{"id":6334,"date":"2025-10-17T21:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T21:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/6334\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T21:30:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T21:30:17","slug":"meet-all-the-school-board-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/6334\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet all the school board candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi, Lower Merion<\/a>! \ud83d\udc4b<\/p>\n

The countdown to Tuesday\u2019s primary election is on, when Lower Merion school board candidates will vie for spots in the November general election. Before you cast your ballot, check out our breakdown of all the candidates and where they stand on key issues<\/a>. Also this week, Lower Merion Commissioners passed a resolution addressing SEPTA\u2019s funding crisis<\/a>, the Lower Merion Police Committee is looking to gain access to license plate data<\/a>, and Jeni\u2019s Splendid Ice Creams opened in Bryn Mawr<\/a>. <\/p>\n

As always, let us know if you have feedback. Are we missing something? Should we add a section? What community events or groups should we keep an eye on? You can tell us by taking our survey<\/a> or emailing us at lowermerion@inquirer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re just days away from Tuesday\u2019s election. In this year\u2019s primary, Lower Merion residents will vote for several school board candidates in a race that\u2019s become contentious<\/a> following debates around antisemitism<\/a>, The Inquirer\u2019s Maddie Hanna reports.<\/p>\n

There are 10 total candidates \u2014 one running on the Republican ballot, five running on the Democratic ballot, and four running on both \u2014 vying to compete for four open seats in the November general election. <\/p>\n

Among those is incumbent President Kerry Sautner, who is part of a contingent endorsed by the local Democratic committee. It has also backed current board member Anna Shurak, as well as hopefuls Juanita Kerber and Jennifer Rivera, who are running under the \u201cElect LMSD\u201d slate. <\/p>\n

Four candidates \u2014 Talia Nissim, Rich Lester, Jacob Rudolph, and Deena Pack \u2014 are running on both Democratic and Republican ballots, with Nissim, Rudolph, and Pack endorsed by the local GOP committee. They\u2019re running as the \u201cImagine Better LMSD\u201d slate along with Republican Omer Dekel. <\/p>\n

Ahead of the election, Inquirer report Denali Sagner breaks down each of the candidates<\/a> on the ballot and where they land on a number of key issues. <\/p>\n

In addition to the school board<\/a>, voters will also cast ballots in judicial races, including for the Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Learn more about judicial candidates here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Polls are open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can check your polling place here<\/a>. If you are voting by mail-in ballot, there are drop boxes<\/a> at the Ludington Library and the Lower Merion Magisterial District Court.<\/p>\n

Read more about the Lower Merion school board candidates here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 Community News<\/p>\n

The Lower Merion Board of Commissioners held a special meeting last night to adopt a resolution addressing SEPTA\u2019s funding crisis<\/a>. In it, the commissioners are calling on state officials to undertake a bipartisan effort to ensure SEPTA service is not disrupted. Under a current proposal<\/a>, the transit authority is slated to eliminate a number of services<\/a>, including the Paoli-Thorndale and Cynwyd Regional Rail lines, if it does not receive additional funding. On Wednesday, Montgomery County Commissioners will rally at the Narberth Station<\/a> to call attention to the issue.<\/p>\n

Montgomery County Commissioners promised constituents yesterday<\/a> that they would not deputize county employees to perform federal immigration enforcement. Despite that promise, no such county ordinance declaring that is imminent,<\/a> which immigration advocates continue to push for, The Inquirer\u2019s Katie Bernard reports. <\/p>\n

The Lower Merion Police Committee is looking to gain access to license plate data recorded on citizens\u2019 home security surveillance systems for investigative purposes and has recommended the township partner with operating system provider, Flock Group. (Main Line Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Township officials are looking to regulate the use of \u201cBarnacles,\u201d or view-blocking devices added to windshields, being used by private companies for parking enforcement. (Main Line Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Six current and former Bryn Mawr College students are suing the school over multiple alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act<\/a>. One example pointed to the inaccessibility of the Taylor Hall bell, which the school invites students to ring as a rite of passage upon completing their coursework. <\/p>\n

Coulter Place, the $100 million apartment development in Ardmore, is on track to open this fall. Located next to Suburban Square, the four-story building will add 131 units, plus ground-floor retail space. (Philadelphia Business Journal<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfeb Schools Briefing<\/p>\n

The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr has named Tim Bickhart the next head of its lower school.<\/a> Currently the principal of Bridgeport Elementary\u00a0School in the Upper Merion Area School District, Bickhart will begin his new role July 1. Prior to Bridgeport, Bickhart held roles in the Haverford Township and Upper Dublin school districts. <\/p>\n

It should come as no surprise that Kobe Bryant\u2019s alma mater is one of the top-ranked Pennsylvania schools for athletes. Lower Merion High School is among the top 25 in a new study based on student and parent surveys, and data from the U.S. Department of Education. (USA Today High School Sports<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf7d\ufe0f On our Plate<\/p>\n

The wait is over: Jeni\u2019s Splendid Ice Creams at 840 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr held its grand opening yesterday<\/a>. The shop is open daily from noon until 10 p.m.<\/p>\n

Merion Park Cheese Co.\u2019s partnership with the Fereshetian family was recently highlighted by 6abc\u2019s Alicia Vitarelli. She caught up with the Merion Station business to discuss its labneh, a thick, tangy, and lightly salty spread popular in the Middle East. (6abc<\/a>) <\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb3 Things to Do<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa8 Gouache Plein Air Intro Workshop for Adults<\/a>: Paint Stoneleigh out in nature using the gouche watercolor style with the help of an instructor. \u23f0 Friday, May 16, 1-3 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $30 for members, $35 for non-members \ud83d\udccd Stoneleigh<\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddbc\ufe0f Gel Printing for Kids<\/a>: Guided by an instructor, children can use natural objects like flowers and leaves to create their own art. \u23f0 Saturday, May 17, 10:30 a.m.-noon \ud83d\udcb5 $25 for members, $30 for non-members \ud83d\udccd Stoneleigh<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcd6 Book Signing of BG\u2019s ABCs with Eagles Star Brandon Graham<\/a>: Super Bowl champ and Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham will sign copies of his book that helps kids learn the alphabet. Read more about what inspired him here<\/a>. \u23f0 Saturday, May 17, 3 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 Free \ud83d\udccd Bryn Mawr Barnes & Noble <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udecd\ufe0f Clover Market<\/a>: Shop from over 90 curated vendors and enjoy music and food trucks. \u23f0 Sunday, May 18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 Free \ud83d\udccd North Bryn Mawr and Lancaster Avenues<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa4 America, the Media, and Small Acts of Courage<\/a>: Emmy Award-winning former CBS3 anchor Pat Ciarrocchi will interview TV and radio host Ali Velshi of NBC News and MSNBC about his new book, the country\u2019s current political divide, and his personal life. \u23f0 Monday, May 19, 7:30-9 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 $65 \ud83d\udccd Rosemont College <\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfb5 Bob Dylan Birthday Bash<\/a>: Now in its 25th year, the event will feature 40 different performers and 40 different Bob Dylan songs. \u23f0 Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m. \ud83d\udcb5 Free general admission \ud83d\udccd Ardmore Music Hall <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc0e Devon Horse Show & Country Fair<\/a>: The popular Main Line event returns with horse competitions, rides, and more. \u23f0 Wednesday, May 21-Sunday, June 1 \ud83d\udcb5 Prices vary \ud83d\udccd Devon Horse Show & Country Fair grounds<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfe1 On the Market<\/p>\n

An updated historic brick Colonial in Ardmore<\/a> <\/p>\n

Built in 1910 and updated for 21st century living, this seven-bedroom brick Colonial blends past and present. Original architectural details can be found throughout the home, which also features an updated kitchen with granite countertops, marble tiles, and stainless steel appliances. A second-floor primary suite has a fireplace, two closets, and a bathroom with heated floors, double sinks, and a rain shower. Additional bedrooms are located on the third floor, while a finished basement has a wine cellar. It also has a wrap-around porch and a private gate with direct access to Packer Park. <\/p>\n

Price: $1.395M | Size: 4,827 SF | Acreage: .23<\/p>\n

Have you seen an interesting listing in or around Lower Merion? Share it with us in an email to lowermerion@inquirer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f We want to hear from you!<\/p>\n

See something we\u2019re missing? Want to alert us about a community event? Take our survey<\/a> or reach out to us at lowermerion@inquirer.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By submitting your written, visual, and\/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer\u2019s Terms of Use<\/a>, including the grant of rights in Section 10.<\/p>\n

This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer\u2019s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com\/donate<\/a>. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org\/supporters<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hi, Lower Merion! \ud83d\udc4b The countdown to Tuesday\u2019s primary election is on, when Lower Merion school board candidates…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3101,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[183,185,184,186,5726],"class_list":["post-6334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lower-merion","tag-lower-merion","tag-lower-merion-headlines","tag-lower-merion-news","tag-lower-merion-township","tag-lower-merion-school-board-primary-election-candidates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6334\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}