North Penn Earns 'Literacy Innovation' Award Honors From State

LANSDALE, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Education honored North Penn with a "literacy innovation award" this week, highlighting the district's work to improve literacy throughout its network of schools.

North Penn staff members received second place at the Pennsylvania Literacy Conference in Hershey last week.

Special Education and Student Services Department earned a $12,5000 prize for their work.

“We are honored to receive the KTO innovation award to support our efforts in implementing the inclusion facilitator positions,” said Jenna Rufo, head of the department. “The inclusion facilitators have been instrumental in supporting our students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and collaborating with their school teams. We will use the funding from the award to send a team of educators to the Syracuse Institute on Inclusion in August, a national conference that will provide us with additional tools and professional development. A teacher from every building in the district will attend so they can bring best practices back to their buildings. The attendees include general education teachers, special educators, reading specialists and ESL teachers. Administrative staff will also attend and representation includes principals, assistant principals, special education supervisors, and directors.”

North Penn's specific award was for "Increasing Literacy Outcomes at the Elementary Level Through the Keystones to Opportunity Grand." The KtO Grant is provided to districts to improve literacy.

North Penn stood out by implementing a "inclusion facilitator model" which provided site-based coaching and support for instructors.

Image via North Penn School District