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Summer Math & Reading ToolsArchived

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.

School Items Return & Personal Items Pickup (June 1 – 3)Archived

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!

Bittersweet office hours, pick-up informationArchived

Bittersweet Elementary School office hours will be 8 a.m.- 3:00 p.m., Monday-through-Friday, while P-H-M schools operate in extended eLearning due to the COVID-19 national emergency.

For parents who need to pick-up items at your child’s school, click here for an appointment form to arrange for curb-side pick-up from a staff member.

COVID-19 Update: PHM Schools closing & eLearning (3/12/20)Archived

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

Important Message from P-H-M Supt. Dr. Jerry Thacker regarding COVID-19Archived

The message below was sent out to all P-H-M staff and families the afternoon of March 3, 2020.

Dear P-H-M Families,

The health, safety and well-being of Penn-Harris-Madison students and staff are our top priorities. With the ongoing elevated discussion regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the world news, we are reaching out to remind everyone in the P-H-M family about the preventive safety measures we can all take, as well as to inform you what we at P-H-M are doing.

As a school district, we are closely monitoring the situation via the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The CDC is providing local expert and community guidance through the St. Joseph County Department of Health and the Indiana Department of Health. We are also receiving information from the U.S. Department of Education and the Indiana Department of Education, as well as a host of other state and national professional organizations. The one good thing about this situation is that there is an abundance of expert guidance. We are following the advice and direction of the governmental entities in charge. As a district, we are focusing on the things within our control.

All of the health officials are uniformly reiterating that the best preventive measure that each and every one of us can do is practice good hand hygiene. The same precautions that we annually remind our students, at all grade levels, during the cold and flu season are the exact same practices that the CDC is recommending to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Clean hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Cover your mouth and nose. Remind your students to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. The best thing to do is to cough/sneeze into your elbow. Second best is to cover the mouth and nose area with a tissue and then throw the tissue away.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

P-H-M’s janitorial staff already cleans common areas and disinfects common touch surfaces regularly. We ramp up these efforts during the cold and flu season. Under the current circumstances and in an abundance of precaution, P-H-M is taking extra steps to increase our normal diligent disinfectant measures.

As stated in all P-H-M Student Handbooks if students are sick please keep them home. Students should not return to school until they are fever and symptom free for 24 hours. We are constantly reminding families to practice this ongoing safety practice year round.

As it pertains to concerns over COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC has very specific recommendations if the symptoms coincide with recent travel to specific countries on their watch lists.

This situation continues to evolve. P-H-M Administrators are staying abreast of the information, as we have since the beginning. If the need should arise to change or defer from our normal operations, rest assured we will communicate with our families and staff immediately.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Dr. Jerry Thacker

Superintendent of Schools

Spring Break Kids Club Registration (April 6 – 10)Archived

Registration is now OPEN!

Cost is $25 per child, per day. If you are not currently enrolled in Kids Club, you must also pay the $25 registration fee per child. Please click to register. Payment must be submitted through https://www.myprocare.com/.

Registration and payment are due and non-refundable by midnight, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Registrations will not be accepted after that date.

Kids Club will operate at Northpoint Elementary School, 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Entry will be through Door E; there will not be a door code for entry.

Students should bring their own sack lunch and drink. Morning and afternoon snacks will be provided.

Kids Club Cell Phone: (574) 261-9974

Summer 2020 Kids Club Registration Now Open!Archived

Click here to register your child today for Summer 2020 Kids Club!

The last day for P-H-M Schools is Thursday, June 4. Full-day childcare will be offered at two locations (Northpoint and Walt Disney Elementary Schools) for current P-H-M students in grades K-5 June 8 – August 17. Children will enjoy a variety of educational and recreational activities, crafts and field trips.

Cost is $150 a week, for five days a week.

All children not currently enrolled in Kids Club are required to pay a $25 registration fee, along with a non-refundable $125 activity fee deposit.

Space is limited so families must register by midnight, Friday, May 29. Click here to register online.

Locations: Northpoint Elementary School

Walt Disney Elementary School

Dates: Monday, June 8 – Monday, August 17, 2020
*Please note Kids Club will not be operating Friday, June 5 or Tuesday, August 18. Kids Club will also be closed Friday, July 3 for the Independence Day holiday. The first day of school for P-H-M Schools is Wednesday, August 19, 2020.

Times: 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Questions: If you have questions about Kids Club Summer Session, please call:

Binti Shah, Kids Club Program Director, 574-258-9514
Ashley Stoffl, Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator, 574-258-9587
Diane Dyer, Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator, 574-286-1982

No Worries!Archived

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 …

Two people posing in front of a cardboard cutout of a monster, with one person holding a stuffed animal and another sitting

Woman in black shirt leaning over child at desk, smiling and looking down.

Child holding a stuffed animal in front of presents.

Children sitting on floor in front of sign.

Children sitting on floor in classroom, surrounded by colorful balloons and party decorations, posing for picture.

Three children in a classroom holding stuffed animals, with a person standing behind them.

Children in a classroom setting, engaged in an activity on the floor, surrounded by colorful materials and adults

Woman reading a book to children in a classroom setting.

Woman and child standing in front of a purple monster cutout at a party.

Woman and child standing in front of a purple monster decoration at an event.

Young boy holding a colorful stuffed animal in front of a group of children.

Girl holding a stuffed animal in front of a monster decoration.

Three people posing in front of a purple backdrop featuring a large monster cutout. The monster is smiling and has a big

Boy holding a stuffed animal in front of a colorful background with a monster decoration.

Two people hugging in front of a purple monster decoration.

Young girl hugging woman in room decorated for a party.

Woman in a classroom with children, holding a sign that says "3rd Grade Teacher" and wearing a black shirt.

Woman in black shirt standing at front of classroom with children sitting at desks.

Group of people posing in a classroom with colorful decorations, some holding stuffed animals and gifts.

Children in a classroom setting, some sitting on the floor, others standing, all engaged in an activity involving colorful

People sitting around a long table covered in colorful paper signs that spell out names.

Children gathered in a classroom, sitting at desks, surrounded by colorful decorations and educational materials.

Colorful gift bags on a table, ready for a celebration.

Children in a classroom setting, standing and sitting around a table, looking at a presentation on a screen.

Children in a classroom setting, some standing, others sitting, all engaged in an activity.

Children in a classroom setting participating in an activity, surrounded by colorful gift bags and wrapping paper.

Children sitting at desks in a classroom, engaged in an activity.

Children sitting in front of a table with colorful decorations, including a large cardboard monster with googly eyes and a

Children in a classroom setting, gathered around a woman who is performing on a stage.

Handmade card with a name on it, featuring colorful letters and decorations.

Children in a classroom receiving gifts from Santa Claus.

Children sitting in a classroom setting, some holding stuffed animals, looking at the camera.

Children sitting on floor in a room filled with colorful toys and crafts.

Woman standing behind children playing with colorful toys on floor.

Children playing in a classroom setting.

Children sitting on floor surrounded by gift bags and party supplies.

Little girl sitting on a chair in front of a table with presents and wrapping paper. She is holding a pink stuffed toy and

Register Now for the 2020 Silver Mile Bubble Bash on Sat., May 16Archived

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.

Robotics Tournament a Family Event, March 14 & 15Archived

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!