Editing Narberth, Pennsylvania (section)

==Education==
===Public K-12 education===
Residents of Narberth are served by the [[Lower Merion School District]] (LMSD).<!--Census code UNI 14160--><ref>{{cite web |title=2020 census - school district reference map: Montgomery County, PA |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42091_montgomery/DC20SD_C42091.pdf |access-date=2024-12-11 |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42091_montgomery/DC20SD_C42091_SD2MS.txt Text list] - See also [https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/36224/2022_School_Districts county's school district map]</ref> {{Asof|2024}} the school zoning for the borough is as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Type5/46412.pdf|title=Narberth borough|publisher=[[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]]|access-date=2024-12-11}} - Compare with LMSD boundary maps. Note street intersections to find the shape of the borough.</ref> most of the borough (portions north of Haverford Avenue) is zoned to Belmont Hills Elementary School and Welsh Valley Middle School, while portions south of Haverford Avenue are zoned to Merion Elementary School and Bala Cynwyd Middle School.<ref name=ESMapLMSD2024>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmsd.org/fs/resource-manager/view/11e0ec80-9ee7-4927-b55c-0bc041b3bcb1|title=Elementary School Boundaries|publisher=[[Lower Merion School District]]|access-date=2024-12-11}} - Compare to borough map.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmsd.org/fs/resource-manager/view/2a4ee877-b6a3-45d5-b981-c005a07c0727|title=Middle School Boundaries|publisher=[[Lower Merion School District]]|access-date=2024-12-11}} - Compare to borough map.</ref> For high school, a portion is in the walking zone for [[Lower Merion High School]]. The rest of the borough is in a choice zone where students may attend either Lower Merion HS or [[Harriton High School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmsd.org/fs/resource-manager/view/9a84f4e6-e212-40ac-9a93-058c395869f3|title=High School Boundaries|publisher=[[Lower Merion School District]]|access-date=2024-12-11}} - Compare to borough map.</ref> All of the mentioned schools are in Lower Merion Township. Penn Valley Elementary School, also located in the township,<ref>{{cite book|chapter=M Community Facilities Plan|chapter-url=https://www.lowermerion.org/home/showpublisheddocument/13338/636062405521970000|title=1979 Comprehensive Plan|url=https://www.lowermerion.org/departments/building-and-planning-department/long-range-plans-projects/township-wide-planning/previous-comprehensive-plans|publisher=Lower Merion Township|access-date=2024-12-13|pages=93, S11}} - Page 93 (PDF p. 3/8) identifies Penn Valley ES as being on label S11, while page M-1 (PDF p. 8/8) has the map showing the school (S11) away from the borough.</ref> has a Narberth post office address,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmsd.org/penn-valley|title=Home|publisher=Penn Valley Elementary School|access-date=2024-12-12}}</ref> though as of 2024 its attendance boundary does not include any part of Narberth borough.<ref name=ESMapLMSD2024/>

Narberth, then in Lower Merion Township, was in LMSD when, circa 1892, the first Narberth School was established. Narberth separated from the township, and in 1895, LMSD sold the building to the borough school district.<ref name=LowerMerionSchoolHistory>{{cite web|last=Goldsborough|first=Ted|url=https://www.lowermerionhistory.org/texts/schools.html|title=Public Schools in Lower Merion and Narberth|publisher=The Lower Merion Historical Society|year=1999|access-date=2024-12-13}} - In 2010 the article was updated.</ref> The last building for Narberth Elementary School opened in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kanaley|first=Reid|title=Empty schools are recycled as enrollments dwindle|newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1983-10-31|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160817210/ 2-M], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160817248/ 3-M]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} - Cited content on page 3-M.</ref> LMSD began operating the school again in 1966,<ref name=LowerMerionSchoolHistory/> and at that time, Narberth Elementary was the sole public school in the borough limits. That year, students in South Narberth were reassigned to Merion Elementary School, while the Merion Park community was rezoned to Narberth Elementary. In 1966, Narberth residents were zoned to Ardmore Junior High School.<ref>{{cite news|title=Showdown Demanded On School Switch for Lower Merion Pupils|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1966-12-22|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160819251/ 46A (Newspapers.com page 61)]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Narberth Elementary School closed in 1978.<ref>{{cite news|last=Herskowitz|first=Linda S.|title=Narberth parents say school closing 'busts up family'|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1978-03-02|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816128/ 1-B], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816149/ 3-B]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The school closed due to a vote by the LMSD board of trustees, seven in favor and two against.<ref name=LMshut4>{{cite news|last1=McSherry|first1=Robert|last2=Herskowitz|first2=Linda S.|title=Lower Merion to shut 4 schools|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1978-03-01|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160818045/ 3-B]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Residents were rezoned to Cynwyd Elementary School. There was a lawsuit to try to prevent the closure of Narberth Elementary, but the lawsuit was later canceled.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cass|first=Julia|title=In Merion, a smooth transition|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1978-09-20|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160817427/ 1-B], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160817456/ 3-B]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The school district gave the former Narberth school to the borough government, and an engineering company rented the building.<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Brien|first=Ellen|title=For empty school buildings come new uses and new life|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1984-09-11|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816356/ 1-B], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816390/ 4-B]}}</ref> The lease agreement had a stipulation in the event that LMSD needed additional school space.<ref>{{cite news|last=Tallmadbge|first=Ruth|title=Borough income tax is shelved — for now|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1984-11-12|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816556/ 10-M]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1996 the former school was still being used as an office facility.<ref name=Barnardreopen>{{cite news|last=Barnard|first=Anne|title=Parents oppose school district shift in Lower Merion|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1996-10-02|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160815713/ B2]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Belmont Hills Elementary closed in 1981,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lowermerionhistory.org/lower-merion/|last=Maier|first=Phyllis C. |title=Lower Merion|publisher=The Lower Merion Historical Society|access-date=2024-12-12}}</ref> but by 1996 the district considered reopening it or Narberth Elementary, though the district leadership was closer to supporting the reopening of Belmont Hills elementary. This was because reopening Narberth Elementary meant that LMSD would have had to reacquire the building, which it could not do in a manner the district leadership felt was timely.<ref name=Barnardreopen/> The district would not have been able to take control of the building until 1999. Of the possible choices of facilities to reopen, LMSD would have had to spend $11,100,000 on a reopened Narberth Elementary, making it the option where the district had to spend the most money.<ref>{{cite news|last=Barnard|first=Anne|title=To ease the student squeeze|newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1996-09-11|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160820350/ B1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160820367/ B4]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> People living in Narberth did not significantly advocate for the reopening of Narberth Elementary.<ref name=Narberthvoicedispl>{{cite news|title=Narberth residents voice displeasure over school plan|newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1997-02-16|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160816987/ MD1]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1997, students in the South Narberth area were zoned to Merion Elementary, which was and is within walking distance.<ref name=Barnardredistfears>{{cite news|last=Barnard|first=Anne|title=Redistricting fears spread in L. Merion|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1997-02-26|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160818586/ B1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160818610/ B4]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} - Cited: B1.</ref>

By 1998 the school district established a new attendance boundary for Belmont Hills Elementary, which included the northern part of Narberth, with that section taken from Cynwyd Elementary. This meant that students began to have longer times to travel to school. The organization "Parents Against Gerrymandering," made up of parents from the borough, sued the school district to try to stop the rezoning.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stanley|first=Stephanie A.|title=Judge expected to rule on injunction against plan|newspaper=[[Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=1998-05-25|page=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/160815931/ B2]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Several parents preferred rezoning to Merion Elementary instead.<ref name=Barnardredistfears/>

===Other education===
The parish Saint Margaret's Elementary Catholic School is in Narberth borough. Religious schools in the immediate vicinity include the private [[Waldron Mercy Academy]] and [[Merion Mercy Academy]] Catholic schools, and Torah Academy in nearby Wynnewood. Nearby private schools include [[Friends' Central School]] on City Avenue, the [[French International School of Philadelphia|French International School]] in [[Bala Cynwyd]], Gladwyne Montessori in [[Gladwyne]], the girls schools [[Agnes Irwin School|Agnes Irwin]] in [[Rosemont, Pennsylvania|Rosemont]], [[The Baldwin School|Baldwin]] in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]], the boys school [[The Haverford School]] in [[Haverford, Pennsylvania|Haverford]], and coeducational [[Episcopal Academy]] in [[Newtown Square]] and [[Shipley School]] in [[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania|Bryn Mawr]].

[[Montgomery County Community College]] is the community college for all of Montgomery County. Narberth is close to [[Saint Joseph's University]], which occupies an increasingly large campus in nearby Merion on City Avenue. [[Haverford College]], [[Bryn Mawr College]], [[Villanova University]], [[Cabrini College]], [[Eastern University (United States)|Eastern University]], and [[Rosemont College]] are nearby to the west, while the [[University of Pennsylvania]], [[Drexel University]], [[Thomas Jefferson University]], [[Philadelphia University]], and [[Temple University]] are nearby to the east in the City of Philadelphia.

The Narberth Community Library functions as the library for the borough.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://narberthlibrary.org/|title=Home|publisher=Narberth Community Library|access-date=2024-12-11}} - [https://www.narberthpa.gov/ Linked from the municipal website].</ref>