Superintendent's Newsletter

It is my pleasure to present the June edition of the Lower Moreland Township School District Superintendent’s Newsletter. I hope this letter finds you and your family healthy and well. This is the last edition for the 2022/23 school year.

As the school year comes to a close, our buildings are a whirlwind of activities that culminate this week and next with commencement and award ceremonies celebrating the achievements of our graduating senior class as well as our 5th and 8th graders. I sincerely thank all stakeholders for your support in our combined efforts toward student success during the 2022-2023 school year. Understandably, there were both challenging and rewarding moments throughout this school year. However, the flexibility and resolve shown by all are to be commended. Many thanks go out to our staff for everyone’s continued efforts throughout the school year.

Earlier this spring, the Board of School Directors approved the 2023-2024 visual school calendar. Please be reminded that the first student day of school in the 2023-2024 school year will be Tuesday, September 5. The District looks forward to welcoming students and families back after the Labor Day holiday. However, we also encourage everyone to disconnect, unwind and enjoy the summer months by spending time with loved ones and friends.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023! Have a safe and enjoyable summer!

Scott Davidheiser, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Thanks to Act 1, the Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act, Lower Moreland Township School District residents will be receiving a reduction in their 2023-24 school tax bill. Through a provision of the law, school districts throughout the state will be receiving revenue generated by legalized gambling as well as Sterling Tax revenue (the sum of (1) resident wages earned within City of Philadelphia and (2) wages earned outside of Philadelphia but not taxed by the school district because of application of the Philadelphia wage tax credit) and this revenue will be used to lower residents’ property taxes.

The property tax reduction will come in the form of a reduction in property’s assessed taxable value, not in the form of a rebate check. When residents receive the tax bills in July, they may notice additional information on their bill noting an assessment reduction (homestead/farmstead exclusion) which equates to a specific reduction in the overall tax bill. Original assessed value totals and original tax liability information will also be noted on the bill.

It is important to note that residents are only eligible for the property tax reduction if they have filed the appropriate homestead/farmstead exclusion form and have been approved for the exclusion by the county’s assessor’s office. The assessment reduction and net overall reduction on the tax bill will be the same for all approved homeowners. In 2022/23, the amount of revenue received helped to reduce eligible taxpayer’s tax burden by $507. The projection for 2023/24 is $511. This increase is the result of more Sterling Tax revenue received this year versus the previous year.

If you did not file this form, you will not be eligible for this year’s property tax reduction. To become eligible next year, please be sure to complete a homestead/farmstead exclusion form. Homeowners who are not approved from the previous year are sent a notification by the County by the end of December of the previous tax year to sign up for the next year. To obtain a form, visit the assessment department on the Montgomery County website (www.montcopa.org) and download the form.

Homestead/Farmstead applications are due by March 1 of every year. Residents who acquire property in the school district after March 1 must wait until the following year to qualify for the exclusion. The county assessor must notify the property owner of the approval or denial of the exclusion no later than 30 days after the applications receipt. Residents who have an approved application on file for their current residence do not need to re-apply annually.

While this year is winding down, plans are already being made for the upcoming school year! Included in this planning is the development of the Act 48 plan for the district. The Act 48 plan outlines the professional learning that our teachers will take part in during the 23-24 school year. The plan is designed based on strategic planning goals, comprehensive planning goals, local data, and state requirements. In the upcoming school year, professional development will focus on aspects of student support and instruction that will help us collectively to meet the needs of every learner every day. Focus areas for the upcoming year include: Supporting English Learners, Curriculum Clarity/Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, Instructional Strategies, Differentiated Instruction, Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education, and School Safety.

Additionally, teachers who are new to the district will take part in an induction program that includes a new teacher orientation, mentoring, coaching, and additional professional development sessions focused on the expectations of the field. Among the new faces this summer will be the Supervisor of Curriculum and Community Engagement, Carla Pacitti, who begins in July. The Curriculum and Instruction Team looks forward to welcoming everyone back for the start of the 23-24 school year. In the meantime, however, we hope students and staff will enjoy a wonderful summer.

At Murray Avenue School, Judy Lamb will be retiring as a 6th grade teacher after 16 years, and JoAnne Gourlay is retiring as a Math Instructional Assistant after 13 years.

At Lower Moreland High School, Audrey Gelb is retiring as a Special Education Assistant after 23 years.

The district wants to thank the retirees for their dedication and service over the years. Their legacy will continue on in Lower Moreland in the impact they had on students and colleagues.

On March 25th Gerry Gonzales, a 12th grader at the high school, received The Nutrition Group Charities Student Worker Grant worth $1,000. Gerry has been working at the Murray Avenue School Cafeteria as part of her supported work experience and was nominated for the grant. The award was presented by Ms. Logan Myers in the High School Library. The ceremony was attended by Gerry’s family as well as building and district administrators.

Superintendent

Email: sdavidheiser@lmtsd.org
Website: www.lmtsd.org
Location: 2551 Murray Avenue, Huntingdon Valley, PA, USA
Phone: 215-928-0272
Twitter: @LMTSD