District Newsletter
April 2026
Please see the April report of the Student Representatives (Yuki Wu and Izabella Philip) to the Board of School Directors. The report is full of pictures and highlights of interesting events for students from around the district.
Mrs. Federinko is both a graduate of and a long-time educator with the district. We are so proud!
The Lower Moreland Township School District is incredibly proud of the members of our Catalyst Student group who recently represented our community at the University of Pennsylvania for the Belonging Inquiry Community Convening. Hosted by the Penn Graduate School of Education (GSE), this half-day event brought together local districts to explore and strengthen the sense of community and belonging within our schools. Our students did a remarkable job sharing their insights and driving the day's conversations, proving themselves to be true leaders in this collaborative effort.
Throughout the productive morning at the Stiteler Forum, students engaged in a variety of high-impact activities designed to amplify their voices. They participated in a data conversation with the Penn team and a hands-on podcasting and interviewing workshop, while also taking the opportunity to explore the cutting-edge resources in the GSE Makerspace and AR/VR lab. Beyond these technical sessions, the heart of the trip involved building connections with peers from other districts through deep reflection and community-building exercises. We are inspired by our students' commitment to ensuring every individual feels they truly belong at LMTSD, and we look forward to seeing how they apply these new ideas to our local initiatives.
April is Autism Acceptance Month around the globe. While the month-long recognition was formerly known as Autism Awareness Month, the title has recently changed to remove “awareness” and include “acceptance” to highlight a shift toward understanding, inclusion, and a celebration of neurodiversity to encourage true acceptance of individuals with autism.
Below are two websites that provide more information on the focus of the month, and information about autism, individuals with autism, and resources available.
https://autismsociety.org/autism-acceptance-month/
Are you looking for a safe, engaging, and reliable child-care option for your elementary school student? The Lower Moreland Township School District proudly operates Kinderlinks, an accredited before and after-school program for students in grades K through 6.
Running in coordination with the School District's schedule, Kinderlinks offers three flexible attendance options to meet the needs of working parents: a before-school program, an after-school program, or enrollment in both.
Morning Care Starts Early For the before-school program, parents and guardians can drop off their children at Pine Road Elementary School as early as 6:30 A.M. Students are offered a variety of activities to help prepare them for the day ahead. For older students in grades 4-6 who attend the Murray Avenue School, a school bus will securely transport them from Pine Road to Murray Avenue before their school day begins.
Afternoon Enrichment and Fun The after-school program is designed to provide children with a wealth of enrichment, educational, and fun activities. Participants can enjoy arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor recreational activities, and games. Additionally, the program provides a nutritional snack and beverage, as well as dedicated time for homework assistance. Students in grades 4-6 attending Murray Avenue will be transported by school bus back to Pine Road Elementary at the conclusion of their regular school day to join the fun.
A Safe, Highly Regulated Environment The program is directed by Keysha Alliston (kalliston@lmtsd.org), who brings a wealth of experience in the child-care field. You can rest assured knowing that Kinderlinks is accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. The program is audited annually by a state official to ensure strict compliance with staff-to-student ratios, medical records, physical location safety, and program activities. The district also employs a careful daily dismissal procedure to ensure student safety. At the end of the day, PM program participants at Pine Road Elementary are gathered by staff and transition to the Library for a short time so that regular bus dismissals can run smoothly. Once the buses depart, Kinderlinks students move to the multi-purpose room to begin their afternoon activities.
Registration Information The Lower Moreland Board of School Directors approves the program's registrations and rates each year in May.
For more information and to access registration forms, please visit the Kinderlinks homepage at https://www.lmtsd.org/page/kinderlinks.
The dedicated staff of the Kinderlinks program looks forward to seeing both new and returning students next year!
On March 23rd in San Diego, Lower Moreland’s commitment to innovation was recognized on a national level. The Office of Teaching and Learning, in collaboration with the Technology Department, had the distinct honor of delivering a keynote presentation titled "From Classroom to Boardroom Policy: This Is How We AI." The conference attendees consisted of district leaders from across the country, providing a premier platform to share our local successes with a national audience.
Our team shared Lower Moreland’s unique, human-centric approach to artificial intelligence. While many are still navigating the "how" of AI, our district is leading the "why"—focusing on how technology can enhance, rather than replace, the essential human elements of teaching and learning.
A central theme of our presentation was our philosophy of using AI as a thought partner. By leveraging AI tools to handle routine administrative tasks, our educators can focus on what matters most: building strong relationships with students and fostering resilience and critical thinking skills.
We highlighted our significant investment in ongoing professional development. Our strategy focuses on building confidence over competence, ensuring our teachers feel empowered to experiment and lead. This additive capacity allows teachers to differentiate instruction more effectively than ever before—for example, providing instant, targeted support for struggling readers while simultaneously challenging advanced learners.
A key takeaway for districts nationwide was our curricular shift toward valuing the learning process over the final product. By emphasizing scaffolding, iteration, and authentic assessments, we ensure that students are not just using tools to get an answer, but are learning to think independently and work collaboratively. This approach aligns directly with our Portrait of a Graduate goals, preparing our students to thrive in a future where AI will be a standard part of the professional landscape.
It was deeply rewarding to showcase our district's innovative strategies on a national stage and to demonstrate how we are proactively guiding students' use of AI to prepare them for the future.
Lower Moreland Township School District
Dennis H. Best, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Email: dbest@lmtsd.org
Website: www.lmtsd.org
Location: 2551 Murray Avenue, Huntingdon Valley, PA, USA
Phone: 215-928-0272