Upcoming Community Events & Programs

On Thursday, October 24, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., the Lower Merion Board of School Directors held a special meeting in the Lower Merion High School auditorium, to hear a presentation on the topic of Sleep and School Start Times. Lower Merion School District has been studying this issue in light of recommendations from health and medical organizations to delay school start times to better align with adolescents' sleep cycles.

The presentation included a recommendation to make middle school and high school start later, and elementary school start earlier, beginning in September 2020. All community members were invited to the presentation. A video of the meeting will be posted in the Board section of the District website within 5 business days, once it can be closed captioned/made ADA compliant.

In the coming weeks and months, the District will be hosting a number of Community Listening Sessions and sending out a survey to gather stakeholder feedback on the recommendation. In addition, community members are invited to share their input via email to Sleep@lmsd.org. The Board will consider this input prior to voting in the spring.

The attached infographic provides an overview of the recommendation and the process that led up it, along with an explanation of its potential benefits and challenges. Please review it carefully. Additional information is available on the LMSD website at www.LMSD.org/Sleep.

The Community Listening sessions will be:

1. December 8, 2019 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the Academy Building (adjacent to BCMS) - 510 Bryn Mawr Avenue in Bala Cynwyd
2. December 9, 2019 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. in the District Administration Offices Board Room - 301 E. Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore
3. December 9, 2019 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Harriton High School's Large Group Instruction (LGI) Room - 600 N. Ithan Avenue in Rosemont
4. December 17, 2019 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Lower Merion High School's Large Group Instruction (LGI) Room - 315 E. Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore

Any decision regarding changing school start times has the potential for wide-ranging impact, not only on our students, but on our wider community. We hope you will take an active part in the process to ensure your voice is heard on this important topic.

The Interschool Council (ISC) will be holding their General Meeting & "Hot Topic" on Tuesday, November 19 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Lower Merion Academy Building (adjacent to BCMS) as Assistant Superintendent Dr. Scott Eveslage will discuss information regarding the School Start Time Recommendations. Get the facts, ask your questions and share your perspectives.

Harriton Theater Company is proud to present their upcoming production of Peter and the Starcatcher in a series of four shows November 21 through November 23 in the Harriton High School auditorium.

In Peter and the Starcatcher, Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism. As a free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids and a family of ordinary children.

Show Dates & Times

• November 21 at 7:00 p.m.
• November 22 at 7:00 p.m.
• November 23 at 2:00 p.m.
• November 23 at 7:00 p.m.Get your tickets today at www.harritontheater.com!

LMEA Outreach is collecting Treats for Troops from November 1 – December 2 in all District school buildings. These care packages will arrive to troops in time for the holidays. Please donate any of the following items (include an encouraging card or letter!): Deodorant (no aerosol cans), gel body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, baby wipes, q-tips, shampoo, chapstick, hand sanitizer, beef jerky, ramen noodles, peanut butter, crackers, fruit cocktail, microwaveable popcorn, Chef Boyardee ravioli, candy, powder drinks, and chicken salad lunch to go. The following LMEA reps are organizing drives at each building: Shannon Davis (HHS); Andria Johnson (LMHS); Leslie Bullitt (BCMS); Matt Birch (WVMS); Margy Papiano (PWES); Aimee Avellino & Karen Salladino (CES); Deb Wilson-Leslie (GES); Jacqueline Gaines, Jess Segal, & Danita Simon (MES); Chris Vaccaro (PVES); and Amanda Peirce (BHES). Let's show our support to individuals who make sacrifices everyday to preserve our freedoms. Contact Andria Johnson at lmeaoutreach@gmail.com or Aimee Avellino at avellia@lmsd.org with any questions.

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.

Kiran Khurana, a 2018 graduate of Harriton High School, and her parents were killed in a private plane crash in August 2019. On November 30, 2019, The Cynwyd Club will host a squash tournament (non-U.S. Squash-sanctioned) to fund a Lower Merion Township Scholarship in Kiran's memory.

Kiran participated in the Lower Merion School District's squash program from the time she was in elementary school until her graduation. As a player on the nationally ranked Harriton Lower Merion (HLM) Squash team, she often surprised her opponents with her ability to get to shots that seemed impossible to return. She not only showed tenacity and work ethic on the court, but also demonstrated strong academic skills and a love for learning in the classroom. Kiran had recently finished her first year at McGill University.

The "I Play for Kiran" Tournament will be run in either a round-robin or more traditional bracket format, based on the number of interested players. Spectators are invited to the Cynwyd Club, 332 Trevor Ln, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, to cheer players on, just as Kiran's parents did whenever she played.

Anyone interested in sponsoring, playing in, or donating time or talent to the tournament is asked to email iplayforkiran@gmail.com. All levels and ages of players are encouraged to participate (elementary to adult, novice to expert).

To read more about the Lower Merion Scholarship Fund or to make a monetary donation, please visit https://lmtsf.org/support/, select "Contribute to a Special Award", and then select "Kiran Khurana Scholarship" from the dropdown menu.

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.