lower moreland twp. school district 2011 annual report

7/29/2019 Lower Moreland Twp. School District 2011 Annual Report

1/6

Flouisigi Cagig Tims

A Compilation of Achievements

Lower Moreland Township

School District

four-ish-ing (v.) to grow well, to thrive;

to be in period o highest productivity, excellence, infuence.


2/6

Wlcom fom tSupitdt of Scools

Dear Community,

As we all know, change is not always easy. It makes many o us eeluncomortable and sometimes even scared. But we are ortunate to live in a school districtwhere change is welcomed as an opportunity to be more creative in the way we approach

education and student learning.Lower Moreland went through a signicant change over the past year with the renovationo Pine Road Elementary School and the reconguration o our grade levels. It was a hugeundertaking that meant change or a lot o our stakeholders. But I am proud to say that ouraculty and sta, our students and our parents embraced that change, making the transitionvery smooth or everyone involved.

It is this attitude that has kept Lower Moreland fourishing despite the many challenges thatpublic school systems now ace. In addition to our ability to adapt to change, we remaincommitted to excellence. We believe that the high-quality educational experience we provideor students will undoubtedly help prepare them to become lie-long learners.

Our results in the past year illustrate our commitment to this ideal, with our studentsleading the county in grades 8 and 11 in science achievement, and in all areas tested at thehigh school level. We were ranked 11th in the regions top perorming high schools byPhiladelphia Magazine, and were ranked ourth out o 501 school districts in the state byschooldigger.com. Our students achieve outside the classroom as well, through participationin community service opportunities, extra-curricular activities and athletic competitions.

This wouldnt be possible without the support we receive rom our parents and communitymembers. Your role in our students success cannot be underestimated. The partnerships thatwe have with our parents and community members are critical to fourishing in changing times.

So that we may continue to nurture those relationships, I invite you to take a look at our com-munity report, which highlights many o our accomplishments rom the 2010-11 school year.I hope you will join us as we celebrate our successes and continue cultivating an educationalenvironment that helps our children to learn, grow and achieve to their highest potential.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marykay FeeleySuperintendent o Schools

The Lower Moreland Township School District serves the residents o Lower MorelandTownship, which is situated in eastern Montgomery County, PA. It shares borders with thetownships o Abington, Upper Moreland, and Upper and Lower Southampton, the borough oBryn Athyn, and the City o Philadelphia. Our township boasts some o the highest standardso living in the Greater Philadelphia area and is attractive to residents or its outstandingpublic schools, proximity to major urban areas, historical signicance and local pride.

Primarily a residential, upper-to-middle class community, Lower Moreland has a populationo nearly 13,000 and a median age o 45.5 years. Residents o the township are well-educatedand are largely ound in proessional, technical and managerial occupations. The medianhousehold income is $98,656, according to the 2000 Census, and the average market value orresidential properties is $233,600, according to the Montgomery County Board o Assessment.

The township strongly supports education, with many community members willing to serveon the School Board, join parent-teacher associations, and oer their time, talents and experi-ences to enrich and expand educational and athletic programs.

We welcome the opportunity to show elected ocials, community members, and thoseconsidering a move to our township around our school district so that they may learn moreabout the educational programs that local tax dollars support. We take great pride in beingone o the reasons Lower Moreland is an ideal place to live and raise a amily.

Low Molad Scool DistictA Tiig Plac to Li ad La


3/6

Platig t SdsStatgic Pla Goals 2008-2014

Goal 1: The district will manage and adapt to the projected growth and changes the districtwill experience over the next six years.

Goal 2: To maintain a sense o community within the schools and between the schools andcommunity in the ace o the changing demographics in the district.

Goal 3: To oster the healthy interpersonal and intrapersonal development o each child.

Goal 4: The district will utilize technology in all aspects o the educational process.

Goal 5: To maintain excellence in curriculum and instruction while meeting the individualneeds o all students.

Gowig OppotuitisIitiatis, Pogams ad Gats

GrAnTS reCeIveD by

LOWer MOreLAnD TOWnShIP SChOOL DISTrICT

2009-2010Title I Supplemental Education Program (Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) $60,520

Title II Proessional Development (Improving Teacher Quality) $47,929

Title III Language Instruction or Limited EnglishProcient & Immigrant Students $24,535

Dual Enrollment (Funding for College and University Courses Offered to High School Students) $ 6,726

Drug Free Schools $ 3,942

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) $277,753

IDEA Stimulus $169,498

Pennsylvania Accountability Block(Provides Financial Assistance to Implement Effective Educational Practices and Initiatives) $47,798

E-Rate Reimbursement (Assures that All Libraries and K-12 Schools Have Affordable Access to Modern Voice and Data Services) $32,000

Act 183 E-Grant (Expanding Schools Access to High Speed Internet) $36,000

Solar Energy Grant (Funding to Explore Renewable Energy Sources) $851,000

Total Grants Received $1,557,701

COMMUnITy ServICe

Students and sta are engaged district-wide in a variety o charitable endeavors. Our schoolsdistinguish themselves through many acts o volunteerism, generosity and service. This year,student charitable events included:

hIGh SChOOL

F The Ultimate Challenge Basketball Game between aculty and high school seniors: Money raisedwas contributed to Invisible Children and to the Susan Kasdas Colon Cancer Research Foundation.

F Dance Marathon (THON): An annual November event that raises money to ght pediatric cancer.

MUrrAy AvenUe SChOOL

F Students Caring or Students: Children help classmates who cannot aord eld trips byselling candy grams during the holiday season. Proceeds are used to assist students in nancialneed participate in eld trips and other events.

PIne rOAD eLeMenTAry

F Relie Eorts or Japan: To help those devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan,students are participating in One Million Cranes, an initiative to get 1,000 schools to old 1,000cranes and raise $1 or each. The making o cranes honors a tradition called Senbazuru which is

to wish people 1,000 years happiness. Students and sta also made donations to wear their pajamasto school as part o the Jammies or Japan event.


4/6

Adaptig to Cag 2010-11 budgt

In the current economic climate, school districts across Pennsylvania are struggling with change.Decreasing revenues, increasingexpenses and tax limits set byAct 1 have made the annual budgetprocess challenging at best.Using creative cost-cutting ideas,however, Lower Moreland was ableto maintain its superior academicprogramming while also limitingthe impact to taxpayers inthe 2010-11 school year.

Atltic AccomplismtsApproximately 60% o the student body participates in interscholastic athletics. School letters were awarded to 593 participants.

Notable accomplishments include:

Spotligt o Scools

PIne rOAD eLeMenTAry SChOOL

F Kindergarten students took a simulated fight to Japan and then learned about the countrys culture, traditions and ood. Students paintJapanese characters, few kites and enjoyed sushi.

F Fith-grade book club readers chatted with author Jennier Holm about her book, Penny From Heaven. Using a web camera and Skypstudents had the opportunity to learn rom this author, who lives in Caliornia but is originally rom the Greater Philadelphia area.

F Fith-graders piloted the Pine Road TV studio this year. Students are learning rst-hand how to write scripts, edit video, and conductinterviews as part o producing morning shows and commercials.

MUrrAy AvenUe SChOOL

F Thanks to the gracious support o The Foundation o Lower Moreland Schools, Murray Avenue students have had the opportunity to joa new robotics program. Under the guidance o teacher Steve Kelly, students are studying robot manuacturing and are learning how to creatheir own robots. Students competed or the rst time in the Lego League this past December, and exceeded expectations by perorming inthree missions instead o one.

F The school is continuing development o a Positive School Climate plan that ocuses on anti-bullying programming, diversity awarenesand student engagement.

LOWer MOreLAnD hIGh SChOOL

F More than 95% o all seniors exceeded graduation requirements. 94% are taking at least one additional math course, 93% are taking atleast one additional science course, and 93% are taking at least one additional social studies course.

F 97% o Lower Morelands 2010 graduates are continuing their education. 83% are attending 49 dierent our-year colleges and 15% areattending community colleges and technical schools.

F The Jazz Ensemble competed in the Festival Disney Music estival in March. There were 17 Jazz Ensembles rom around the countrypresent. Lower Morelands ensemble placed rst in its division (AA). The group also received the overall silver second place award o all17 schools, regardless o size.

F The High School Wind Ensemble and Honor Choir were selected to perorm at The Disney Honors estival in Orlando, Florida in MarcThey perormed at the Orange County Convention Center in ront o world-renowned evaluators.

F Over the past three years, eight high school students have been named seminalists and eight students have achieved commended statuin the National Merit Scholarship Program.

F During the past year, Lower Moreland High School student artwork has been displayed at Tyler School o Art, Abington Art Center andMontgomery County Community College. Students have also taken home several prestigious awards rom these venues.

18.81%

15.03%

F 48 athletes were awarded All-League First Team recognition

F 32 additional athletes were awarded Second Team andhonorable mention recognition

F 3 teams were Bicentennial League (BL) Champions:Football, Girls Tennis and Girls Track

F 2 teams were District I Champions: Football andBoys Cross Country

F 12 teams were District I Tournament participants

F 7 teams were PIAA State Tournament participants


5/6

O, how Ou Accomplismts Gow!Poits of Pid

F Successul transition o Pine Road Elementary School rom a K-3 building into a K-5 building

F Successul transition o Murray Avenue School rom a 4-8 building into a 6-8 building

FWinner o the Digital School District First Place Award by the National School BoardsAssociation, given to school districts and school boards whose use o digital technologyis exemplary

F Ranked ourth out o 501 Pennsylvania school districts (rst in public schools) byschooldigger.com

F Ranked 11th in the regions best perorming high schools by Philadelphia Magazine

F Gained an 11% increase in the number o students achieving a three or higher onAdvanced Placement exams (281 students took AP exams and 84% scored a threeor higher)

F Improved signicantly in grades 8 and 11 on the science PSSA and led the county inscience achievement

F Led the county in all PSSA-tested areas at the high school level

F Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Art, Guidance, and Music curricula have beenaligned to the Pennsylvania standards during the last three years

F Lower Moreland High School came in second in the category or Most Improved Schoolsin Math in the Philadelphia Inquirers review o schools with the biggest gains and lossesin math scores (Fall 2009)

nutuig yilds SuccssPSSA Tst rsults 2009-2010


6/6

BOARD OFDIRECTORS

Dr. Murray Cohen,President

Mr. Michael Mueller,Vice President

Dr. Barbara Breitman,Secretary

Mr. Alan Steinberg,

TreasurerMrs. Camille Baker

Mr. Robert Howard

Mr. Yuri Khalif

Mrs. Leslie Movsesian

Mr. Nathan M. MurawskEsq.

Low Molad Towsip Scool Distict2551 Murray ave., Huntingdon valley, Pa 19006

215-938-0270 F 215-947-6933 FAX

www.lMtsd.org

Missio Statmt

The mission of the Lower Moreland Township School District is to foster individual

excellence in a nurturing environment by integrating a dedicated staff, an innovative

curriculum, and community resources, while promoting respect for self and others.

All students will acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary to

become life-long learners and citizens who will think critically, act responsibly,

communicate clearly and collaborate effectively in a global community.

Low Molad Towsip

Scool Distict

2551 Murray ave.

Huntingdon valley, Pa 19006

www.lMtsd.org

NON PROFIT OR

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Southampton, PA

Permit No. 127

lower moreland twp. school district 2011 annual report

Documents