North Penn Superintendent Todd Bauer, left, presents district CFO Steve Skrocki with a "Four E's" employee recognition award. (Credit: North Penn School District)
Assistant business administrator also leaving in January
An administrator at the center of the North Penn School District for the past decade will be leaving in early 2025.
School board members voted this week to accept the pending retirement of longtime district CFO Steve Skrocki.
“Can I vote no, so Mr. Skrocki can stay?” said board member Christian Fusco.
Since arriving in the district in early 2014, Skrocki has developed, updated and presented annual budgets, capital projects including renovations to several schools, led the creation of a tax rebate program for certain low-income seniors and residents, and earned a state Meritorious Budget Award nine straight times.
Skrocki has also overseen the planning, development and opening of the district’s healthcare center adjacent to Penndale Middle School, planning for long-term borrowings needed for renovations to North Penn High School, and more.
In October the CFO was named a recipient of the district’s “Four E’s” award, credited for ensuring belonging, elevating learning, engaging community, and exceeding expectations; at that time fellow administrators shared stories of how Skrocki has helped each of their departments, mentored staff, and promoted programs for the students, staff and families across the district.
During the school board's action meeting on Dec. 2, the board unanimously approved their monthly batch of personnel items, which included a listing for Skrocki's retirement, effective April 14, 2025.
"The bad news is that, with that vote — and there will be times for celebrations, and perhaps imitations, of Mr. Skrocki — but with that (vote), you just approved Mr. Skrocki's retirement," said superintendent Todd Bauer.
"He has assured me, and us collectively, that he will do everything in his power to ease the transition, but very sorry to say you just approved Mr. Skrocki's retirement. So: congratulations, Mr. Skrocki," he said, prompting a round of applause from the board and a nod from the CFO.
Skrocki did not comment directly on his retirement, but addressed several finance-related items during the action meeting, including monthly bills, motions to designate part of the district's year-end surplus for capital projects, an update on the district's sale of "movie lots" in Hatfield Township, and more. Another pending departure from the district's finance staff was discussed roughly an hour earlier, and approved in the same batch of personnel items, when Skrocki announced that Assistant Director of Business Administration Ron Linke will leave effective Jan. 2 from that post he's held since 2022.
"Tonight is Mr. Linke's last finance committee meeting. Mr. Linke has three weeks left here at North Penn School District, before he transitions back to Pottsgrove, where he came to North Penn from, as the business administrator," Skrocki told the board's finance committee.
"I know they're looking forward to having him back. I'm sorry to see you go, but this is your last meeting so thanks for your two years here, you've been a great support," Skrocki said, to applause from the school board.
North Penn's school board next meets at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2025 and the board's finance committee next meets at 6 p.m. that night, both at the district Educational Services Center, 401 E. Hancock Street in Lansdale. For more information visit www.NPenn.org.
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