achievement results, with student scores
on the Pennsylvania System of School
Assessment (PSSA) reaching record levels for
math, reading and science. Specific subgroups
have significantly increased scores over recent
years. Other impressive results will be shared
with you, such as the first elementary school
to achieve 100 percent proficiency in a subject.
As Superintendent of the North Penn School
District and President of the Board of School
Directors, we encourage you to read further
and discover for yourself the many
accomplishments this district, and its staff
and students, have achieved over this year.
The results and highlights you will read about
would not have been possible without the
visionary ideas of dreaming big, coupled with
hard work and dedication.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Hassler Ed.D.,
SUPERINTENDENT
NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT
The idea of open communication using the
most current technology continues to be
emphasized. We need our parents and community
to not only be involved, but be engaged in the
education of our students. Consequently, the
more you know, the more you can help us. To
that end, you will see an expanded website and
use of social networking tools such as Twitter.
DR
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Vincent Sherpinsky,
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT
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Student Achievement
Proficiency
P RO F ICIE NCY IN SCIE NCE
Setting and reaching goals is the standard in
the North Penn School District. In the 2008-2009
school year, we continued our upward trend
for overall achievement results, with students’
scores on the Pennsylvania System of School
Assessment (PSSA) reaching record levels for
math, reading and science.
North Wales Elementary School was
the first school to achieve 100 percent
proficiency in a subject (science).
Math results have increased for the seventh
straight year while reading results have increased in six out of seven years, demonstrating the
outstanding job of staff and administration throughout the district. In the area of Special Education
in particular, there has been multi-year positive trends for both math (up 5 percent in the past three
years to 75 percent) and reading (up 9 percent in the last three years to 61 percent).
At the elementary school level, NPSD students now exceed the 90 percent proficient threshold
in math (a record high of 92 percent) and science (94 percent). NPSD students also reached a
record high of 85 percent in reading.
At the secondary level, NPSD middle schools received record high
results for all four tested subjects (math, science, reading and
writing). In addition, the Special Education subgroup at the middle
school level increased its math scores from 46 percent in 2005-2006 to
60 percent in 2008-2009. Overall, North Penn High School maintained
its achievement level in math.
PROFICIENCY IN M ATH
The sixth grade class of Gwynedd
Square Elementary School was
100 percent proficient in the subject
of math.
North Penn Achievement Results (% Proficient)
90%
85%
80%
75%
70%
65%
60%
55%
50%
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
Math
Reading
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Stretch Learning
The NPSD Strategic Plan states that by 2014 the majority of NPSD students will be enrolled and
succeeding in the most challenging courses provided by the school district. Both teachers’
expectations for student success and learning opportunities will be expanded.
During 2008-2009, we continued our efforts to condense levels in the middle schools. By eliminating
the 4.0 level courses, students were moved into higher level courses where they succeeded.
We continue to work to increase the number of students enrolled in honor level courses throughout
their school career.
Advanced Placement Program
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses which are often the most advanced
courses offered in high school. These courses are known to be academically challenging and can,
with adequate results on the culminating examinations, translate into college credit and possible
advanced standing for our graduates.
Additionally, because enrollment in these courses is highly regarded by college admission officers,
strong students are encouraged to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, as well as succeed on the
Advanced Placement examinations.
Recently, the district has focused on offering additional AP courses and encouraging students with
the potential of succeeding in these courses to enroll. Currently, NPHS offers 21 Advanced Placement
courses covering all eligible subject areas. Students are encouraged to take the corresponding AP
exam and, as a result of recent policy changes, most do.
These efforts have paid dividends. The total number of students participating in AP courses has
increased from 166 in 1998-99 to 489 in 2008-09, which is an increase of 195 percent. In 1998-99,
284 tests were taken; in 2008-09, our students took 952 exams – an increase of 235 percent. While the
greater proportion of our students are taking AP exams, the overall scores have maintained their high
level with 88 percent of exams taken receiving scores which would be considered for advanced credit.
Curriculum-Instruction-Assessment
NPSD is committed to providing high quality educators who have the skills necessary to deliver
an exemplary education, analyze student needs and modify instruction as needed. To that end,
NPSD has implemented a Data Walk model to regularly monitor instruction at the classroom level.
In 2008-2009, more than 12,000 data walks were conducted by the administrative team and
100 percent of staff met professional portfolio requirements.
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Achievement Gap
Great strides were made in the 2008-2009 school year to address achievement needs in NPSD’s
subgroup populations. In particular, at NPHS, efforts included a Fishbowl Forum where Black/
African American parents, students and staff members talked about the issues they face. Facilitated
by an outside consultant, the forums opened channels of communication and many eyes to the
needs of this student population. Out of this work grew the SWAAG network (Students with Aspiring
and Achievable Goals). This parent support group has planned multiple activities for students and
their families to improve engagement and, consequently, achievement.
Due to all the hard work focused in this area, NPHS is pleased to announce that its Black/African
American subgroup increased percent proficient in reading from 53 percent to 71 percent and that
this subgroup made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the subjects of both math and reading.
NPSD recognizes there are many more subgroups in many more schools. We are working to address
the needs at every level to meet our goal that ALL students will perform at the proficient or advanced
level, as measured by the PSSA, by 2014.
EA R LY CH ILD H OOD ED UC ATION AT NPS D
For pre-school outreach efforts, the
Early Education
Montgomery County Child Care Consortium
recognized NPSD as a Champion for
Identifying and addressing
student needs in the primary
Early Childhood Education.
grades is crucial to their future
academic success throughout
their school career. Through
partnerships with pre-kindergarten providers, intervention
programs and extended kindergarten opportunities, NPSD is
well on its way of meeting its 2014 goal of 100 percent of students
completing second grade performing at the proficient or advanced
levels in reading and math.
Results for the 2008-2009 school year show that 91 percent of first and second grade students were at
the proficient or advanced levels in math and reading.
In addition, NPSD met with pre-school providers during the year to help them better understand NPSD
curriculum and expectations. A highlight of this outreach was Kulp Elementary School staff members
visiting with staff and parents at Trinity Lutheran Church Pre-School in Lansdale.
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Transitions
During the 2008-2009 school year, NPSD began to track student performance in grades seven and ten
specifically to see how students are adjusting from elementary to middle level, and middle to high
school level. These results indicated a need for standard transition guidelines for each elementary
and middle school, as well as the high school. Already during this school year, a committee has been
formed to track student performance by marking period, solicit student and parent feedback and meet
with guidance counselors. All of this information will then be used to form a district-wide transition
plan that includes ways to measure successful student transitions.
WRITING AWA R D S
T RANSIT IONS IN FAMILY INVOLV EMENT
Oak Park Elementary School’s Family Engagement Team was
awarded the Nicholas Cericola Memorial Award for outstanding
accomplishments in the area of Family Involvement.
• The NPHS Technology Student Association team won
the National Championship in the Architectural Model
competition at the National Conference in Orlando, FL.
• North Penn High School proudly recognized 14 semifinalists,
14 finalists, 28 commended students and two scholarship winners
in the 2008-2009 National Merit Scholarship Competition.
• NPHS students were recognized by Penn State University
for their excellence in writing for the annual essay contest
hosted by the university.
M U S I C EDUCAT ION AT NP SD HONORE D
Four NPHS seniors received
an “Achievement Award in
Writing” from the National
Council of Teachers of English.
S PORTS AC OLA D ES
NPHS Boys’ Cross Country Team won its second
consecutive PIAA Championship, repeated its
District One Championship and came out the
Suburban One League Continental Conference
champion.
The NPHS Cheerleading team won the Suburban
One Championship, took the District One
Title and placed first at the State Champion
Cheerleading Competition. In addition, the
team was recognized as Grand Champions
at the National Cheerleading Championship.
The North Penn School District was honored by the
NAMM Foundation as one of the best communities
for music education, which acknowledges schools
and districts across the nation for their commitment
and support of music education in schools.
Northbridge Boys’ Basketball Team captured
the championship game in the Alternative
School Basketball League in April.
NPHS Boys’ Baseball team won the
Pennsylvania State Championships.
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The North Penn Marching Knights achieved recognition
as the United States Scholastic Bands Association
Group 5 Northern States Champion, was twice selected by
the United States Marine Corps for the prestigious Esprit de
Corps Award, and won the United States Scholastic Band
Association Group 5 20th Anniversary Competition.
H I G H S C H O O L F BL A ST UDE NT S WIN BIG
• NPSD middle school students received high
accolades at the Delaware Valley Science
Fair and the Montgomery County Science
Research Competition.
• The Bridle Path/Montgomery Elementary
Select String Ensemble was the only elementary
group requested to perform at the 62nd
Annual Midwest Clinic in December of 2008.
• Matt Connelly’s third grade class at Oak Park Elementary
School was recognized as the top-scoring third grade class in
the nation for the First in Math competition.
NPHS Future Business Leaders of America
(FBLA) students qualified for the National
FBLA Competition after winning big at the
Pennsylvania State Conference.
• The NPHS Academic Decathlon team placed fourth in the
Pennsylvania State Competition.
• NPHS graduate Emma Ricciardi was selected as one of four
winners in the Pennsylvania state writing contest entitled,
“Me? A School Librarian?” sponsored by the Pennsylvania
School Librarians Association (PSLA).
• NPHS students Jennifer Sense and Ryann
Biedlingmaier were honored as recipients of the
Montgomery County School Nurses’ Association
$1,000 scholarship competition.
GEOGRA PH IC B EE C OM PETITION
Gwynedd Square Elementary
• NPHS student Zac Nees placed first in the
one meter springboard event at the Junior
East Diving Championships in Knoxville, TN.
• NPHS student Brett Prestia was recognized as a
Distinguished Finalist of the Prudential Spirit of
Community Award, a nationwide program
honoring young people for outstanding acts of
volunteerism. NPHS graduate Victoria Solomon earned a finalist
position in the 21st Class of the Coca-Cola Scholars program for
her academic excellence, school leadership and community
involvement. NPHS students Stephanie La and Jingru Huang were
selected as recipients of the 2009 Won Community Service Center
Scholarship, given by the Won Buddhism of Philadelphia/Won
Community Service Center Scholarship Committee.
• The NPSD Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program was selected
as the Unit 1 Program of the Month for its outstanding achievement
in motivating children to read.
School student, Amit Mallik,
qualified for the state level of the
National Geographic Bee.
TEA MWORK WOR K S FOR ROB OTIC S
The Oak Park Elementary School
fourth grade robotics team competed
against 38 teams, ranging from fourth
to ninth grades, and received first
place in the Teamwork category of
the competition.
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Safe, Healthy, & Orderly Environment
School Nutrition
P RO M I S I N G P R ACT ICE DE SIGNAT ION
The North Wales Elementary School
The district’s School Nutrition Services staff spent the 2008-2009 school
year listening to their customers—NPSD students! Menu committees
at each school were implemented or re-energized to provide ideas
and guidance to district administration in terms of menu selection,
customer service, price and quality. The results are in as we succeeded
in stabilizing our participation which allowed us to maintain lunch
prices at the same level for 2009-2010.
Health Council (comprised of students,
families and staff) was designated
as a Promising Practice and
presented at the Keystone Health
Promotion Conference.
Cultural Competency
NPSD is diligently working to ensure all staff members possess the understanding and apply the essential
elements of cultural competency. As our student population grows, so must our understanding of other cultures.
In the 2008-2009 school year, several efforts were taken in the area of cultural competency. The Partners
in Equity (PIE) Committee continued to meet and work on its goals in the areas of communication,
hiring, training and curriculum.
Accomplishments include the creation
of a “Please Translate” form that is
attached to all important documents
NPSD Enrollment by Ethnicity, 2008-2009
that are sent home to families. The
form reads Please Translate in over
20 languages. Also, cultural competency
.1%
workshops, forums and study groups
17.7%
were conducted for staff, administrators
American
and community members, a check-list
Indian
was created to ensure diversity across
Asian
the curriculum and a resource guide
7.3%
Black/Africanwas created for all families.
71.4%
3.5%
American
Latino/Hispanic
White
Languages spoken in NPSD include:
English, Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi,
Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.
S A F E , H E A LT H Y &
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School Rules
Multiple surveys tell NPSD that rules between schools and within schools need to be improved for
consistency and fairness, as this is essential to maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment.
In the 2008-2009 school year, baseline perceptual data was collected from NPSD staff and time was
spent with students at every level discussing the same question and how to improve consistency.
By 2014, NPSD’s goal is for 100 percent of discipline practices to be consistently applied.
Safe Schools
Major strides were taken in ensuring the safety and well-being of our students this past school year.
First, a full-time Safe Schools Coordinator position was established to develop district-wide safety
programs and emergency drills, and to act as a liaison with the police departments covering NPSD’s
seven municipalities. Also, a major change during the year included the addition of the Raptor
System at all secondary schools. Raptor is a system which scans the driver’s license of each school
visitor for criminal records. At the elementary level, buzzer systems were added so that all visitors
must be approved and the door unlocked before they enter.
In the 2008-2009 school year, the Olweus Bullying Prevention program was successfully piloted
in Knapp and Bridle Path elementary schools and Penndale Middle School. The staff and students
participated in full-day kick-off events, which included assembly programs, classroom meetings
and signing a whole-school pledge. During this upcoming school year, 2009-2010, the Olweus
Program will be implemented at Kulp, Nash and York Avenue elementary schools, and Pennfield
and Pennbrook middle schools.
ENERGY STA R AWAR D S
2
Bridle Path Elementary School and
Gwynedd Square Elementary School
received Energy Star Awards.
Environmental Stewardship
NPSD made great strides in cutting energy costs and promoting resource conservation. Two elementary
schools received Energy Star Awards from the US Government for their improvement and stewardship
in the area of energy savings. Efforts throughout the district included switching to energy saving light
bulbs, closing buildings when not in use and recycling.
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Organizational Effectiveness
Department Improvement
N P S D G OA L S IN T E CHNOLOGY
An example of department goals are
Technology’s: GOAL #1: Each Technology
Department member will be a
technology ambassador for the district
and the community; and GOAL #2: Each
Technology Department member
NPSD is committed to continuous improvement and uses
the Baldrige Quality model as its roadmap. The Department
Improvement Advisory Committee (DIAC) was established during
the 2008-2009 school year as yet another method to strengthen
the operational side of the school district. Departments and job
categories, including school nutrition services, transportation,
secretaries, the Educational Services Center, classroom assistants
and security, worked on department goals to improve their
organizational effectiveness.
will work to improve communication
through collaboration and interaction.
The Technology Department has
scheduled meetings throughout the
year to work on meeting its goals.
N o rt h P e n n h a s s t e a d i ly i n c re a s e d i ts
student proficiency over the past 10 years
t h ro u g h t h e i m p l e m e n tat i o n o f
“ E f f e c t i v e S c h o o l s .”
Effective Schools
On the educational side, the Effective Schools model is the foundation for continuous improvement
efforts. Over 30 years ago, researchers identified the common characteristics of successful schools—
schools where all children learn at higher levels than their counterparts. Since implementing
Effective Schools almost 10 years ago, North Penn has seen a steady increase in student proficiency.
Each school is organized around the seven Correlates of Effective Schools, which are: Safe and
Orderly Environment; Climate of High Expectations for Student Success; Instructional Leadership;
Clear and Focused Mission; Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task; Frequent Monitoring of
Student Progress; and Home School Relations.
Over the years, these correlates have given rise to and addressed issues such as student bullying
programs, Family Friendly Schools, building goals, enrichment programs, closing the gap programs
and instructional improvement efforts.
Correlate teams in each building address issues that pertain to each of the correlates. An Effective
Schools Advisory Council comprised of staff members from each of the district’s 18 buildings meets
regularly to discuss various issues surrounding educational and instructional programs. Each year,
representatives from each correlate team meet to discuss and share correlate programs and challenges.
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Quality Improvement Process
The NPSD Quality Improvement Team (QIT) consists of staff members from various departments,
buildings and job categories. QIT’s purpose is to identify areas of need in all functions of the school
district and assess the progress in meeting those needs. QIT is also charged with monitoring the
status of the district’s Strategic Plan. During the 2008-2009 school year, district personnel were
selected to speak locally and nationally highlighting NPSD’s successes in improving student learning
through the use of quality tools. By 2014, NPSD’s goal is to earn recognition as a quality educational
organization by state and national organizations.
In addition to the continuous improvement that the district has experienced in the area of student
achievement, North Penn has embarked on a journey of quality improvement aligned to the
operations of the district. For the past two years, a 20-plus member committee of staff representing
all employee groups has utilized the Baldrige Quality Model to improve operations and processes
across the district.
Work is focusing on:
• Tracking organizations’ budgetary, financial and market results, assessing their use of resources
and their market challenges and opportunities;
• Exploring methods to more effectively demonstrate that the organization values all its employees
and is committed to their satisfaction, development and well-being; and
• Achieving organizational effectiveness and process efficiency by developing and tracking key
operational performance measures that are relevant and important to the organization.
Through QIT work, the district has identified the following areas that are being addressed in
conjunction with the Strategic Plan goal of Operational Effectiveness:
• Deploying a leadership training program that focuses on employee engagement, efficiency,
and servant leadership;
• Standardizing a process and corresponding timeline to communicate key decisions that affect
employees;
• Creating a district-wide timeline for standardized surveys;
• Defining and implementing a support staff professional development plan;
• Defining and instituting a more robust workforce recognition system; and
• Deploying the Process Improvement Model which will ensure that existing and new processes,
programs and initiatives follow agreed upon implementation steps.
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EFFECTIVENESS
Fair & Equitable Budget Process
NPSD is proud that it once again delivered a high-quality education at a low cost to taxpayers.
The district’s tax increase for the 2008-2009 school year was once again one of the lowest in
Montgomery County. Out of 22 school districts, NPSD was the fifth lowest millage. Working
with the NPSD Board of School Directors, the tax increase was at the state index of 4.4 percent,
while keeping our cost per student at $14,381, the fifth lowest in Montgomery County.
North Penn School District Financial Summary
FOR THE 2008-2009 SC H O O L Y EA R*
Total Revenues
$
• The Board of School Directors refinanced
two bond issues for a savings of $700,000.
Revenues
Local Revenue Sources
State Revenue Sources
Federal Revenue Sources
Other Revenue Sources
North Penn School District:
Commited to Fiscal Responsibility
$152,391,519
$31,937,089
$4,325,168
$1,050,219
$189,703,995
• Significantly reduced overtime hours by
flexing peoples’ schedules.
• The Board of School Directors reduced
banking risks during this economic time
by diversifying depository accounts.
PROGRA M RESTR UC TUR ING
Expenditures
Brought several special education
Instruction
$114,000,491
Support Services
$58,315,451
Non-instructional Services
$2,344,552
Other Financing Uses
$13,392,886
Total Expenditures
Ending Unrestricted Fund
Balance as of June 30, 2009
* Unaudited Results
programs in-house to save
more than $500,000 in costs.
$188,053,380
• More than $700,000 in ACCESS funds were
acquired through Medicaid funds.
$11,588,967
• Reduced energy usage 4.6 percent throughout the
school district through the Energy Star program.
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Where Your Taxes Go
• NPSD saved more than $85,000 in energy
costs during the summer by allowing 12-month
employees to work longer days. This enabled
buildings to close either at noon on Fridays
or be closed all day. Longer hours Monday
through Thursday ensured the community
needs were still being met.
The NPSD Board of School Directors
continues to provide a financially
responsible approach to spending. While
there are many expenses related to the
operation of the district including salaries,
maintenance and debt service, the Board
works very hard with the administration
to ensure the greatest percentage of
monies are allocated to those areas that
most directly influence student learning.
8%
31%
ST R E A M L INING BUS ROUT E S
To be more efficient and to save costs
61%
associated with fuel and staffing, bus
routes and bus stops were streamlined
by approximately 200 stops.
Classroom Instructional Expenses: 61%
Teachers and Assistants | Textbooks and Materials | Supplies
Classroom Support Expenses: 31%
SUPPORT SERVICES CENTER SAVES SPACE
Student Services »
Guidance | Library | Curriculum Development
The Support Services Center operated
its first year as a true warehouse
Transportation | Health Services | Technology
Operational Leadership »
Administration | Business Office | Human Resources
and allowed NPSD to purchase in
Utility Costs | Maintenance
bulk quantities.
Other: 8%
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Quality Workforce
Professional Development
To continuously improve as a school district, NPSD must invest in its employees. During the
2008-2009 school year, educators received 92,000 hours of training on topics such as technology,
effective instruction, instructional strategies and more. Surveying of staff is also important to ensure
what is provided meets the needs of our staff.
In addition to our teaching staff, much work was done this year defining a professional development
plan for the district’s 1,000-plus educational support personnel and approximately 60 administrators.
Formal training plans have never existed in NPSD for these two groups and the survey findings are
helping to draft plans beginning in the year 2009-2010.
S U P E R INT E NDE NT S’ HONOR ROL L
Each year, district staff members nominate
their coworkers for the Superintendent’s
A survey conducted in the spring of 2009 found that
support staff want training in the following areas: job
specific skills, technology, working with challenging people
and emergency preparedness. Two days have been set
aside during the 2009-2010 school year to address these
areas and further engage this important segment of staff.
Honor Roll Award. This award recognizes
North Penn employees for their commitment,
dedication and service to the school district.
The 2008 recipients were:
Don Ryan –
NPHS Athletic Director
Dr. Davis Giersch –
NPHS Choral Director and Music Teacher
(retired June 2009)
Marilyn Loeffler –
Hatfield Elementary School ELL Teacher
Joe O’Brien –
Pennbrook Middle School
English Teacher and Drama Director
Nancy Adelman –
Inglewood Elementary School Math Assistant
Shirley Higgins –
Penndale Middle School
Special Education Assistant
Workforce Engagement
Research finds that employees who feel valued by their
organization and feel a connection to their coworkers and
organizational goals are more engaged and, consequently,
more productive. Several steps were taken last year to
further employee engagement.
From staff nights at the Philadelphia Phillies and Wings
sporting events to employee breakfasts and recognition
receptions, thousands of employees participated in
activities to bring staff together in an environment outside
work. These planned events give administration and the
Board of School Directors an opportunity to thank staff
and acknowledge their contribution to the district’s success.
The strategic plan goal for 2014 is for 95 percent of NPSD
staff to agree or strongly agree that they are engaged,
as measured by the staff survey.
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Leadership
An effective organization develops leadership skills at all levels. A good leader is always learning how
to better support its employees and programs. NPSD strives to foster servant-leaders who achieve
results by giving priority attention to the needs of their colleagues and those they serve.
Recruitment and Hiring Practices/Diverse Workforce
Hiring the right people is critical to the success of a school district. From teachers and nurses,
to bus drivers and technology specialists, to principals and custodians, schools are people-driven
and supported. During the 2008-2009 school year, North Penn hired
over 100 employees to fill vacant positions and conducted more than
1,000 interviews out of approximately 3,500 applicants. To ensure
“VOIC ES OF INS PIR ATION” AWA R D
diverse candidates, more than 10 job fairs were attended.
Currently, there are over 2,000 employees in the North Penn School
District making it one of the largest organizations in the North Penn
community. This number includes both part-time and full-time
personnel and is comprised of approximately 1,000 teachers,
1,000 educational support staff and 60 administrators.
PO L I C E R E C O G N I T I ON OF NP SD SAF E SCHOOL S
Gwynedd Square Elementary School principal
Lou Ann Justice was the recipient of an award
from the Upper Gwynedd Police Department
for her efforts regarding Safe Schools.
• NPHS Boys’ Cross
Country Coach, Ron Jaros,
was named as the
Pennsylvania Track
& Field Coaches
Association (PTFCA)
Coach of the Year.
• Renovations at Kulp
Elementary School
continued and work
began at North Wales
Elementary School.
• The NPSD Educational Foundation celebrated its 20th Anniversary.
• The NPSD Family Welcome Center opened at the Educational
Services Center. The only one-of-its-kind in the Philadelphia area,
the center houses district and community resources for families
and provides a lending library and computer access.
Deb Buckner, Gwynedd Square
Elementary School Health and
Physical Education teacher,
received the Freedom Credit Union’s
“Voices of Inspiration” Award for
teacher excellence.
OUTSTA ND ING INSTR UC TOR AWA R D
NPHS Chief Master Sergeant Air
Force Junior Reserve Office Training
Corps (AFJROTC) instructor
Doris Sullivan was recognized as
a 2009 Outstanding Instructor Award
Winner for exemplifying the very
best of the Air Force and continuing
to make the AFJROTC a success in
the North Penn community.
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT
PAID
401 E. Hancock St. | Lansdale, PA 19446-3960
www.npenn.org
www.twitter.com/npsd
Lansdale, PA 19446
Permit No. 286
BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Vincent Sherpinsky
sherpiva@npenn.org
VICE PRESIDENT
Timothy Kerr
MEMBERS
Donald Hill
Stephen Hladik
Rick Miniscalco
Frank O’Donnell
Theresa Prykowski
John Schilling
Joseph Walsh
NPSD
SUPERINTENDENT
Robert D. Hassler, Ed.D.
hasslerd@npenn.org
N P S D A S S I S TA N T
SUPERINTENDENT
Curtis R. Dietrich, Ed.D.
dietricr@npenn.org
Produced by the NPSD
Office of School and
Community Engagement
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E A T N E S S
LOCA L TA X B AS E
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NPSD strives to keep property tax increases to a
minimum. In fact, the average annual property tax
increase in the district from 2005 to 2008 was $95.
Local taxes fund 81 percent of NPSD’s budget. The majority of
these funds - 86 percent - come from property taxes because
our earned income tax is capped at ½ of one percent. Present economic conditions are causing the growth of our real
estate tax base to stagnate and earned income tax collection
is lower this year than last because of unemployment and
frozen salaries. Any decrease in EIT collections may translate
directly into increases in property taxes.
The next few years, however, will be more challenging for
NPSD as well as every school district in Pennsylvania due
to the recession and its impact on property values and
new development in our communities. Additionally:
LOOK ING A H EA D
District Financial Outlook
• The state of Pennsylvania may face multi-billion dollar
deficits over the next several years.
• Receipt of the federal government’s $1.3 million in
economic stimulus for school districts is not guaranteed,
and, if it is dispersed, it will run out at the end of 2010.
• The Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement
System’s (PSERS) fund is running multi-billion dollar
deficits. This could increase local (school district)
contributions into the fund in future years.
North Penn maintains the third lowest cost per student ratio
among all school districts in Montgomery County. We believe
this is a reflection of good fiscal management and take pride
in the value our taxpayers get for their money.
NPSD projects that over the next two years our budget could
grow to $205,275,302 for next year and $207,760,358 for the
year after. NPSD, as always, will scrutinize every penny it
spends to maintain low taxes. Hard decisions will be made
to ensure money is spent on those needs that continue the
quality of excellence for which North Penn is known.