NPSD to host forum on building and renovation needs

Knight Crier|October 17, 2018

Knight Crier

North Penn High School’s Crawford Stadium on a Friday night in September, 2018. The football game scheduled for that night was moved to the NPHS turf field the next day, due to unplayable conditions in Crawford Stadium. In the background is a familiar row or portable toilets brought in for weekly football games. The stadium is currently under review for potential renovations.

LANSDALE – Providing safe, efficient and modern learning environments has always been a priority of the North Penn School District (NPSD) and the community it serves. With several building and renovation needs in the school district’s immediate future, NPSD is hosting a community forum to review the condition of current buildings, renovations and repairs needed and the costs associated with this work. The forum will be held in place of the November work session meeting of the school board on Tuesday, November 13, at 7:00 pm in the Pennbrook Middle School Auditorium, located at 1201 North Wales Road, North Wales, PA 19454.

Knapp Elementary School, located on Knapp Rd in Lansdale, is the next elementary school in need of considerable renovations in the NPSD.

The free event will be held in the form of a panel discussion moderated by NPSD Superintendent Dr. Curtis Dietrich. It will begin with a video overview of construction and maintenance projects in NPSD through the years and identify upcoming work on the priority list. The important topic of financing and how NPSD manages debt will also be addressed by NPSD Chief Financial Officer Steve Skrocki.

Joining Dietrich and Skrocki will be school board members from the Support Services Committee and NPSD Director of Facilities and Operations Scott Kennedy. Kennedy will present an overview of the 10-year capital improvement plan, North Penn High School (NPHS) facility concerns, and discuss current projects underway including the new public address system at NPHS and NPSD’s application for a zoning variance for Crawford Stadium.

Crawford Stadium at NPHS hosts many events in addition to football games on Friday nights. However, insufficient restrooms, lack of handicap accessibility, and issues with the play surface have continued to be problems for the Stadium. NPSD is currently working through plans for a possible stadium renovation.

A representative from NPSD’s architectural firm will also present findings from its recent facilities study that includes work needed at Knapp Elementary School, NPHS, Penndale Middle School and the Educational Services Center.

Audience members and those watching from home and online will be encouraged to ask questions and provide input following the panel discussion. North Penn Television (NPTV) will be airing the forum live on NPTV Comcast Local Cable Channel 28 and Verizon FIOS Local Cable Channel 29. Community members may also view online at www.npenn.org, youtube.com/nptv and NPSD’s Facebook page. Viewers will be able to submit questions through email, Twitter or Facebook on the night of the event. Details regarding how to participate that evening will be available on www.npenn.org.

All North Penn community members, whether they have children in NPSD schools or not, are invited to attend this interactive and informative discussion. For more information about this free and important discussion, please contact Christine Liberaski, NPSD Director of School and Community Engagement, at  215-853-1020 or [email protected].