News & Announcements

Dear Merion Elementary School Families,

In order to meet the challenges of growing enrollment, the Lower Merion School District has submitted a preliminary plan to Lower Merion Township for the installation of four modular classrooms on the Merion Elementary School campus. The plan is to install the additional classrooms behind the existing school building during the summer of 2020, so that they can be used by our school community starting in September.

Merion Elementary's student population is already over the District's optimal capacity. We no longer have a music room, necessitating music "on a cart." We no longer have classroom spaces that can be used for small group instruction. Demographic projections show that we are likely to need two more classrooms this fall and a third new classroom in 2021. The modular classrooms, once installed, will ameliorate these issues.

In addition to installing the modular classrooms over the summer, the District plans to build 16 additional parking spaces in front of the school. These spaces will reduce the need for staff and visitors to park in our surrounding neighborhood. The Township could require the District to build another 62 parking spaces, but since construction of those spaces would severely encroach on one of Merion's grass fields, the District has asked to put those additional spaces "in reserve," meaning they would not need to be built at this time in order to gain approval for the temporary modular classrooms.

The District expects to need the modular classroom space for only a few years – until the new middle school (set to open in 2022) is fully occupied. Not only will this plan allow the school to retain its green space, it will save the District the added expense of building a parking lot in conjunction with modular classrooms that are needed only for the short term.

Click here to view a map showing the site of the temporary classrooms and additional parking. Note that the 62-car lot shown on the current field is the one that the District has asked to put in reserve.

If you would like to share feedback on this proposal with the Lower Merion Board of School Directors, you can email communitycomments@lmsd.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Toby Albanese

Principal
Merion Elementary School