Elizabeth Landes works tirelessly to enhance the science offerings at Marple Newtown High School (MNHS) in Newtown Square. She teaches AP Environmental Science and several levels of biology, including honors, college prep and Keystone Support. Landes’ innovative lessons integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as design thinking and cutting-edge classroom technology. She is a scientific role model, particularly for the young women she teaches. Her students at all levels excel. Her class average on the 2019 AP Environmental Science exam was 4.3 out of 5, with approximately 62% scoring a 5.
Landes is known as a data-driven instructor, using formative and summative student achievement data to differentiate her lesson plans on a daily basis. She always asks to have underperforming students added to her schedule and voluntarily conducts tutoring and test preparation sessions after school. Landes works with other teachers on differentiation strategies, and secondary teachers across the district use her lesson plans as templates. She helps teachers take and pass Praxis tests and is helping the district incorporate the Performance Expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards. Landes runs MNHS’ AP Science Summer Institute and has worked on technology, AP, grading and lab report revisions committees. She serves as a Delaware County Hi-Q faculty advisor and has facilitated a virtual environmental science course through the Bridges Virtual Online Education Consortium.
Creating a caring culture of service matters to Landes. For Earth Day, she works with high school students to bring relevant environmental science education to a nearby elementary school. Every year the sophomore class at MNHS works together on Project10, a service and unity project Landes developed several years ago. Collaborating with nonprofits including UNICEF, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, hunger relief organization Philabundance, charity: water, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the sophomore classes have raised more than $34,000 under Landes’ guidance.
Landes earned a Bachelor of Science in biology and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2005, as well as a master’s in education in 2006, from Villanova University.
Press release: Marple Newtown High School Teacher Elizabeth Landes First in District to Receive $25,000 Milken Educator Award
VIDEO: Elizabeth Landes talks about the importance of teacher recognition
VIDEO: Elizabeth Landes talks about differentiated instruction
VIDEO: Elizabeth Landes in the classroom
