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Rooted in Purpose

This fall, Martin Luther School will transition to its new home at 5200 Butler Pike, where it will operate as Martin Luther School – Whitemarsh. Our legacy campus will open its doors as something new: Martin Luther School – Plymouth, a school that is intentionally designed and dedicated to students with autism in kindergarten through fifth grade.

We believe every child is bright, curious, and full of potential. This new, comprehensive educational program builds upon each child’s individual strengths and interests to nurture their growth. Grounded in a developmental, relationship-based framework, we will walk alongside students on their personal journeys and foster learning through meaningful engagement, purposeful exploration, and joyful discovery. Our teachers and developmental specialists will meet students where they are to create a setting where they feel both challenged and understood. Martin Luther School – Plymouth will be a place that empowers students’ resilience and independence and they develop skills and confidence to navigate life and flourish.  

 What the Program Will Offer 

 Martin Luther School – Plymouth will bring together three interconnected pillars:

• Engaging, individualized instruction — academic programming designed to meet each student where they are and help them reach their full potential
• Language and communication development — targeted supports that build both functional and expressive communication skills
• Social-emotional learning — a school culture grounded in connection, safety, and belonging 

This approach reflects the heart of the MLS mission: to Engage the Heart, Instruct the Mind, and Empower the Will. 

Every student deserves to be challenged and understood. This program is how we make that promise real. 

Stay tuned for more information as our planning continues. In the meantime, if you would like to refer a student for Admission, please email Jessica Dalton, Admissions Coordinator, at [email protected]. If you would like to learn more about Martin Luther School – Plymouth, please contact Siobhan, Assistant Head of School for Pupil Services at [email protected]. 

To our community,

As you know, Martin Luther School is expanding to create more opportunities for our current and future students. We will be moving to our new campus this summer, just one mile from our current location. As we prepare for that transition, we are also planning for how we’ll use our current school buildings going forward.

I am pleased to share that we will be opening a new school program in September 2026 for students with autism, beginning with grades K-4. This program reflects our deep belief at Martin Luther School that every student deserves an education designed to meet their individual needs.

This program will bring together engaging instruction, language and communication development, and social-emotional support. At MLS, our mission is to Engage the Heart, Instruct the Mind, and Empower the Will. With the new autism program, we aim to create a setting where students are both challenged and understood, with learning grounded in strong relationships and the supports students need to grow and thrive.

We’d love to have you join us for a Community Forum in May, where LEAs and partners can learn more about the program and help shape its development. We will follow up with the specific date and time soon!

In the meantime, please submit referrals as you have been, directly to Jessica Dalton ([email protected]). Should you have any questions or wish to learn more, please reach out to me ([email protected]) or to Siobhan Canavan, Assistant Head of School for Student Services ([email protected]).

Warmly,
Eva

Eva Morrison, Ed.D.
Head of Martin Luther School
VP of Education, Gemma Services
Email: [email protected]

MLS Helpdesk: 267-607-3792 (M – F 8:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @MLS@GemmaServices
Instagram: @Martin_Luther_School

Dear MLS Community:

I am writing to share an exciting update about the fantastic new Martin Luther School campus we are creating for our students! It will be a campus that communicates to them just how much they matter. Last year, we announced that Martin Luther School will move to a new location just one mile from our current campus. The new school facilities are designed to support our growing enrollment and provide exceptional spaces for our students to learn, achieve, and grow, inside and outside of the classroom. Renovations are well underway at the new location, and the transformation is remarkable.

Once renovations are complete, the campus will include more than 30 spacious, bright classrooms; private offices for counseling; two lunchrooms; outdoor learning and recreation spaces; a library; a black-box theater; and a multipurpose gymnasium. Construction will begin soon on a two-story addition that will house the theater, gymnasium, and additional elective classrooms.

Click here to see the classrooms and other spaces coming together!

We also plan to build a state-of-the-art outdoor sports facility for our students, including a new track and a multi-sport turf field. This new facility will support our commitment to the whole student and to providing ample opportunities for recreation so students can play, discover talents, and build important teamwork skills. Sports and access to interscholastic competition have been instrumental in building our students’ sense of pride in themselves and their school. The new gymnasium and outdoor sports facility will fuel that Panther Pride and provide even more opportunities for our current and future students to compete, grow, and excel.

While the timeline remains tentative, our plan is for the school to move to the new campus in summer 2026 and open in September 2026 in our new home. We look forward to welcoming your students and families to our new campus later this year. We can’t wait to see our Panthers thrive in that exceptional environment!

Please stay tuned for more information about the new campus and our upcoming transition to the new location. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

With appreciation,

Eva Morrison, Ed.D.
Head of Martin Luther School
VP of Education, Gemma Services
Email: [email protected]

MLS Helpdesk: 267-607-3792 (M – F 8:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @MLS@GemmaServices
Instagram: @Martin_Luther_School

Dear MLS community,

We are pleased to announce that the MLS Extended School Year will run this summer from June 29 through July 31^st.

Monday-Thursdays: in person

Fridays: virtual

Closed July 3, 2026

Stay tuned for more info and please reach out to us if any questions.

MLS Helpdesk: 267-607-3792 (M – F 8:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Follow us on social media!
Facebook: MLSatGemmaServices
Instagram: Martin_Luther_School

A moment of celebration!

Five years ago, after 30 years as a K–8 school, we launched our high school. As we complete our graduation review, I’m very happy to share that every one of our seniors is on track to graduate this June — and each is reading at a post-high-school level!

For a group of students who came to us with significant learning gaps, often from support systems that didn’t or couldn’t meet their needs, they are exceeding our expectations in every way. Now comes the joy of walking alongside them through post-secondary planning.

I can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.

To learn more about our school, please visit the MLS website section here.

With appreciation,

Eva Morrison, Ed.D.
Head of Martin Luther School
VP of Education, Gemma Services
Email: [email protected]

MLS Helpdesk: 267-607-3792 (M – F 8:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Follow us on social media!
Facebook: @MLS@GemmaServices
Instagram: @Martin_Luther_School

Panther Roar Newsletter: Stay Updated about MLS

The Panther’s Roar is Martin Luther School’s newsletter – your go-to source for MLS news and happenings! From exciting stories to key updates, please check out the issues linked below to stay in the loop and see all the things that make Panthers shine!

Panther Roar: March 3, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: March 10, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: March 17, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: March 24, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: April 7, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: April 14, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: April 21, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: April 28, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: May 5, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: May 12, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: May 19, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: May 25, 2026 – click here.

Panther Roar: June 2, 2026 – click here.

Bright Futures Newsletter 

To read the latest newsletter from our High School Transition Coordinator, called Bright Futures, click here!