2024 Middle School Instrument Selection Night

Every P-H-M 5th grader who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall 2024 has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra. “Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

Fifth graders at Moran, Bittersweet, Elsie Rogers, Walt Disney, and Prairie Vista Elementary Schools will attend Schmucker Middle School for 6th – 8th grades.

Schmucker’s Instrument Selection Nights are Monday, March 4th and Tuesday, March 5th.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band and orchestra at Schmucker, Discovery and Grissom Middle Schools.

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional 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. 

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.

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.

Bittersweet Receives PHM Education Foundation Grant

The P-H-M Education Foundation has wrapped up the grant announcements for the 2023-2024 school year; and it’s been a big year with tons of recipients. Bittersweet was the recipient of one grant!

First grade teacher Ms. Jenni McCarthy and 2nd grade teacher Stephanie Black applied for and received $959.20 to purchase “Cracking the Code on Letters and Sounds” toolkits.

Check out the excitement of Bittersweet students when PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom arrived with the check …

Transcript: Kids loudly reacting to grant notification

The “Cracking the Code on Letters and Sounds” educational toolkits help teach students phonics  and consist of a book, posters and musical CD that provide opportunities for multiple modes of learning including visual icons, auditory and kinesthetic motor skill movement. This method shares stories while helping students tap into the sounds the letter/letter teams make to facilitate reading skills.

This cycle the Foundation Grants Committee awarded $42,819.63 in funding to 15 EZ grants and 20 traditional grants.

PHMEF has moved to one grant cycle per school year, now moved to the Fall, to allow teachers and schools time to put their grant dollars to good use right away.

Turnblom traveled across the district to surprise various grant recipients with the good news of their funding amount. Grants awarded this year cover a wide array of innovative programs and activities from $10,000 to Grissom Middle School to purchase keyboards for the music room to milkweed plants for Madison Elementary so the school could attract monarch butterflies.

Click here to see the photo gallery on the District’s website of the check deliveries or click to follow PHMEF’s Facebook page.

 

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 teacher, age group and time of attendance.

  • Miss Christine 4 & 5’s  Morning Class: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  • Miss Christine 4 & 5’s Afternoon Class: 11:30 – 12:30 p.m.
  • Miss Amanda 2.5 – 4’s Morning Class: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
  • Miss  Amanda 2.5- 4’s Afternoon Class: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

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