The month of February got off to quite a start for Bobcats … On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Principal Bob Thompson learned that the school had won WSBT-TV’s “I Love to Read” Challenge.

Bittersweet beat out Beiger Elementary, Mishawaka Catholic, Hums and Liberty Elementary in the online nightly vote Tuesday, Jan. 31^st.

As a reward, students got a special treat when 11 o’clock anchor  Suzanne Spencer stopped by to read “Dragons Love Tacos” by  Adam Rubin to the students.

Click here to watch the story.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band, orchestra and even piano at our three middle schools.

Every P-H-M student who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra.

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.  

“Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional musician will be availability 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.

Please see the dates and times below for your students’ soon-to-be middle school …

Schmucker Middle School

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Wednesday, Feb. 22

4:30-8:00 p.m.

Click here to learn more about Instrument Night and to make your appointment for designated school and date.

Registration for kindergarten students for the 2017-2018 school year will begin at each P-H-M elementary school on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. 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.

Penn-Harris-Madison has 11 elementary schools, each offering full-day kindergarten. You may use the P-H-M Street Guide and the District Map to verify which elementary school serves your neighborhood. 

Registration will take place at the schools during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in most cases. The offices at Elsie Rogers Elementary School and Moran Elementary School will take registrations from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Please note a parent or guardian must appear in person to register their child and will need to bring following documentation:

1. Child’s original birth certificate

2. Two proofs of residency (e.g., recent lease/rental agreement and current utility bill showing address)

3. Immunization records

4. Any legal documents related to child custody, restrictions, or restraining orders

Click here to download and print the required registration forms and for other important kindergarten registration details.

Indiana Department of Education Superintendent Glenda Ritz dropped in for a visit of P-H-M schools this week (Wednesday, October 26). Superintendent Ritz got a whirlwind tour of Bittersweet, Penn and Schmucker seeing everything from the DVT to a robotics class.  P-H-M’s own Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker shined the spotlight on our STEM programs and safety initiatives at all three schools with the help of principals, teachers and students.

The P-H-M visit started at Bittersweet with a short demonstration of the DVT by Director Mindy O’Malley. Then Principal Bob Thompson took Supt. Ritz into Matt Bodnar’s fourth grade Project Lead the Way class where students were working on car models.

At Penn, Early Learning and STEM Academy students served as tour guides. Supt. Ritz was able to observe Early College Academy Spanish and English classes. In the STEM Academy, she learned about students CSI work repairing Chromebooks as part of the Chromebook Support Internship and observe the hands-on projects taking place in the Principals of Engineering and Robotics classes. She even donned safety glasses to see what students were constructing in Buildings Trades shop class. At each stop, Supt. Ritz was able to interact with the students and see things up close and personal. The tour was more than just a learning experience for Supt. Ritz; for PNN students, the visit was turned into an opportunity to cover the event and interview Ritz for real world journalism experience.

At Schmucker, Supt. Ritz observed Matt Reinga’s Project Lead the Way sixth grade class for more demonstrations of STEM in action. Before departing P-H-M, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Dr. Kay Antonelli presented Supt. Ritz with one of the art pieces made as a part of this past summer’s Visual Arts Academy. The artwork titled “Together We Can” was a gift thanking Supt. Ritz for the IDOE’s recognition of the VAA as a 2016 Promising Practice.

PAWS Field Trip

Students who earned enough PAWS will enjoy the Pumpkin Patch trip to Amazing Acres on Friday, October 14^th

Penn High School’s state championship girls basketball program will conduct a community-sponsored girls basketball league for girls in Grades 3-8.

Sign-up is on Sunday, Aug. 28 in the Penn High School Arena from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. 

The Junior League is for girls in Grades 3-6, and the Senior League is for girls in Grades 7-8.

• Click here for the Junior League (Grades 3-6) schedule and registration information.

• Click here for the Senior League (Grades 7-8) schedule and registration information.

The league begins on Sunday, Sept. 11. 

*Adobe Acrobat Reader will be required to view PDFs. 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. If you need more help with basketball registration, please contact Kristi Ulrich at kulrich@phm.k12.in.us 

Engaging, enriching—words that describe the 2016 Visual Arts Academy. 

Excited, enthralled—the reaction of so many of the children experiencing this unique summer program.

Now in its fourth year, over 800 children in grades K-5 are taking part in the 2016 Visual Arts Academy.  

The Visual Arts Academy has been nominated to receive the designation of “Promising Practice.” That distinction is granted by the Indiana Department of Education to programs that use innovative approaches to deliver educational benefits. Once “Promising Practices” are identified, other Indiana districts may choose to initiate similar programs for the families they serve.

The Visual Arts Academy represents an innovative partnership developed by Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and the Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. The Academy features art making and writing through the examination of original works of art from both the Snite Museum and museums around the world.

It is comprised of six one-week programs, running from June 6 through July 15, 2016. Each week students from a different grade level experience a diversely rich curriculum that focuses upon the creation of an identity as an artist with words as well as images.

Each day students work with the visiting artists and art teachers in art making, elementary writing teachers for writing workshop and visual thinking strategies, multi-media experience to learn about art mediums such as glass blowing or architecture. Students also spend one day at the Snite Museum.

Since its inception, the vision and mission of the Visual Arts Academy has been shared by a core group of teachers and administrators at P-H-M and Notre Dame. Under the leadership of Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kay Antonelli, the group created the curricula “from the ground up” and provided the professional development for all teachers who participate during the Academy. Over 25 elementary writing and secondary art teachers are serving the Academy this summer.

Thanks to the financial support of these contributors, the Visual Arts Academy is provided for all children free of charge.

• 

  The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County ($50,000 grant)

• The P-H-M Education Foundation

• Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation

• The Snite Museum of Art

• The Law Offices of May, Oberfell, Lorber

• And various other contributors

CANVAS is an online communication platform that connects students, parents and teachers. CANVAS has boosted the success of P-H-M’s Chromebook program in middle and high school, and most of our users have given it a “thumbs up” this year.

Starting June 6, 2016, P-H-M’s CANVAS users will see a new and improved “dashboard” when they log on. In addition to the new look, the user will have new options for organizing and viewing CANVAS content. We think the changes being made to the user interface will merit two thumbs up!  

Parents and students, watch the video below for an overview of the changes. 

The URL (web address ) to CANVAS is not changing. You will find it at the same location, or by using the same link or shortcut, as you have used in the past. 

• Click here to go to the CANVAS login page now, or copy/paste this address into your browser bar: https://phm.instructure.com/ to go there. 

Your login information will not change. Your CANVAS login is the same as your HAC (Home Access Center) login.

• Contact the school office or email the HAC helpdesk HAC@phm.k12.in.us if you need help setting up your account. 

Visit the Canvas Help Page for additional resources and information.

Running Is Elementary, now in its 8th year, took place Monday, May 2, 2016, on the 1 mile cross-country course located behind Elm Road Elementary School. The 700 student-athletes ran on wet ground under cloudy skies, but their spirits were warmed by the hundreds of spectators cheering them on. Enthusiasm for this event—including student participation and family support—grows every year!

This exciting program gets its momentum from the schools’ running clubs, formed early in the spring and led by staff who act as coaches for the fourth and fifth grade boys and girls who choose to participate. The clubs meet, run and train for several weeks ahead of the public RIE event in May. On that day the students, in their colorful team T-shirts, gather at the start line, eager to give the rugged course their best effort. Superintendent Jerry Thacker and TCU’s Chris Griggs-Huppert signaled the start of the first heat, with P-H-M Board members and patrons starting the other heats.

Every student, from the first to cross the finish line to the last, is cheered on. Some even have companions or support runners who help them keep the pace and finish the race.

One goal for all involved is personal fitness—a healthy pursuit made all the more fun since RIE takes place as outdoor recreation among friends.  Some youngsters with a bent for running set speed goals as well. One fifth grader finished the mile with a remarkable time of 6:04! 

Running Is Elementary is sponsored by Corporations for Education, the corporate arm of the P-H-M Education Foundation.  Much credit also goes to Horizon Elementary P.E. teacher and RIE coordinator Cindy Batalis, who, along with her committee and many volunteers, works hard to make the event safe and successful.

Here is a photo gallery from this year’s event for you to enjoy! 

Media Aide Patricia “Tricia” Heidkamp didn’t have a clue that she was the reason behind today’s (Thursday, April 28, 2016) school assembly. Bittersweet Principal Mr. Bob Thompson kicked off the assembly and then handed it off to Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. Tricia was completely surprised when Dr. Thacker announced she had been named P-H-M 2016 Classified Employee of the Year! Click here to watch a video of the surprise announcement.

“It was evident from the numerous nominations we received that Ms. Heidkamp is very well loved and admired by students, teachers and Bittersweet staff,” said Dr. Thacker. “Her passion to go above and beyond to help students exemplifies the P-H-M spirit.”

Tricia was nominated for the honor by several of her peers praising her instrumental role in implementing schoolwide reading programs, such as Accelerated Reader and RAZ. Tricia has created a reward system to give the students the extra encouragement and incentives they need to be successful. She set up a “Rewards Store” where students can use their Reading Rewards Points to make purchases.

Teachers commend Tricia for her focused reorganization of Bittersweet’s library. To make the I-M-C more user friendly for students, Tricia organized books according to Lexile band so that students could quickly find a book on their level.  Her creation of the “Leap into Lexile” program rewards students who read at least one book in their Lexile band per grading period. Tricia was also awarded a P-H-M Education Foundation grant to purchase higher level Lexile books for the library.

Principal Thompson credits Tricia’s contributions as a major reason why Bittersweet was the only elementary school whose high ability students met their SRI growth for the 2014-2015 school year! Tricia goes above and beyond helping students any way she can. She even started a lunch reading group, tutoring students as they eat lunch together.

Tricia is not just known at Bittersweet; she’s also a dedicated Penn Band Booster serving as “Head Uniform Mom” for Marching, Concert and Jazz Bands for the last three years. And if that’s not enough … Tricia also volunteers many hours with the Madison Township 4-H!

Tricia will be recognized, as will Penn Biology teacher John Gensic who was named P-H-M Teacher of the Year on Tuesday, April 26, at the Employee Recognition Dinner taking place Wednesday, May 11, along with P-H-M’s 2016 retirees and all the District’s service award winners (10-40 years).