District News:

NPSD Increases Time Schedules To Improve Student Learning and Achievement

During the course of developing the new NPSD Strategic Plan, it was very clear that the issue of “time” is one of great importance to everyone.  This concern was evident in the results of the survey and was corroborated during discussions in Effective Schools Advisory Council meetings.  NPSD is pleased to present a clear plan to begin to address these concerns.  This plan is multi-faceted and was developed with thoughtful input from numerous sources.  The plan, which would take effect for the 2009-2010 school year, calls for the following:

·         an adjustment to the instructional day’s start and end times for elementary and middle schools,

·         an improvement to the scheduling of teacher planning time,

·         a change to our report card intervals to move from quarterly report cards to trimesters at the elementary schools,

·         a change in the plan for conducting parent-teacher conferences at elementary and middle schools, and

·         planned adjustments to the process used to prioritize our curriculum. 

While gathering information regarding the instructional day’s start and end times, it was learned that the instructional day length of 6 hours 10 minutes at the elementary school level is the shortest of any of the neighboring school districts and demographic peer school districts.  Please click here to view these school districts and the lengths of their instructional day.

It is obvious that NPSD staff members are working exceptionally hard to teach all students to mastery and are doing it with a short school day.  Both experience and research tell us that the length of time allotted to learn a concept is an important variable in the educational process.  Clearly, NPSD needs to adjust the length of the elementary instructional day.  Accordingly, NPSD Administration has been working very closely with the NPSD transportation department to determine the possibilities.  NPSD Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Curt Dietrich, observed the afternoon dismissal period at each elementary school.  After careful consideration, the following schedule is possible:

Student Instructional Day

For additional information regarding these changes and details about transportation, special subject areas and trimesters, please click here to view the entire letter Dr. Dietrich emailed to staff on May 13, 2009.

Oak Park Elementary Offers Byers’ CHOICE

ONE-OF-A-KIND OAK PARK KINDLE FIGURES

Help Oak Park Elementary School celebrate its 50^th Anniversary with a very special keepsake, the Oak Park Byers’ Choice Kindle. Available in limited quantities, the Oak Park Shark Kindle was designed especially for the school to commemorate this momentous occasion.  Order one today and have a memory to treasure forever. Orders will be shipped in approximately five weeks. Each Kindle is $18. For more information, please contact Dana Koch at 215-393-5081. Please download the order form below.

Oak Park Elementary School Shark Kindle Order Form

All NPHS School Store Items Must Go

The North Penn High School store is offering 10% off all clothing items and sale prices on all other NPSD items. Grab some NPSD lanyards, Mesh Shirts, T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Mesh Shorts, Blue Crew T’s, Sweatpants and Rowdy Towels. There are some limited colors and styles of items. To order these items, please download the order form below, or contact Linda Westerlund at westerle@npenn.org.  

North Penn High School Store Order Form

nORTHBRIDGE HOLDS CELL PHONE FUNDRAISER

Northbridge School is seeking used cell phones to earn money for various activities and rewards for its students. For more information, please click here. Contact Leigh Ann Staudenmeier at 215-853-1386 for details about this fundraiser.