Haverford Happenings
JUNE 2026
Ellis Dixon, nominated by his teacher Sara Shaiman
Ellis is an extraordinary young man whose perseverance, compassion, and desire to help others have inspired our entire school community. Through a Passion Project, he explored how aquariums supported his own mental health and used that experience to benefit others. Ellis successfully secured a $1,500 grant from the Haverford Township Education Foundation to create a classroom aquarium at Chatham Park, providing students with a calming and supportive environment. Throughout his 6th-grade year, he dedicated his time to maintaining the aquarium and sharing his project with students and community members.
Alice O’Donnell, nominated by her teacher, Heather Markland.
As an active member of Coop Cares, Alice has generously given her time and creativity to meaningful service projects, including creating art projects for nursing home residents, making thoughtful cards for firefighters and staff appreciation days, and collecting winter coats for children in need. In addition to her service work, Alice is also a committed member of the Leafy Lunch League, where she helps collect paper throughout Coopertown and carefully sorts and prepares it for recycling. Alice is always offering to assist her teachers and classmates in the classroom and can consistently be counted on to lend a helping hand. She demonstrates kindness, responsibility, and compassion through her daily actions and continually works to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the environment.
Teddy Foster, nominated by HHS Athletic Director, Greg Decina
Teddy Foster is a school leader at Haverford High School, a captain of the Cross Country and Track Teams, finished in the top 5 in the state in Cross Country, and the 4x800m relay finished 2nd in the state. Teddy was a member of the IGNITE group, fostering innovation in AI in education, but more importantly, Teddy is kind and inclusive and has built a strong relationship with the crossing guard on his way to school. We have a letter from Mr. Paul, a crossing guard at Chatham, that he submitted on Teddy’s behalf, stating that Tedd has always shown respect and asks about Mr. Paul's health and well-being, and of the thousands of children he has met, Teddy is one of the finest young men at HHS!
Emily Gray was nominated by Colleen Tohill, Brenna Smith, and Nicole Jaime
Emily Gray creates a supportive, encouraging environment where every student feels valued and motivated to succeed. Her passion for teaching is evident in the strong relationships she builds with students and families, greeting children each day with a smile and teaching meaningful life lessons alongside academics. She maintains genuine connections with current and former students. She is embedded in the community, attending sports games for current and past students, even though she lives in Collegeville. She cares for students who are ill with thoughtful notes from class, identifies the needs of kids who may need extra time and shows up early to go above and beyond for them, communicates with parents at every turn of the year, and creates a safe and fun environment for her class. Emily’s dedication, compassion, and commitment to the Manoa community make her an exceptional educator and a lasting positive influence on countless children and families.
Francesca Livi (Frankie) was nominated by Elizabeth Quinn and Heather Markland
Ms. Livi is exceptional in her work with students who have diverse needs, meeting each student where they are. She is incredibly kind, patient, and warm. Over the years, she has shown tremendous dedication and compassion through her involvement with Coop Cares, Coopertown’s school’s community service club. She has inspired countless students to make a positive impact on the lives of others by organizing meaningful service projects that promote kindness, empathy, and generosity. Under her guidance, students have collected winter coats for children in need, created thoughtful projects for nursing home residents, organized a fundraiser to benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation, and made heartfelt cards for firefighters and patients at CHOP. Ms. Livi’s commitment to helping others has left a lasting impact not only on our community but also on the students she has inspired to become caring and active citizens.
Tom Thornton was nominated by Trishia McCunney
Tom Thornton, a lifelong District resident, parent of three graduates, business owner, and dedicated coach, has spent years volunteering his time to mentor and support local youth through sports, making a lasting positive impact on the community both on and off the field. His unwavering support extends beyond coaching he has made significant contributions to numerous sports teams and sponsored beloved District events such as the “Wing Bowl.” Through his family businesses, Tom has also provided valuable employment opportunities to many neighborhood and District students, often giving them their very first job and helping shape their work ethic and confidence. His commitment to uplifting others and strengthening the community is both genuine and far-reaching. Simply put, it is difficult to think of anyone who has done more to support, enrich, and improve the District and the Havertown community than Tom Thornton.
Since 2004, Haverford MS and Paxon Hollow MS have competed in heated competition for the Annual Potter Cup, which benefits Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, and has raised over $500,000.
"The Potter Cup" is awarded to the middle school that wins most of the sporting competitions. In addition to the sports-related festivities, attendees can enjoy food, fun, games, and, of course, lemonade!
Kick off your summer with great reads and engaging math resources.
You can find Summer Curriculum Resources here.
Reading daily helps students to build reading fluency (the ability to read smoothly) and comprehension (understanding what is read). See the link below for more information on summer reading assignments for the grade level your child will be entering.
Welcome to Technology Corner, your monthly snapshot of digital tools, tips, and innovations supporting teaching and learning across the district.
June is National Internet Safety Month. With the weather warming up and preparations for summertime activities begin, it is important to educate and define cyber-safety for families. Kids returning home to play video games, reconnect on social media, plan events and more should remember that online situations should be treated like real life.
SEPTEMBER 1: 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
2026-2027 Calendar (At a Glance)
2026-2027 Calendar Detail - Schedule of Activities and Holidays
