Top Bar

Lower Merion High School

Off-Canvas

School Profile 2024-2025

LOWER MERION HIGH SCHOOL

Lower Merion School District
Nationally recognized for excellence in education
 

315 E. Montgomery Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003
Phone: (610) 645-1838 Fax: (610) 658-8720 CEEB/ACT Code: 390105

Administration

Megan Shafer

Acting Superintendent

Richard Marta

Supervisor of K-12 Counseling, Testing & Holistic Supports

Dr. Mike Johnson

Principal

Karen deFranco

Assistant Principal

Jon Fadely

Assistant Principal

Dr. Olufemi Fadeyibi

Assistant Principal

Dr. Lauren Hopkins

Interim Assistant Principal

Jason Stroup

Director - Athletics/Activities

Porsche Johnson

Secretary - Registrar

Danielle Nunan

Secretary - Counseling

Counselors

DonEl Brown

School Counselor

Miriam Collins

School Counselor

Tasha Gesacion

School Counselor

Marsha Rosen

School Counselor, Department Chair

Eli Skinner

School Counselor

Jennifer Vallieres

School Counselor

Eugene Werley

School Counselor

Jared Epler

Career & College Access Counselor

Lower Merion School District serves the 62,000 residents of Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough, a diverse, suburban community located just west of Philadelphia. The ethnic/racial composition of the school district is: 65% White/Caucasian, 8% Black/African-American, 11% Asian Pacific Islander, 6% Hispanic, and 10% Multi-Racial.

General Information

  • Grades: 9-12
  • Enrollment: 1701
  • Graduating Class: 464
  • Type of School: Public
  • Full time Faculty: 156
  • Teacher to Student Ratio: 1:11
  • Length of Semester: 18 weeks
  • Class Periods: 53 minutes

While students are encouraged to grow academically, we counsel
students to balance their course load with all their obligations
outside and beyond the classroom.

Advanced Placement Courses

  • Art: 2D and 3D
  • Biology
  • Calculus: AB and BC
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science A, Principles
  • Economics: Macro, Micro
  • English: Language and Composition; Literature and Composition
  • Environmental Science
  • French Language
  • Human Geography
  • Latin
  • Music Theory
  • Physics 1
  • Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism; Mechanics
  • Psychology
  • Spanish Language
  • Statistics
  • United States History
  • United States Government/Politics

Calculation of Grade Point Average

Grade point average (GPA) is calculated at the end of each school year using only final grades in the five major academic areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Honors, AP, and IB level courses are calculated on a weighted 5.0 scale and College Prep courses are calculated on a 4.0 scale. The GPA is reported on a weighted 5.0 scale.

Honors Courses

Art: Advanced Ceramics and Metal Arts 3/4/5, Advanced Film Photography 3/4/5, Art 1/2/3, Communication Design 3/4/5, 9th grade Art

English: 1/2/3; Creative Writing, Film and Literature, Heroes and Monsters: Classic British Lit, Journalism, Modern and Contemporary Literature, Reading and Writing Non-Fiction, Sports in Literature and Non-Fiction,Theater Arts: Drama Survey and Appreciation, Voices in African-American Literature and Non-Fiction

Mathematics: Advanced Topics in Linear Algebra and Discrete Mathematics, Computer Science 1/2, Computer Science Seminar, Integrated Math 1/2/3, Pre-calculus, Mathematics Seminar, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning , Cyber Security (H).

Music: Concert Band, Concert Choir, Symphony Orchestra, Music Major

Science: Foundations of Advanced Engineering & Design (H), Advanced Engineering & Design I , Architectural Design, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Aided Drafting and Design, Foundations of Engineering and Design (Beg/Adv), Genetics, Geology, Human Anatomy/Physiology, Innovation and Invention Robotics, Meteorology, Physics, Oceanography, Organic Chemistry

Social Studies: Black Excellence: The Politics, Economics, and Culture of an American People, Economics, Global Studies I , Global Studies II, Global Citizenship, Philosophy and Modern Culture, Psychology, U.S. Government, U.S. History

World Languages: French 1/2/3/4/5/6 (for Global Competence), Japanese 1/2, Latin 1/2/3/4/6, Spanish 1/2 (Spanish Speaker) Spanish 1/2/3/4/5/6 (for Global Competence)

All courses designated on the transcript by the word Honors or the letter H are accelerated and enriched.

Class Rank

No class rank is recorded on a student’s transcript.

Any institution may request in writing from the School Counseling
Department the class rank of any student if class rank is required for
admission to that school or needed for any scholarship program. The
class rank reported is weighted and includes only major academic
subject courses completed in grades 9-11.

Grading System

  • A+ = 97-100
  • A = 93-96
  • A- = 90-92
  • B+ = 87-89
  • B = 83-86
  • B- = 80-82
  • C+ = 77-79
  • C = 73-76
  • C- = 70-72
  • D+ = 67-69
  • D = 63-66
  • D- = 60-62
  • F = <60
  • Floor = 50
  • I = Incomplete
  • M = Medical Excuse
  • WP = Withdrew Passing
  • WF = Withdrew Failing
  • P = Passing in Pass/Fail
  • F = Failing in Pass/Fail
  • AU = Audit (no credit)
  • NG = No Grade (no credit)

Minimum Graduation Requirements for Class of 2024

4.00 credits of English
(1 credit each year)

4.00 credits of Social Studies
(Global Studies I, Global Studies II, United States History, and United States Government)

3.00 credits of Mathematics

3.00 credits of Science

2.00 credits of Arts and Humanities

0.50 credit of Health

1.00 credit of Physical Education (all four years)

3.50 credits of Electives

A total of 21 credits are required, and completion of a Senior Project is mandatory

Advanced Placement Exams (2024)

Total Candidates: 579

Total Exams: 1,285

Grades of 5: 316

Grades of 4: 445

Grades of 3: 289

82% of all AP exam scores were 3, 4, or 5
Total exam score average of 3.74

National Merit, National Achievement Scholarship Program and National Hispanic Recognition Program (2024)

Finalists: 18

Semifinalists: 19

Commended: 23

On average more than 14% of each graduating class is recognized by the National Merit Program.

ACT Summary (2024)

Test Middle 50% Mean
English 25-34 29.3
Math 25-34 28.2
Reading 24-34 29.7
Science 25-34 28.5
STEM 25-33 28.6
Composite 25-33 29.0

SAT Summary (2024)

Testing Area Middle Mean
Evidence Based Reading & Writing 600-720 651
Mathematics 590-740 653
Total 1190-1440 1304

Continuing Education

Approximately 92% of Lower Merion High School graduates continue a program of higher education. Approximately 88% of the class enroll in 4 year colleges, 4% in 2 year colleges. The 8% that do not attend higher education enroll in the military, participate in a gap year, attend a career school, or are employed full-time.

A Sampling of Colleges Attended by Lower Merion students (2024)

American University, Bates College, Baylor University, Bennington College, Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Brown University, Bucknell University,, Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Chestnut Hill College, Clark University, Colgate University, College of the Holy Cross, Colorado State University, Cornell University, Delaware County Community College, Dickinson College, Drexel University, Duke University, East Stroudsburg University, Eastern University, Elon University, Emory University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Fordham University, Franklin and Marshall College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gettysburg College, Gwynedd Mercy University, Hampton University, Harcum College, Ithaca College, James Madison University, Johns Hopkins University, Kenyon College, La Salle University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Lincoln University, Loyola University Chicago, Michigan State University, Middlebury College, Millersville University, Montgomery County Community College, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Mount Holyoke College, New York University, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, Oberlin College, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Princeton University, Purdue University, Reichman University, Rice University, Rutgers University, Saint Joseph's University, San Diego State University, Skidmore College, Susquehanna University, Syracuse University, Temple University, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, George Washington University, The New School, The University of Tennessee, The University of Texas at Austin, Trinity College Dublin, Tufts University, Tulane University, Union College, University of Arizona, University of California Berkeley, University of Chicago, University of Delaware, University of Georgia, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Mississippi, University of North Carolina, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Rochester, University of San Diego, University of South Carolina, University of Vermont, University of Wisconsin, Ursinus College, Vanderbilt University, Vassar College, Villanova University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest University, West Chester University, William & Mary, & Williams College

Gwynedd Mercy University dual Enrollment

Juniors and Seniors have the opportunity to earn college credit through the dual enrollment program. College credit is offered in Introduction to Marketing Management (3 credits), and Introduction to Business Seminar (3 credits).

Recent Awards and Accomplishments

Eighteen students from Lower Merion High School were named Semifinalists by the 2024 National Merit Scholarship.

For the 14th consecutive year, LMSD earned a "Best Communities in Music Education" designation from the NAMM Foundation for providing outstanding music access and education to all students.

Niche ranked LMSD as the 7th best District in the state, noting our student population is larger than any other district in Top 15. LMSD and its ten rated schools all earned A+ Niche grades.

The Civic Engagement Club at LMHS earned a Gold-Level Governor's Civic Engagement Award for their outstanding efforts educating and engaging their classmates about the voting process and for registering more than 85% of the school's eligible students.

Lower Merion High School's Science Olympiad teams finished in First and Third Place at the 2024 Pennsylvania Science Olympiad State Tournament.

Students The Amazing Ace contest at Lower Merion High School raised more then $8,000 for a variety of local charities.

Lower Merion High School was named as a Silver member of the 2023 AP Honor Roll, which recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access.

ENTER TO LEARN, GO FORTH TO SERVE