On Monday, September 14, we welcomed back our youngest students, PreK – 3rd graders who opted to return to school. We could see the smiles under their masks, and we hope they could see ours! P-H-M video crew visited four out of 11 P-H-M’s elementary schools. Along with our own school, they also visited Walt Disney Elementary School, Northpoint & Prairie Vista–to get a socially distanced look at students’ 2^nd First Day of School. Click to watch the video below …

On Tuesday, September 15, PHM video crew visited dropped by Moran Elementary School to see how the PreK – 3^rd graders whose parents choose to stay virtual to see how they are interacting with their teachers. Click to watch the video below …

Want to help prevent the “summer slide”? Help keep your students motivated with these grade specific lessons:

P-H-M Virtual Learning Summer Resources

Also, the IDOE has provided summer resources for parents to use with their children, grades 1^st – 8^th, to help keep their math and reading skills up over the summer.

Parents and students have access to the Lexile® Find a Book tool and the Quantile® Summer Math Challenge.

The Lexile® Find a Book tool helps students create a personalized reading list and then locate those books at the nearest library or bookseller.

Beginning the week of June 1st, Bittersweet parents are encouraged to come to return school materials and also pick up their child(ren)’s belongings that remain at school. Our goal is to use a procedure that maximizes the safety of all parents and staff.

Please use the following schedule:

• Monday, June 1st:
  • Grades K – 2, pickup between 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  • Grades 3 – 5, pickup between 11:00 – 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 2nd:
  • Grades 3 – 5, pickup between 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  • Grades K – 2, pickup between 11:00 – 2:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 3rd:
  • Pickup for those unable to come June 1st or 2nd
  • 8:00 – 2:00 p.m., all grades K – 5

* Those with students in both grade groupings may pick up belongings with the younger students group time.

* Items still remaining in the building on Friday, June 5th that have not been picked up will be donated (unless a parent has contacted our office)

When you come to school, the following procedure will be utilized:

• Please come drive the lane that is used for bus drop off outside the main entrance.
• Place a sign in the window with your child(ren)’s name, grade, and teacher written on the sign.
• Remain in your car while in line, Bittersweet staff will greet you and radio other staff inside the building to bring your child(ren)’s pre-bagged belongings to you in line; and place these items on a table for parents to retrieve.
• If you are returning library books or textbooks and curriculum materials, please let staff know and follow their directions.
• Chromebooks do not need to be returned at this time.

Thank you for following these guidelines to help this process be efficient and safe for everyone!

The message below was sent out to all P-H-M staff and families the afternoon of March 12, 2020.

Dear P-H-M Families and Staff,

Based on Governor Eric Holcomb’s announcement released at 4:28 p.m. today, all P-H-M students will not report to school tomorrow Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16, 2020. These days will be recess days (no eLearning will be conducted on these two days). Students and families should be prepared to begin extended eLearning beginning on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

All P-H-M staff are to report to their normal work location at normal times on Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16 to help prepare the district for extended eLearning days.

More details to come for respective staff groups and families. Please be patient with us as we work through these details.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Thacker​
Superintendent of Schools

How do you take away younger students’ worries? With a worry monster of course!

Ms. Jenni McCarthy has been reading Rosie Greening’s book “The Very Hungry Worry Monsters” to her kindergarten class. The book is full of fun illustrations featuring friendly monsters that eat worries and make them disappear!

Ms. McCarthy had all her students create their very own unique worry monster out of paper cutouts, and then she secretly worked with Penn Fashion/Textiles Teacher Mrs. Amy Rice to have her Penn students to create stuffed animals out of the kindergarteners’ designs. The result? Each kindergartner got his or her very own personal worry monster!

Ms. Rice brought her high school students over to Bittersweet this afternoon to take part in the elaborate surprise party that Ms. McCarthy planned for her students. 

See for yourself …

Ms. McCarthy also had a parent helping her with all the planning; Mrs. Chrissy Harper also read the story again to the class while the kindergarten and high school students paired up to take group shots in front of an especially designed worry monster backdrop.

It was a very rewarding project for everyone involved! Check out the full photo gallery below …

Saturday, May 16

8:30 a.m. – Noon

Penn High School

Register online today! Early Bird Registration is available until Sunday, May 3 ($20 for adults, $10 for students)!

Do you like bubbles? Well, if you do, you’ll enjoy the Silver Mile Bubble Bash!  

Highlighted changes for this year’s event:

• Early start time, 8:30 a.m.
• 1.5 mile and 5K route options
• Lower early bird prices: $20 for adults, $10 for students
• Family Pricing: $60 for four or more (at same address)

Missed out on all the bubbly fun last year? Don’t let it happen two years in a row! Watch the video and see how much fun you and your whole family will have …

The Silver Mile Run is the largest fundraiser for the P-H-M Education Foundation and all the proceeds go towards providing innovative P-H-M teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development, and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Presenting sponsor Saint Joseph Health System will offer free health screenings including body mass index and blood sugar! Other area businesses will also be on hand to showcase health and fitness related activities, resources and services. 

After a fun day, leave with great bargains purchased at the Silent Auction. The P-H-M student talent showcase is always a crowd pleaser. Last year, the student groups included Horizon Show Choir, Bittersweet Cardio Drummers, Elm Road Jumping Eagles, Meadow’s Edge Dancers, and Penn High School Dancers.

Choose to walk or run the 5K or take a shorter loop. This exciting untimed race welcomes runners of all experience levels while blasting through foam bogs and fun spirit stations along the course.

The Silver Mile Bubble Bash is a chance for P-H-M families and local community members to get together and show their support for excellence in education in all P-H-M schools.  Proceeds are returned to P-H-M schools by awarding innovative teacher grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Click here to take advantage of early bird registration and for more information on the Bubble Bash.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15 for the FIRST Robotics St. Joseph District Event. Penn High School is once again hosting more than 40 high school FRC robotics teams from Indiana and Michigan who will battle it out for the title. Join more than 5,000 students, coaches, mentors, parents and fans during this one-of-a-kind two-day FREE event!

Saturday, March 14 

10 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Next Gen (K-8): 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 15 

9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Click to watch the video below to check out all the upcoming excitement, then come out to cheer on Penn Robotics Team 135!

Make sure to also bring your young Robotics fans to “Next Gen,” an area for students ages K-8, who can get hands-on engaging fun with some of Team 135’s other robots. Next Gen will be open Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This event is also FREE ADMISSION!

Bittersweet  Elementary School

Wednesday, February 26th

6:00 p.m.

Schmucker Middle School Principal Lavon Dean-Null invites 5^th grade parents and students to attend an informational session about Schmucker Middle School.

Principal Dean-Null will visit our school to share the many opportunities available to students Schmucker and discuss the transition into middle school. 

If you are not able to make the date Principal Dean-Null will be at your school, families are welcome to attend any of the sessions being held at one of the feeder elementary schools. All events will be held at 6:00 p.m.: 

• Wednesday, February 19: Walt Disney 
• Thursday, February 20: Prairie Vista 
• Tuesday, February 25: Elsie Rogers
• Thursday, February 27: Moran

Monday., April 27 (Rain Date is Wed., April 29)

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 12th 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.

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.

Click to download the RIE forms to sign your student(s) to participate. 

Mary Frank 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.

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

The 100th Day of School for the 2019-2020 School Year was Monday, February 3. Our students always enjoy celebrating the day by dressing up like they’re 100-years-old. Activities centering around the number 100 are also very popular.

Regardless of the exercise, all of our students, in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade, are 100 days wiser! Take a look at the photo gallery below …