Bulletin Board November 2025
The North Penn School Board welcomes questions and feedback from the community. To that end, community members may email the entire board at _npschoolboard@npenn.org. If you would like to contact a specific board member via email, please visit our website to find contact information.
Board Members
Juliane Ramić, Vice President
Christian D. Fusco
Elisha K. Gee, Ed.D.
Jonathan M. Kassa
Timothy MacBain
Al Roesch
Kunbi Rudnick
Tina Stoll
Letter to the Community
Dear North Penn Community,
As my fellow NPSB Director Jonathan Kassa, Christian Fusco, and I conclude our tenure on the board, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who have made the past eight years an experience I will forever look back on with pride and appreciation.
To the NPSD Staff:
Over the years, we have had the privilege of meeting so many of you. To say that we appreciate the work you do to make North Penn the welcoming, student-centered district it is would be an understatement. Whether you are a teacher, special education assistant, nurse, cafeteria worker, security team member, bus driver, counselor, facilities crew member, secretary, or administrator- we THANK YOU. Your dedication is the foundation of our district’s success.
Together, since 2018, we have accomplished a great deal, including:
Implementing full-day kindergarten
Establishing the property tax rebate program for eligible seniors
Renovating Knapp Elementary School and Crawford Stadium
Implementing the use of therapy dogs
Negotiating two early-bird contracts with our unions
Retaining and upgrading our bus fleet to an 80% clean-energy propane fleet
Posting all school board meeting videos online for increased transparency
Completing a comprehensive policy review
Advancing restorative practices
Supporting the Youth Aid Panel
Significantly expanding dual-enrollment opportunities
Implementing the CHIP Internship Program
Implementing STEAM education in our elementary curriculum
Establishing a medical center for staff, improving care and saving the district money on healthcare for staff
Giving the community a choice in the NPHS renovation process through a referendum
And launching the long-overdue renovation of North Penn High School
To the Students of NPSD:
As Directors, we were invited to countless events- concerts, plays, athletic competitions, and classroom visits. These moments were always the highlight of our days, reminding us of our “why”: the incredible promise and potential of our students.
My personal favorite event has always been graduation day. When I first joined the board, a former Director told me that school board service is a “non-paying position, it is strictly volunteer, but our payday is graduation day.” That could not be more true. There is nothing more inspiring than seeing a stadium filled with joyful, hopeful graduates ready to take on the world, surrounded by proud families celebrating their success.
As Jonathan, Christian, and I move on, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new NPSB Directors: Christine Coyne, Koh Chiba, and Ken Keiser. I am confident they will be excellent additions to the team and will work tirelessly to ensure that NPSD continues to thrive in excellence.
Finally, thank you to the community for electing us eight years ago. Serving North Penn has been an honor and a privilege, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity.
As I always liked to end my graduation remarks: Once a Knight, Always a Knight!
Sincerely,
Tina Stoll
NPSD Board of School Directors
School Board Vacancy
The North Penn School District Board of School Directors is seeking candidates for an open position due to the resignation of Cathy McMurtrie. The board has 30 calendar days to select a replacement and plans to appoint the chosen candidate at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, December 10, at 7 pm at the Educational Services Center, 401 East Hancock Street, Lansdale. The term for the open position is until December 2027.
Residents or taxpayers of the district desiring to be appointed as a member of the board of school directors should forward their letter of interest, resume, and completed state ethics form/statement to Jessica Todd, NPSD Board Secretary, 401 E. Hancock St., Lansdale, PA 19446, or toddj@npenn.org, to be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Following submission, each NPSD board member will be provided all letters and resumes for review. A selection of candidates will be interviewed at the December 10th board meeting, with an appointment being made that evening as well.
Interested applicants must meet/comply with the following qualifications/requirements:
Be of good moral character, be at least eighteen (18) years of age, have been a resident of the district for at least one (1) year prior to the date of his/her appointment, and shall not be a holder of any office or position as specified in Section 322 of the School Code; nor shall the individual be a member of the municipal council.
Shall not have been removed from any office of trust under federal, state or local laws for any malfeasance in such office.
Shall not be engaged in a business transaction with the school district, be employed by the school district, or receive pay for services from the school district, except as provided by law.
Shall take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation prescribed by statute before entering the duties of the office.
Shall file a statement of financial interests with the State Ethics Commission at the following times:
Before taking the oath of office or entering upon his/her duties.
Annually by May 1 while serving on the Board.
Cathy McMurtrie resigned effective November 20, 2025. Ms. McMurtrie served on the board since December 2019. The NPSD Board of School Directors and administration thank Ms. McMurtrie for her service.
The required state ethics form, which must be submitted to NPSD in printed form, can be found here: State Ethics Form.
For more information, please contact Jessica Todd, toddj@npenn.org, or 215-853-1044.
Meeting Information
Unless otherwise noted, meetings of the whole board (action, worksession, finance) will be held in-person at the Educational Services Center (401 E Hancock Street, Lansdale). All other meetings will be held virtually via Zoom and streamed on NPTV. Worksession meetings will be held immediately following the Finance Committee meeting that begins at 6:00 pm, unless noted as listed below.
Residents can watch live on the NPTV YouTube Channel, North Penn News, or NPTV local Comcast 28 and Verizon 29. A recording of this meeting will be available on the NPTV YouTube Channel, and will air on North Penn Television Comcast 28 and Verizon 29 for the next three business days at 12:30 pm and 7:30 pm.
Meeting agendas are published the week of the meeting and can be viewed online on BoardDocs.
For all information regarding school board meetings, please visit our website.
Upcoming Meetings
- Reorganization Meeting- December 1, 6:30 PM, ESC
- Action- December 10, 7:00 PM, ESC
- Education/Curriculum/Instruction- TBD
- Facilities and Operations- TBD
- Finance- TBD
- Policy- TBD
- Safe Schools- TBD
The upcoming committee meetings will be posted on the website when scheduled after the reorganization meeting.
Committee Reports
Education/Curriculum/Instruction Committee
At the ECI meeting on November 5, 2025, two Action items and one informational item were presented to the committee.
Each November, changes to the High School Program of Studies for the next school year are reviewed with the ECI committee. For 2025-26, there are four recommended course additions that include Graphic Design 2, Unified Art, AP Cybersecurity, and a dual enrollment option for AP Environmental Science. In addition, Ceramics 2 and Ceramics 3 will change from minor courses to semester courses and the course credit for each will increase to a half credit.
The committee also received an update on the S.H.I.E.L.D. course that is being piloted in five elementary buildings this year. This course provides hands-on experiences that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as collaborative opportunities for students in grades 1 through 6. In 2026-27 the course will be expanded to all thirteen elementary buildings.
The High School Program of Studies changes and student overnight travel were moved to the action meeting agenda for approval.
Facilities and Operations Committee
At the October 27 meeting, the Facilities and Operations Committee reviewed several items that were moved to the action meeting agenda for full approval, including change orders for the high school project. The board received an update on the high school project and the schedule for Phases 1 and 2.
Finance Committee
At the November 11, 2025, Finance Committee meeting the financial reports were reviewed in addition to the following items:
- Budget transfers for the month of October
- Assessment appeal settlements
- Request to advertise for insurance broker RFP
- 2026-2027 proposed budget calendar
- PFM presentation on the next bond issuance for NPHS construction Phase 2
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee met on October 27, 2025. At that meeting updates to several existing policies were reviewed and discussed. Those policies, which were moved to the action meeting agenda for a first reading, are as follows: Policy 122 - Cocurricular/Extracurricular Activities; Policy 123 - Interscholastic Athletics; Policy 226 - Searches; Policy 317 - Conduct/Disciplinary Procedures; Policy 352 - Use of Personal Electronic Devices; and Policy 904 - Public Attendance at School Events.
Safe Schools Committee
The Safe Schools Committee met on October 27, 2025 at 5:45 in a virtual format. Dr. Bauer, Chief Troxel and Mr. Rhone provided a post incident review of the incident at North Penn High School. Mr. Rhone discussed the deployment of Evolve on a daily deployment at North Penn High School.
NPSD Educational Foundation
It is mid-year grant review time for the Foundation and we received more than 40 applications. We are excited to review and fund these innovative projects that help our students and staff.
Supporting grants like these takes resources, and the Foundation is hard at work raising the funds to make them possible. Our U-Knight to Inspire Staff Giving Campaign raised $13,000 in October. Thank you to everyone who contributed! Next, we’ll be reaching out beyond the district as our Annual Giving Campaign launches soon. Watch your mailbox in the coming weeks, and know that your continued support truly makes a difference.
Any questions related to the Foundation can be directed to Christine Liberaski at the ESC, or you can learn more at npennedfoundation.org.