Haverford Happenings

Congratulations to Ms. Emily Gray, a second-grade teacher at Manoa Elementary School, for receiving the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award. She has been with the SDHT for ten years, eight at Manoa Elementary. Mrs. Gray has taken on the responsibility of training and developing her skills in Responsive Classroom (R.C.) in the district. She has done this not only to support her students but also to aid her colleagues and peers. Mrs. Gray serves as the School Responsive Classroom Ambassador. Mrs. Gray possesses a unique ability to impart knowledge and create an inclusive and welcoming environment where students feel a sense of belonging and empowerment," said Dr. Renee Mosser.

The School District of Haverford Township was proudly represented by two skilled bus drivers at this year's Delaware County School Bus Drivers Safety Competition. Both drivers demonstrated exceptional driving skills while navigating an incredibly challenging course. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate Lihua Xu for securing the fourth position and Joanne Cardelli for completing the course. Their "Ford Tough" mentality and performance at this year's event were truly commendable.

Lihua Xu has earned a prestigious spot in the Annual Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safety Competition to be held June 21-22, 2024, in State College, PA, at Mount Nittany Middle School. Lihua will compete for the Pennsylvania State Title of Best School Bus Driver.

In the High School Recess Referee mentorship program, high school students take on leadership roles by guiding and supporting elementary school students during recess. They become positive role models through nurturing relationships, demonstrating the essence of healthy interactions and friendships.

By supporting students, our mentors foster a sense of empathy and inclusivity, ensuring every child feels valued and supported. Additionally, they promote healthier play and social interactions, encouraging activities that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Participating in our mentorship program, our high school students develop essential leadership skills, empathy, and a deep understanding of the impact they can make in their community.

This mentorship opportunity is just one of many collaborative efforts between the high school and all five of our elementary schools.

PAWS for People is a volunteer organization that brings specially trained therapy dogs, cats, or bunnies to libraries, schools, hospitals, and elder care facilities. Panda, our volunteer dog, provides one-on-one calming experiences while creating a special bond that allows students to practice reading and grow their confidence here at school. Coopertown Elementary students have been enjoying visits with Panda and Mrs. Singer since the end of October 2023.

The School District of Haverford Township will hold its 2nd Annual FORDS* (Forging Outstanding Relationships with Diverse Staff) Diversity Career Networking Event on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Haverford Middle School. The main goal of this event is to provide insight into our district with diverse candidates seeking employment opportunities.

At the upcoming event, interested candidates will have the chance to discover more about the district, receive valuable feedback on their resumes, and participate in small group meetings with current employees. During these meetings, our staff members will share their experiences working in our district and the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives we have been working on.

After the event, we aim to maintain the relationship with those who attend and invite them to apply for positions as they become available. This event is for educators, administrators, and non-certificated positions across the district.

Please see the Event Flyer here.

Please register to attend FORDS Career Networking Event RSVP

Apply for current openings at Haverford Employment Opportunities

The Accounting Finance Business Initiative(AFBI®) is a program to prepare minority high school students for higher education in accounting, finance, business, and technology. Students have the opportunity to experience firsthand what it would be like to work in accounting or related business fields by touring accounting firms and corporations. Through the case study initiatives, students learn the value of collaboration and teamwork. The program concludes with a recognition/scholarship banquet for students, parents, guardians, speakers, and corporate partners.
HHS Business students Brenda Tay, Christiane Asefa, Sara Chen, and Donte Ducasse were awarded a full-week overnight summer business camp sponsored by the AFBI at Drexel University this June. With over 100 applicants in the Philadelphia area and only 30 seats, our Haverford business students have proven, once again, that we are college and career-ready!

Haverford High School students qualified to attend and compete with over 5,000 students across Pennsylvania at the Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference, and they represented HHS well!
Nicholas Petrucci - 1st Place, Public Policy and Advocacy (State Champ!! He will represent PA at the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL this June!)
William Walker - 9th Place, Sports and Entertainment Management
Grace (Angela) Hubbert - 10th Place, Marketing
Honorable Mention:
Erin Fahy - Advertising
Neil Bishop and Chase Kurtz - Business Management
Reese Wagner, Sophia Chen, and Emily Sprenkle - Hospitality and Event Management
Molly Gibson - Intro to Marketing Concepts
Neilla Shonasairieva - Organizational Leadership
Julia Emmert - Sports and Entertainment Management
Connor Salvesen - Graphic Design
The HS chapter was also awarded 8th place in the state for the largest local chapter with 128 members!

The HMS Latin and 7th-grade History students recently participated in the Philadelphia Classical Society Competition and achieved great success! As part of the competition, the 7th and 8th-grade students developed various cultural and historical projects related to Roman civilization. These projects included paintings, pencil sketches, and mosaics. Sadie Grossman and Zoe Ventura particularly stood out and won the "Best in Show" award in their category (grades 3-12).

Philadelphia Classical Society Project winners

Emmaline Keenan, Lillian Jacob, Isabella Lahendro, Zoe Ventura, Lee Monteleone Karan Singh, Gabe Otto, Willow Dizel, Sadie Grossman, Shayna Henninger, Jessica Violetti, Shamim Laki, Audrey Norton, Lucas Bussler, Edward Wozniak, Henry Dockum, Molly Branch, Robert Wlotko, Lily Walker, Noah Robinson, and Sadie Espinoza Rodriguez.

Our eighth-grade students recently won awards for their exceptional performance in the National Latin Exam. It was a challenging test that required a lot of hard work and dedication from all the Latin 1 students. To achieve success, they had to study various subjects, including grammar, geography, mythology, derivatives, history, and cultural topics.

National Latin Exam winners

Silver Maxima Cum Laude
Shamim Lakie, Lily Walker ,Evan Mogck, Audrey Norton, Nathaniel Ferry

Magna Cum Laude

Jackson Beha, Edward Wozniak, Henry Dockum, Robert Wlotko

Cum Laude

Lucas Bussler, Zakaria Zaman, Noah Robinson

The Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is offered through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. For questions regarding eligibility or application procedures, please visit the instructional link, or call 1-888-PA-TAXES.

Tax/Rent Rebate Program
​Older adults and people with disabilities 18 and older in Pennsylvania may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in rebates.

​​​About the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program​
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program supports homeowners and renters across Pennsylvania. This program provides a rebate ranging from $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with disabilities age 18 and older. This program is supported by funds from the Pennsylvania Lottery and gaming.

​​Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Forms and Information HERE

Apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program HERE

The School Board of the School District of Haverford Township intends to adopt its final budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year at the regular public meeting on June 13, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. The proposed budget for the 2024-2025 year aims to maintain all the existing programs and staffing while absorbing some of the costs associated with the student support systems initially put in place with federal funding (ESSER), which districts will no longer receive. Real estate tax rate supporting this proposed budget is 18.8951 mills. A public inspection copy of the proposed 2024-2025 budget is available for review by interested community members for viewing on the District’s Business Office website page here.

The School District of Haverford Township requires verification of continued residency in the township and confirmation of contact information for students in fifth (5th) and eighth (8th) grade who plan to attend Haverford Middle School and Haverford High School in September 2024.

In accordance with Board policy #200, Enrollment of Students, the District requires each student’s residency to be verified by parents/guardians or other adults with whom the student resides prior to June 30, 2024.

Student schedules will only be issued to those students whose residency is verified.

Families must submit their verification documents through their PowerSchool parent account (PowerSchool Parent Accounts). Each student verification requires two (2) acceptable documents, as outlined in the current policy and in their entirety, with the address and name(s) clearly indicated. Examples of acceptable documents include:

• Deed
• Mortgage Statement
• Settlement Statement
• Current Lease Agreement
• Current Property Tax Bill
• Current Utility Bill
• Current Credit Card Bill
• PennDOT Identification Card

Documentation submitted by families will be reviewed for authenticity and accuracy. Once your child’s documents have been verified, confirmation will be communicated through your PowerSchool parent/guardian account. Failure to verify residency and contact information by June 30th may result in the initiation of a nonresident student removal proceeding in accordance with Board Policy 202.

If you encounter a problem during the process, we are happy to assist, please contact ITHelpDesk@haverfordsd.net.

Jewish Heritage Month is an annual recognition and celebration of American Jews' significant achievements and many contributions to the United States of America during the month of May.

In the month of May we take time to reflect and celebrate the important role that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) have played in our shared history.

Haitian Heritage Month is a nationally recognized month and an opportunity for individuals including Haitians and lovers of the the Haitian culture to celebrate the rich culture, distinctive art, delicious food and learn the traditions of Haiti and its people.

Word/Phrases to Learn:

• Talofa - A salutation or greeting in the Samoan language of the Samoan Islands. It is similar to aloha in Hawaii.
• Shalom - A Jewish word meaning peace. It is used for both hello and goodbye.

Between preparing healthy meals for school students, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, school nutrition professionals are true heroes!

School Lunch Hero Day is celebrated on the first Friday in May! These amazing food service workers brighten up the school year for students in the Haverford Township community by serving them nourishing meals with a smile. They truly are the unsung heroes of the cafeteria!

The District received $18,608 from the Giant Food Stores initiative, Feeding School Kids, to combat childhood hunger. Thank you to Giant and all who rounded up at the register! Together, we are ensuring students have access to the nutrition they need to grow and fuel their education.

The 2024 Twilight Run was a great success! We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the families and community members who participated in the race, either by running or walking. Proceeds go to fund the Haverford Township School District Education Foundation (HTSDEF) grants, which provide innovative educational programs in district schools.

Pictured is Chris White, SDHT Senior Network Administrator, with his daughter Emma, who had a great time!

You can find more pictures on the the Haverford Education Foundation Facebook page.

The School District of Haverford Township utilizes BoardDocs, an online, paperless resource for all school board meetings. Here you can find the agenda, meeting minutes, video replay, and board policies. The meetings are live-streamed on YouTube.

Regular and Committee Board Meetings will be held at Oakmont Administration Building.

*NOTE NEW TIMES FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Upcoming Meetings:

• May 16: Regular School Board Meeting
• May 30: Policy Committee Meeting at 6:30 PM
• June 13: Regular School Board Meeting

All presentations and videos can be found on BoardDocs.

Chatham Park and HMS Construction Project information can be found on BoardDocs at the March 14th Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting.

May 21 FORDS Career Networking Event
May 22 Elementary Track Meet
May 24 Teacher in-service day (early dismissal)

May 27 Memorial Day Holiday (schools & offices closed)

June 6th HHS Graduation, St. Joseph's University

2023-2024 Calendar (At a Glance)

2024-2025 Calendar (At a Glance)

2025-2026 Calendar (At a Glance)

Join our team! Click the link to view available positions across the District and how to apply:

The mission of the School District of Haverford Township is to educate and to inspire a community of lifelong learners who become well-rounded global citizens.

Website: https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/
Location: 50 East Eagle Road, Havertown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-853-5900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haverfordsd.net
Twitter: @haverfordsd