North Penn Home and School Coordinating Council, Inc. Minutes
January 16th, 2013
The main objective of CC is to provide a forum for parents of the North Penn School District to exchange ideas and to
promote an ongoing relationship between the schools, administration, board and community.
Location: ESC
Member Organizations: A.M. Kulp; Bridle Path; General Nash; Gwynedd Square; Gwyn-Nor; Hatfield; Inglewood; Knapp;
Montgomery; North Wales; Oak Park; Walton Farm; York Avenue; Pennbrook; Penndale; Pennfield; North Penn HS; NP
Assoc. for Gifted Education; NP Athletic Alumni Assoc.; NP Booster Club; NPHS JROTC Squires; NP Music Aides; NP Special
Education Council; Students With Aspiring and Achievable Goals; Wrestling Parents.
Member Organizations represented: A.M. Kulp; Bridle Path; General Nash; Gwynedd Square; Hatfield; Inglewood; Knapp;
Montgomery; North Wales; Oak Park; Walton Farm; York Avenue; Pennbrook; Pennfield; North Penn HS; NP Special
Education Council.
Welcome –President Kathy Stella
Guest Speaker – Dr. Curtis Dietrich, Superintendent of Schools (dietricr@npenn.org)
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Summary: Dr. Dietrich discussed school security, the new advertising program and challenges facing the district in
next year’s budget.
Please see specific speaker notes attached below as an addendum following the Business Meeting minutes.
Coordinating Council Business Meeting
Meeting items
1. Approval of Minutes
 Minutes of the November 28, 2012, meeting was approved.
 Minutes can be found on www.npenn.org under For Families/Coordinating Council/CC Meeting Minutes.
2. Treasurer’s Report
 Current balance – $3084.90
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 No withdrawals were made.
 Deposits were entirely dues. Dues are still owed by York Avenue, SWAAG, NPAGE, and Music Aides.
Correspondence – None
 Please notify Wendy with Coordinating Council representative contact information if you did not receive
an email.
Old Business
 Young Authors
o Kulp is associating their event with the “Buy One Get One” Scholastic book sale. Students
interested in writing a story will meet in classrooms.
o Why all-day program was ended
 Only small number of students were supported
 Not an intervention program
 Some schools did not want to host the event
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o What to do about the money that was contributed for this year’s cancelled event?
 Kathy will discuss with Home and School presidents
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New Business
 Last day for students now June 19 to make up time lost due to Sandy.
 PSAT interpretation presentation – Wednesday, January 23, at High School
 6th grade math placement presentation for parents – Thursday, Janurary 24, Penndale Middle School
Level Reports
Ideas, Concerns, Comments and Announcements
 Oak Park
o Very low participation in electronic notifications
o Two-part sign up process is complicated for families
o Could the district do a mass load of all contact information at the beginning of the school year?
Families who want to participate would be able to sign up easier.
 NPAGE
o The February 7 meeting will feature Dr. Mary Ann Swiatek’s presentation of “Myths,
Misconceptions and Frequently Asked Questions about Academic Acceleration.” A panel of
North Penn elementary, middle school and high school parents will share their experiences. The
meeting starts at 7 pm in the ESC.
o “Super Saturday” program will be held on Saturday, March 16, at Penndale Middle School.
 York Avenue
o Uses Freddy Hill Farm for ice cream social due to discount
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned.
Next meeting of Coordinating Council will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013, at the Educational Services Center.
Please forward to Wendy Beatty-Burg (beattyburg@aol.com), Corresponding Secretary, any business items or questions
your organization would like to have placed on future agendas.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald Mackowiak
Recording Secretary
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Addendum:
Dr. Curtis Dietrich, Superintendent of Schools
 Make-up days for Sandy will be presented to School Board
o Last day of school for students will now be June 19.
o Graduation ceremony will not change.
o Teachers will have in-service day (Act 80) on Thursday before Easter.
o Since North Penn’s elementary and secondary students meet state requirements for curriculum
hours, the district is excused from the 180-day rule. This leaves students with only one of the
three lost days to make up.
o Hatfield Elementary students lost an extra day. North Penn has appealed to state for relief from
having students make up that day due to the circumstances (roof).
 2013-2014 calendar is currently under review
o School will not begin before Labor Day
o State legislature is considering a bill to forbid school districts from starting school before Labor
Day.
 Safe Schools
o Panel discussion with community was held on January 7, received good feedback.
o Safe Schools Coordinator Ray Wilson is conducting a current audit of safety in each building and
will report his findings to the NPSB Safe Schools Committee on January 31, at 6 pm in the ESC.
o Immediate steps taken to improve student safety:
 Extended Care programs require parents to buzz to gain access.
 Investigating the use of swipe cards for staff to access buildings
 Considering how to handle student access for before and after school activities
o Would community support a focused campaign by North Penn Educational Foundation to fund
needed security improvements for district schools? The foundation has expressed interest in
targeting a specific cause.
 Can alumni be targeted?
 Needs to be visible and easy for community to participate
 Can students fundraise for improvements at their schools? Employees may want to
participate.
o Questions:
 Does Towamincin Police have access to NPHS security cameras?
 Yes, all local police departments have access to district security cameras.
Previously, the district soliciter advised the district to avoid.
 Not all buildings have enough camera coverage.
 How does district handle a parent who has a criminal record? How is the parent
allowed to participate in school activities without creating a possible security threat?
 The district cannot prevent a parent from participating in their student’s
education.
 The district solicitor was consulted on how RAPTOR information is used.
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 Buildings have procedures to follow.
Advertising in Schools
o North Penn Advantage Program to solicit businesses for advertising and partnerships has been
drafted and is under review.
o Community Education has dedicated an individual to handle advertising program. District is
attempting to handle in-house before contracting with an outside firm.
o A focus group of businesses is evaluating proposed advertising rates.
o Questions
 Will district pay for school directories since they are listed as an advertising option?
 What kind of advertising will be allowed at elementary school events?
 Who has the final decision on advertising? Could a Home and School organization be
forced to have advertising at one of its events?
 To be determined
 Would a participating company be allowed to target advertising to only a portion of the
district?
 Has the district outlined goals for the advertising program?
 Should portions of the advertising revenue be earmarked for specific programs?
 Trademark North Penn logo?
 Advertising on sports uniforms?
2013-2014 Budget
o Process is underway
o School Board must enact Act 1 budget by February
 Application must be made for exemption from Act 1 tax rate increase limitation (1.7%)
 New method of calculation by state reduced the allowed rate increase
 Only two exemptions are allowed
 Costs of special education (NP could tax extra 0.25%)
 Pension costs (NP could tax extra 1.95%)
 School Board has applied for tax rate exemptions but has never used them.
o Governor Colbert will make his proposal for the state education budget, and the legislature will
consider it as part of the overall budget process. Budget is due by June 30. School districts are
left to wait to see what results.
o The literacy grant iPads were only used half the school day. Brett expanded the program to
allow grades 4-6 to use the iPads the remainder of the school day.
o State pension program is draining district funds
 Current program is a defined benefit system that guarantees participant a fixed
payment once they retire
 Pension fund is only 65% funded.
 School districts are not hiring.
 Baby boom is retiring.
 Low investment returns
 Pension participants are living longer.
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The 12% contribution made by NPSD last year should have been 23%, but the legislature
reduced the requirement. Payment will by 17% next year on district’s $115 million
payroll.
 NPSD has money set aside with the aid of savings in other areas:
 Energy program and a mild winter reduced fuel costs.
 Self-insured health insurance program
o Prescription benefit costs continue to increase. The district accepts bids each year. This will
come up in the next teachers’ contract.
o District is entering 5th and final year of teachers’ contract.
 Teachers will receive 2.5% increase in salary schedule
 Steps 11-16 have large increases
 Total increase is approx 4.9%
 Other district employee contracts have included salary freezes
o District has made most of the easy cuts to reduce costs. Instruction has not been affected.
Further cuts will be more difficult.
o Cost reductions in the Transportation Department has the potential to save the district money.
 Bell schedule may need to be adjusted. The current schedule has 3 tiers of transport
that are uneven and require different numbers of drivers.
 High School – 59 buses
 Middle School – 100 buses
 Elementary School – 90 buses
 Schedule would be more cost-effective if each tier used same number of drivers.
o Most energy savings have been maximized.
 District has converted to natural gas wherever possible.
Charter Schools
o School Board will vote on all 3 submissions on February 12.
o Dr. Dietrich has concerns with all 3 applications.
o Harrisburg is currently pro-charter school. The charter appeal board has overruled district
decisions in the last 3 appeals brought before it.
Elementary math program must be updated
o Current Everyday Math curriculum will not meet new common core standards
o New math textbooks for elementary schools would cost $600,000.
Student triathalon
o Back on schedule with new funding
o Good place to “pass the bucket” for security fundraising?
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