Great Time at the Billy Jonas Concert!

A wonderful time was had by all at yesterday's Billy Jonas concert at the Ardsley Community Center for the benefit of Briar Bush Nature Center!

Congratulations to all of the winners of free tickets donated by Briar Bush and "Thank you!" to all those who joined in the fun of our ten-day ticket giveaway via Facebook. Several people have already contacted me to share how much fun they had at the show.

My own kids and I had a blast, as well. This was no surprise to us as we had seen Billy Jonas and his band perform previously and they were wonderful then, as well. But, some new songs made this year's playlist and all of them were GREAT! Some favorites of ours were "Some Houses", "What Kind of Cat Are You?" and "Tongo!". Throughout the show, the audience was invited and encouraged to join in by singing and making music with things that were around them such as car keys, paper programs, their shoes, etc. Why? Because "everybody's in the band!" just as one of Billy's DVD titles proclaims.

A big and sincere "Thank you!" to Briar Bush Nature Center for not only bringing this talented performer to our neck of the woods, but for all of their wonderful programming for children of all ages! If you haven't yet visited Briar Bush, make a point to remedy that soon!

Briar Bush Nature Center offers over twelve acres of land to explore, a museum, butterfly house, and more. They also offer programs for scout troops and schools and summer camp and school's out programs for those random days off from school throughout the year!

Look for more pictures from the Billy Jonas show on the North Penn Under Ten Facebook page tonight!

Broad Street ReRun Offers Family Fun, Fitness, Philanthropy...and the Phanatic!

Have you heard about the Broad Street ReRun? This family-friendly fundraising event is now in its fourth year. Save the date and register your family NOW for a fun-filled day of helping others.


This year, the Broad Street ReRun will happen on Saturday, May 12^th at the Pavilion Shopping Center on South Broad Street in Lansdale. Choose from the 5 Mile Run, the ½-mile kids' fun run and the 1 mile family walk. (Today, April 30th, is the last day for kids to register at the reduced rate!)

Registration includes a t-shirt and goody bag. All participants in the kids’ run receive a medal at the finish line. There will be a DJ, balloons, door prizes, and food.  Mario and Luigi will make an appearance as well as Zig from Ziegler’s, the B101 Bee, and...the Philly Phanatic! Various local businesses will have display tables set up (including North Penn Under Ten!).  All proceeds from the event benefit the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation, a charity that supports local families with bleeding disorders.

For more information, you can visit the Broad Street ReRun website.

BIG Birthday Bash Announcements!

Preparations for North Penn Under Ten's upcoming Birthday Bash and Party Expo are well underway. Several announcements will be coming your way right up until the big day on June 9th as new sponsors and exhibitors are announced and new attractions and activities are added.

Here is a glimpse at some of the plans that have come together this week:

We'll Be Helping Others!
The Giving Tree Families will have a craft table at the Birthday Bash for children who would like to help us create birthday and any-occasion greeting cards for local seniors living in North Penn area retirement communities. The Giving Tree will provide all of the supplies and will hand deliver them after the Birthday Bash. All that's missing are your child's sweet sentiment and artistic creativity!

We will also be running a Stuff the Bus campaign to help the North Penn United Way reach their goal of 1,000 stuffed backpacks to be ready for NPSD children in need by August 5th. We'll be collecting new school supplies, backpacks, and also books for kids in our community who need them. Next time you're in a store that sells any of these items, consider tossing one extra in your cart and bringing it to the Birthday Bash: school bag, folder, spiral notebook, glue stick, pencils, erasers, tissues, filler paper, pencil pouch or small box, colored pencils or crayons, 3-ring binder, scissors, or a book. To read more about this wonderful annual program, click here.

We Couldn't Do It Without...

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Milestones in Music will be our Presenting sponsor for the Birthday Bash! If you aren't yet familiar with Milestones in Music and their wonderful children's music and movement programs, visit their website and schedule a preview class today. You will also be able to get a taste of their programs and a glimpse of the fun to be had at a Milestones in Music birthday party when their teachers take the stage at the Birthday Bash. Your little ones (and you if you wish!) will be invited to participate in a guided playtime session not once, not twice, but three times throughout the party! This is going to be FUN!

We are also very pleased to announce that Gymboree Play and Music of Montgomeryville will be a Gold sponsor of the Birthday Bash! Gymboree's play and music classes are a blast and their birthday parties are just as fun! Gymboree will offer a special playtime session during the Birthday Bash so you can see firsthand just how much fun a party at Gymboree can be!

A Little Something For YOU!
Sure, its North Penn Under Ten's birthday, but its okay to wonder whether YOU might receive a gift! After the Preschool Expo and the Summer Fun Fair, you've learned that you never leave a NPUT event without swag, right?? Well, the Birthday Bash and Party Expo will be no exception! More details on this to come!...

Last, but certainly not least, Kona Ice of Schwenksville will be on hand from 1:00 to 2:00PM giving out FREE samples of their delicious shaved ice!

YUM!

Keep an eye on the North Penn Under Ten website for more updates on the Birthday Bash and Party Expo as June 9th approaches!

See you soon!!

Local Store is Looking for Great Kid Art

Harleysville Books is Looking For GREAT Kid Art!

Kid's Cover Art Contest for Children's Book Week!     Children 13 and under are invited to enter our Cover Art Contest.  Entries must be original peices of art depicting a redesign of the child's favorite book cover.  Entries will be accepted until May 6 and all participants are invited to attend a casual reception on May 12 at 1pm to view the art and celebrate the winners chosen by our panel and by our visiting authors.    Winner receives a $25 Store Gift Card and 2nd and 3rd place winners receive a bag of books. Harleysville Books is located at 674 Main St, Salford Square Shopping Center, Harleysville, PA 19438 SHOP 24/7 @www.harleysvillebooks.com - no shipping charges when you pick it up in the store!

YMCA Healthy Kids Day is This Saturday!

Photo by Aimee Heavener ~ April, 2011

The North Penn YMCA is excited to host Healthy Kids Day, all weekend long. The community is invited to participate in FREE events from Friday, April 27th through Sunday, April 29th at the Indian Valley Branch, Lansdale Branch and LaCrest Health Center.

Come stop by for family swims, classes, programs, meet the staff, take a tour and have some fun. There will be various vendors and activities throughout the weekend for young and old to enjoy, including a coloring contest sponsored by Auto Dealers – CARing for Kids Foundation. There will be grand prizes for the color contest and smaller prizes for each age group.

Here is a rundown of the scheduled events:

INDIAN VALLEY
Friday, April 27th  7-9PM  Open swim and family badminton in the gym

Saturday, April 28th
9AM-12PM  Vendors, arts and crafts, face painting and healthy snacks
Adult Classes: 9:05-10:00AM – Zumba; 9:30-10:25AM – Fast and Furious; 10:10-10:55AM – Pilates; 10:30-11:25AM – Fitness Yoga
Children Classes: 9:15-10:00AM – Preschool Gymnastics (ages 3 & 4); 9:30-10:30AM – Multi-Sport (ages 8 to 11); 10:15-11:00AM – Floor Hockey (ages 5 to 7); 11:00AM-12:40PM – Dodgeball (ages 10 to 14).

Sunday, April 29th
9AM  Youth triathlon. Visit www.northpennymca.org for more information.

LACREST
Saturday, April 28th 9AM-12:30PM  Kids crafts and face painting in the lobby for children ages 12 and under.

LANSDALE
Friday, April 27th, 5-7:00PM  Spaghetti dinner

Saturday, April 28th
9:30AM-12:30PM  Vendors, arts and crafts, face painting and healthy snacks (Stop by and visit the North Penn Under Ten table!)
10AM-2PM  Rock wall will be open

Sunday, April 29th 
12-4PM  Rock wall will be open

The pool will be available during open swim times Friday night through Sunday.
There will also be raffles!

NPUT Birthday Bash & Party Expo is Coming!

What did you do to celebrate your child's last birthday? How will you celebrate the next one? Did the last "party" leave some room for improvement? Was it so good that now you need some new ideas to live up to the last one?

North Penn Under Ten will be turning two in June and YOU are invited to join in the celebration!

Introducing the...

Presented by Milestones in Music

Just how does a resource for all-things-children celebrate its own birthday? Well, you'll just have to come and see! But, you can bet this will be one birthday party you won't want to miss!

We'll have face painters and entertainers, information on all the hottest local party venues. Party ideas for kids of all kinds ~ from princesses to pirates, from finicky tweens to temperamental toddlers! And...admission is FREE!

Let's not forget the SWAG! As with any NPUT Event, you can count on plenty of FUN freebies!

Save the Date:

Saturday, June 9th, 2012
10:00AM - 2:00PM
Towamencin Fire Hall, Lansdale (Kulpsville)

This is the same location as the well-attended Summer Fun Fair. Do you remember all of the fun entertainment and playtime featured on the stage? We'll have a whole new host of entertainers and opportunities for interactive FUN!

Exhibitors and sponsors are being announced daily so keep an eye on the NPUT Birthday Bash website for details!

See you soon!!

Win Tix to Billy Jonas: Funky Folk Music for the Whole Family!

I am thrilled to report that Billy Jonas and the Billy Jonas Band (playing "Funky Folk Music for the Whole Family"!) will be performing a benefit for the Briar Bush Nature Center at the Ardsley Community Center in Abington on Sunday, April 29th at 3:00PM.

This will be my family's second time seeing him live (read my post about his last visit to our area). We can't wait! Billy Jonas is an expert at encouraging audience participation (don't worry, no one will force you on stage!). But, you can't help but be caught up in the rhythm and joy of his FUN original music. I dare you to attempt to sit still while listening to THIS concert! I can't describe Billy Jonas any better than amazing, Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss can. "Billy Jonas...irresistible. Whenever I see him perform, my face hurts from smiling." Oh yeah. When a Grammy winner pays a compliment like that, you know its good.

"Billy Jonas ... irresistible. Whenever I see him perform, my face hurts from smiling."
– Alison Krauss


Tickets for this afternoon of unique, wholesome family fun (all to benefit a local non-profit nature center!) are just $8 per person!

Now, get this...The good people at Briar Bush are letting me give away A PAIR of FREE TIX EVERYDAY!!!! I will be running this contest on the North Penn Under Ten Facebook page. Simply "like" Briar Bush on Facebook (my suggestion as a "thank you" to them), then post a comment on the North Penn Under Ten Facebook page letting me know you'd like to win tickets. A winner will be chosen at random each night at 10PM now thru 4/27.

Don't miss this great chance for a fun-filled family excursion!!

Child Volunteers Needed for International Festival

As you may know, the annual International Spring Festival is being held at North Penn High School this Saturday, April 21st beginning at 11:00AM. This is a truly awesome event that should not be missed! Don't believe me? Read this post from last year!

Each year, youth volunteers are sought to participate in the opening ceremony in the procession of flags. A few spots remain available for children who are interested in participating! (Early elementary children may need a parent's help to carry the flag, older children will most likely be able to carry it on their own.)

Children are encouraged to dress in clothing reflective of their culture or ethnic heritage. While volunteer coordinators do their best to pair children with the country they will visually represent, that may not always be the case as there is only one flag available for each country and multiple candidates.

If your child would be interested in participating in this unique and fun opportunity, please contact Katie McCarter ASAP.

Hope to see you there!

Last Night's NPSD Community Forum Is Still Open Today

Did you stop by or tune in to last night's Community Forum at Penndale? (Read the NPUT preview article here: "Could NPHS Football Stadium be Renamed 'Pepsi Field'?")

The meeting, which gave parents and community members a chance to ask questions and offer input on district budget-related issues, was broadcast live, courtesy of NPTV, both on www.npenn.org and on Comcast Channel 28 and Verizon Channel 29. In case you missed it, you can still view a taping of it online!

Viewers, both online and in person, were asked a series of questions regarding bus transportation ("In an effort to reduce transportation time and operational costs, would you support transporting public and non-public students on the same bus?"), in-school advertising ("Would you support advertising such as business ads on stadium fences, concessions and scoreboards?", "Would you support advertising placed in common areas of the school such as in the cafeteria or hallways?") and, lastly, about the creation of a campaign aimed at encouraging alumni donations and/or district-wide fundraising events such as concert series, capital campaigns, etc.

Viewers were able to cast their votes via text (or an online survey for those who do not text) and results were tabulated instantly then displayed on an overhead screen for an immediate and anonymous look at the views of the audience. You can still weigh in with your opinions by taking a survey featuring the very same questions here.

To view a copy of the 2012-2013 NPSD budget, answers to frequently asked questions, local school tax information, or anything else related to the district budgeting process, you can visit the School Economics 101 page of the NPSD website.

If you're thirsty for more, consider attending the 2012 Innovation Celebration next week. To quote NPSD directly, "This second annual event will feature more displays of efforts related to cost curtailment, revenue enhancement and investments in productivity. Last year hundreds of people attended the event, which is an excellent opportunity for community members to see the cost saving efforts that are currently underway as well as suggestions that are under consideration that need more input. It’s also a chance for staff, students, NPSD families, business owners, public officials and others to look at North Penn’s ideas and see if they can be used in their line of work as well; it’s a sharing experience!"

You might also be interested in learning more about the Alternative Revenue Committee (aka the innovative minds behind the money-saving or generating ideas you've just read about). They meet monthly on the second Wendesday at 7:00PM at the Educational Service Center on Hancock Road.

Lastly, you can view information about upcoming School Board meetings and minutes of past meetings anytime by visiting the School Board page. For your convenience, these meetings will also be listed on the North Penn Under Ten calendar.

Could NPHS Football Stadium be Renamed "Pepsi Field"?

OK, that headline got your attention, right? Good! Mission accomplished. But, let me immediately set the record straight. That was merely a belated April Fool's Joke. Crawford Stadium is NOT being renamed! But...could it?

Let's stop here for just a moment. How did you feel when you read that headline? Does the idea of corporate sponsorship of public school facilities make you feel uneasy?


OK, now what if, instead of renaming the stadium, you were to come across an ad such as the one seen here, courtesy of www.PhillyBurbs.com, in a hallway at your child's school:

A School Media Inc. employee applies an ad in the hallway of an elementary school in the Pennsbury School District last fall.The ads must all be about health, education, nutrition or safety.

How do you feel about this scenario? Better? The same?


As a parent, surely, you have an opinion. Should we be doing everything possible to shelter our children from marketing messages? Should we be less concerned with avoiding advertising (is that even possible?) and instead focus on educating them on the power of marketing, teaching them to be smart consumers?


Unless you have been watching nothing but Disney Junior and visiting only PBSKids.org over the past few months (that IS possible when you have small children at home), you surely know that the NPSD, like many other districts, is facing some pretty hard financial times.

The Alternative Revenue Committee, a group of community volunteers charged with the task of, you guessed it, identifying alternative means of bringing revenue into our school district, has come up with a variety of innovative ideas for bandaging our budget and one of them is to consider allowing advertising in some areas of our schools (renaming various facilities, allowing advertising on www.npenn.org, the list goes on). 


A considerable amount of revenue could be made available to our schools by allowing responsible advertising to be placed. What if all the classes and programs currently on the budget chopping block could be kept? Wouldn't that be great! But...how do we define "responsible advertising"?


Hopefully this article has piqued your interest and created a desire in you to learn more and share your own ideas! If so, you won't want to miss this:

Tonight (Wednesday, April 11th), North Penn School District Superintendent, Dr. Curt Dietrich invites you to another NP Community Forum entitled "2012-13 Budget Update and Alternate Revenue Streams" at 7 p.m. in the Penndale Middle School auditorium, located at 400 Penn Street in Lansdale.

Dr. Dietrich will continue his discussion of the 2012-2013 school district budget and will be using an interactive polling technique in which participants can give feedback via text. (A demonstration of this nifty use of technology was given at the school board meeting last night. Audience members can cast votes from their cell phones. Results will be immediately tabulated and displayed on the overhead screen for an instant visual of the attendees' opinions. This is exactly the kind of creative and technologically innovative approach you would expect from a top-notch school district like North Penn, am I right?)

Topics will include:


Budget Update: New information regarding the budget including revenues, expenditures and proposed budget cuts will be provided.


Advertising: As described above, some school districts are placing ads in schools, in buses and in outdoor spaces. This concept will be explored and participants will be asked to give their opinions via text messaging. Immediate results will be shared. (This should be a very engaging portion of the evening!)


Fundraising/Development: The concept of building a development function in the school district, similar to the university model, will be explored. Participants will be asked for feedback. (The summary of this given at the school board meeting sounded very promising!)


Other Revenue Ideas: Here's your time to give us your ideas to bring new funding sources into NPSD!


Q & A: Dr. Dietrich will once again reserve time to answer questions from the audience.


Now, more than ever, it is critically important that the entire community is involved in the decision-making surrounding the funding of schools. The North Penn School District hopes that students, families, staff members and community members attend this Community Forum.


If you are unable to attend, North Penn Television will be covering this forum live on Comcast Cable Channel 28 and Verizon Cable Channel 29. You can also view the forum online at http://tinyurl.com/npenn41112.

What are your thoughts on all of this? Stop in and share them!

NEW List of Egg Hunts & Other Easter Fun

Are you looking for fun ways to celebrate Easter without hitting the highway? Here's the info you'll need!

All of these events are posted on the North Penn Under Ten calendar, as well, to help you keep track of what's available day by day!

Hatfield: The Easter Bunny is Visiting Jumpin' Jack's Inflatable Playland and Party Center! Friday, 4/6 - Open Bounce is 10am-8pm, the Easter Bunny visits from 6pm-8pm. Saturday, 4/7 - Open Bounce 10am-8pm and the Easter Bunny visits from 10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm, & 5pm-7pm. Please note that Sunday, 4/8, Jumpin' Jack's will be closed for Easter.

Lansdale: St. John’s United Church of Christ, 500 W. Main St., Lansdale, welcomes all on Easter Sunday for a 7 a.m. Communion service at White’s Road Park, followed by a light breakfast and Easter egg hunt, 10:15 a.m.

Lower Salford: Advent Lutheran Church, 470 Landis Road, Lower Salford, kicks off its Easter Egg Hunt for children age one through 5th grade on April 7 at 11 a.m. Event will be held rain or shine.

Montgomeryville:

• Old Navy, Airport Square, Montgomeryville is holding a special celebration for families Saturday, the 7th from 12:30 to 2:00pm. Egg hunt, jelly bean counting, egg decorating, basket raffle, fashion show, and Jack the kangaroo from Jumpin' Jack's will be there, too!
  
• Montgomery Square United Methodist Church, 1900 County Line Road, Montgomeryville, holds its Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday during their Sunday School hour.

Skippack: Cornerstone Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 7 at 10 am, rain or shine, Cornerstone Church of Skippack will be hosting a community egg hunt for children ages infant to 8 years old.

Souderton: Grace Bible Church, 423 Main Street, Souderton. 4/7 10am to 2pm. Food, games, crafts, stories, and, of course, an egg hunt! All are welcome. This event was rescheduled after last weekend's rain, so here's your second chance to make it!

Towamencin:

• The Easter Story will be presented at Freddy Hill Farms on Friday, April 6th at 8pm. This family-friendly dramatic presentation of Christ's final week on Earth is presented by members of the Central Schwenkfelder Church. For more information, visit www.ThisIsEaster.com.
  
• Immanuel Church of the Nazarene, 1260 W. Welsh Road, Towamencin, will hold an Egg Hunt on April 7 at 10 a.m.

Upper Gwynedd: A children’s Easter Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m. on April 7 at Sanctuary United Methodist, Hancock Street and East Prospect Avenue, Upper Gwynedd.

Welcome Our New Sponsor: Realtor Bob Kelley!

North Penn Under Ten is pleased to introduce local parent and professional realtor, Bob Kelley, who joins Jumpin' Jack's Inflatable Playland and Party Center and Milestones in Music as a key sponsor of NorthPennUnderTen.com.


As a Lansdale father of two, Bob knows what is important to North Penn families. As a real estate professional, he is adept at helping you navigate through the many decisions that affect relocating families.

If you are looking for a new home or simply have questions about the current real estate market, consider contacting Bob and, of course, let him know that you appreciate his support of North Penn Under Ten.

You can find Bob Kelley's ad on every page of the NorthPennUnderTen.com website. You can also "Like" his page on Facebook where you'll find news and information regarding our local real estate market and notices about upcoming North Penn area Open Houses!


To inquire about other sponsorships available with North Penn Under Ten, please Contact Us.

Princess Night at Jumpin' Jack's!

How cute will this be?!? Eeee! No pre-registration necessary. Just come ready for a royally good time!

Free Developmental Screenings for Children!

Questions about your child’s development?

The Arc Alliance Children’s Services is offering FREE Developmental screenings for children up to five years of age for the entire month of April.

Screenings will be held at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 500 West Main Street in Lansdale at the following times: April 4th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 26th, and 30th from 9am to Noon and the 12th from 1:30pm to 4:00pm.

Pre-registration is encouraged and appreciated, but not required. Walk-ins may encounter wait times longer than if an appointment is scheduled. To schedule an appointment, call 610-265-4700, ext.225.

Building Strong Readers: A Program for Parents

Together We Can Turn YOUR Child into a Lifelong Reader!

As a daughter of a former elementary school librarian and a mother of a first-grader and a soon-to-be kindergartener, I know the sort of questions parents have when it comes to early literacy. We want to encourage our children and make sure they are reading at the right level, but what is the "right" level? We want them to enjoy reading, but sometimes we're stumped for ideas for books that are appropriate for both their age and their reading level. (Simply because your child can read The Hunger Games, should they?)

Please join me at Harleysville Books next Friday (the 13th) at 7:00pm as shop-owner and local mother of three, Shelly Plumb, will answer your questions and share her insights into turning your child into a lifelong reader. Your children are welcome to come along and enjoy some crafts and stories while we chat.

Shelly shares the following, "Helping children select the right books is one of the jobs we love most. Our talented staff will share with you what we know to help you pick the right books for your children. We'll talk about the value of reading together (no matter how big the kids!) and how to foster a love of reading to last a lifetime."

This event is sponsored by North Penn Under Ten and is offered FREE to you. But, pre-registration would be appreciated for planning purposes. Please email events@harleysvillebooks.com with "Parent Night" in the subject line, or call the store at 215.256.9311 to RSVP.

A Unique Opportunity: Sensory-Friendly Bounce Time!

A great new event for children with sensory needs! Look for this event every second Thursday of the month!