District News:

 

Penndale  Holds Olweus Bullying pROGRAM kICK-oFF

 

 

Kudos to Penndale Middle School for an Outstanding Olweus Kick-Off!  The day was filled with the emotionally, powerful presentation, Ryan’s Story, by Mr. John Halligan, three amazing presentations by the Penndale Middle School students entitled, “Bystanders-A Story of Apathy,” classroom meetings, team building activities and much, much more!

 

Thank you to everyone at Penndale, Chris Joy and the Olweus Coordinating Committee, ESC, Bus Garage, Security, Nutrition Services, Reprographics Center, NPTV, staff, students, families, community members, School Board members and everyone in the North Penn School District for your continued support in making this the best place to Learn, Live and Achieve!

 

Mr. Halligan will receive nearly 1,300 student written responses from the day. Reviewing these responses has shown further evidence that this program is essential to supporting the academic growth of the students. Please feel free to contact Chris Joy at joycw@npenn.org if you would like any additional information regarding the Olweus pilot program at Penndale or John Halligan’s presentation.

 

 

 

Jeffrey Zaslow, author of the last lecture,

visits northbridge - signed books are available for purchase

and will be donated to The Lustgarten Foundation

 

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully and darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.

 

Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

 

The author, Jeffrey Zaslow, will be giving a presentation to Northbridge students on Wednesday, March 25, 2009.  At the conclusion of his presentation, Mr. Zaslow will be signing “The Last Lecture” books.  The profits made from these books will be donated to The Lustgarten Foundation (pancreatic cancer foundation).  If you would like to order a book, please complete the order form below. The books will be signed by the author on March 25 and then sent to NPSD buildings the following day.  All forms are due NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11. Thank you.

 

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow – Order Form

 

 

North Penn Spring Golf League - 2009

 

The North Penn golf league is starting up again soon!  Join the league and play once a week for just $18 a round ($25 if you prefer to ride) at Mainland Golf Course!  Matches are 12 holes, but you may play all 18.

 

It is a great opportunity to meet coworkers and friends from across the district and have a friendly (well, mostly) competition.  Everyone is welcome.  The only requirements are to play your matches, play by the rules and have a good time! 

 

The league will start the week of March 29^th and run through the week of May 24^th.  Matches are played weekly as arranged by you and your competitor for the week.  An end-of-the-year tournament and picnic will be held on Saturday, June 6^th at Butter Valley Golf Port.  The forecast is for great weather and great golf that day!  If interested in joining, fill in the form below and send, along with $40 league fee, to Tom Plymette at North Penn High School. You receive a $10 refund if you complete all your matches.

 

For more information contact Tom at plymettc@npenn.org or Chris at cummisce@npenn.org. 

 

NP GOLF LEAGUE

 

Name ______________________________   Email address ___________________________

 

Home Phone:  (____)__________________    Work Phone:  (____)__________________

 

Handicap ______ or … average score for 18 holes _______

 

$40 fee:   cash ____ or check ____ (payable to Tom Plymette)

 

 

 

Reduction in Federal Tax Withholding

Will be effective march 6

 

Reduction in Federal Tax Withholding will be effective March 6.

 

The Internal Revenue Service recently released new withholding tables that will result in more take-home pay for millions of American workers. The new tables incorporate the new Making Work Pay credit, one of the key tax provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that became a law last week 

 

North Penn employees will get the benefit of this change without any action on your part. This means that you don’t need to fill out a new W-4 withholding form to get the credit reflected in your take-home pay. A Form W-4 will not need to be submitted for the automatic withholding change.

 

Individuals and couples with multiple jobs may want to submit revised W-4 forms to ensure enough withholding is held to cover the tax for the combined income.  Forms can be found on the North Penn Intranet under “Frequently Used Forms – Payroll.”

 

Important things to know:

 

• North Penn School District will be implementing the new tax tables effective with your next paycheck, March 6, 2009.  

• The amount of your take home pay will change based on the number of deductions claimed. 

• You do not need to do anything to have this take place.

 

Please share this with any employees that do not have internet access.

 

 

Information Regarding local taxes owed

 

The Situation:  The North Penn School District withholds 1% for local taxes, the rate levied by all of our municipalities.  Since all municipalities levy varying tax rates, it is not practical for the district to track and withhold a multitude of rates depending upon where employees live.  If you live in a municipality that levies a tax rate greater than 1%, you will end up owing the difference unless you have additional withholdings.  For example:  If your annual taxable income is $40,000 and you live in a municipality that levies a tax at 1.5%, you will have had $400 withheld ($40,000 x 1%) but will owe $600 ($40,000 x 1.5%), and therefore must write a check for $200 when you file your local taxes.

 

The Solution:  Just as you may have additional withholdings per pay for federal taxes, you may also request additional withholdings for state or local taxes.  However, as for federal withholding, the additional withholdings can only be a fixed amount, not a percentage.

 

How do I know how much extra to withhold?  The simple way to determine how much extra to withhold is to:

1.       Know your local municipality tax rate (look at your 2008 local tax form or ask your accountant).

2.       Look at your last pay stub to see how much local tax is withheld.

3.       Subtract 1% from your local tax rate and multiply the difference times the local withholding on your last pay stub.

 

Examples: 

1.       Local tax rate = 1.75%; Local tax withheld on last pay stub = $15.00; multiply .75 (1.75 – 1.00) times $15.00 = $11.25 additional withholding needed.

2.       Local tax rate = 1.50%; Local tax withheld on last pay stub = $20.00; multiply .50 (1.50 – 1.00) times $20.00 = $10.00 additional withholding needed.

 

 

If you would like to have additional withholding for your local taxes; calculate the additional withholdings desired and email Mike Frist at fristdm@npenn.org. The payroll department will change your withholdings for your next payroll.

 

 

NPSD Feedback & Comment Cards Now Available on Website

 

In 2007, the North Penn School District created Event Feedback cards and Building Comment cards for individuals to complete regarding their experience at a specific school building or at a specific NPSD event. These cards are now available on the NPSD website under the “For Families” section, as well as on the individual school websites under “Our School” information.

 

These cards were implemented as part of the district’s partnership with Family Friendly Schools, which focuses its efforts on ways to increase family and community engagement in the schools and across the district. Data has shown that building relationships with all families, and engaging them in their child’s learning, leads to increased student achievement across all demographic areas. Using the data from these cards demonstrates the value NPSD places on receiving feedback that can help to ensure that its buildings are welcoming, the services provided are of high quality and the events held are meaningful and relevant.

 

The purpose of the cards is to gather feedback on the welcoming environments of each building, to track data and provide feedback to the buildings and to assess that NPSD services and events provide useful information. This data will be gathered quarterly and will be reviewed by Family Engagement teams in all of the 18 NPSD buildings, as well as by district leadership. This review process provides a measure of accountability that the district and its schools are listening to its families and the community.

 

For more information regarding NPSD Building Event Feedback and NPSD Building Comment cards, please contact Linda Abram, NPSD Family and Community Involvement Specialist, at 215-853-1091.