Running is Elementary Date Announced, May 6, 2024

We are thrilled to announce that the P-H-M Education Foundation is providing funding for the 15th annual Running is Elementary program!

SAVE THE DATE!  The date is May 6 (Rain Date May 8).

All P-H-M 4th & 5th grade students are invited to participate.  Students will practice at their home schools with the culminating run at Elm Road Elementary School.

More details will follow so be on the lookout for communication regarding signups. 

Take a look at the video below to see how fun and exciting it is!

One Book, One School Information

“Jack, The (Fairly) True Tale of Jack and the Beanstalk” has been selected as the book for Mary Frank’s One Book, One School program this year!

Click here to view the program materials or scroll to the bottom of the page.

“All his life, Jack has longed for an adventure, so when giants turn up in the neighbor’s cabbage patch, he is thrilled! Soon Jack is chasing them to a land beyond the clouds, with his little sister, Annabella, in tow. The kingdom of giants is full of super-sized fun: puddings to swim in, spoons to use as catapults, monster toads to carry off pesky little sisters. . . .

But Jack and Annabella are on a mission. The king of the giants has taken something that belongs to them, and they’ll do anything—even dive into a smelly tureen of green bean soup—to get it back.”

One Book, One School Information

Click around on the beanstalk below for the official calendar, at home projects, author information, audio recordings and more! 👇👇👇

 

Penn Orchestra Performs Elementary School Pops

“Captain Jack Sparrow” made an appearance at Penn High School today (Tuesday, January 30) performing the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song for 4th and 5th grade students. This mini concert is a great way to introduce students to instruments they might not be familiar with as they think about what possible instrument they might want to pursue in middle school. In P-H-M middle schools, students can pursue orchestra, band or choir as a Fine Arts elective.

Students got a real treat … the Orchestra’s drummers performed a song written by Senior Clayton Hopper; it was called “March of the Clumsy.” All the drummers performed it together to demo percussion.

Orchestra performing at Penn Elementary Pops Concert
Penn Orchestra Elementary School Pops Concert performance
Students watching orchestra performance
Young audience members enjoying the orchestra performance

Penn Orchestra Elementary School Pops Concert

Due to scheduling logistics, only half of P-H-M elementary schools participated and traveled to Penn for this year’s show. The other half attended last year. That way every P-H-M student will see the show in either 4th grade or 5th grade.

What Fans Need to Know Before Heading to Penn Homecoming Parade & Game

Friday, September 29 is Penn’s Homecoming Parade, Fun Zone, Food Trucks & the Penn football game versus St. Joe. The P-H-M Education Foundation is once again sponsoring all the fun and new this year–FIREWORKS after the football game!

The entire P-H-M community is invited to come out for this fun-filled family event. All the fun starts with the Homecoming Parade. Be sure to grab your spot on the route by 5:00 p.m. Parade starts at 5:30!

Here are some things that will be helpful for families as they head out for all the festivities.

Parking:

  • Paid Parking ($3 cash) at these lots:
    • Penn High School (Front Lot & Jefferson Rd. Lot)
    • Softball/Tennis Lot
    • Bittersweet School Lot
  • Free Parking at these lots:
    • Soccer Lot (Bank Lot)
    • Pennway Lot
    • Schmucker Lot (front, Sides & in Back of School)

Penn 2023 Homecoming Map

Fun Zone:

  • 5-7:00 p.m.
  • Penn Baseball Field
  • Teacher Dunk Tanks, Jumpies for elementary students
    • FREE for EVERYONE!
  • Food Trucks:
    • Ben’s Pretzels
    • Junbuggies
    • Keim’s Elephant Ears
    • Kona Ice
    • Prized Pig
    • REAL Grille
    • Rulli’s Pizza
  • Fans will be allowed to take food purchased at the Food Trucks into the stadium. However, no other outside food will be allowed!

Gate & Ticket Info:

  • Penn vs. St, Joe, Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
  • P-H-M students K – 5th grade get in FREE with paying adult!
  • Tickets are on sale now-Thurs., Sept. 28 online, ticket price is $6 (students & all other age groups same price)
  • Tickets on Friday, Sept. 29 are $7 (online or at the gate) 
  • PHM Employees plus one guest get in FREE, but you must have ID badge & the guest must be with the employee
  • Please remember middle schoolers cannot be dropped off unsupervised. Once in the game, the students are free to walk around. At least one responsible adult must be onsite.
  • Tickets are sold at the North & South gates only!
  • Penn All Sports Passes and tickets (hard & online) are accepted at all gates
  • The Center Gate is reserved for Penn All Sports Passes and online ticket holders only
  • No Reentry!

Fan Safety:

Rules to Remember:

  • No reentry to Everwise Field; once you leave, you are not allowed back in.
  • No outside food or beverages, no insulated cups
  • No backpacks
    • Diaper bags & large women’s purses are allowed
  • Penn does not have a clear bag policy
  • No electronic noise makers
  • No Footballs or Beach Balls
  • No weapons of any kind
  • No alcohol
  • No Smoking/Vaping products of any kind. All PHM school property is smoke free.
  • No open flames at private tailgating

Info on the Penn Student Homecoming Dance on Saturday, September 30 can found on PHMEF’s website. CLICK HERE. 

5th gr. Teachers Lexie Banks & Erin Horvath Win PHM Impact Awards

Today (Friday, September 15, 2023) Penn-Harris-Madison’s Learning Division awarded their first Teacher Impact Awards. New this year, the P-H-M Impact Award is being presented to educators who have helped their students achieve individual academic growth on their formative assessments over time. All P-H-M teachers across the district are dedicated to helping their students achieve personal academic success. The P-H-M Impact Award is shining the spotlight on those teachers who are showing the most significant overall student growth during the 2022-2023 school year (Round 1 of Awards). These teachers are prime examples of how our teachers and students achieve P-H-M Excellence!

The first Impact Awards were awarded to the 5th grade co-teaching team of Lexie Banks and Erin Horvath at Mary Frank Elementary School! With the help of Principal Christie Heerschop Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Short was joined by Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, Ryan Towner, and Executive Director of the P-H-M Education Foundation Jen Turnblom surprised Banks and Horvath. P-H-M is grateful to the Education Foundation for covering the cost of these beautiful awards. Click to see photos on Facebook.

Banks and Horvath had the two highest Math growth scores for 5th grade in P-H-M. Banks’s Class went from 3% proficiency at the beginning of 2022 school year (Clear Sight), to 97% proficiency on the Spring 2023 ILEARN. Horvath’s class went from 5% to 90% proficiency. Banks’ class had a gain of 94% and Horvath’s 85%! The average 5th Math grade gain across P-H-M 5th grade was 50%.

As a side note, Horvath’s classroom was Dr. Thacker’s room when he taught at Mary Frank!

Next P-H-M Administrators traveled to Discovery Middle School to surprise 7th grade Math teacher Emma Zerfas. Her students had the highest consistent 7th grade Math growth of all 7th grade Math teachers in P-H-M’s three middle schools. Zerfas’ students averaged 47% growth in proficiency; the
average P-H-M proficiency growth was 28%. Click to see photos on Facebook.

DMS Zerfas 9-15-23

The Teacher Impact Awards are also a testament to the hard work and outstanding learning and comprehension of our students and the support they receive from their families. That’s P-H-M’s Triangle of Success!

This was only Round 1 of surprising teachers with the Impact Awards. There are many P-H-M teachers to recognize in the days, weeks and months ahead!

“Back to School” Boys Basketball League

Boys in grades 2nd to 8th are invited to participate in “Back to School” Basketball League at Penn High School.
2nd – 6th grade League
DATES: September 24th; Oct. 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd 29th

LOCATION:

  • 2nd-4th, Penn Fitness Center
  • 5th-6th, Main Arena/West Balcony/Aux Gym Time

TIMES:

  • 2nd-4th, Sundays, Noon – 4:00 p.m.
  • 5th-6th, Sundays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

COST: $99

Click here to register online.
7th & 8th grade League
DATES: September 10th, 17th, 24th; Oct. 1st, 8th

LOCATION: Penn High School

TIMES: Sundays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

COST: $79

Click here to register online.

Questions? Please contact the League Director Coach Smith if you have any questions at jsmith5@phm.k12.in.us

2023 Community Tailgate

This year’s annual Community Tailgate will be a great way to kick off the return of the Backyard Brawl between the Kingsmen and the Mishawaka Cavemen. 

All fans are welcome, Cavemen and Kingsmen! There’s plenty of food for fans on both sides.

Gates open at 5:00 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the South End Zone, near the Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care South Concession Stand.

For $6 you get your choice of hot dog, hamburger or brat served with a bag of chips, choice of drink, and a cookie. Food tickets for the Tailgate are purchased at the Tailgate.

 

Fall 2023 Penn Youth Girls Basketball League, 3rd-8th grade

Penn Girls Basketball Head Coach Kristi Ulrich is once again offering a fall youth basketball league 

The “Junior” League is open to girls in 3rd – 6th grades. The “Senior” League is for student-athletes in 7th & 8th grades. All those participating in the ”Senior” league MUST live in the P-H-M District or attend a P-H-M School.

Sign-ups are on Sunday, September 10  from 12 – 2 p.m. in the Penn High School Main Arena. Enter Door D. 

The League runs September 17th – November 12th with a single elimination tournament for all age groups.

All games will be played on Sundays at Penn High School in the Main Arena, Auxiliary and West Balcony courts. Tournament times may vary on Nov. 12th.

Weekly Game Times are:

  • 3rd & 4th grades: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • 5th & 6th grades: 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
  • 7th & 8th grades: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

PennPALS Open Houses, Wed., August 16

PennPALS will be holding Open Houses on Wednesday, August 16. Please attend the session that corresponds to your child’s time of attendance.

  • A.M. Classes: 9:00  – 10:00 a.m.
  • P.M. Classes: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.