North Penn board approves appointments, construction contracts and multiple personnel items

The North Penn School District Board of School Directors approved a slate of personnel, construction and procurement items during its work session.

Dr. Bauer recommended the appointment of Jessica Todd as secretary to the board, bonded under the school code, with a prorated $1,200 stipend through the current term ending June 30, 2029. The motion passed on a voice vote, with President McMurtry calling for the ayes and none opposed.

The board approved personnel items on the consent agenda and introduced newly appointed AM Culp Elementary principal Ken Boy, who was present in the audience.

The board approved hiring Suzanne McCartan as a school nutrition services assistant at Gwenor Elementary at $19.07 per hour (step 4, grade 5). During that vote one board member announced an abstention, citing a family relationship.

Trustees approved revisions to the district’s 2024–2027 special education plan. Dr. Bauer said the changes were limited to professional-development hours; the plan had been publicly posted for roughly 30 days and was reopened with Pennsylvania Department of Education approval to correct the hours.

Separate votes included the approval of student agreements on file with the Office of Special Education and multiple construction and procurement items: a $122,814 contract with Tetra Tech for MPHS asbestos hazardous-materials monitoring; Micro Mechanical’s $164,000 award to replace a heat-pump (heating and AC) unit serving three modular classrooms at Penfield as part of an ongoing replacement program; change orders for Bid Pack 1 with Pen Builders totaling $212,960.64 applied to allowances without increasing the GC contract; and a deduct change order for PC Vision Mechanical of $134,855.94 for substituted glued fittings in acid-waste piping (the board was told glued fittings provide similar performance to threaded fittings).

The board approved a proposal from Gordian Group and SJ Thomas for design and installation of a prefabricated transportation building in the amount of $9,428,523. Board members noted the figure is lower than an earlier $18 million estimate tied to acquisition and renovation of existing property and said keeping transportation on-site remains the district preference.

The board also approved Gorkon Inc.’s $55,680 bid to replace the MPHS varsity baseball infield sod after prior replacement by a booster club did not hold up. Contracts listed in the business office were approved; board members asked about contractor Heather Masters, who was described in the meeting as a subcontracted school psychologist brought on to help the district catch up on evaluations while internal hires are processed.

Finally, the board approved a Montgomery Township request to waive taxes billed 07/01/2025 for a listed parcel and to treat the parcel as open space effective Jan. 1 for the remainder of the year.

Most motions were approved by voice vote with board members indicating no opposition on the record.