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? Watch the video below from P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and then click here to register your family today!

The non-timed 5K Run/Walk will incorporate bubble stations along the route for participants to travel through during the event. 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.

Approximately 150 students attended this year’s Young Authors’ Conference with their parents (Saturday, March 10). This year’s guest writer was Ruth McNally Barshaw, author and illustrator of Ellie McDoodle Diaries and Leopold the Lion.

P-H-M students in grades K-5 enjoyed the unique opportunity to learn directly from a well-known children’s writer. Barshaw led the students through sketching exercises and gave them creative writing and storytelling techniques. After the program was over, Barshaw held a book signing for the families. As a reward for the students that waited in line for 2 hours … she did their illustrations as part of giving the students her autograph! See the photo gallery below.

Students aren’t the only ones that benefit from the Young Authors’ Conference, parents do too! While students were participating in their small group writing sessions, parents attended a special presentation by Prairie Vista teacher and writing expert Carrie Mumaw who gave parents fun tips on ways to inspire ideas for creative writing with their children. Click here for Mrs. Mumaw’s presentation.

Students and parents also enjoyed a presentation of “Stuart Little” by Bethel College Genesians. This was the 10th year for Young Authors’ Conference; it is sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation. 

WHEN: Monday, March 12, 2017, 8:00 a.m. – Noon

WHERE: P-H-M Educational Services Center
55900 Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka

There is a $60, non-refundable registration fee due at registration. You must also bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate, immunization record and proof of residency (a copy of a utility bill or lease agreement).

Click the links below to download pdfs of the:

• registration form 

• age requirements & listing of fees 

Penn PALS Community Preschool serves youngsters within Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation (click to see the interactive Google P-H-M boundary map) with special needs in an inclusive setting with their preschool peers, while providing them appropriate challenge, support and accommodation. 

We offer the half-day program at four P-H-M elementary schools: Bittersweet, Elm Road, Elsie Rogers and Mary Frank.

Click here for more details on the program.

The application window for P-H-M Education Foundation’s Spring 2018 Grant Cycle is now open!

PHMEF grants are eligible to any P-H-M staff member who can demonstrate a program’s innovation and creativity, and reflect commitment to excellence in education. Deadline for all grant applications is 4 p.m. Thursday March 29, at the ESC (55900 Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka).

PHMEF is seeking innovative programs that have not been previous funding through past grant cycles. Note there are funding restrictions such as not paying for substitutes, food, party supplies, etc. A complete list of restrictions can be found in the application packet. Those applications requesting non-funded expenses will not be presented to the Grants Committee.

So parents work with your student’s teacher or principal to write up a grant proposal for a program you’ve been wishing you child’s school had. PHMEF grants are eligible to any staff member who can demonstrate their program’s innovation, creativity and reflects commitment to excellence in education. Click here for a list of the unique Fall grant awardees.

There are two ways to apply—EZ Form or Traditional Form. Grant applications and filing details can be found online at the Education Foundation’s website or by clicking on the links below:

1. EZ Form: for grants less than $250
2. Traditional Form: to be used for grants requesting $250 or more and/or a request that is comprehensive (multi-classroom, school-wide or district-wide requests)

The timeline for the PHMEF Spring Grant Cycle is as follows:

• Thursday, March 28 – All applications (EZ Form and Traditional Form) must be turned in by 4 p.m. at ESC or emailed if it is the EZ Form. No late applications will be accepted. Note there must be 10 copies for the traditional form.
• Between March 27 and April 24 – PHMEF grant committee meets to select recipients
• April 25 – P-H-M Education Foundation Board of Directors approve grant selections.
• By May 1– Recipients will be notified by email with formal letter to follow
• By May 7 – Checks will be sent to the recipient’s home school. 

*Adobe Acrobat Reader will be required to view pdfs loaded on our website. 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. Or you can stop by the Education Resources Center at  55900 Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka to pick up a copy.

The Indiana Department of Education released the list of Four Star Schools and six P-H-M schools have earned that distinction. P-H-M is in the Top 5 of Four Star Schools in the state, out of approximately 300 public school districts.

P-H-M's Four Star Schools for the 2016-17 school year are:

1. Discovery Middle School
2. Horizon Elementary School
3. Meadow’s Edge Elementary School
4. Northpointe Elementary School
5. Prairie Vista Elementary School
6. Penn High School 

​Meadow’s Edge is one of  P-H-M’s five Title I schools and is in the top 1% of Title I schools in the state to be named a Four Star School (one of 9 out of 900)! This is the second year in a row Meadow’s Edge has earned this recognition.

The IDOE's criteria to be named a Four Star School changed from the 2015-16 school year. To qualify for the 2016-17 recognition, a school must meet the following criteria:

• A school must have received an “A” for the 2016-2017 school year. 

• A school must have tested at least 95% of students on ISTEP English/Language Arts and Math. 

• Grade 3-8 & Grade 10 combined ISTEP Pass Percentage (Pass Percentage of English/Language Arts ISTEP + Pass Percentage of Math ISTEP) must be in Top 25th Percentile for each grade tested. (minimum of 10 students). 

• Grade 3-8 & Grade 10 Percent Passing Both ISTEP (Percent of students who passed both the English/Language Arts ISTEP + Math ISTEP) must be in the Top 25th Percentile. (minimum of 10 students).

Click here to see the full list of criteria.

The Penn Fine Arts and Communications Academy is presenting, “Shrek, the Musical”, at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 2, and Saturday, March 3, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 4.

The showings will be held within the Center for Performing Arts (enter through Door C).

Tickets are $10 pre-sale by clicking here to access Penn Theater’s TicketTracker.com online ticket store, or $12 at the door.
 

Penn student C. Monte Teeple, starring as Lord Farquaad, said that the musical as a contemporary appeal.

“Unlike a lot of musicals that you would find locally, Shrek is a much more modern show,” Teeple said. “This not only means that many jokes and much of the humor will be understood by students, but also that the actual songs and music are far more modern as well.”

The plot of “Shrek the Musical” revolves around a hated Ogre (Shrek) and a talking donkey who go on a quest to save Princess Fiona in order to reclaim Shrek’s swamp.

Lord Farquaad claimed the swamp and has housed all magical creatures there.

From a deeper point of view, the story is about the misfits and those who don’t fit in, and finding your place in the world.

Saturday, March 10, 2018

8:45 – 11:30 a.m.

Schmucker Middle School

Sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation, the annual Young Authors’ Conference is an opportunity for Penn-Harris-Madison students, in grades K-5, and their parents to meet and hear from Ruth McNally Barshaw, well-known children’s author and illustrator of Ellie McDoodle Diaries and picture books like Leopold the Lion. Click for more details and examples of Mrs. Barshaw’s work. 

Mrs. Barshaw will share her experiences as a writer and illustrator. Students will sketch along with her, learning tips for improving creativity, drawing, and storytelling techniques.

As part of the morning activities, students will also share their own writing piece in small, adult-led group sessions with students from other P-H-M elementary schools. While students are meeting with their peers, parents will attend a special presentation by P-H-M teacher and writing expert Carrie Mumaw, who will share fun and inspiring ideas for creative writing. Together, students and parents will also enjoy a presentation of “Stuart Little” by Bethel College Genesians. 

*One parent must accompany students! However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day.

COST: The registration fee of $5.00 per child is used for conference expenses.

REGISTRATION: Online registration is now available! Please visit phm.revtrak.net and click the right arrow on the homepage to find the “2018 P-H-M Young Authors’ Conference” button. Create an account, then make your payment. There is a fee for using this service. You can also click here to be directly to the online registration/payment page.

If you prefer to register via paper, please fill out the front of the blue envelope that was attached to the hard copy of the flyer that came home with your student. Fill out the blue envelope completely, insert your payment, and return it to your child’s school. Checks should be made payable to: Young Authors’ Conference. Cash is also accepted. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, February 28, 2018!

CONFIRMATION: Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school at the beginning of March.

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Duerksen at lduerksen@phm.k12.in.us.

On Thursday, March 8, P-H-M’s Forum is sponsoring a districtwide parent meeting on Internet Safety.

According to the Pew Research Center, 94% of teens use their cell phone for their online activity and 71% use more than one social media site.

What do you need to know as parents and guardians to keep them safe online when they’re at home?

Hear from cybercrime and internet safety expert St. Joseph County Police Department’s Officer Eric Tamashasky on Thursday, March 8, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., in the cafeteria of Schmucker Middle School (56045 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka).

This is a districtwide event sponsored by the P-H-M Forum parent group and is open to all P-H-M parents. Because of the nature of Offc. Tamashasky’s presentation concerning the online dangers parents need to be aware of, this event is not suitable for students below 9th grade. Spread the word to other P-H-M parents about this informational opportunity.  

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band and orchestra at our three middle schools.

Every P-H-M student who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra.

In order to join 6th grade band or orchestra, students must select an instrument that they will learn, practice and perform for the school year.  Students/parents must click to use this link to sign-up for your appointment at your designated school and date.

“Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional musician will be available to give students advice about which instrument may be best suited for them. They will be allowed to “try out” instruments from various instrument groups.

Please see the dates and times below for your students’ soon-to-be middle school …

Discovery Middle School

Monday, Feb. 26, 2018

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018

4:30-8:00 p.m.

Grissom Middle School

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018

4:30-8:00 p.m.

Schmucker Middle School

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018

4:30-8:00 p.m.

Click here to learn more about Instrument Night and to make your appointment for designated school and date.