Parents, show your support for P-H-M’s elementary school leadership AND help raise money for Bittersweet Elementary School!

At the P-H-M Education Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Gala on April 23, P-H-M principals will perform Vaudeville-style acts, competing against other P-H-M school teams. 

All the acts will be unique and definitely entertaining, but only one team—the one with the most votes—will win the PHaMmy award!

Here’s how you can help raise money for our school:

• Votes cost $10 each and you can cast multiple votes between now and the evening of the Gala.
• 50% of what each team raises will go directly back to that team’s schools!
• The first 100 votes for each team will be matched dollar for dollar by Gary Fox of Crowe Horwath. (Mr. Fox is P-H-M Board of School Trustees President and an Education Foundation Board Member.)

DO MR. THOMPSON AND HIS TALENTED TEAMMATES DESERVE YOUR VOTE?

You bet they do! Just watch the video.

►START VOTING TODAY & give TEAM THREE a head start! Follow these easy steps:

1. Click "Browse, Bid and Buy – View Items"
2. ​Click "Register” to create a Gesture account 
3. Vote for TEAM THREE  (Auction Item #103)

Check here daily to see how the votes are coming in, and which team’s in the lead!

►WATCH LIVE STREAM OF THE GALA PERFORMANCES (Sat., April 23, 7:30 p.m.) on the Penn News Network—then vote again! Votes will be tallied and a winner announced at the end of the evening.

►PARTICIPATE IN THE SILENT AUCTION at the same “Browse, Bid and Buy” page where you cast your votes. Check out the many attractive items being offered, then stay on top of the bidding to get what you want and benefit the Foundation.  

The P-H-M Education Foundation has many reasons to celebrate its 20 years of service to the P-H-M community.  Since 1996, the Foundation has distributed more than $520,000 to our schools and classrooms via innovative teaching grants. The Foundation also uses proceeds to underwrite district activities with widespread impact such as “Running is Elementary” and the “Summer Visual Arts Academy.”  Its mission: To support excellence in education.

A vote for TEAM THREE is a vote for excellence in education!

P-H-M’s 30th annual Elementary Spell Bowl took place Wednesday, March 23, 2016. Nearly 200 third, fourth, and fifth grade students took the stage at Penn High’s Center for Performing Arts, all prepared to do their best in regulated competition.

Bittersweet Elementary spellers had a strong showing, placing at two of three grade levels!  

The Bittersweet Third Grade Team finished in a four-way tie (along with Madison, Mary Frank, and Prairie Vista) for second place. Ceezar, Finley, Jack, Peyton, Victoria, Brenden and Teagan are all members of the Third Grade Team.  They are coached by Mrs. Golichowski.

Bittersweet’s Fourth Grade Team also tied for second place, this time with Prairie Vista and Walt Disney. Fourth Grade spellers include Lila, Maddie, Jase, Braden, Olivia, Sam and Alex.  They are coached by Mrs. Metcalf.

The Fifth Grade Team finished in the top five. Fifth grade team members are Aidan, Megan, Colin, Braden, Jordan, and two Abigails! They are coached by Mr, Horein.

Penn High School’s Center for Performing Arts was the setting, and it was full of students, family, friends, and faculty. The audience was hushed as spellers worked, but cheers broke out whenever results were announced. It was a good night for the Northpoint Elementary spellers, who finished first at all three grade levels. 

Mrs. Anne-Marie Reininga, K-5 High Ability Coordinator for the district, manages the P-H-M Spell Bowl and works to assure that it is a positive and enriching experience for students. Academic competition can give students confidence, increase their motivation to sharpen their skills and abilities, and expand their opportunities to receive recognition.

Congratulations to all who participated in the 30th Annual P-H-M Spell Bowl!

Students who will be in 6th grade next year use the "Instrument Selection Night" as an opportunity to handle and test a variety of band and orchestra instruments.  Professional music teachers are on hand to help “pair” each student with an instrument on which they will find great success in their middle school music experience! 

As students are making choices about music classes in 6th grade, it is critical that they be able to try a variety of instruments in order to make an informed decision about what class and which instrument they prefer.

Instrument Selection Nights will be held at each middle school, beginning at the end of February and running through the month of March.  Parents of 5^th grade students need to consider available dates, then choose one night and schedule their visit in advance—which is easily done online. 

►Click here to LEARN MORE and to SCHEDULE your appointment!

The Indiana Department of Education released 2015 school accountability grades today and all 15 of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation’s schools earned an “A”! The final grades were approved unanimously by the State Board of Education during the January 26 Board meeting.

“This straight ‘A’ report card is a result of the hard work and dedication from principals and teachers to the staff, students and families at all of our schools,” said P-H-M School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “This latest achievement is a result of our District’s commitment to excellence.”

Last year, 13 P-H-M schools earned an “A.” With Madison Elementary and Elsie Rogers Elementary moving up from a “B” to an “A,” all 15 P-H-M schools (11 elementary, three middle and one high school) have now earned this top recognition from the IDOE. Out of 2,095 schools across the state that got a letter grade, only 123 schools saw their letter grades go up in this latest ranking.

A spreadsheet reflecting the final school grades as approved by the State Board of Education is available through this link, http://www.doe.in.gov/news/indiana-department-education-releases-2015-accountability-grades.

On January 6, 2016 the IDOE publicly released the 2015 ISTEP+ results. With an 81.4% pass rate for ELA (English/Language Arts) and a 78.0% pass rate for Math, P-H-M ranked 10th in the state among 293 public school districts. The District’s 2015 overall combined pass rate for both subject areas is 72.1%

Click here for more information on P-H-M’s 2015 ISTEP+ results.

With the Wednesday, January 6, 2016 public release of the 2015 ISTEP+ results, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation saw a jump in its ranking among Indiana’s 293 public school districts. With a 81.4% pass rate for ELA (English/Language Arts) and a 78.0% pass rate for Math, P-H-M ranks 10th in the state! The District’s 2015 overall combined pass rate for both subject areas is 72.1%.  

Another highlight from the 2015 ISTEP+ results for P-H-M … the School Corporation saw an increase in score variance. In grade 3, the variance between P-H-M’s scores and the state’s increased to 19.6 points; in grade 8, it goes up to 25.1 points. This shows that the younger a student enters the P-H-M education family, and the longer they are taught by P-H-M teachers, the better the students do!

Superintendent Jerry Thacker keeps the district’s focus on excellence in education, and acknowledges the partnership that makes it possible. “We commend our students and teachers, along with our parents for their concentrated hard work and dedication; that is the ‘Triangle of Success’ we tout at P-H-M.”

This link takes you to the full story of how P-H-M students fared on the 2015 assessment, including access to data charts that display individual school results.

Calling all young authors and their parents!

P-H-M’s annual Young Author’s Conference will take place Saturday, March 12—and you won’t want to miss it.

The morning program will be full of engaging activities, fun entertainment and creative challenges—along with opportunities to learn and share.

We are pleased to host guest author Laura Purdie Salas. Salas will be on hand to share her published work and her love of writing, and to encourage students to produce their own poems and stories.

Meet Mrs. Salas now in this brief video, and preview two of her popular books in these videos: A Leaf Can Be and BookSpeak!

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU EXPECT?

Get ideas!  Parents will hear from Kathy Higgs-Coulthard, the director of Michiana’s Writing Center and also an instructor at St. Mary’s College. Higgs-Coulthard supports writers and writing events in the community, and will share tips with parents on how to do the same in their own families.

Get inspired!  Students will share their own written work with other students in small groups, getting feedback and giving encouragement and gaining confidence in their ability to create.

Get the giggles!  The Roz Puppets will be sure to make you laugh. Big puppets with big personalities, their performances delight “children of all ages.”

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

• WHO: Students from Kindergarten through 5th grade, and one parent from each family

• DATE: Saturday, March 12, 2016

• TIME: 8:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

• LOCATION: Schmucker Middle School, 56045 Bittersweet Road.

• DIRECTIONS: Enter at the traffic signal, park in front, use main entrance.

• COST: $5 per student, payable upon registration

Watch for conference information that your student will bring home from school, then send back the registration envelope with your payment promptly. If you need another copy of the registration form, contact the school.

THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26.

QUESTIONS?

 Please contact Ms. Lisa Duerksen at lduerksen@phm.k12.in.us

Registration for kindergarten students for the 2016-2017 school year will begin at each P-H-M elementary school on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. 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. A parent or guardian must appear in person to register their child. 

Please bring the following documentation with you:

1. Original Birth Certificate

2. Two Proofs of Residency (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

Penn-Harris-Madison has 11 elementary schools, each offering full-day kindergarten. You may use the P-H-M Street Guide and Map of District 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. 

We encourage you to register your student as soon as possible, on or after January 19. We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2029!  

Below are the forms you will need to complete your kindergarten student registration. Each child entering kindergarten at P-H-M must complete a Registration Form and is also encouraged to have a physical exam and a dental exam completed before entering kindergarten. 

• Registration Form The registration process at the school will go quickly if you print the registration form and bring it with you already completed.

• Physical Examination/Health Questionnaire One side is for the doctor to fill out, and the other side is for parents. 

• Dental Examination The dentist should complete this form following a check-up. 

• Children and Hoosiers Immunization Registry Program (CHIRP)  The Indiana State Department of Health has implemented this electronic reporting system designed to improve the state’s records on immunizations. Health care providers in Indiana enter data into the electronic database to ensure the most up-to-date record of immunizations is available.

Here are two other important pieces of information for parents of incoming kindergartners: 

• Immunization Requirements for School Year 2016-2017 – Immunizations are used to protect your children against certain diseases as well as other children in the school. Under Indiana Public Law, when a child enrolls in school his/her parent/guardian is required to furnish written proof that a child is fully immunized as required by the Indiana State Department of Health. Immunization paperwork must be submitted to your school office before the first day of school, August 24, 2016. Immunizations may be obtained from your family doctor, St. Joseph County Health Department, or other area clinics. Please call your school health office for resources.

• Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Letter –  The schools’ onsite healthcare services are provided by trained SJRMC personnel, who are prepared to help you with medical concerns and questions about medications at school. 

RESIDENT STUDENTS WHO WISH TO CHANGE SCHOOLS

• Any student who is a resident of the district and wishes to attend a P-H-M school other than his/her home school, must complete and submit an internal transfer request form.  Tuesday, February 16, is the first date internal transfer requests for 2016-17 will be accepted. The form is available here. Incoming kindergarten students must first enroll at their home school before submitting an internal transfer request for a different school. While admission to their home school is assured, transfer placement is not. Approval is based on the number of requests received and the space available. Transfer decisions will be announced later in the spring. 

NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS WHO WISH TO APPLY FOR ADMISSION

• Non-resident students seeking admission to kindergarten, or any other grade level, must wait until Tuesday, February 16, the first date that applications from non-residents for 2016-17 will be accepted. There will be limited spaces available. Check back on the P-H-M website on/after February 16 for more information on non-resident application, posted openings, and to obtain the actual application form. Non-resident kindergartners who apply and are accepted will be notified and given the opportunity to enroll at a P-H-M elementary school later in the spring.

Penn-Harris-Madison will be performing computer network maintenance on February 12, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. to upgrade our current internet services. During that time, access to P-H-M online services, including P-H-M hosted websites, Canvas, APlus and Plato will be unavailable. This network maintenance is necessary in order for P-H-M to continue to offer excellent technology online service. We appreciate your patience.

Parents of 3rd through 8th graders and Penn sophomores, the Indiana Department of Education has released the testing windows for ISTEP+ and IREAD for the 2015-2016 school year. ISTEP will begin in late February and IREAD in mid-March. Part 1 of ISTEP will be done with paper/pencil and Part 2 will be done online. New this year: 10th graders will be required to take ISTEP. 

Also new this year:  In preparation for 2016 ISTEP+, the IDOE has now made ISTEP+ “Experience” available through Pearson, allowing students and parents to experience various technology-enhanced item types that will appear on the ISTEP+ Part 2 assessment as often as they like from home, at school, or on mobile devices. “Experience” is presented via the Pearson online platform (TestNav 8) that will be used for ISTEP+ online testing, as well as IREAD-3 online testing. P-H-M families can access ISTEP+ “Experience” through the P-H-M District website, as well as through the link provided on the RESOURCES menu of every school website.

Indiana Statewide Testing of Educational Progress Plus (ISTEP+ ) Grades 3-8, and 10*

                                                                           Window Begins                                              Window Ends

ISTEP+ Part 1 – paper/pencil                        February 29, 2016                                          March 11, 2016
(Applied Skills)

ISTEP+ Part 2 – online                                    April 18, 2016                                                  May 6, 2016
(Multiple-choice & Technology-Enhanced Items)

*New this year, high school sophomores will be required to take ISTEP

Indiana Reading And Evaluation Determination-3 (IREAD-3) Grade 3

IREAD-3                                                            March 14, 2016                                               March 18, 2016

For more information on the state assessment testing windows, please visit the Indiana Department of Education website, www.doe.in.gov/assessment.