Young Authors’ Conference, Sat. March 5Archived

(picture above was taken March 2019)

Mark your 2022 calendars for P-H-M’s Young Authors’ Conference:

Saturday, March 5

8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Schmucker Middle School

P-H-M Elementary students, grades K-5

Registration Fee: $5 per child

Online registration is at phm.revtrak.net. The deadline for registration is Friday, February 18, 2022.

 

The Young Authors’ Conference is for P-H-M students in grades K-5. The event, sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation, provides an opportunity for students and their parents to meet and hear from a well-known children’s authors. Click here to view the photo gallery of the 2019 event.

This year students and their parents will meet and hear from well-known children’s author, teacher, and speaker, Gabrielle Balkan. Mrs. Balkan is best known for non-fiction books that delight readers ages 3-12 with curious and essential facts about the United States, animal record-breakers, and ground-breaking artists. Mrs. Balkan will share her experiences as a writer and illustrator during her engaging, grade-level  presentations.

Participants and parents will also enjoy an interactive, up-close animal experience from the Potawatomi Zoo staff.   As part of the morning activities, students will share their own writing piece in small, adult-led group sessions with students from other P-H-M elementary schools. While students are meeting with their peers, parents will join P-H-M Teacher and writing expert, Mary Nicolini, as she explores how writing can be a method for remembering and preserving events using real-life stories, drawings, and photographs.

Elementary student attendees will also work in small adult-led breakout sessions sharing their own writing pieces with other P-H-M students.

COST: The registration fee of $5.00 per child is used for conference expenses. There is no cost for the parent. One parent only must accompany students!  However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day.  YOUNGER siblings may not accompany adults. This experience is for your young author and parent.

REGISTRATION: Online registration will be available at phm.revtrak.net. If you don’t have a P-H-M Revtrak account, you will need to create one. There is a fee for using this service. The deadline for registration will be Friday, February 18.

CONFIRMATION: Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school at the beginning of March.

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Schirripa at .

1st graders make pumpkin catapultsArchived

Girl in a black shirt holding up a pumpkin catapult.
A young child sitting on the floor, holding a small orange pumpkin in their hands, working on a homemade catapult.
Young girl in a classroom setting, sitting on the floor, holding a small wooden catapult and looking down at it.
Child sitting on floor playing with toy blocks in front of classroom desk.
Child in costume sitting on floor looking at camera.
Young boy sitting on floor in front of desk, wearing mask and holding pumpkin catapult.
Two children playing with a pumpkin catapult in a classroom setting.
Teacher wearing a face mask and Minnie Mouse ears, sitting at a desk with a child, both engaged in an activity.
Two children building pumpkin catapults at school.
Students in school uniforms posing for a picture.
Young girl in a classroom setting working on pumpkin catapults, likely for Halloween.
Two children wearing masks in a classroom setting.
Two people at a table working on pumpkin catapults.
Young boy in dalmatian costume standing in classroom.
Children in a classroom participating in a pumpkin catapult activity.
Teacher dressed as a witch, interacting with students in a classroom setting, possibly during an educational activity like
Children in a classroom working on pumpkin catapults for a science project.
Woman in mask at head of table with children, one holding stuffed dog, all wearing masks and looking at camera, classroom

First graders in Ms. McCarthy, Ms. Trowbridge and Mrs. Youngquist’s classes had the chance to participate in a fun Halloween trick that was also a treat!

Students were taught how to make mini catapults out of popsicle sticks (or pencils), rubber bands and plastic spoons.

Next step was to load the miniature candy pumpkins on the spoon and fire!

As you can see, the students really enjoyed themselves.

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

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 …

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!

5th grade Parent NightsArchived

Bittersweet  Elementary School

Wednesday, February 26th

6:00 p.m.

Schmucker Middle School Principal Lavon Dean-Null invites 5th 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

Running is Elementary set for Mon., April 27Archived

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.

100th Day of SchoolArchived

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 …