North Penn schools facilities forum set for Nov. 13
Staff to detail long-term projects, financing
Anyone interested in the long term future of the North Penn School District and its building projects, keep the night of Nov. 13 open.
The district and school board have announced a special community forum to give updates on current and future building projects all over the district.
“That forum is going to be on Nov. 13 at Pennbrook (Middle School) at 7 p.m.” said board member Jonathan Kassa.
Over the past year, board members and staff have held ongoing discussions about the need for renovation projects at several district schools. The board authorized projects to install air conditioning over the summer at two elementary schools, while holding off on doing so for Knapp Elementary until a larger renovation project, and a $10 million bond borrowing for that larger Knapp project was approved by the board Oct. 18.
During the Oct. 18 meeting, Kassa, who is chairman of the board’s Support Services committee, also announced details of the upcoming facilities forum. The meeting will be held in place of the board’s workshop meeting scheduled for that night, and will be organized as a panel discussion led by Superintendent Curt Dietrich.
During the forum, a video overview will be given by district staff on the recent and current building construction, renovation and maintenance projects, and upcoming projects will be identified. District Director of Business Administration Steve Skrocki will go over financing and how the district manages long-term debt, according to the district, and members of the support services committee will also attend. Director of Facilities and Operations Scott Kennedy will give an overview of the district’s 10-year capital plan, the need for a major renovation at North Penn High School, and projects currently underway including a new public address system at the high school and upgrades to its Crawford Stadium.
According to Kennedy and documents presented to the support services committee, staff have identified a total of $63 million in repair or upgrade projects needed at North Penn’s 13 elementary schools, three middle schools, the Northbridge Alternative School and the district Educational Services Center, separate and apart from an estimated $100 million needed to renovate North Penn High School.
The district’s architectural consultant will also have representatives on hand at the Nov. 13 forum to present findings from a recent facilities study on work needed at Knapp, the high school, Penndale Middle School and the district Educational Services Center.
Public questions and input are encouraged, and for those unable to attend that night, the meeting will be broadcast live by North Penn Television on local Comcast cable channel 28 and Verizon FIOS cable channel 29. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the district’s website www.NPenn.org, on NPTV’s Youtube channel and on the district’s Facebook page.
Questions can be submitted from those watching remotely via email, Twitter or Facebook, with details on how to do so available on the district’s website. The forum will be held starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13 in the auditorium of Pennbrook Middle School, 1201 North Wales Road.