The annual P-H-M Employee & Retiree Recognition Dinner was held Tuesday, May 15. Service Awards were given to employees who have dedicated 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 years of service to Penn-Harris-Madison. 

Prairie Vista employees recognized for their years of service with P-H-M:

• Darlene Evans, 40 years of service
• Cathleen Gage, 20 years of service
• Karen Hlade, 20 years of service
• Pam O’Neal, 15 years of service
• Debra Walker, 15 years of service
• Debra Wassenhove, 15 years of service
• Sara Hammond, 10 years of service
• Stefanie Hanks, 10 years of service

Click here for a full list of this year’s Service Award employees. 

This year 47 faithful and dedicated P-H-M teachers and staff members also retired, including a few from Bittersweet. Those that attended the dinner were recognized by Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and School Board President Chris Riley.

These are the names that retired from Bittersweet:

• Debra Baughman, Teacher, 27 years
• Patricia Gerndt, ESP, 31 years
• Debra Walker, Educational Assistant, 15 years
• Connie Young, Educational Assistant, 23 years
• Kimberly Breske, Teacher, 31 years

Click here to view the full photo gallery of Service Award Winners and Retirees.

We thank all our employees for their years of faithful service to P-H-M students and families!

The P-H-M DVT & Planetarium is now proud to offer online ticket purchasing, seat reservation & online payment through the P-H-M RevTrak Web Store. 

Click here to pick your seats and purchase them online today!

There are three shows left for the rest of the 2017-18 school year, take advantage of this new online feature today to see these last three shows:

• Wed., May 9, 6:30 p.m.:  EGYPT: SECRETS OF THE MUMMIES
• Wed., May 16, 6:30 p.m.: SPACEPARK  360
• Wed., May 24, 6:30 p.m.: SUMMER NIGHT SKY

To get more details on the P-H-M DVT & Planetarium, please visit www.phmschools.org/dvt.

This inaugural year for the P-H-M Education Foundation’s Silver Mile new format … the Bubble Bash … was a huge success!

Hundreds of P-H-M students, family, teachers and staff turned out Saturday, May 5 at Penn High School for the morning non-timed 5K walk/run through the neighborhoods behind Penn. More than 1,500 enjoyed the gorgeous and warm weather and bubbles!

There was lots of pre-race activities to get the runners warmed up, including a School Spirit Contest and Zumba!

After the race, runners enjoyed post-race snacks donated by Whole Foods and Hacienda Restaurants and browsed through the Health & Fitness Expo in Penn’s Cafeteria. Free health screenings were offered by presenting sponsor Saint Joseph Health System, along with numerous businesses showcasing their health-related items.  More than 100 items were up for bid at the silent auction, including Penn High School parking spaces and front-row graduation seats. And families were treated to P-H-M’s talented students participating in the Silver Mile Talent Showcase inside the Main Arena. 

Thank you to all the sponsors including St. Joseph Health System, ABC 57, Sunny 101.5, Drive & Shine, and many others.

The Silver Mile Run for Education raises funds to provide innovative grants that fall outside the P-H-M school district’s budget. It remains the Foundation’s largest fundraiser in its 13th year.  We look forward to seeing you in May 2019!

* To download a high resolution jpg file from the photo gallery, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function.

It was a gorgeous day for the 10^th annual “Running is Elementary.” Most years, 4^th and 5^th grade students from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools are fighting the elements of wind, rain, sleet or snow … but not this year!

Almost 700 students  participated in the 1 mile run on the Penn cross-country course located behind Elm Road School on Monday, April 30. Please click to see the photo gallery below.

The fun event encourages fitness and wellness. Fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to sign up for the free running club. Designated coaches at each school are then tasked with training the runners for the 6-week club which then culminates with the Running is Elementary Race. Cheered on by their families, principals, teachers and running coaches it’s amazing to see the dedication and hard work the students put in to complete the race. “Running Buddies” accompany those students who may need their extra assistance and/or encouragement.

Cindy Batalis (P-H-M’s 2009 Teacher of the Year and physical education teacher at Horizon Elementary) began the yearly tradition of Running Is Elementary back in 2008. Batalis’ own love for running and her desire to pass that love on to students is evident in the passion she puts into the Running is Elementary event each year. “This is a thrill! All the kids out here running today are out here making a positive step to healthy habits and we celebrate all of them. It’s a true community event!”

The top times for the 2018 Running Is Elementary Race were as follows:

5^th grade Boys

5th Grade Boys WinnerBIB# 99
Elm Road School
Time: 5:59
 

5th grade Girls Winner

BIB# 190
Horizon
Time: 6:43 
 

4^th grade Boys

BIB# 429
Meadow’s Edge
Time: 6:05
 

4^th grade Girls

BIB# 171
Elsie Rogers
Time: 6:51

It was particularly heartwarming when the whole crowd got behind one special runner to cheer him on 4th grade Horizon student Mikan Gensic, son of Penn Biology Teacher John Gensic. Mikan took everything in stride and didn’t even seem to be tired when he was done. He even had to be talked into getting his complimentary bottle of water and frozen Urban Swirl cup!

All runners are to be congratulated for their efforts and hard work!!

A big thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation and Corporations for Education for sponsoring the event!

Sponsors for the 2018 event:

Presenting sponsor – Corporations for Education

Royal Excursion and Gaylor Electric

After Race Snack Donations:

Urban Swirl and B&B Organics

Be sure to sign up to run in the P-H-M Education Foundation’s Silver Mile Bubble Bash this Saturday, May 5. Click to register online today!

Please see the photo gallery below. To download a high resolution jpg file from the photo gallery, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function.

When Indiana’s primary election takes place Tuesday, May 8, 2018, Prairie Vista will house a polling center, as it has in the past.

Voters will park in the north lot near the portable classrooms. The portable classrooms will be used for voting. Voters will not be allowed access into the school building. 

Other P-H-M schools that will serve as voting locations in this spring election are Penn High School, Schmucker Middle School, Mary Frank Elementary School, Meadow’s Edge Elementary School, and Walt Disney Elementary School. Of course registered voters may only use the polling location that serves their precinct, based on home address.  Here is a link to the precincts maps and polling location information provided by St. Joseph County.

Community Connections Fair

Saturday, April 21, 2018

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Walt Disney Elementary School

In an effort to expand outreach to the families of all of our ENL students (grades K-12), P-H-M’s ENL Services is hosting a community resource fair to make families aware of the services not only available within the district, but also in the Mishawaka and South Bend areas. Bilingual interpreters will be on hand at the event to assist those families who need it.

Click here to download a copy of the event flier in English. Copies are also available in Spanish,  Chinese and Korean.

*Adobe Acrobat Reader will be required to view pdf documents. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please visit Adobe’s website, at this link www.get.adobe.com/reader/, to download your free version.

Mark your calendars now!

Penn High School’s Center for Performing Arts brimmed with excitement as nearly 200 third, fourth and fifth graders participated in the 32^nd annual P-H-M Elementary Spell Bowl on Tuesday (March 20, 2018).

Prairie Vista’s fourth grade team tied for 2nd place in a 4-way tie with Horizon Northpoint and Walt Disney. The fifth grade team took 3rd place.

Click to see a full photo gallery of the Spell Bowl on the District website. (To download a high resolution jpg file from the photo gallery, you will just need to simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right hand corner of the photo wile viewing it in the Photo Gallery function). 

Spell Bowl consists of three six-person teams (plus one alternate) from each of the 11 elementary schools representing grades 3, 4 and 5.  

This year’s winners were a mixture from the schools:

3rd Grade Winners:

• 1st place – Northpoint with 28 points, coached by Mrs. Nichol Mondy and Ms. Molly O’Rea
• 2nd place – Bittersweet with 25 points
• 3rd place – Horizon with 22 points

4th Grade Winners:

• 1st place – Mary Frank with 30 points, coached by Mrs. Lindsay Helman
• 2nd place – tie Horizon, Northpoint, Prairie Vista and Walt Disney with 28 points each
• 3rd place – tie Meadow’s Edge and Bittersweet with 20 points each

5th Grade Winners:

• 1st place – Northpoint with 30 points, coached by Ms. Rosane Morehouse
• 2nd place – Mary Frank with 25 points
• 3rd place – Prairie Vista with 24 points 

Preparation for the Spell Bowl takes weeks, as teams work with their teacher coaches. Preparation includes spelling under pressure, studying word lists, learning about word sources (e.g., Latin roots) and rules such as capitalization and pluralization.

The format used for the Spell Bowl is very similar to a test. Much like a traditional spelling bee, the host, or emcee, reads a word aloud and then uses it in a sentence. The students then have a time limit of 15 seconds to write the word on paper. A panel of judges reviews the answers and then posts the scores for the audience to see. Scoring is one point for each correct spelling.

P-H-M’s K-5 High Ability Coordinator, Mrs. Anne-Marie Reininga, is the Spell Bowl manager and works very hard to provide students with an enriching experience.

Saturday, May 5

8:30 a.m. – Noon

Penn High School

Register online today!

Do you like bubbles? Well, if you do, you’ll enjoy this fun change coming to the Silver Mile this year. The Silver Mile 5K Run/Walk will now be a Bubble Bash! 

What is a Bubble Bash, you ask? It is a non-timed 5K Run/Walk that incorporates bubble stations along the route for participants to travel through during the event. Click here to see a video.

The Fun Walk will now be incorporated into this event, and there will be an option to take a shorter loop for those not wanting to run/walk the 5K. This event will start at 9:00 a.m. on the TCU Freed Field Track.

After the Bubble Bash, runners and families are invited inside Penn High School’s cafeteria for the Education & Health and Fitness Fair complete with free health screenings provided by the St. Joseph Medical Center. The popular Silent Auction offers a chance to bid on prime Penn student parking spaces and new this year … Penn Commencement front row seat!!! Student works of art and other items from community businesses are also offered. And the Talent Showcase has been expanded to an hour this year.

All proceeds benefit the P-H-M Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support excellence in education in all 15 P-H-M schools by awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Click here for early bird registration and for more information on the Bubble Bash.

Monday, April 30 (Rain Date Wed., May 2)

3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

behind Elm Road Elementary School 

59400 Elm Road, Mishawaka 

“Running is Elementary” is gearing up for another great year! This is the 10^th year for the one mile, non-competitive run which will feature the participation of almost 700 fourth and fifth grade students from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools. This event is free to students and takes place on the Penn cross-country course located behind Elm Road Elementary School.

Horizon physical education teacher and P-H-M’s 2009 Teacher of the Year Cindy Batalis began this event in 2008. Running has always been a true passion for Batalis and she shares that passion with students by organizing this yearly event.

Each school year fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to join the running club at each of P-H-M’s elementary schools. The kids go through this six-week club trained by designated coaches at each school. The end of the six weeks is then celebrated by participating in the Running is Elementary run.

The event is hosted by the P-H-M Education Foundation and Corporations for Education.