The Lynnewood Family Handbook

Detailed information is listed for you below regarding attendance, school procedures, and general information to help you prepare for the school year ahead. Please read it carefully and reach out to our wonderful school secretary, Mrs. Fairman, with any questions you have about the procedures or general information listed below.

Prepare yourself for a very long newsletter below with detailed information....and know that we will post each tab on our school website for you as well to help you find this information throughout the school year!

Sincerely,

Jillian McGilvery, Ed.D.

Lynnewood Principal

Jenn Menaker

Lynnewood Assistant Principal

A hard copy of this calendar will be sent home with your child during the first week of school, and we will have the link available on each weekly Lynnewood Loop message for you to access. Here is the link to the 2025 - 2026 Lynnewood Family Calendar

Lynnewood is a wonderful school! Our students, staff, and parents worked together several years ago to identify core values that represent who we are:

P - Positivity

R - Respect

I - Inclusion

D - Determination

E - Empathy

One Friday each month is Lynnewood PRIDE day! Students and staff wear the same shirt in unity and celebration of our Lynnewood PRIDE! Each month we focus on one of our core values.

This year all students will receive a brand new PRIDE shirt!

Our first day of school for students in grades K – 5 is Tuesday, September 2nd.

Many helpers will be available to make sure that our students get to their classrooms on the first day of school, and teachers will be greeting the students at the classroom doors.

Top Floor - 4th and 5th Grade

Main Floor - Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Ground Floor - 2nd and 3rd Grade

School Hours

8:35 a.m. - 1st Bell (students may enter the building, unpack, and prepare for the day)

8:45 a.m. - 2nd Bell (learning begins)

3:30 p.m. - Dismissal

Kindergarten:

AM: 8:45 AM – 11:25 AM

PM: 12:50 PM – 3:30 PM

Classroom instruction begins promptly at 8:45 AM. All children begin the school day with Morning Meeting, and it is a favorite part of the school day! We value every minute of the school day with our students!

Arrival Procedures

Our number one priority at Lynnewood is the safety of our students! Please be mindful of the safety of our children at all times, and please be extra careful when driving on school property to drop off your children. Students eligible for bussing are strongly encouraged to ride the bus to and from school every day.

Arrival begins at 8:35 and ends at 8:45. To avoid having all students waiting in a small space, arrival time will be the same time that students may enter the building. Students will exit the bus, car line, or arrive after walking and will directly enter the building without waiting in line with their grade level.

Bus Riders

Bus passes will be sent to parents from the Transportation Department before the end of August. Note that they frequently arrive one or two days before school begins via email. Bus riders will enter the building at the main entrance at the front of the school. Questions about bussing may be directed to the School District of Haverford Township’s Transportation Department at (610) 853 – 5900, ext. 5929.

Please be prepared to expect late arrivals during the first two weeks of school; we go slowly as we load buses to make sure every child is where they need to be!

Walkers

“Walkers” are lucky in that they are able to enjoy the fresh air to help them begin their day!

Students should not arrive at school prior to 8:35 AM because there is no supervision prior to 8:35 AM.

Car Riders

Parking Lots

Parking will be available to parents in the side lot adjacent to the new field or top lot closest to Eagle Road for parents who need to get out of the car to help children out of seat belts or who need to check in at the front office.

The "main" lot closest to the building will be blocked from 8:25 - 8:45 to keep our car line system efficient. Please do not park in the front section of the parking lot early so that our car line system isn't stopped to let your car out. The top section of the parking lot (closest to Tony Roni's) and the long, side section of the lot adjacent to the new field are the best places for parents to park, unbuckle their children, visit the office, or walk their child to the door. If a grandparent or babysitter is driving your child, please share this information with them!

Car Line

We use a car line system for drop off, and will begin the car line on the first day of school. Our goal is for the car line to move as quickly and as safely as possible. Families using our car line will pull into the "loop" in front of the main entrance, and staff members will be there to guide you.

We need your help in following these procedures to keep our students safe:

• Please do not use electronic devices in the car line for the safety of our students and staff.

• Cars should pull up as far as possible in "the loop" so that many cars can stop at once for students to exit.

• Parents do NOT get out of the car; if you need to assist your child, you must park in the top lot.

• Car line drop off will be available from 8:35 – 8:45 AM beginning on the first day of school.

• Cones are in place at the top of the car line (near the stop sign) until 8:30 a.m. when our staff members begin their contracted hours. Cones will also be placed to block the entry and exit of the main section of the parking lot during car line only from 8:25 - 8:45 to efficiently manage the flow of traffic. If a parent has a meeting inside the building or is visiting the office, see notes above under "parking."

• Please follow the direction of the staff members assisting with car line.

• Students will exit the car from the passenger side. For the safety of your child and others, never let a child out of the car in car line on the driver’s side.

• Students should be prepared to exit the car immediately, having already gathered up any necessary materials. Parents/guardians do not get out of the car.

• We will continually evaluate our procedures and revise as needed.

Late Arrivals - 8:46 a.m. and later

• Parents or guardians must park and escort students to the main office starting at 8:46 a.m. Please bring doctor/dentist notes to excuse the lateness.

Dismissal Procedures - 3:30 p.m.

Parents or older siblings meeting children after school may wait on the blacktop in “the loop” as it will be blocked from vehicles.

Only children and Lynnewood staff members are on the sidewalks immediately in front of the building during dismissal. This practice helps our staff safely monitor children during dismissal.

• Bus Riders

• Bus riders wait in their classroom for their bus number to be called. Assigned staff members escort the children to the bus.

• Walkers

• Walkers dismiss from the main entrance and walk home.

• Kindergarten teachers escort their students to the sidewalk throughout the year.

• 1st grade teachers walk their students out of the main entrance during the first two weeks of school.

• Parents or older siblings meeting children after school may wait on the blacktop in "the loop" in front of school.

• Car Riders

• Parents may park in the main lot, the top lot, or the side lot to pick up their children. Parents are not permitted to drive through “the loop” during dismissal for the safety of the students.

• For the safety of the students, parents must exit their vehicles and meet their children. It is unsafe for children to walk across parking lots alone and it is not permitted.

Every day of the school year is an opportunity for our children to learn and grow. It is very important that students attend school every single day.

The District’s Attendance Policy may be read here.

Whenever possible, please try to schedule doctor’s appointments after school.

Reporting an Absence, Late Arrival, or Early Pickup

To excuse an absence, parents/guardians must submit a note with the reason the child is absent to lynnewood-attendance@haverfordsd.net. Please also Cc your child's teacher on the email so the teacher is aware of your child's absence.

If your child is absent, tardy, or must leave school early, a note from the parent or guardian is required. Parents may email lynnewood-attendance@haverfordsd.net and the teacher, or send in a written note. When picking up your child early, parents or guardians must report to the office with their driver's license to sign the student out of the building. Students are not permitted to wait outside the building independently to be picked up. If a student returns to school the same day, he or she must report directly to the school office. The parent/guardian must sign the student in before proceeding to the classroom.

Educational Travel

Parents may request a maximum of 5 days of excused absences for educational purposes. The request must be made in writing at least 2 weeks in advance by submission of the “Request for a Preplanned Educational Travel” form available on our school website.

Please contact Mrs. Fairman with questions about educational travel.

All visitors to Lynnewood Elementary School must enter through the main entrance and report directly to the office. All visitors must present a valid driver’s license that will be scanned and used to produce a visitor’s badge through the Raptor System.

Under no circumstances may parents enter the building without coming through the main entrance. Please understand that this is necessary for the safety of our students.

All students will participate in safety drills throughout the school year. Fire drills will typically be held once per month and there will be several lockdown drills during the school year. Teachers and staff will make every effort to prepare students for these drills so that all students know the procedures.

Please carefully review and update your contact information in PowerSchool to indicate your child’s dismissal plan in case of an emergency.

Mrs. Pennoni is our certified school nurse and is present at Lynnewood two days per week. You are welcome to contact her directly if needed at 610.853.5900, ext. 4470. We also have a second school nurse who is present all day, every day.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications may be administered by our school nurse only upon written order by the child’s physician. All medications must be in their original container and must be properly labeled when brought to school.

Please be sure that our school nurses are aware of your child’s medical issues, including allergies and potential reactions.

Medication Drop Off

Medication may not be sent in a backpack with students. Parents/guardians may drop off medication in the original pharmacy container with the prescription from the doctor. Please fill out this medication consent form in advance of dropoff:

Tuesday, August 26th: 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, August 28th: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

As shared during the June 5, 2025, School Board meeting, the School District of Haverford Township will no longer level English Language Arts (ELA) classes in 4th and 5th grade. Leveling is a practice where students are divided into two sets of classes based on academic performance criteria. This change reflects our district’s continued commitment to educational equity and our belief in maintaining high expectations for all students. For more information, you can view the full School Board presentation using this link.

Teachers will provide differentiated instruction within the classroom to meet individual learning needs while ensuring that every student engages with rich, grade-level content. Gifted, Individualized Education Plans, and 504 agreements will continue to be implemented as written and determined by the appropriate team.

We are grateful for your continued partnership in providing meaningful, rigorous, and inclusive learning experiences for all students.

Breakfast is available, FREE of charge, to all students in Pennsylvania again this year.

K/1st students will pick up their breakfast outside their classroom door, and 2nd - 5th students pick up their breakfast in the Lion's Den (lobby) on their way to their classroom in the mornings.

Students may bring lunch from home or purchase lunch from the cafeteria. A selection of additional snacks are also available for purchase, and they are typically offered after the first couple of weeks of school to allow for the food services team and the students to focus on lunches at the start of the year.

Read more information from our dining services director here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1658506903/haverfordk12paus/fevybtjbhmveop8ddmus/BacktoSchoolParentLetterFall2022.pdf

Lunch will be served on the first day of school. Menus are available on our district website (Sept. menu is coming soon): https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/departments/food-services

The price of elementary lunch this year is $2.90. Families may apply for free lunch and this information is confidential. Click the link in the section below for more information.

Students purchasing lunch will use their 5 digit ID code. It will take our first graders and new students some time to learn their code, and that is okay! Our teachers are very helpful in preparing note cards for the children to practice with until they get it, and I try to help 1st graders at lunch for the first couple of weeks!

Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and reusable water bottle every day. They are encouraged to refill their water bottles throughout the day.

All students in grades K - 5 may bring a snack to school. Our students have breaks for an additional "snack recess" during the day.

Click here for the Free & Reduced Lunch Application. If you have any questions about the application, please contact Food Services at (610) 853-5900, ext. 7142.

Click here for the full Safe Foods list document: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1692216907/haverfordk12paus/t4lug9eb4mtgaaohpwgp/SDHTSafeFoodsGuidelinesFinalAugust20231.pdf

Recess is a very important part of the school day! Students in grades 1 - 5 have recess for 25 minutes before or after lunch each day. Kindergarten students have a designated time to play each day as well! Movement, play, social interaction, and brain breaks are very important for all children, and our teachers are intentional about providing these for our students every day.

We enjoy recognizing and celebrating our children on their birthdays. However, no food may be distributed for student birthdays. Birthdays are announced every Monday morning and students take a group birthday picture together that we post on the wall for all to enjoy. We recognize summer birthdays during the last few weeks of school!

Communication from the principal is sent each Monday evening to inform parents of schoolwide events and important information.

Communication from the teacher should be frequent and timely; your child’s teacher will share information about when and how you should expect to hear from them at Back to School Night.

The Board of School Directors supports the use of computers, the Internet, and other network resources in the District’s instructional and operational programs in order to facilitate learning, teaching, and daily operations. Please refer to School Board Policy 815 for more information and forms.

Items such as cell phones, iPods, iPads, Apple/Smartwatches/Gizmo Gadget, DVD players, MP3 players, radios, tape recorders, and other electronic devices, etc. should remain at home.

Students shall be solely responsible for the safekeeping of any electronic device brought to school and each student who brings an electronic device to school or to a school function or activity shall assume the risk of loss, theft, damage, or another injury to the electronic device.

Students should not use personal devices such as watches or phones to call or text during the school day.

One of the major goals of the school district is the development of a learning environment that will help provide our students with the opportunity to receive the maximum benefit of the educational program. A major part of any successful school is the degree to which the students accept their responsibility to demonstrate the type of behavior that permits a healthy learning climate. Inappropriate behavior not only prevents a student from contributing to the educational process, but it also affects other students' ability to learn. The School Board of Directors adopted a policy to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff. You can view the policy on Student Discipline here.

FERPA affords parents and students over 18 years of age certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. More information about FERPA is on our school website.

If there is a concern regarding bullying and hazing, please notify Dr. McGilvery, Mrs. Menaker, and your child's counselor right away. The SDHT Policy on Bullying #249, as well as the Administrative Regulations on the policy, are found on the SDHT website Board Docs.

The Board of School Directors strives to provide a safe, positive learning climate for students in the schools; therefore, it shall be the policy of the district to maintain an educational environment in which harassment and/or bullying in any form is not tolerated. More information can be found on our Pupil Services webpage.

The PA Human Relations Commission (PHRC) promotes equal opportunity for all and enforces Pennsylvania's civil rights laws that protect people from unlawful discrimination. As Pennsylvania's civil rights leader, it is our vision that all people in Pennsylvania will live, work, and learn free from unlawful discrimination. www.phrc.pa.gov

Please label your child’s personal belongings. We will have a “Lost & Found” space and will periodically try to send you photos of the times collected so that you can help to identify your child’s lost belongings. We donate many unclaimed items each year. Please label your child's belongings!

Toys are not permitted at school or on the bus. This includes Pokemon cards. Please do not send toys or Pokemon cards to school.

Information about the Lynnewood PTO and other community organizations is accessible on the SDHT website.

All kindergarten students and families are invited up to the Lynnewood playground to meet new friends! Dr. McGilvery, AP Mrs. Menaker, and kindergarten teachers Mrs. Edge and Ms. Komar will be outside to welcome our new K friends, and PTO volunteers will share about how to get involved in our wonderful school!

Kindergarten information was sent to families electronically, and all K students are also invited up to school for Sneak Peek on Thursday, 8/28. Since there are two sections for each kindergarten teacher, we ask that K students visit according to this schedule on 8/28:

• AM K Sneak Peek Classroom Visit: 12:30 - 12:45 on 8/28
• PM K Sneak Peek Classroom Visit: 12:45 - 1:00 on 8/28

Note that kindergarten students will have detailed tours of the school led by their kindergarten teachers on the first few days of school. They may check out their classroom with you during the Sneak Peek on 8/28, and kindergarten teachers will be sending parents detailed information. Curriculum information will be shared at Back to School Night!

Dr. McGivery, Mrs. Menaker, and your school counselors Miss Stenman and Mr. Cipparone look forward to welcoming all new students in grades 1 - 5 to Lynnewood on 8/28 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. New students will tour the school through a scavenger hunt and will learn their way around the new building!

All Lynnewood students are invited to pop in to check out their classroom and say hello to their teacher on 8/28 from 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. Our teachers look forward to saying a quick hello to their new students!

The PTO invites all families out to the Lynnewood playground from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. immediately after Sneak Peek and an ice cream truck will be there!

Two identical sessions will be offered on Tuesday, 9/9 at 6:30 p.m. and 7:20 p.m. This evening is for parents/guardians only and unfortunately, we do not have childcare available.

Click here for the supply list for Kindergarten!

Click here for the supply list for 1st Grade!

Click here for the supply list for 2nd Grade!

Click here for the supply list for 3rd Grade!

Click here for the supply list for 4th Grade!

Click here for the supply list for 5th Grade!

*Parents, we understand that everything is very expensive right now. If you are unable to purchase all supplies, please do not worry. Send a quick note to your child's teacher and they will make sure your child has the essentials.

Lynnewood Elementary School

1400 Lawrence Road

Havertown, PA 19003

Principal:

Dr. Jillian McGilvery

(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4000

jmcgilvery@haverfordsd.net

Assistant Principal:

Mrs. Jennifer Menaker

(610) 853-5900, ext. 4550

jmenaker@haverfordsd.net

Main Office:

Mrs. Sue Fairman, Secretary

(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4000

sfairman@haverfordsd.net

Main Office/Attendance:

Mrs. Lindsay Janson, Attendance Secretary

(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4005

ljanson@haverfordsd.net

Website: https://www.haverford.k12.pa.us/home-lynnewood
Location: 1400 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA, USA
Phone: (610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haverfordsd.net
Twitter: @Lynnewood_ES