Building Toward the Future

Building Toward the Future

Lower Moreland Township 2021-2022
School District ANNUAL REPORT

LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Dear Lower Moreland Township School District and Community, construction on the new high school progresses. It is inside this new
This year’s Annual Report theme, “Building Toward the Future,” high school that classrooms and spaces are being planned that will be
highlights many focus areas the District has been maintaining while student-centered and allow for needed collaboration space, ensuring
still navigating an ever-changing pandemic environment. While that the end results of the District’s planning and build meet the
technological shifts undertaken during the pandemic have been curriculum, are successful in function, and provide for student growth
mostly positive, it became obvious to the District that in-person and learning.
learning environments still hold the key to students’ connections to Before we look too far into the future, the District is immensely excited
materials and information, and most importantly, the social aspect to share this annual report summary with you and highlight the
of learning. achievements of our students and staff this past academic year.
Reevaluating our classrooms from both inside and outside has
been core to identifying where student successes are mostly found. Sincerely,
The theme “Building Toward the Future” also identifies the most Scott Davidheiser, Ed.D.
conspicuous change to the landscape in the Township as continued Superintendent of Schools

AROUND OUR SCHOOLS: POINTS OF PRIDE

Lower Moreland High School

n  The LMHS Mini-THON raised $202,337.88 for
the Four Diamonds Fund, a leader in childhood
cancer care, treatment, and innovative research.

n  Students auditioned for the Pennsylvania Music

Educators Association District, Region, and State

Ensembles. This highly competitive group of

students wins spots in performing groups that

feature musicians from Montgomery County

(districts), Southeast Pennsylvania (regionals), and

all Pennsylvania (state) high schools. Four students

n  LMHS and Bryn Athyn College hosted the qualified for districts and two continued on to the
annual “Out of the Darkness” Suicide Prevention regional and state level.
Walk in April. The event raised over $15,000 to
fund education programs, research, advocacy n  Orchestra teacher Dr. Sarah Gulish was named
for public policy, and support for those affected a semifinalist for the 2022 Music Educator
by suicide. Approximately 200 students and Grammy Award. Dr. Gulish received a grant from
residents participated. the Grammy Museum and national recognition for
the school’s music program.
n  The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
sent nine students to compete in the FBLA State Murray Avenue School

n  Health/Physical

Leadership Conference. Varun Singh, grade 11, Education teacher Kristen
placed 10th in Cyber Security; Chelsea Cohen Hutchinson was named
and Alyssa Gottesman placed 8th in Public Service the 2022 Middle School

Announcements; and Phillip Duarte placed 4th PE Teacher of the Year by
in Coding and Programming. Duarte was the the Southeastern District of
first student in District history to compete at the SHAPE PA.

national level in FBLA. n  Murray Avenue’s eighth
grade Gifted Support
n  The Mock Trial Team made it to the state finals class took part in Future
this year. The team, which is sponsored by teacher
City, a national competition. They were tasked
Mr. John Haldeman, was one of only 14 schools
with the question, “How can we make the world
to advance out of 247. The team achieved the 6th a better place?” The class was asked to theorize
best overall team score at the state finals.
a city hundreds of years into the future. The tasks
n  With support from the Huntingdon Valley- were to build a scaled model, create a slideshow
Churchville Rotary Club and LMHS teachers and presentation, create a presentation video, write an
staff, the LMHS Interact Club collected donations essay, develop a project plan, and interview with
for the Philabundance Food Drive. The Interact over 30 engineers about the specifics of their city,
Club gathered over 300 pounds of food that was Sonarlaus. This year’s challenge was to create a
dispersed to local social service agencies and waste-free city using the three principles of circular
food banks. economy. This was Murray Avenue’s fifth year

participating in the competition, and the

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first year making it to the finals. Students won two
engineering awards:

1. Constructing for our Future, sponsored by
P. Agnes Builders, and

2. A lternative Energy Innovation, sponsored by
Vicinity Energy Philadelphia.

n  Pine Road celebrated Valentine’s Day with
a gift from the heart. Students, teachers, and
parents had their hair cut at Salon La Vogue and
donated it to “Locks of Love,” an organization that
provides custom wigs or hairpieces for financially
disadvantaged children with medical hair loss.

n  For the school’s Martin Luther King Day of Service NOTABLE DISTRICT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
project, students made blankets and donated FOR 2021-2022
toiletries to a shelter that helps teens experiencing
homelessness. U.S. News and World Report
ranked LMHS:
Pine Road Elementary School
• # 15th in Philadelphia, Pa. Metro Area High
n  The Pine Road community displayed their Schools
generosity with a huge donation of supplies for
the people of Ukraine. • #17th in Pennsylvania High Schools
• #241st in STEM High Schools
n  Every month, The Pine Road community holds • #620th nationwide
a service project. Projects in 2021-2022 included
raising money through a pajama day for the Philadelphia Magazine listed LMHS as one
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and donating of the 40 Top-Rated Public High Schools in
personal hygiene items to an organization that
serves homeless individuals and families in the Philadelphia area.
Philadelphia. • T he District was recognized as one of the

n  Pine Road celebrated Veterans’ Day with Best Communities for Music Education by
a breakfast for students and any family or the National Association of Music Merchants.
community members who served in the military.
Niche.com ranked the District 24th in
n For the Martin Luther King Day of Service Pennsylvania and 255th nationwide.
project, Pine Road students and families made
breakfast bags, gift cards, and other items for • The District had three National Merit
homebound community members, veterans, and Finalists: Zihan Yang, David Volchonok, and
seniors in the area. A cleanup of areas outside of Gabrielle Leon.
the building also took place.

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UNDERSTANDING THE 2022-23 BUDGET

During the 2022-2023 budget planning process, receives to offset property tax reductions under
the School Board passed a resolution to not exceed the Homestead Exclusion Act. Whether the jump
the Act 1 Index of 3.4%. Starting with a preliminary in gambling revenue is due to an increase in online
budget increase of 3.301%, the administration worked gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic, or people
diligently to get the final budget increase down to rushing to the casinos after restrictions were lessened
2.95%. is anyone’s guess. The important thing to note is
that we cannot assume this trend will continue. Our
On the expense side, the new budget allows for the budgets, therefore, are always planned conservatively.
addition of two teachers and a half-time staff member
to support the District’s growing student enrollment, As always, the School Board and administration strive
which has resulted in 99% capacity within our to be careful stewards of tax dollars while delivering
buildings. an excellent education to LMTSD students.

Learning loss and an increased need for social/ Where the Money Comes From REVENUES
emotional support continues to be a post-COVID-19
shutdown consequence in the District and across the Total Revenue $56,671,458 .52% 1.86%
nation. Fortunately, federal ESSER funds still exist and
will be used to continue to provide student services in Local Revenue 44,249,238 (78.08%) 19.54% Local
these areas. State Revenue 11,071,823 (19.54%) 15.03% Revenue
Federal Revenue 296,830 (.52%) State
On the revenue side, unprecedented factors have *Fund Balance 1,053,567 (1.86%) Revenue
been addressed and will continue to be monitored Federal
carefully. The most notable is the sudden jump 56,671,458 Revenue
in interest rates. While it had been the District’s Fund
assumption that new housing developments would 18.81% 78.08% Balance
yield more revenues from the earned income taxes
of new residents, we are now faced with a potentially Where the Money Goes Salaries 23,795,297 (41.99%)
cooler housing market. This economic shift is
particularly challenging for our District, where 90% of Total Expenditures $56,671,458 Benefits 14,435,651 (25.47%)
our revenue comes from homeowners with a mere
10% coming from the small commercial base within Contracted Services 4,085,172 (7.21%)
our community.
50% Other Purchased Services 6,969,207 (12.30%)
An unexpected boost of revenue has come from
the state gambling proceeds, which our District 41.99% Supplies/Equipment 2,464,221 (4.35%)

40% Debt Service/Fund Transfers 4,811,910 (8.49%)

30% Budgetary Reserve 110,000 (0.19%)

25.47%

20% 7.21% 12.30% 8.49%
10%
Contracted Other 4.35% .19%
0% Services Purchased
Salaries Bene ts Supplies/ Debt Service/ Budgetary
Services Equipment Fund Transfers Reserve

LOWER MORELAND ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS:

League Champions • Girls Soccer District Runner Ups
• Boys Soccer • Girls Swimming
• Boys Cross Country
• Boys Tennis • Girls Tennis • Boys Tennis
• Hannah Kideckel (Tennis Singles)
• Hannah Kideckel (Tennis Singles) • Rebecca Kideckel, Sarah Kideckel (Tennis Doubles)
• Jacob Heller (Boys Tennis)
• R ebecca Kideckel, Sarah Kideckel (Tennis Doubles) • Mark Berdichevsky, Aidan Kasner (Tennis Doubles)
• Talia Wiggins, Melanie Hwan, Isabella Gioia, Esther
• Brian Hegedus, Derek Mironenko and Park (200 Free Relay)
Alex Kebuz (Wrestling)
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District Team Champions

• Girls Cross Country • Girls Tennis

District I Individual Champions
• Esther Park (200 Individual Medley)
• Esther Park (100 Breaststroke)
• J ude Blumhardt, Josh Ferker, Sam Shtrambrand,
Ashton Feldman (200 Medley Relay)
• Jude Blumhardt (50 Freestyle)
• Sam Shtrambrand (100 Butterfly)

HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Construction on the new Lower Moreland High use spaces. Architects received input from the high
School is in progress and is expected to be school’s administration, staff, and students early on in
completed in late 2023/early 2024. The District’s goal the process, taking all ideas into consideration. The
is to make the move from the old building to the new building is four total stories, but no more than three
over Presidents’ Day weekend in February 2024. stories high at any given point.
Plans for the new building began in 2019 due to The new high school gym will be located close to the
increased enrollment projections. The new high Murray Avenue fields, and the District hopes to better
school will be a 187,000 square-foot building for utilize those fields for sports and physical education
1,000 students. D’Huey Engineering Inc. has been classes. The District is currently using nearby turf
on site daily, working with contractors to keep all fields at Bryn Athyn College and Academy of the
aspects of the construction on schedule. New Church, both a short drive from the new high
The initial opening projection was for the start of the school.
2023-2024 school year, but construction was delayed Murray Avenue School, grades sixth to eighth, will
four months in mid-2021 due to the necessary move over to the current high school building at
obtainment and review process of a National the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, as well
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, which as fifth grade students from Pine Road Elementary
is related to water infiltration. Fortunately, a mild School. (Pine Road will become kindergarten to
winter didn’t lead to any inclement weather delays. fourth grade.) The current middle school building will
Classroom designs will provide flexibility in be demolished in late 2024.
how space is utilized and maximize the student
experience with movable desks, chairs and multi-

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COUNCIL

Lower Moreland Township School District’s review the pupil, personnel, and programmatic
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council continued policies in the District’s policy manual through a
to meet during the 2021-2022 school year. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lens, and to make
Council, formed in April 2021, is following a three- recommendations on how they may be updated.
to-five year action plan that was adopted by the In May, the Board of School Directors also
Board of School Directors in October 2021. adopted a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
statement that establishes the following items as
Some recent accomplishments of the Council are: the foundational structure upon which aspects
of the District’s educational system are built and
The Council recommended to the School Board maintained:
a calendar for the 2022-2023 school year that l Equitable Access
recognizes three new school holidays: the Festival l Workforce Equity
of Lights (Diwali), Lunar New Year, l C ulturally Responsive Curriculum and
and Juneteenth.
Instruction
Each school formed a Community and Family l C ulturally Responsive Professional
Engagement Team that is undertaking efforts for
special events and ongoing programming. Each Development
team includes students, parents/guardians, staff l Welcoming and Safe School Environments
members, and community residents. l Celebrating Diversity

The School Board contracted with the 5
Pennsylvania School Boards Association to

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2022!

Of the 183 Lower Moreland High School Class of 2022 graduates, 94% plan to continue
on to college, while others are going into the military or the workforce. Our graduates are
attending over 60 universities this fall and earned $5.3 million in scholarships and awards.

Some of the colleges/universities that the Class of 2022 graduates plan to attend include,
but are not limited to: Drexel University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania,
University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Villanova University, and Yale University.
We wish all our graduates success and joy on their journeys ahead!

DO YOU HAVE A PAW PASS? n Discounted rates to the other drama club
show times
If you’re a Lower Moreland resident age 60
or older, become a Lower Moreland Paw Pass n Free entry to regular season football, basketball,
card holder! The Paw Pass entitles you to free or and wrestling athletic events played in the
discounted rates to LMTSD theatre productions, District
sporting events, and enrichment programs.
n Discounted rates for adult enrichment
Paw Pass card holders receive: courses
n Free entry to the dress rehearsal of the
Murray Avenue and LMHS drama club SIGN UP TODAY!
productions
n Free entry to the Saturday matinee of Request a card and schedule of events by
the LMHS spring musical calling 215-938-0272 or email [email protected].

LET’S CONNECT!

Lower Moreland Township School District Visit our website lmtsd.org under the
2551 Murray Ave., Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 “Announcements” section to submit your email

WWW.LMTSD.ORG address if you would like to receive
monthly newsletters and invitations to special events.

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