Bulletin Board May 2026

Hello North Penn Families and Community,

My mom is a retired middle school science teacher and while I never got to see her teach in a classroom setting, I do recall times growing up when we’d run into her students and their families in the grocery store. Every time that happened, what struck me was how excited those kids were to see her and tell her about what was going on in their lives while they engaged in a quick but meaningful conversation in the produce aisle. Inevitably, as we continued our own shopping and during the car ride home, she would tell me about each of the kids and what their stories were. What was evident to me in those brief glimpses into my mom’s life as a teacher was that she truly knew her students and recognized their individuality.

It is this relationship between educator and student that I have found to be so important for my own kids' experiences in North Penn and makes me glad that we get to start the month of May with Teacher Appreciation Week. While we should always recognize and acknowledge the amazing work the more than 1,000 teachers do for our students in North Penn, it’s at least one week we can really lift them up and show our thanks to educators for all they do to ensure our students thrive in school. Thank you teachers!

In North Penn, we get to see our educators, staff, and volunteers create learning opportunities and experiences for our students that help them thrive, achieve, and contribute to our communities. This month we saw our physical education teachers and over 300 volunteers host the North Penn Triathlon where more than 1,900 students swam, biked, and ran their way to feats of personal success. We also saw our students and educators build connections in and with the larger North Penn community. In May our art teachers coordinated a student art showcase in partnership with the North Wales library and throughout the month, students from a number of musical ensembles have been performing at the North Penn Commons. Whether on the athletic field, in the library, or on the stage, these moments beautifully capture the vibrant, supportive spirit that defines North Penn.

North Penn Proposal to Create a “Department of Public Safety”

Finally, I’d like to raise the topic of a district proposal to create a “Department of Public Safety.” This past fall, the North Penn administration recommended a structural reorganization of our district's Office of Safe Schools & Emergency Management into a newly envisioned Department of Public Safety. This proposal introduced a comprehensive public safety model that would include armed School Police Officers.

Though the vote was tabled at the time, the Board may vote on this reorganization prior to the start of the school year. Because of this, I am deeply committed to hearing directly from members of the North Penn community to understand your perspectives, ideas, and questions before any final decisions are made.

To create an opportunity to hear directly from you, a few of my fellow Board Directors and I will host an independent, informal community engagement event to connect directly with our neighbors. It is not an official school district event, nor is it an official, voting meeting of the full Board of School Directors. Rather, it is a dedicated, casual opportunity for us to sit down together, listen to your feedback, and understand your viewpoints on how we can best support the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Join Us for an Informal Community Dialogue Event

To provide a space for open dialogue and to hear directly from you regarding these materials and the overarching plan, we are hosting an independent gathering:

• When: Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

• Where: North Penn Educational Services Center (ESC) Building (401 E Hancock Street, Lansdale, PA 19446) in Conference Room B

• RSVP: To ensure we can accommodate all interested participants, we ask that community members RSVP here. Please RSVP by June 3, 2026.

  
  

Publicly Available Resources

The administration has previously shared information regarding this proposal. To ensure our dialogue is as informed as possible, I encourage you to review these publicly available resources before attending and to learn more about this topic:

• School Board Worksession Video: You can watch the public presentation of this recommendation and the subsequent board discussion on YouTube via NPTV's School Board Worksession (11-11-25). Note: The district presentation begins at approximately the 24 minute mark.

• Slide Presentation: The actual slides detailing the comprehensive safety layers, legal requirements, and budgetary impacts are available to read in full via the Safe Schools Committee Public Safety Presentation PDF on the district's webpage.

• "Superintendent Live" Special Edition Video: For a more conversational look at the plan, you can watch the Facebook Live broadcast on YouTube via NPTV's Superintendent Live - Special Edition (10-2-25). In this session, Superintendent Dr. Todd Bauer and Coordinator of Emergency Management & Safe Schools Brandon Rhone address live community questions regarding the day-to-day realities of the proposal.

  
  

Whether you are a North Penn family member, a staff member, a student, or a resident, your voice is essential as we look toward the future of North Penn. We hope you will consider stopping by to share your thoughts with us. You can also share your perspectives with the entire North Penn School Board via email at “_npschoolboard@npenn.org” or reach out to us individually via email (our individual email addresses can be found on the district website).

Again, if you’d like to attend the community dialogue event on June 4, please RSVP here.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership, your engagement, and your shared dedication to making our district a safe and welcoming place for all. We hope you and your families have a wonderful start of the summer!

Sincerely,

Dr. Mark Teoh
NPSD Board of School Directors