Mr. Charles W. Lentz

School Newsletters

          Welcome to McKinley Elementary School!  As the proud principal of McKinley Elementary School, it is my pleasure to tell you about the fine educational community we have sought to establish here in the suburbs of Philadelphia.  McKinley Elementary School is located in the idyllic setting of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania in Abington School District.  It is a school of approximately 625 students from a very diverse local community.  We are very proud of our long history of building a strong tradition of excellence in education for our students and setting them on a path of lifelong learning that provides them with a foundation on which they can build a successful future.  McKinley Elementary School is an institution grounded in high expectations for every student coupled with a nurturing and supportive school community that embraces every learner.

            McKinley’s supportive faculty strives to create a warm and welcoming learning environment for every child.  The faculty holds high standards of achievement for all children and seek to further their education through engagement in active learning experiences in concert with the Pennsylvania state standards for instruction.  The school faculty also seeks to provide children with a well-rounded education which will instill in our students a love of learning and a thirst for ongoing continuous growth and development in all educational areas.  McKinley prides itself on its ability to provide children with an opportunity to embrace a variety of school activities which broaden their horizons and foster an appreciation for arts, culture, nature, and intellectual pursuits.

            McKinley has also embraced a character education program which we hope will build personal skills in our students which will allow them to be able to function in society at-large when they leave our school.  We have established a school positive behavior model called, H.E.A.R.T. which seeks to provide our children with lifelong skills that will serve them well as they become productive citizens at both the local and national level.  We have long sought to embrace the concept of service learning and instill in our students the value of giving back to their community for the betterment of society.  Our children have been actively involved in fundraisers for a variety of causes including, but not limited to, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer, Toys for Tots, Habitat for Humanity, among other causes.

            Our school is also fortunate to have a very active and involved parent community and PTO which are integral partners in our educational community.  Through this partnership our school has been able to offer extracurricular programming and events that would not be possible without this collective responsibility for our children and their education.  One of the most valuable examples of this partnership has been the creation of the school nature center which allows us to create an interactive environmental learning center for our children which is unparalleled.

            McKinley truly is a shining star in the Abington School District constellation.  It is a place that seeks to put children and their families first in a thriving and vibrant learning community which embraces all of the elements of a well-rounded education.  McKinley stands out among schools as a place that fosters a very welcoming environment which becomes a home away from home for all of the families and staff that have come to be a part of this school community.  McKinley truly is the school with a HEART in the Abington School District.