Mary Frank, are you ready to read ?!? From Friday, February 1- Friday, March 1, we will come together for one common goal – TO ENJOY READING! Every family and staff member will be receiving a copy of this year’s book, “The One and Only Ivan.” 

There will be a fun kick-off assembly, scheduled readings (with an audio recording for younger students), optional in home projects, discussions, prizes, and more! 

Click the links below for the all your resources:
 

• Calendar of Events & Reading Schedule

• Audio Recording

• At Home Activities

• Mustangs Give Back Activities

“One book, one school” is an initiative that strives to bring together schools and families through the joy of reading. We want to provide an environment where our imaginations are set free through literature. By choosing one book, that spans various reading levels, both students and staff will come together and share thoughts, ideas, and a passion for reading.  

While projects and reading will be done at home, there will also be readings and discussions taking place in the classrooms. We encourage all families to use this opportunity to come together to read and carry on discussions about the story. You can even work together on some of our projects.  While the at home activities are voluntary, they offer a way for students to incorporate their creativity into the story.

It is our hope that everyone will not only fall in love with Ivan and Stella, but will fall in love with reading as well! Now Mary Frank, let’s get reading!

Audio Recording

Click here for the audio book of “The One and Only Ivan.”  You can listen along as Arian Peter narrates the book.  

Below are the times in the recording that correspond with the pages scheduled for you to read each week:

At Home Activities

The activities listed below are the At Home Activities that follow along with our book. These activities are completely voluntary, but should your child complete them, their name will be entered into a drawing for a prize! If your child completes all four of the activities, they will be entered into a special drawing at the end! All projects are due to your classroom teacher.  

Feb. 2 – 3

• Coloring Challenge: Click the link to download and print the two coloring pages. Choose one out of the two choices to color.

Feb. 9 – 10

• Writing/drawing activity: If you had a pet gorilla, what would you do with him? Write a paragraph on the given topic. If drawing is more your thing, draw us a picture!

Feb. 16 – 17

• Design a billboard for Ivan: Click the link to download and print the worksheet of a billboard you might see alongside the road. Design one for Ivan!

Feb. 23 – 24

• Design a poster for an endangered species: Choose an endangered species and design a poster for them. This can be any animal you choose, it doesn't have to be a gorilla. Find out some interesting facts about the animal, and help us become more aware!  

Mustangs Give Back Activities

During the One Book, One School event, we will be doing some activities to give back not only to our community but internationally as well! We will have two initiatives:

1. Mustangs adopt a gorilla & an elephant! Our school will be raising money to adopt a gorilla and an elephant. These are the two iconic characters in our book, so we would like to honor them. We will be supporting The World Wildlife Foundation. They work to “conserve nature and protect the diversity of life on Earth.” In the coming weeks, students can contribute to these worthy causes. Each week, the top two class that raise the most money will not only have bragging rights, but will be keeper of the gorilla and elephant for the week! Students can contribute $.50, or whatever their heart desires, during these drive days to help give back to two species that don’t have a voice of their own!

   -Feb 8: Pajama Day
   -Feb 15: Crazy Hair Day
   -Week of Feb 18 – 22: Coin Wars
   -March 1: Stuffed Animal Day
   *You can also click here to view these activities listed on the Calendar of Events

2. Mustangs collection for Potawatomi Zoo: Our school’s Mustangs Give Back club would like us to contribute to animals right here in our community. We have partnered with the Potawatomi Zoo and will be collecting much needed items for the animals. Please click here to see Potawatomi Zoo’s wish list and see what you can donate.

*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view, download and print the pdfs on this page. 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.

Parents, your child’s teacher is using either Google Classroom or Canvas for their curriculum assignments. (If you are unsure, please contact your child’s teacher via email ASAP). Classroom teachers are reviewing with students the process today in case they have any questions.

In either situation, you will begin by going to the primary launchpad (primary.phmschools.org) and selecting either Canvas or Google (then Google Classroom). From there, you will sign in by entering your child’s username and password. Your child should be familiar with this username/password from regular use, but if you are unsure, please contact your child’s teacher.

After logging in, you should see a class from your child’s teacher. Click to proceed and follow the prompts.

As general reminders, you are not required to print any of the assignments, but you may do so if you choose. Students will have 5 days to submit the assignments after the missed school day. Keep in mind that the computer lab will be opened, when school is back in session, as an option before or after school for students as needed. Please contact your teacher for specifics if necessary.

Also remember that your primary contact on eLearning days is your child’s teacher. They will be accessible by email and will help to answer any questions you may have.

Registration for kindergarten students for the 2019-2020 school year opened on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.

This registration opportunity is for youngsters who live within the P-H-M district and who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2019. 

Registration for Mary Frank Elementary will take place during the hours of 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. A parent or guardian must appear in person to register their child. 

Click here for more registration forms and more details on P-H-M Kindergarten Registration.

Penn-Harris-Madison also operates two preschool programs: Early Learning Academy (ELA) and Penn PALS. Mary Frank is home to both programs.

Click here to learn more about Penn PALS and download a registration form. Registration for the 2019-20 school year opens Monday, March 11, 2019.

Click here to learn more about ELA and to download a registration form. Registration for the 2019-20 school year opens Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019.

The first day for students of the 2019-2020 school year is Wednesday, August 21, 2019 and the last day for students is Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

Other important dates include:

• September 2, 2019: Recess Day – Labor Day
• October 25 & 28, 2019: Fall Recess Days
• November 5, 2019: Recess Day – General Election
• November 27-29, 2019: Thanksgiving Recess Days
• December 23-Jan. 3, 2020: Winter Break
• January 20, 2020: Recess Day – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 17, 2020: Recess Day – Presidents’ Day
• April 6-10, 2020: Spring Break
• May 5, 2020: Recess Day – Primary Election
• May 25, 2020: Recess Day – Memorial Day

Click here for a one-page pdf copy of the 2019-2020 school year calendar.

If you need copies of the 2018-2019 school year and activity calendars, please click here.

Discovery Middle School PTO in Partnership with Discovery Middle School presents “An Evening of Vocational Options and Saving for College.” 
 

Please join us at Discovery Middle School for presentations about the College Savings 529 Plan and by Elkhart Area Career Center. The programs at the EACC are available to Penn High School students. A complete listing of classes and programs are outline in the Penn High School Program of Studies—just use the “Cntrl F” function to search for the Elkhart Area Career Center.

Monday, February 11, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at Discovery Middle School.

At the start of this school year, Mary Frank Principal Christie Heerschop introduced the school’s focus for the coming year … “Mustang Mindset.”

Principal Heerschop challenged staff and students to find joy in their work, spread kindness, have a growth mindset, and do what they could to make a positive impact on others.

Teachers Jill Coffman and Lindsay Hellman answered Principal Heerschop’s call and started “Mustangs Give Back.”

Watch the video clip below to see how this new club is helping our 4^th and 5^th grade students not only adopt a “Mustang Mindset,” but to also put P-H-M Excellence into action!

Penn Robotics Team 135 is once again holding workshops for 1^st ​- 8th grade students over two days of Winter Recess (Thurs., Dec. 27 & Friday, Dec. 28).

Creative Workshop 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Suggested Age: 1^st ​- 3^rd graders. Price: $80.00. A camp that stretches the creative mind! Students are given a design challenge to complete over the course of two days. Students will be using K’NEX to build a solution to the stated problem. They will be on teams that will design, create, and improve upon their concept. While having fun in an exciting environment, the emphasis is always on the process of design to build, while always improving on previous ideas! On Friday students will have the opportunity to test their concepts against the other teams within the workshop. Parents are also welcome to attend the Parent Show which will take place the last 15 minutes of the workshop on the December 28th. High school robotics students will be mentors during these two days of fun!

Applied Workshop 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Suggested Age: 4^th – 8^th graders. Price: $80.00. This camp is geared towards students who want to expand their knowledge in designing and manufacturing! This workshop is also geared towards students who can follow instructions and are comfortable behind computer software. Over the two days, students will be designing 3D parts on the computer that can be brought to life with many CNC Machines. Students will have the opportunity to use the 3D printer, CNC Laser Cutter, the CNC Router, and many other tools/machines in the Penn Robotics Lab! High school students will be mentoring and helping students with their 3D computer designs and machining their parts.

Click here to sign-up and pay online today!

Do you like to dance? Do you want to learn how to spin a flag? Do you like to perform?

All levels are welcome to come to the Penn Winter Guard Call-Out at Bittersweet Elementary School (next to Penn HS). The call-out will be on Tuesday, November 27^th at 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Girls and boys, grades 4-12, will be accepted. 

Come be a part of this incredible performing arts group!

Click here to download and print the flyer.
 

When Indiana’s election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, Mary Frank will serve as a polling center, as it has in years past. Polling hours are 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Mary Frank school hours are 7:55 a.m. – 2:20 p.m.; you might want to avoid student arrival and departure times because of increased traffic congestion. 

Voting will take place in the hallway at Door F and parking will be in the back of Mary Frank near the tennis courts. Voters will not be allowed passage into the students’ area. 

Other P-H-M schools that will serve as voting locations Election Day are Meadow’s Edge Elementary School, Prairie Vista Elementary School, Walt Disney Elementary School, Schmucker Middle School and Penn High 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. 

Breakfast with Santa is an annual beloved family event sponsored by P-H-M’s Community Education Department held at Bittersweet Elementary. The program is only for children in grades kindergarten through 3^rd grade and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets must be purchased for each person attending.

Breakfast with Santa event

Saturday, Dec. 1

8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., & 11 a.m.

Bittersweet Elementary School

$7 for all tickets

Online ticket sales begin on Thursday, November 1 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets will only be sold online through phm.revtrak.net. We strongly encourage that those wishing to buy tickets go online to phm.revtrak.net prior to Nov. 1 and create their account if they don’t already have one. This will save time and ensure a speedier online checkout. Tickets are online on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited to 100 participants for each time slot. Online payment can be done with an eCheck, Discover, Visa or MasterCard credit cards as well as debit cards. Please note there is a 3.49% fee for using this service. Tickets will be mailed to you prior to the event on Dec. 1. 

There will be no refunds and tickets will not be available at the door.