Upcoming Community Events & Programs

• You must be a current resident of LMSD
• Complete the online application (www.lmsd.org/register)
• Schedule an appointment with Central Registration

To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2020.

For children who will be entering a Lower Merion School District school for the first time in the fall of 2020 as a first grader, the child must be 6 years of age on or before September 1, 2020.

Students currently enrolled in a LMSD kindergarten program do not need to register again for 1st grade. Please visit the LMSD website for more information.

Phone Number: 610-658-3996

All registrations are by appointment only. Interpreter services are available upon request.

Welsh Valley Middle School buildOn is holding their 5th Annual Snack Drive, which will run January 6-17! All collections will be packed and donated to families at the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia.

Snacks and beverages should be:

• Healthy
• Non-perishable
• Individually wrapped

Suggestions for donations:

• Mini waters, juices, gatorades
• Granola bars
• Goldfish
• Fruit snacks
• Snack-size nuts
• Dried fruit packs
• Gallon size ziplock bags

Snacks can be sent to the Welsh Valley main office or D203. Help support this project and Welsh Valley's participation in the 2020 LMSD Afternoon of Service.

All snack donations will be organized and bagged at Harriton High School on Friday, January 17 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Questions? Email nemecj@lmsd.org

Let's get ready for the 2020 PSSA in April because it's never too early to get ready! Bethel Academy will be hosting a Community PSSA Tutoring program open to all children in grades 3-8. The dates of the three sessions are as follows:

• Saturday, January 11, 2020: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, January 25, 2020: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, February 22: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, February 29, 2020: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, March 14, 2020: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, March 28, 2020: 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Your child/children will receive test prep for all testing subject areas, practice exam and testing best practices. It is highly recommended that participants attend as many sessions as possible for best results. Informative Parent/Guardian Workshops will also be available during the PSSA Academy.

Total cost for all sessions is $25 or any donation, if able. Scholarships are available. Sign up today at www.bethelacademy.net. Questions? Call 610-642-8966 or email bethelacademy@gmail.com. All sessions will be held at Bethel Academy, which is located at 163 Sheldon Lane in Ardmore.

The students in Ms. MaryBeth Peterson's 7th grade social studies class at Welsh Valley Middle School didn't just read about the destruction that Hurricane Dorian brought to the Bahamas. They made a big difference for a family who moved to Philadelphia after losing their home and business in the storm.

The students decided that they wanted to help families who had lost so much on the islands where several of them had vacationed with their own families. At first, they thought they'd raise money to donate to the American Red Cross. But then, a representative from the Caribbean Community of Philadelphia and Bahamas Philadelphia Foundation helped them connect to the Simms family. The Simms chose Philadelphia to be near a family member who was already in the city, studying at the University of Pennsylvania.

The WVMS students sold hot cocoa and raffle tickets and held a walkathon to raise nearly $8000 for the Simms. When students learned that a child in the family was interested in science, they obtained passes to the Franklin Institute and donated a slime-making kit. They also collected gift cards, clothing and a big stuffed animal.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019, the students finally met members of the family and presented them with the money and other gifts. 6abc Action News was at the presentation and is set to feature the students on the evening news. As a thank you, the Simms presented the students with a Bahamian flag.

In their interviews, the students said they didn't want to just collect money, but they also wanted their classmates to understand the longterm impact of the storm on the residents of the Bahamas. And they described how this philanthropic effort made them want to continue help others.

Members of the Simms family said they were not only thankful for the students' generosity, but also very impressed with how the students had organized the fundraisers themselves. And they invited the students to visit them once they are able to rebuild. The emotional presentation ended with a group hug among the students and the family.

To see photos from this memorable afternoon, you can click through the slide show below:

LMSD's Strategic Plan, "All Forward," provides a framework for a collective, intentional and positive approach to change. Its five aspirational pathways guide us toward continual innovation and transformation to further educational excellence for every student. The Welsh Valley students' fundraising work is a student-driven example of Strategic Pathway #5: A Spirit of Community. To learn more about #LMSDAllForward and the Strategic Pathways, click here.

Members of Harriton High School's National Honor Society are helping out some less fortunate families in our community by providing meals just in time for Thanksgiving.

On Monday, Nov. 24, 2019, the students presented 100 dinners along with 100 gift cards for turkeys and numerous boxes of additional food for families served by the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth.

Michele Kristofco explained that the families who will receive the donated items have been impacted by abuse, poverty and homelessness. She told the students how grateful the recipients are.

Also on hand for the donation were Robert Duarte, Program Office Administrator, and County Commissioner Joseph C. Gale, who also praised the students for their effort to help others.

The National Honor Society at Harriton High School has been running the food drive for many years. Each Advisory class is asked to donate $20 and collect specific non-perishable food items during the month of November.

To see more photos of the students making their donation, click through the slide show below:

LMSD's Strategic Plan, "All Forward," provides a framework for a collective, intentional and positive approach to change. Its five aspirational pathways guide us toward continual innovation and transformation to further educational excellence for every student. The Harriton NHS food drive is a student-driven example of Strategic Pathway #5: A Spirit of Community. To learn more about #LMSDAllForward and the Strategic Pathways, click here.

Ten students from Bala Cynwyd Middle School volunteered at the Special Olympics 5v5 soccer matches this weekend at Villanova University's 31st Annual Fall Festival. Fall Festival is the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world.

Ms. Baranik, a teacher and soccer coach at the BCMS, said, "During the event, I was especially proud with how the students initiated meeting some of the other athletes. Each student represented BC in a positive manner and several students were complimented for their kindness. it was a wonderful morning."

Great job by our student athletes, embodying our District motto, "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve."

LMSD's Strategic Plan, "All Forward," provides a framework for a collective, intentional and positive approach to change. Its five aspirational pathways guide us toward continual innovation and transformation to further educational excellence for every student. The BCMS students' work is an example of Strategic Pathway #5: A Spirit of Community. To learn more about #LMSDAllForward and the Strategic Pathways, click here.

Lower Merion High School's student body gathered in the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium this afternoon for the annual "Beat Radnor" pep rally, ahead of Saturday's rivalry football game at Radnor High School.

The pep rally featured the introduction of the football and soccer teams and performances by the cheerleaders, dance team, teachers' dance team, and drill team, along with the announcement of the Kings' and Queens' Court.

The pep rally capped off a full week of Spirit activities. The 123rd annual LM/Radnor football game kicks off Saturday, October 12, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.

Click through the slide show below for photos from the pep rally.

Lower Merion High School recently welcomed Remy Duncombe, a representative from the Caribbean Community in Philadelphia (CCP) and native Bahamian, to speak with students about Hurricane Dorian and the catastrophic effects it had on his homeland when it made landfall last month.

Hurricane Dorian was the most powerful tropical cyclone on record to ever strike the Bahamas and is being considered one of the worst natural disasters in the country's history with wind speeds reaching upwards of 185 MPH, ultimately destroying countless homes and communities and displacing thousands of families.

In partnership with Duncombe and the team at CCP, with support from Culture Trust Greater Philadelphia, students at Lower Merion are organizing a Hurricane Dorian Relief Drive as they collect much needed items and donations, which will directly benefit relief efforts in the Bahamas.

Items of need are as follows: baby formula, diapers, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, medical kits, cleaning supplies, flashlights, batteries, insect repellent and feminine products. Donations can be dropped at one of two locations beginning Monday, September 16 through Friday, September 27. If you wish to contribute, items can be delivered to the locations below.

• Lower Merion High School Main Office (located at 315 E. Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore)
• Ardmore Toyota (located at 219 E. Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore)

To learn more about CCP and Culture Trust's Hurricane Dorian relief efforts, click here.

To view a PDF version of the flyer above, click here.