Bulletin Board March 2026
A newsletter from the NPSD Board of School Directors
Dear North Penn,
Happy first days of spring! As the trees and flowers begin to bloom, so do all the exciting events going on throughout our schools. The past few weeks have been busy in the district, kicking off what always feels like a race to the end of the school year.
March is National Music and Theater in Our Schools Month, and no one exemplifies excellence in the performing arts like North Penn students! There’s a reason the North Penn School District has been named one of the Best Communities for Music Education in the nation for 14 consecutive years and counting!
Our middle schools put on incredible performances of “Descendants” (Pennbrook), “Big Fish” (Penndale) and “Grease” (Pennfield) to kick off the month. On top of the talent that was on display, check out the unique collaboration between the Pennfield Theater department and North Montco Technical Career Center to bring the Greased Lightning car to the stage!
The Tri-M Music Honor Society put on their second annual NPHS Talent Show, and it was a spectacle of song, drumming, dance, and more! The students wowed the audience and judges for over two hours, reveling in the joy in music.
Be sure not to miss the high school’s spring musical, “Mean Girls” from April 30th- May 2nd! Get your seats now to see Cady, Regina, the Plastics, and the full cast navigate the dangers of high school popularity, friendship, and staying true to yourself. Tickets are on sale now!
We are also very excited about the newest elementary school special being piloted around the district, SHIELD! SHIELD is the new STEM-focused class, engaging students in Solving Hypotheses through Innovation, Environmental Literacy, and Design. From a partnership with Villanova University to the start of Artificial Intelligence clubs competing on a national level, this is just the start for the SHIELD program as it prepares to expand throughout the district in the 2026-2027 school year!
Lastly, March has also seen an incredible acceleration of the work happening at the high school, with many phases of the project coming together. The 3rd floor of K-Pod is absolutely stunning, and the 2nd floor will be fully finished (on time!) and open for students after spring break. Significant progress has been made on the new transportation center, leading to the major work for the A-Pod addition to begin in the near future. Simultaneously, a review of all North Penn facilities to assess the capital needs of the entire district will be kicking off shortly, a crucial first step in the ongoing work of maintaining the facilities our students attend daily. Massive thanks to Bill Slawter and the entire Facilities & Operations team for their leadership on this work.
As a parent of three North Penn students and one of the newest members of the North Penn School Board, it has been the greatest joy to experience the incredible work happening in each of our schools firsthand.
Community members have shared their wishes for the programming offered to our students before, during, and after the bell rings.
Teachers and administrators demonstrate their unwavering commitment to our children, pushing to do more for them each day.
Best of all, our students are thoughtful, engaging, and eloquent in sharing their hopes and expectations for their school. They have big dreams for what our district can and must be- from classes, to clubs, safety, and facility improvements. Our district’s future is bright because of the students we serve!
Wishing you the best as we rush into spring and some of the brightest moments of the school year,
Daniel M. Bell
NPSD Board of School Directors
Education/Curriculum/Instruction Committee
Facilities and Operations Committee
The Facilities and Operations Committee met on February 24, 2026. At the meeting, the committee reviewed several change orders, including a scoreboard for the natatorium. The committee reviewed a bid proposal for installation of a new radio tower at the former WNPV site and a proposal to install a pedestrian crossing along Sumneytown Pike that connects the NPHS property and sidewalks for Bridle Path Drive. This crosswalk was requested by Towamencin Township. The committee also reviewed proposals for a district-wide facilities assessment report. CHA Solutions provided an update on the high school project and Phase 1 and 2 schedules. Shawn Ryan reviewed ongoing work in the facilities department.
Finance Committee
At the March 3, 2026, Finance Committee meeting, the financial reports were reviewed in addition to the following items:
- Resolution authorizing for the incurrence of general obligation indebtedness
- PFM update on 2026 Bond Offering
- Request for RFP for Transportation Department Study
- Reminder of hearing on the Volunteer Tax Credit 4/7/2026 during Work Session
Policy Committee
The Policy Committee met on February 24, 2026. At the meeting, the committee reviewed revised policy 610.1 - Professional Services which is being renumbered and moved to Board Docs. The repeal of two policies was also discussed at the meeting.
Safe Schools Committee
At the February 24, 2026 Safe Schools Committee meeting, Mr. Rhone presented the discipline data for the 1st half of the school year. Mr. Rhone also reported on the high school student video, question & answer session regarding school police officers.
NPSD Educational Foundation
The Foundation met in February and welcomed a new member Brooke McKeever. Brooke is a Towamencin Township resident who works for Girls on the Run. She brings diverse experience and enthusiasm. We are so excited to have her as our newest Trustee.
Annual campaign numbers are in and we are happy to report we raised nearly $11,000. Thank you to those who contributed. Next up is our online auction which will be held May 5 to 11. Local businesses are being asked to donate items or services for this popular fundraiser that brings in more than $10,000 each year to fund innovative programs in North Penn schools.
Currently, the Foundation is accepting grant proposals for the 26-27 school year. All North Penn Staff are invited to apply.
Any questions related to the Foundation can be directed to Christine Liberaski at the ESC, or you can learn more at npennedfoundation.org.