Upcoming Community Events & Programs

With a chill in the air and the holiday season here, Lower Merion schools have scheduled their winter concerts. Members of the community are invited to enjoy the performances of our talented students, under the direction of our gifted music teachers. The full concert schedule is below:

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

• Harriton High School - Fall Concert #1 – Band and Orchestra – 7:00pm

Thursday, December 1, 2022

• Bala Cynwyd Middle School – Vocal Concert – 7:30pm

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

• Belmont Hills Elementary School – Winter Choir Concert – 7:00pm
• Lower Merion High School – Fall Concert Part 1 – 7:00pm

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

• Black Rock Middle School – Winter Concert Part 1 – 7/8 Grade Band & Orchestra – 7:00pm

Thursday, December 8, 2022

• Harriton High School – Fall Concert #2 Choir/Jazz – 7:00pm

Monday, December 12, 2022

• Bala Cynwyd Middle School - Winter Concert Part 1 – 7:00pm

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

• Welsh Valley Middle School - Instrumental Concert Part 1 -7/8 Grade Band and Orchestra – 7:00pm

Thursday, December 15, 2022

• Gladwyne Elementary School – Winter Chorus Concert – 7:00pm
• Lower Merion High School – Fall Concert Part 2 – 7:00pm

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

• Penn Wynne Elementary School – Winter Concert – 7:00pm

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

• Penn Valley Elementary School - Choral Concert – 7:00pm

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

• Merion Elementary School – Music Concert – 7:00pm
• Black Rock Middle School - Winter Choral Concert 5/6 Grade – 7:00pm
• Welsh Valley Middle School - Winter Choral Concert 5/6 Grade – 7:00pm

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

• Welsh Valley Middle School - Winter Choral Concert 7/8 Grade – 7:00pm

Thursday, January 12, 2023

• Black Rock Middle School - Winter Choral Concert 7/8 Grade – 7:00pm

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

• Black Rock Middle School – Concert Part 2 – 5/6 Grade Band & Orchestra – 7:00pm
• Welsh Valley Middle School – Concert Part 2 – 5/6 Grade Band & Orchestra – 7:00pm

Monday, January 23, 2023

• Bala Cynwyd Middle School – Winter Concert Part 2 – 7:00pm

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

• Harriton High School Music Department Open House – 7:00pm
• Lower Merion High School Music Department Open House – 7:00pm

Thursday, February 9

• Cynwyd Elementary Winter Concert/Ensemble – 7:00 p.m.

Congratulations are in order for the Lower Merion School District's Transportation Department. On November 23, 2022, the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation (EP-ACT) presented LMSD Transportation Supervisor Uldis Vilcins with their 2022 Environmental Excellence Award.

The award is presented to an organization that exemplifies vision and environmental stewardship, and has been a staunch supporter of EP-ACT and alternative fuel vehicle technologies during the tenure of its membership.

According to the presenting organization, this level of recognition is traditionally considered for organizations with 4 years+ of EP-ACT membership and service. In addition, the organization typically provides support to EP-ACT through participation in sub-committees, special events, and membership in executive committees and/or board of directors.

Congratulations to our Transportation supervisors, office staff, bus drivers, maintenance technicians and bus aides who not only safely transport thousands of students each day, but also are doing their part to protect the environment!

What: Feel like you could use a night out without the kids? Parents Night Out is an entertaining evening for children ages 4-11 filled with fun, including board games, open gym, arts & crafts, movies and more, as LMHS staff and student volunteers supervise the event!

Plus, we've got dinner covered! Drop off your child(ren) at 5:00 p.m. for pizza! Only an extra $5 per child!

When: Saturday, December 10 from 5:30-9:00 p.m.

Where: Lower Merion High School (315 E. Montgomery Avenue in Ardmore). Drop-off and pick-up at the
Main Entrance to LMHS on Montgomery Avenue.

Cost: $30 for 1 child; $45 for 2 children; $55 for 3 children; $5 for each additional child. All proceeds benefit the LMHS Classes of 2022 - 2025.

Parents must fill out the online registration and consent form available here.

Payment is due upon arrival. Cash or check is accepted. Please make checks payable to LMHS. Walk-ups are welcome, but parents must complete the registration and consent form upon arrival. A light snack will be provided.

For an additional $5 per child, we've got dinner covered! If you are interested in this dinner option, you can drop off your kids at 5:00 p.m. for pizza and drinks!

Questions or concerns? Please contact Beth Hampton (hamptob@lmsd.org) or Tina Dolente (dolentc@lmsd.org).

Harriton Girls Lacrosse will host a 'Parents Night Out' Fundraiser on Friday, December 9 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. in the Harriton High School gymnasium! Drop your kids off for a fun-filled evening that includes open gym, arts & crafts, movies, snacks and more!

This event is for children ages 4 and up. No diapers! The cost is $30 for one child, $40 for two children and $50 for three children in the same family. Supervision will be provided by Harriton lacrosse players, parent volunteers and staff.

Any questions about financial aid should be directed to ramlaxboosterclub@gmail.com.

Interested parties must register in advance by Monday, December 5 at this link!

Magellan Health Services will be holding a food drive November 1 through December 16, 2022, benefitting the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network, a nonprofit that coordinates getting donations to a number of area food pantries and soup kitchens, and the Bucks County Opportunity Center.

There are six drop-off locations in Montgomery County, which are listed below:

• Norristown Municipal Building
• Montgomery County HHS
• Pottstown Hospital
• Lower Salford Township Building
• Jefferson Hospital, Lansdale
• Abington Township

For the tenth year, members of Harriton High School's National Honor Society partnered with the Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth to help provide holiday meals for families in need. The students held a school-wide Thanksgiving food drive and collected monetary donations to purchase gift cards.

The students sorted the non-perishable food donations into meal boxes for 100 families identified by the county, ensuring that each family would have what they need to celebrate the holiday. They decorated the boxes with Thanksgiving greetings and numbered each one so that every family would get what they needed.

On Friday morning, November 18, 2022, 47 seniors from Harriton's National Honor Society helped unload the boxes from trucks that were driven to the county offices in Norristown by members of the School District's Operations Department. The students also provided $3000 in gift cards that county social workers will give to the families to buy perishable items to complete their holiday meals.

Since this project was started, Harriton students have helped 1000 families in this manner. County Commissioners Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. and Joseph C. Gale commended the students and the wider Harriton community for their generosity and thoughtfulness for others.

Harriton teacher Donna Rossi, who serves as the National Honor Society's faculty advisor, noted that just about everyone at Harriton participated in the effort, including students from all grades, professional and support staff, bus drivers, custodians and nurses.

This project -- led by some of LMSD's most academically gifted and actively involved students -- exemplifies the District motto, "Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve."

For a slide show of photos from the food delivery, please click below.

The Lower Merion Township Scholarships Fund (LMTSF) will be hosting a fundraiser at Honeygrow on Tuesday, November 29 from 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Feed the Fund is back!

Can't wrap your head around meal planning post-Thanksgiving? The LMTSF has a 'two-fer' for you on Giving Tuesday that will allow you to do good by eating out for lunch and/or dinner while you help support the fund at Honeygrow's Wynnewood location.

Use the code GIVE132 when you order on the website here, through the app, at the kiosk in-store or simply mention the LMTSF before you order and pay at the register and Honeygrow will donate 20% back to the LMTSF. Not available through third-party delivery apps.

SO PLEASE:

Do Good/Eat Out – register here! (Not required, but helpful!)

• Mention LMTSF or use the code GIVE132 when ordering take-out or dine-in.
• Share with your friends on FB and in real life!
• Ask your student to talk it up with their friends!

LMTSF has been granting needs-based scholarships to LMSD seniors and recent graduates to pursue a post-secondary education since 1964. www.lmtsf.org

On November 26, 2022, The Cynwyd Club will host a non-US Squash sanctioned charity tournament to benefit the Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund in memory of Kiran Khurana. Kiran and her parents were tragically killed in a plane crash in August 2019, and this terrible loss has been felt throughout the community.

Kiran was a 2018 graduate of Harriton High School. She participated in Lower Merion's District-run squash program beginning in elementary school and throughout her middle and high school years. She was a dependable member of the nationally-ranked Harriton-LM squash team, often surprising her opponents with her ability to get to shots that seemed impossible to return. Kiran's tenacity and work ethic were matched off the court with strong academic skills and a love for learning. Kiran had recently finished her first year at McGill University and had unlimited potential. The Harriton/Lower Merion community misses Kiran and honors her memory.

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. Play will either be best of three or a traditional five-game match. All levels and ages of players are encouraged to participate (elementary through adult, novice to expert). And if you prefer to cheer the players on from the stands, please join us on November 26.

All participants must follow all of The Cynwyd Club Rules including wearing white clothing, appropriate eye protection and all COVID protocols. COVID rules may change with CDC recommendations, so please be aware of any information regarding these changes.

Financial assistance is available to LMSD students. All questions regarding this event can be emailed to iplayforkiran@gmail.com. Start times will be released on 11/25.

How to Register

• Register online here until 11/23
• After 11/24 please email iplayforkiran@gmail.com to register.
• On the day of the event, you can pay through your mobile device. Text KIRAN to 41444 or bring a check for $45 made out to "Lower Merion Township Scholarship Fund" to the event.

Five Lower Merion School District students will be honored by the Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail for their photography of the trail. The theme of the photography contest they entered was "Contrasts."

Harriton High School senior Mila Guberman won first place in the 14- to 18-year-old category with her submission, "Centered."

In the 10-to 13-year-old category, Logan Bauer of Cynwyd Elementary won first place for "Autumn Train" and Suravi Banka of Bala Cynwyd Middle School won second place for "Bridge to Nowhere."

In the nine and under category, Maeve Betley won second place for "Peek-a-Boo Tree," while Lumi Komulaine-Chin won third place for "Blue Chair on Green Grass." Both are students at Merion Elementary School.

The winners will be recognized at the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail in November 2022.

For a slide show of the winning photographs, please click below:

Lower Merion High School's Classes of 2023-2026 are holding a fundraiser selling summer, fall and winter wreaths, centerpieces, garland, home decor and tabletop trees. The Aces will receive 15% of all sales.

Supporting this fundraiser is easy! Simply decorate your home or send an elegant evergreen gift! Click here to start shopping today!

• Visit www.lynchcreekfundraising.com/teams/299164
• Click Shop Online or scroll down to view items.
• When checking out, select the date you wish to have items shipped directly to your house.

Email Beth Hampton at hamptob@lmsd.org with questions.

School buses are about to return to the roads for the start of another school year. Please keep our students safe and abide by Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law.

• When you meet or overtake a stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended, you MUST STOP.
• When you approach an intersection where a school bus is stopped with red signal lights flashing and stop arm extended, you MUST STOP.
• You MUST STOP at least ten (10) feet away from the school bus.
• You MUST WAIT until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm has been withdrawn before moving.
• DO NOT MOVE until all the children have reached a place of safety.

The penalties if convicted of violating Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law include:

• $250 fine
• Five points on your driving record
• 60-day license suspension

For more information, review Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law Fact Sheet.

LMSD's Committee to Address Race in Education (CARE) Wants You!

All members of the Lower Merion School District community – students, parents and guardians, staff and residents – are invited to join LMSD's Committee to Address Race in Education (CARE).

LMSD recognizes the value and necessity of engaging all community stakeholders in our efforts to provide a high-quality education to all students. CARE was formed in 1997 in order to forge school-community partnerships and opportunities for stakeholders to work collaboratively toward this goal.

CARE meets monthly from September through May each year to:

• Communicate about issues of race that have implications for education
• Advise the District on issues of policy and practice,
• Report about programs that benefit all racial/ethnic groups
• Educate all stakeholders in an effort to increase understanding and bring all students to the highest possible levels of achievement.

Meeting dates for the 2022-2023 school year are listed below. Meetings are held in the Lower Merion High School library from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

• Oct. 19, 2022
• Nov. 16, 2022
• Jan. 18, 2023
• Feb. 15, 2023
• March 15, 2023
• Apr. 19, 2023
• May 17, 2023

To be added to the mailing list for CARE meeting reminders, please click here and enter your email address. To learn more about CARE, click here.

The USDA's universal free meal program, which was put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, will not be available for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. To receive free or reduced-price meals during the upcoming school year, qualified families will need to go through the application process, which is NOW OPEN. To ensure that qualified students can receive their meals at the start of the year, I urge you begin the process now. The steps and important links are provided below, and on the Nutritional Services page of the District website.

See if your family qualifies for the program:

• Visit www.schoolcafe.com to see if you qualify. Only one application needs to be submitted per household, even if your children attend more than one school in LMSD.
• The application must be filled out completely to certify your children for free or reduced-price school meals.
• Please follow the step-by-step instructions online.

If your family qualifies:

• In addition to the application, a Sharing of Information Waiver must be signed to share your status of Free or Reduced with other departments in the District that may waive certain fees for your participation in the lunch program.
• Click here to print out the waiver
• Indicate yes or no for sharing
• Sign and return to:

Lower Merion Nutritional Services
301 E. Montgomery Avenue
Ardmore, PA 19003

Notice of Direct Certification

• If you have received a Notice of Direct Certification for free meals, do not complete the application.
• But do let the school know if any children in your household are not listed on the Notice of Direct Certification letter you received.

For additional information on qualifying and applying, please see the Frequently Asked Questions available here. If you are unable to apply online or do not have access to a computer, please contact Nutritional Services at 610-645-1990 or email pinardk@lmsd.org for assistance with applying for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

We look forward to welcoming our students in September and to offering them delicious and nutritious meals. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Financial Help for Families to Connect to the Internet

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) will allow many American households to reduce their internet service costs by up to $30/month.

There are three different ways to qualify, and you'll be able to take advantage of this benefit if you meet any one of them.

• The first category is income — specifically, whether the money you make annually is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. For an individual, that would be $27,180. For a couple (or any household of two), the total is $36,620. For a family of four, that total rises to $55,500. The full income chart is available here.
• Second, you'll also qualify if you or someone else in your household is a beneficiary of assistance programs including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit, and more.
• Finally, you're also eligible if you've already met the criteria for an existing low-income program from a local internet provider in your area.

If you'd like to claim this benefit for your family, you can start the process right here.

Which internet service providers are participating?

• Allo Communications
• AltaFiber (and Hawaiian Telecom)
• Altice USA (Optimum and Suddenlink)
• Astound
• AT&T
• Breezeline
• Comcast
• Comporium
• Frontier
• IdeaTek
• Cox Communications
• Jackson Energy Authority
• Mediacom
• MLGC
• Spectrum (Charter Communications
• Starry
• Verizon (Fios only)
• Vermont Telephone Company
• Vexus Fiber
• Wow! Internet, Cable, and TV

For more information about this service, click here.

LMSD can also help qualifying families get connected through the Comcast Internet Essentials program. For information about LMSD's Internet Essentials Program, call or email Anna O'Hora in the School and Community Relations Department at 610-645-1977 or ohoraa@lmsd.org.

As this school year draws to a close, everyone in the Lower Merion School District is busy getting ready for 2022-2023. That means it's registration time for students who plan to enter our schools in September.

Click here for registration information.

Orientations for registered kindergarten students begin the week of May 9, 2022.

Julian Bassman, a 10th-grade student at Lower Merion High School, has been selected to perform the National Anthem to kick off the Best Buddies of Pennsylvania's Annual Friendship Walk on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The walk will take place at Commerce Square, 2005 Market St. in Philadelphia. Registration will be available from 9:30-11:00 a.m., with the walk beginning at 11:00 a.m. To cheer Julian on, supporters should plan to arrive by 10:00 a.m.

To register for the walk, or to make a donation, please click here. You can also support the team by purchasing a Best Buddies T-shirt here. The shirts are $10 each and you can choose among the ten LMSD schools and colors.

Congratulations to Julian and all of the students who are Best Buddies!

Students' participation in the Best Buddies program is an example of the Spirit of Community and Student-Driven Schools pathways of LMSD's Strategic Plan, All Forward. Click here to learn more about All Forward and how it serves as a guide for all we do in our District.

Swimmers and divers are invited to join the Lower Merion Aquatic Club! This announcement is geared towards students ages 5-18 ranging anywhere in skill level from developmental to competitive.

Learn more at: www.Lowermerionaquaticclub.com

Lower Merion Aquatic Club is a registered non-profit, 501(c)(3). Financial assistance is available.

For more information please contact: LMACheacoach@gmail.com.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

The March 30^th Communications Committee Meeting will be held via Zoom at 7:00 PM to accommodate the addition of the Ad-Hoc for Equity & Anti-Racism Workshop which was scheduled for February. The Ad-Hoc Committee portion of the meeting will begin immediately following the Communications Meeting.

The Zoom link will be available when the agenda is posted in BoardDocs.

This meeting can also be viewed via Live Stream Video please click on the below link:
https://www.lmsd.org/zoom-live.

The federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been extended until May 2022. The average SNAP benefit increased by $36.24 per person.

SNAP maximum allotments (benefit amounts) are updated each year based on the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan in June and take effect on October 1. The Thrifty Food Plan is the cost of groceries needed to provide a healthy, budget-conscious diet for a family of four.

For more information about SNAP, click here.

To visit the Narberth Community Food Bank website, click here.

Registration for kindergarten and first grade is now open! In order to register a child...

• you must be a current resident of LMSD
• complete the online application at www.lmsd.org/register

To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must be five years of age on or before September 15, 2022.

For children who will be entering a LMSD school for the first time in the fall of 2022 as a first grader, the child must be six years of age on or before September 15, 2022.

Students currently enrolled in a LMSD kindergarten program do not need to register again for first grade.

Questions? Email registration@lmsd.org or call 610-658-3996 for assistance. Interpreter services are available upon request.

The "Aces K-5 Virtual Homework Help" program is a free resource being offered by Lower Merion High School buildOn volunteers for elementary school students in need of academic assistance. This program aims to supplement in-class instruction and help younger students with difficult subject areas and homework assignments in a welcoming, supportive and productive environment. Sessions will be held using Zoom and will take place on a weekly basis.

To register your child(ren), click here!

The Montgomery County Office of Public Health is now scheduling appointments for children ages 5-11 to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following FDA and CDC recommendation.

Foster relationships. Link to resources. Advocate for you. Connect with you.

Do you need help and don't know where to start?

We can help you:

• Navigate the human services system
• Better understand services available to you
• Make referrals to organizations that will best address your needs

We can help link you to resources:

• Services for seniors
• Mental health services
• Drug & alcohol services
• Employment
• Child care
• Housing
• Food
• And more!

Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Phone:610-278-3522 (FLAC)

• Navicates are able to assist by phone or email to maintain everyone's safety at this time.

Free service for Montgomery County residents. Language Line services available. Learn more here.

Montgomery County is offering COVID-19 testing to anyone who lives, works or goes to school in the County and who wants or needs to be tested, regardless of whether they are symptomatic.

To register, go to www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 and click on "County Testing Information." The registration website opens each day at 7:00 a.m. You can also call 610-970-2937 to make an appointment. That number is open Monday-Friday starting at 8:30 a.m.

The closest testing locations to LMSD are:

Ardmore
114 W. Lancaster Ave. (rear of the parking lot next to IHOP)
Mon/Wed/Fri 9 am - 5 pm
Tues/Thurs 10 am -6 pm

Norristown
1401 DeKalb St. (Norristown Regional Health Center)
Mon - Fri 9 am - 5 pm

Other locations are listed on the County website.