The Lynnewood Family Handbook
2026 - 2027
Dear Lynnewood Families,
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. Janson, 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
SDHT Mission Statement
SDHT Strategic Plan
SDHT Calendar for 2026 - 2027
Lynnewood Family Calendar
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 2026 - 2027 Lynnewood Family Calendar
Lynnewood PRIDE!
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!
Lynnewood PRIDE Behavior Expectations
First Day of School Information
Our first day of school for students in grades K – 5 is Tuesday, September 1st.
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: 12:45 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!
Morning Arrival
Morning Drop Off is 8:35 - 8:45 a.m.
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. There is no supervision of students prior to 8:35 a.m.
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 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.
Car Drop Off
There are two locations for students to be dropped off at Lynnewood:
- At the crosswalk in our parking lot closest to Warren Ave.
- Curbside drop off on Lawrence Road
Late Arrivals
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 - 3:30 p.m.
Buses will park in "the loop" during dismissal - this is new in 26-27
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.
Teachers escort their K/1st students to the sidewalk throughout the year.
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.
Reporting an Absence, Late Arrival, or Early Pickup
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.
As a reminder, students may be excused from school when observing a religious holiday, which is observed by a bona fide religious group, upon prior written request from the parent/guardian. Please communicate upcoming absences to our building secretary so that they may be reviewed and recorded appropriately in our student information system.
Other excused absences include bereavement, medical or dental appointments, pre-approved religious instruction, pre-approved educational travel, and others. For our full attendance policy, please review Policy 204 and its accompanying administr
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 websiteative regulations.
Please contact Mrs. Anguilo with questions about educational travel.
School Safety
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.
School Nurses
Mrs. Pennoni is our certified school nurse and is present at Lynnewood two days per week. Mrs. Germano-Kelly (aka Nurse Ruby) is in the nurse's office every day. You are welcome to contact our nurse's directly if needed at 610.853.5900, ext. 4470.
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 25th: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Thursday, August 27th: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Volunteers
Clearances
Opportunities may arise this school year where you will be able to visit your child's classroom. Make sure to have your background checks and clearances completed and turned into the main office for you to attend these special events.
For those who wish to be a School Volunteer, state law now requires the Pennsylvania Criminal History Record (Act 34), Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) and FBI Federal Criminal History Record check, and they are updated every five (5) years in order to continue as a volunteer. Original forms must be brought to the office of the school where you will volunteer and they will be forwarded to the District‘s central administrative offices for review.
There is now an alternative to the FBI check if you have resided in Pennsylvania for the last ten years. Please see below for the link to the Affidavit you need to submit.
The process can be initiated online and produces clearances quickly. Please follow the links below for each of the three (3) clearances.
1. The Pennsylvania Criminal History Record Check (Act 34) can be done online with almost immediate confirmation. Volunteers are no longer required to pay a fee after July 25, 2015.
- Go to https://epatch.pa.gov and click on “New Volunteer Record Check” and follow the instructions. At the end of the process, please print the certification form as proof of submission.
2. The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151) can be completed online for the quickest result.
- Go to https://www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS You will create a login for your Keystone ID#. This includes a combination of letters and numbers you create for yourself. A credit card is required for the $10 processing fee.
3. The FBI Federal Criminal History Record requires a 2-step process including online registration and fingerprinting taken digitally at a registered site. However, if you have been a Pennsylvania resident for the past ten (10) years, and have not been convicted of enumerated offenses, you may submit the Affidavit at this link, in lieu of the FBI fingerprinting check.
- Go to https://uenroll.identogo.com/ to register. There is a fee for this clearance which includes an automatically mailed unofficial copy of the results to the applicant. The volunteer code is 1KG6ZJ
- Once you have registered, proceed to an approved fingerprinting site to be digitally fingerprinted.
- Please bring all clearance documentation in a sealed envelope with your name to the school office for review by central administration.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Sheron Brown-Greene, Human Resources Office at 610-853-5900 ext.7000.
Upon completion of the steps above, please be sure to print out confirmation/receipt. Clearances may be submitted to Ms. Brown-Greene at the Oakmont Administration Building.
Breakfast
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.
Lunch
Lunch and Snack
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 $3.00. 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.
Free Lunch
Safe Foods List
Recess
Birthday Celebrations
School Communication
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.
Personal Electronic Devices
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.
Bullying/Cyberbullying
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
Lost and Found
Toys
Thank you, Lynnewood PTO!
Parent Teacher Organization and Community Information
Information about the Lynnewood PTO and other community organizations is accessible on the SDHT website.
Our students will be cool on hot days under the new shade canopies purchased by the Lynnewood PTO!
Kindergarten Family Playdate is Wednesday, August 26th from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. on the playground!
Kindergarten information was sent to families electronically, and all K students are also invited up to school for Sneak Peek on Thursday, 8/27. Since there are two sections for each kindergarten teacher, we ask that K students visit according to this schedule on 8/27:
- AM K Sneak Peek Classroom Visit: 12:30 - 12:45 on 8/27
- PM K Sneak Peek Classroom Visit: 12:45 - 1:00 on 8/27
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 8/27, and kindergarten teachers will be sending parents detailed information. Curriculum information will be shared at Back to School Night!
New Student Orientation for Grades 1 - 5 is Thursday, August 27th from 11:45 am - 12:30 pm
Sneak Peek is Thursday, August 27th from 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. for all 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!
Save the date for Back to School Night - Thursday, September 10th!
Click below for the links to school supplies
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.
Technology/Acceptable Use Policy
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.
SDHT Discipline Policy
CHIP: Free or low cost health care to PA kids and teens
Bus Audio and Video Recording
Notice: For safety and security, all SDHT buses are equipped with audio and video recording systems.
Exemption From Instruction: SDHT Board Policy 105.2
Exemption From Instruction Policy (Policy 105.2)
The purpose of this policy is to comply with the requirement of the State Board of Education that school districts provide parents the right to have their children excused from specific instruction that conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Title IX
What is Title IX? It is a federal non-discrimination statue.
No person…shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
FERPA Notification
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students") certain rights with respect to the student's education records.
Lynnewood Contact Information
1400 Lawrence Road
Havertown, PA 19003
Principal:
Dr. Jillian McGilvery
(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4000
Assistant Principal:
Mrs. Jennifer Menaker
(610) 853-5900, ext. 4550
Main Office:
Mrs. Lindsay Janson, Secretary
(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4000
Main Office/Attendance:
Mrs. Andrea Angiulo, Attendance Secretary
(610) 853 - 5900, ext. 4005
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