WXVU Main Line News Minute – September 8, 2022

By Gabriella Raful, WXVU News Director

This Tuesday was the first day of school for students at the new Black Rock Middle School in Villanova. The new school is for Lower Merion School District students in grades five through eight from Penn Wynne and Gladwyne. Approximately 1,000 students will attend the new school. Fifth and sixth-graders reported on Tuesday, and seventh and eighth-graders reported on Wednesday. The start days are staggered to help everyone get used to the new building. Fifth-grader Bianca Slawter, an ambassador for the school, said, “It’s pretty cool to see the school finally here in front of us.” Students say the library and cafeteria are their favorite parts of the school. Resnick, another student, explained that the dining hall with new booths makes it seem like a restaurant. The grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Black Rock Middle School will take place next month.

Delaware County officials last week broke ground on a new, inclusive park in Upland. Delaware County Council Vice Chair Elaine Schaefer joined Director of Parks and Recreation Marc Manfre, Upland Mayor William Dennon, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, and various elected officials to break ground on the future site of a playground and field on Aug. 31 in Upland Park. The new playground will include features for children of all ages and abilities, with separate areas for younger and older children, and will include sensory activities for those with special needs. Playgrounds are shown to be important for the development of children in many ways, and offer emotional, social, mental, and physical benefits to children of all ages. They also help children work on fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and coordination.