Lower Merion High School

Lower Merion High School is a public high school in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, in the Main Line suburbs of Philadelphia. It is one of two high schools in the Lower Merion School District; the other one is Harriton High School. Lower Merion serves both Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth. In 2026, Niche.com ranked Lower Merion High School ranked 7th among college preparatory public high schools and public high schools in Pennsylvania. U.S. News & World Report ranked Lower Merion High School and Harriton High School 11th and 12th in the state respectively. The school mascot is a bulldog, and its athletics teams are known as the "Aces”, honoring the U.S. Air Force Flying Aces established by Lower Merion alumnus Henry H. Arnold, an American general in both the U.S. Army and Air Force. History 19th century In 1894, with the consolidation of the area's three village high schools (Merion Square, Bryn Mawr, and Ardmore), Lower Merion began its first year in a stone building shared with the Ardmore Avenue Elementary School in Ardmore. In 1897, nine students participated in the school's first commencement ceremony. The original high school faculty had seven members, including the principal and superintendent. The curriculum offered only a two-year preparation for either college or industry. 20th century The Ardmore Avenue School burned in 1900 but was rebuilt, also of stone. In 1911, the high school moved out of the elementary school to new quarters, designed and constructed at the present site, 245 E. Montgomery Avenue. Dedicated on December 2, 1911, Lower Merion Senior High School was an impressive granite and stone edifice considered one of the finest new educational facilities in the state. The 17-acre (69,000 m2) property, complete with three stone-arch entrances, landscaped grounds, and a football stadium, eventually grew to 23 acres (93,000 m2) with the purchase and annexation of the Clarke House. At its opening, twenty-one staff members were employed under principal "Professor" Charles B. Pennypacker. In 1922, Lower Merion Junior High School, later renamed Ardmore Junior High School, was constructed adjacent to the senior high school, and in 1926 two new wings were added on either side of the main high school building. These additions doubled the size of the original school, helping to accommodate rapidly increasing enrollment. The present administration building was constructed in 1932 to provide office space and an additional twenty-five classrooms. By 1940, the teaching staff had expanded to 61 under the direction of principal George H. Gilbert. Total student enrollment was 1461 for grades 10–12. In 1943, an adjoining technical building was added along the School House Lane side to house shops for auto repair, metal, print, wood-working and drafting. In 1950, a cafeteria/library wing, designed by the Philadelphia firm of Savory, Scheetz and Gilmour, was added near Pennypacker athletic field. That same year the 18-acre (73,000 m2) General Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold athletic fields opened directly across Montgomery Ave. By 1957, enrollment had grown to 1,663 students and the time had come to build a second high school (Harriton) in Lower Merion Township. The original 1910 building was demolished in 1963 and replaced by an air-conditioned classroom structure designed by H. A. Kuljian and Co. Decreases in enrollment district-wide caused many Lower Merion elementary schools to close in the late 1970s along with Ardmore Junior High School. This move changed the remaining junior high schools to becoming middle schools (grades 6–8) and moved the ninth grade to the high schools. The Lower Merion High School graduation class of 1982 was the first freshman class at the high school including those students who four years earlier were members of the last graduating class of Ardmore Junior High School. Due to later enrollment increases and to accommodate changing program needs, the district frequently reconfigured spaces in the facility, including re-opening classroom and storage space in the former Ardmore Junior High School in the 1990s. (Most of the junior high school had been demolished in 1992 to make way for additional parking). Rooms in the technical building were converted to other uses, including art classes, computer labs, and the school's television studio. Original classrooms were repurposed as spaces for individualized learning support and students with special needs. 21st century In 2004, the central lobby that connected the 1932 and 1963 structures was converted to a college-style help center. Also in 2004, a community advisory committee determined that existing facilities no longer met the standards of the Lower Merion community and recommended that a new school, configured for 21st century education, be constructed on the same site. The Board and administration authorized construction of this new school in 2007. Demolition of the "Ardmore Annex", the natatorium, and one of the school's two gyms commenced in the summer of 2008 to make way for construction. The new Lower Merion High School opened in September 2010 and was dedicated in a public ceremony on October 17, 2010. In addition to state-of-the-art classrooms, science laboratories, art classrooms, and music rehearsal spaces, the new Lower Merion features a lecture hall with tiered seating, a multi-purpose black box theater, an 850-seat auditorium/theater, a greenhouse for environmental and horticultural studies, high-performance athletic facilities, a swimming pool, a television studio, multi-media production facilities, a music technology lab, an expansive courtyard, and a two-story, glass-encased library that serves as the building's exterior focal point along Montgomery Avenue. The school also features a planetarium on top of the old building that closed after it was declared a fire hazard. It was then temporarily transformed into a staff lounge room. However, the room is currently vacated. The new school was constructed adjacent to the historic district administration office (DAO) building, which is the only original structure that remains on the site. A number of measures were approved by the Lower Merion Historic Commission to ensure the school was designed to complement this Class I historic resource. The placement of the new building provides an unobstructed view of the DAO from Montgomery Avenue. The color and size of the masonry used in the new building is reflective of materials of the DAO. On November 13, 2021, the school principal, Sean Hughes, was killed in a car crash while driving his teenage son to a soccer game. Athletics Lower Merion High School competes in the Central League, part of Pennsylvania’s District I under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). The Central League expanded in 2008 to include Harriton and Garnet Valley, bringing the league to 12 member schools. Lower Merion athletic teams compete under two nicknames: the Bulldogs, used for football, girls ice hockey, and softball, and the Aces, used by all other sports. Fall sports at Lower Merion include cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and water polo. Winter sports include basketball, ice hockey, indoor track and field, squash, swimming, and wrestling. Spring sports include baseball, crew, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track and field, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball. Varsity Basketball The Lower Merion Aces boys basketball program is one of the most successful in Pennsylvania history. The team has won seven PIAA state championships, including AAA titles in 1933, 1941, 1942, and 1943, and AAAA titles in 1996, 2006, and 2013. The Aces were also state runners‑up in 2005 and 2012. In 1996, future NBA star Kobe Bryant led the Aces to a 31–3 season and a state championship, marking the program’s first title in 50 years. In recent years, Lower Merion continued its league success; the team won the 2025 Central League championship, with senior guard Carson Kasmer earning league MVP honors. Cross Country Lower Merion’s boys cross country program established itself as a Central League power in the 2020s. The team won three straight Central League championships and remained undefeated in league competition in 2025. Senior Nick Mazzeo capped an exceptional career by winning the New Balance National Cross Country Championship, becoming the first Lower Merion athlete and the only member of the Central League to claim a national title in cross country. Varsity Tennis Boys Tennis The Lower Merion boys tennis program remains one of the top in Pennsylvania. As of 2025, the Aces have won 11 PIAA AAA (3A) state championships in boys tennis, with team titles earned in 2006, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022. They also finished state runners‑up in 2024 and reached the state tournament in 2025, advancing into the later rounds of postseason play. Individually, Lower Merion players have won state singles championships in 2003 and 2021, and state doubles championships in 2009 and 2021. The 2021 boys team made school history by winning the team, singles, and doubles state titles in a single year. Girls Tennis The Lower Merion girls tennis team won back‑to‑back PIAA 3A state championships in 2024 and 2025, defeating top opponents such as Council Rock South and Conestoga in the state finals. The 2025 championship came with a 3–1 victory in the final match at the Hershey Racquet Club. Several athletes from the 2024 and 2025 teams earned All‑District and All‑League honors, and a number of players went on to compete at the collegiate level. Boys Varsity Lacrosse The Lower Merion boys varsity lacrosse program has a rich tradition of success. The team has won seven PIAA and Pennsylvania Scholastic state championships (1966, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1999), the most of any high school in the Commonwealth, and finished as state runners‑up in 1970, 1978, and 1980. Over the years, the program has produced 21 All‑American players and numerous collegiate athletes. Track and Field The Lower Merion track and field program has produced multiple District I champions and PIAA state qualifiers in both sprint and distance events. Athletes from the program, including members of the cross country team, have advanced to state‑level competition throughout the 2020s. Notable qualifiers in recent seasons have included the Mazzeo brothers in distance events, with Alex Mazzeo also earning collegiate opportunities for track and cross country. Swimming and Diving The Lower Merion swimming program has had strong showings in Central League competition and advanced swimmers to the PIAA District I Championships. Standout athletes such as Briana Klock and Katie Potts‑Drew have led the girls team in league meets, while boys competitors like Felix Kohler and Will Stark have posted competitive efforts. Historically, the teams have qualified swimmers for PIAA state meets and continued to develop school records. Volleyball Lower Merion’s volleyball program has recorded several Central League playoff appearances and qualified for the District I tournament in the early 2020s. In the 2025 season, the team posted a strong record and returned several athletes such as Nora Prince and Stevie Rothberg (honorable mention All‑League) who contributed to postseason success. Crew The Lower Merion crew program competes at regional and national scholastic regattas. Boats from the team qualified for events such as the Stotesbury Cup and the City Championship Regatta, earning medals and producing athletes like Brooke Jackett and Kalina Rauer who signed National Letters of Intent to row at NCAA programs. Football and Other Sports Lower Merion football and other fall sports continue to compete in the Central League, with varsity competitors achieving league wins and playoff appearances. The soccer programs have fielded strong squads, with players such as Cate Cantu and Dylan Steinberg earning All‑League and All‑State honors before committing to collegiate programs. Laptop controversy In the 2010 WebcamGate lawsuit, plaintiffs charged that Lower Merion School District (including Lower Merion High School and Harriton High School) secretly spied on students enrolled at the two high schools by surreptitiously and remotely activating webcams embedded in school-issued laptops the students were using at home, and therefore infringed on their privacy rights. The schools admitted to secretly snapping over 66,000 webshots and screenshots. Those included webcam shots of students in their bedrooms. In October 2010, the school district agreed to pay $610,000 to settle the Robbins and parallel Hasan lawsuits against it. Two parents filed the lawsuit against the school district on February 11, 2010. The plaintiff was a student at one of the two district high schools. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the district to stop its secret webcam monitoring, and ordered the district to pay the plaintiffs' attorney fees. In July 2010, a Lower Merion High School student filed a parallel second suit. The school was also put on notice of a third parallel suit that a third student intended to bring, for "improper surveillance of the Lower Merion High School student on his school issued laptop", which included taking over 700 webcam shots and screenshots between December 2009 and February 2010. A U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittee held hearings on the issues raised by the schools' secret surveillance, and Senator Arlen Specter introduced draft legislation in the Senate to protect against it in the future. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Attorney's Office, and Montgomery County School District attorney all initiated criminal investigations of the matter, which they combined and then closed because they did not find evidence "that would establish beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone involved had criminal intent". The civil lawsuit has a much lower burden of proof, and is unaffected by the decision. Lower Merion Police Superintendent Michael McGrath said: "This would appear to be a matter to be resolved in civil court." An investigative report prepared by the law firm Ballard Spahr–the firm that the Lower Merion School District had hired to defend it–did not find evidence that the system "was used to 'spy' on students", but was unable in many instances to find who had authorized that the system take surreptitious photographs, for what reason, and to find copies of photographs that had been deleted from the school server. Notable alumni Graduation year in parentheses. Kabir Akhtar (1992) Emmy award winning American television director and editor, known for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Richard Amsel (1965) artist Henry H. Arnold (1903), general of the army and father of the U.S. Air Force; the only person to become a five-star general of two military branches (Army and Air Force); a founder of Project RAND, founder of Pan American World Airways Billy Aronson (1975), playwright, author, and originator of musical Rent Chuck Barris (1947), writer/producer, host of The Gong Show Julius W. Becton, Jr. (1944), Army general, director of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Howard Benson (1974), Grammy-nominated music producer James H. Billington (1946), Librarian of Congress Al Bonniwell (1930), professional basketball player Jim Brogan (1976), NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant (1996), NBA basketball player Russell Carter (1980), All American at Southern Methodist University (1984), NFL player for New York Jets Johnny Christmas (2001), three-time high school All-American lacrosse player Joe Conwell (1979), USFL and NFL football player Tommy Conwell (1980), guitarist and lead singer for Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers Robert Fagles (1951), professor, poet best known for translating ancient Greek classics Bobbito Garcia (1984), DJ, writer Dylan Gelula (2012), actress Gideon Glick (2006), Broadway performer Alexander Haig (1942), United States Army general, 1973–74 White House Chief of Staff and 1981–82 Secretary of State Marshall Herskovitz (1969), television writer and screenwriter B.J. Johnson (2013), NBA basketball player Scott Barry Kaufman (1998), psychologist, author, and popular podcaster Mark Gerban (1998), represented the State of Palestine at the 2005 World Rowing Championships George G. Glenner, physician and Alzheimer's disease researcher Kylie Kelce (2010), podcaster and media personality Emily Kramer-Golinkoff (2003) founder of Emily's Entourage, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis Howard Lassoff, 1955–2013, American-Israeli basketball player Noyes Leech (1939), 1921–2010, University of Pennsylvania College Class of 1943 (BA), and University of Pennsylvania Law School Class of 1948; served as editor-in-chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review; Gerald M. Levin (1956), former chairman and CEO of Time Warner Rachel Levin (2014), YouTuber and beauty guru "RCLBeauty101" Aron Magner (1994), keyboard player for Disco Biscuits Lizzy McAlpine (2018), singer/songwriter featured on NPR's All Songs Considered Nancy Meyers (1967), Hollywood writer/director/producer Paul B. Moses (1947), art historian and educator J. Russell Peltz, Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bernard Pierce (did not graduate, transferred), NFL football player Robert Sataloff (1967), otolaryngologist, musician, and author Alec Scheiner (1988), president, Cleveland Browns of National Football League Lisa Scottoline (1973), attorney and noted bestselling author of legal thriller novels Lynn Sherr (1959), ABC News correspondent Neil Shubin (1978), Paleontologist, author, television host Matt Snider (1994), NFL professional football player Jan Peter Toennies (1948), physicist, former director of Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization Jim Vance (1959), Emmy Award-winning TV news anchor at WRC in Washington, DC. Ilya Zhitomirskiy (2007), founder of Diaspora software and website References Lower Merion School District (October 23, 2025). “Aces XC Three‑Peats as League Champions”. Lower Merion School District Newsroom. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports Central League championships and undefeated season for boys cross country and individual wins by senior Nick Mazzeo. Lower Merion School District (December 15, 2025). “LM’s Nick Mazzeo Wins New Balance XC National Championship”. Lower Merion School District Newsroom. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports Nick Mazzeo winning the national cross country title and making history for Lower Merion and Central League. “Central League Schools – Lower Merion School District.” Lower Merion School District. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports league membership, sports offerings, and Bulldogs/Aces designations. Josh Verlin (February 11, 2025). “Kasmer, Lower Merion defend Central League title after hot start”. City of Basketball Love. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports Lower Merion boys basketball 2025 Central League championship and Carson Kasmer’s MVP performance. Lower Merion Aces State Tennis Championship. Thisislowermerion.com. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports boys tennis state tournament participation and girls tennis championships (use with the 2024–25 girls titles once media link is available). “Fall Sports – Lower Merion School District.” Lower Merion School District. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports current varsity fall sports offerings, coaches, and teams. “Winter Sports – Lower Merion School District.” Lower Merion School District. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports listing of winter sports teams, including swimming and basketball coaches. “Spring Sports – Lower Merion School District.” Lower Merion School District. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports current spring sports offerings, including crew and tennis. Lower Merion Soccer Alumni Association (2025). Lower Merion Soccer Program History. Retrieved December 31, 2025. Supports longtime success and historical context of the boys soccer program. External links Official website Lower Merion Alumni Site