Christian Fusco, vice president of the North Penn School District Board of School Directors.
(The following submission is part of a monthly series of editorials, courtesy of our partnership with the North Penn School District and the North Penn School Board.)
Dear North Penn Community,
The proposed construction of a Ninth Grade Center on the same campus as North Penn High School (NPHS) has been a hot topic of conversation ever since last year’s facilities forum. While it may seem like a departure from the norm, the truth is that ninth grade is a part of high school in neighboring school districts, including Souderton, Wissahickon, Methacton, Abington, Perkiomen Valley, Upper Perkiomen, Council Rock, Lower Moreland, Upper Moreland, Upper Dublin and Hatboro-Horsham. At North Penn School District (NPSD), ninth grade students work in three separate middle school buildings. Their participation in educational, vocational, athletic and extra-curricular programs is limited when compared to their peers in other districts. It is time to consider a change.
Ninth grade is the beginning of a transition from school to the working world. For the first time, students are given choices about classes to take and avenues to pursue that will shape the direction of their future. They are exposed to new interests through clubs and after school activities that help them find like-minded peers. For many NPSD ninth grade students, such as those who participate in marching band or JROTC, that journey is hindered by the logistics involved with scheduling and traveling from the middle school to the high school and back again.
Students ready for the challenge of advanced coursework often opt not to enroll in higher level classes because it means leaving their school and their friends to go to another building for part of the day. In many cases, enrollment in certain courses is simply not permitted. For example, students are not able to take engineering classes until 10th grade at NPHS. This puts our students at a competitive disadvantage for college entry when compared to students in surrounding districts who explore that path at an earlier age.
There are only a few ninth grade athletic teams held at the middle school level, with participation too low to field many others. Students can try out for the high school teams, but that requires getting to the campus regularly from across town. For example, ninth grade students who participate in baseball or swimming start their day at the high school, are then bussed back to their middle school and then bussed again to the high school for evening practice or competitions. This rigorous schedule leaves little time for homework and studies. Many students opt to quit the sport they love, not wanting to bother while others simply do not have the means to follow such a rigid, time consuming schedule.
10th, 11th and 12th grade students who participate in the North Montco Technical Career Center (NMTCC) enjoy the convenience of having the vocational facility right on the North Penn High School grounds. Ironically, despite the fact that NMTCC also serves students from Methacton, Souderton, Perkiomen Valley and Wissahickon, it is the North Penn ninth grade students who pose the largest scheduling challenge for the tech center. Scheduling and travel complications of getting our ninth graders to the building can have long term impacts for our students. For example, students participating in the cosmetology program struggle to complete their hours for certification by 12th grade due to time lost in transit.
The benefits to students extend beyond just high school. Moving ninth grade out of our middle schools could potentially allow NPSD to move sixth grade in freeing up much needed space in our elementary schools. One of the greatest barriers to reducing class size, a stated goal of many school board directors, is the limited space available to create new classrooms. The added space could also allow the district to shutter aging modular units long past their prime.
While we engage in debate over the necessity of a new ninth grade center and the impact it will have on the community at large, one thing is clear: providing the same high school experience for our students at NPSD as surrounding districts is a win for North Penn.
Sincerely,
Christian Fusco
Vice President, NPSD Board of School Directors
Term Expiration: 2021
See also:
Editorial: Partnerships Key To Success Of North Penn School District
Lucy, Charlie Brown And That Football: Harrisburg Politics And Your Local Tax Bill
Editorial: Why The Renovation Of Crawford Stadium Matters
Editorial: North Penn School Board Offers Praise For Full Day Kindergarten Program
Editorial: North Penn School Board Welcomes In The New School Year
