Hundreds of millions of dollars, possible tax increases, and a reimagined high school. These are just a few of the many subtopics of concern regarding upcoming plans for the North Penn School District.
Around the district, opinions are varied relating to the renovation plans and the January 16th voter referendum for tax raises above the Act 1 Index, and the teachers at North Penn High School haven’t exactly reached a unanimous consensus either.
North Penn High School is one of few public schools that only host grades ten through twelve, and not ninth, and the plan is to soon change that.
While the idea of integrating ninth graders at North Penn High School sounds great in regards to equitable opportunities for the younger high school students, increased involvement in sports and clubs, and even more staff hiring, there are multiple elephants in the room to address.
To gain more knowledge on the different opinions and perspectives on plans for renovations and the voter referendum, I spoke to several teachers at North Penn High School, whose experiences and roles in the school come from a range of backgrounds.
The Detriments
“There are two different schools of thought on bringing 9th grade up and involved in the high school experiences like new sports, clubs, classes, and band. It is an encompassing experience for everybody, but now with this expansion to four thousand (students), these halls are too small,” Business Department Teacher Edward Bovell stated. “With this expansion… how would students get across in an ample amount of time?”
“If you could integrate ninth graders in, there are going to be four thousand kids moving around in these spaces,” Social Studies Department Teacher Brian Haley added. There is no doubt that there is a need for some crucial repairs, “but do we have enough room to get the ninth graders up here? Changing the sizes of hallways… it is still a lot of kids.”
Along with the problem of space, the biggest concern is the cost, specifically, going above the Act 1 Index.
For the ninth graders to move to North Penn High School, voters in the January 16th election must vote yes for a tax raise to fund the extra $96M needed for construction. This tax raise would start at $162 annually for the average household and has the potential to fluctuate upwardly over the next 32 years. More information on finances can be found in NPHS Option 1 Renovation Estimate 10-10-23.
I would vote for it now and bite the bullet later, but if you put the question to me after I retired I might have a different answer
— Mr. Brian Haley, Social Studies Teacher
“There are people that are living on fixed incomes, and every little bit matters. I would vote for it now and bite the bullet later, but if you put the question to me after I retired I might have a different answer,” Haley added.
The Benefits
Something that nearly all North Penn staff can agree on is the fact that we [as a community] should do what is best for the students.
If the referendum were to get passed, ninth graders being a part of North Penn High School would alleviate a variety of issues. If the 9th graders were at the high school, it would be easier for them to partake in extracurricular activities without missing vital class time.
“Kids in athletics, or theater, or anything 9th-grade oriented to a high school circumstance, you have to get those kids here. And to get those kids here, sometimes they miss their last block and now they have to make up class upon class of work to come up here and do something they love or feel fulfilled with,” NPHS Health/Phys. Ed Department Head David Franek stated.
A variety of teachers have different outlooks on high school planning, some of which have graduated through the North Penn School District.
I remember being in ninth grade and so many of my friends would take the morning bus to come to practice here, and then a practice after school. We’re bussing the ninth graders here already because so many of them want to participate in the sports and academics that they don’t get at the middle school
— Mrs, Jamie Liberio, English Teacher
“I remember being in ninth grade and so many of my friends would take the morning bus to come to practice here, and then a practice after school. We’re bussing the ninth graders here already because so many of them want to participate in the sports and academics that they don’t get at the middle school and [bringing 9th graders to the high school] would alleviate that issue,” North Penn Alumni, now English Department Teacher Jamie Liberio added. “If the 9th graders were here how much sooner would they get involved, and already be on track with building a community, and bonding with teachers – all of it would happen sooner, and hopefully kids would get involved more because of the opportunity.”
In the late 90’s there was a movement to separate North Penn into two separate high schools, but instead, K Pod was built. Some people may regret that decision, but now, the community has the opportunity to make a generational decision that could benefit the district in a lot of ways.
“I don’t want to be in a situation where the reimagined North Penn High School, with the higher dollar amount, doesn’t get passed and live with that regret,” Franek stated. “A 21st-century school building, I believe, draws people to come to the community and build a home here. I also believe it helps all families’ property values when they go to sell something. We are in a world-class school district, a very functional and 21st-century aligned school system that sells itself.”
A 21st-century school building, I believe, draws people to come to the community and build a home here. I also believe it helps all families’ property values when they go to sell something.
— Mr. Dave Franek, Health/PE Dept. Chair
As mentioned in the September Recap: Renovations & Referendum article, per North Penn High School Administrator of Secondary Education and Renovations Pete Nicholson, “NPHS has roughly $51.5M worth of projects that have to happen, mission-critical, level 5.” There are serious infrastructure issues at the high school that need to be addressed soon, and the renovations would do so.
“Since I was a student here, and I have come back, the building has virtually looked the same. As we have been here longer, more and more things need fixing. We are getting to a point where it would benefit students to change their environment,” Liberio stated. “It raises the expectations if they [the students] have a place that is taken care of, it makes them want to take more care of their academics.”
With the November school board election now behind us, community members and school staff alike can expect an abundance of additional information regarding renovation plans from now up until the January 16th referendum. The future of North Penn High School will be in the hands of the taxpayers.