The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Walter M Senkow El Sch
Walter M Senkow Elementary School was a middle-grade school in Glenolden serving grades through middle, operated by the Upper Darby School District. The school has since closed and is no longer operational.
Based on the most recent state testing data available, the school's academic performance showed uneven results across subjects. In English language arts, a meaningful share of students met proficiency on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, with a higher pass rate than in mathematics. Mathematics proficiency was considerably lower, with fewer than a third of tested students meeting the state standard. Science was the strongest subject, with a majority of students demonstrating proficiency.
Glenolden itself is a small, densely built inner-ring suburban borough about a short distance southwest of Philadelphia in Delaware County. The community is predominantly residential with modest early- to mid-20th-century housing on compact lots, threaded by Chester Pike as its commercial spine. The borough has a walkable center anchored by a SEPTA Regional Rail station, Glenolden Park with its creek trail and library, and small neighborhood green spaces. The area is essentially built out with little new single-family construction; most recent housing has been multifamily rentals. The local employment base is small and dispersed, with most residents commuting out to jobs elsewhere in Delaware County and Philadelphia.
Upper Darby School District, which served Glenolden along with Prospect Park, Norwood, and Tinicum Township, has undergone substantial change in recent years. A new Clifton Heights Middle School broke ground in summer 2024, designed to ease longstanding middle school overcrowding and modernize the learning environment with dedicated STEM labs. The district also pursued a major curriculum standardization, adopting enVisions Mathematics across grades K-8 and National Geographic for social studies at its middle schools, so families can expect a more consistent academic experience across buildings than previously. A planned new elementary school in the district was suspended after a SEPTA-designated flood hazard area prevented that site from being developed. The district faces persistent property tax pressure; despite receiving a state tax-equity supplement in recognition of high local property taxes relative to resident wealth, the district's budget plans still assume increases to close structural gaps.
Because the school has closed, families in Glenolden now attend other Upper Darby buildings. Enrollment, demographics, and current program information for this school are not available.
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