News

Retiring P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, incoming Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, Principal Shonda Masterson, incoming Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, and Literacy Director Ryan Towner stopped by to surprise Miss Betsy Alwine with a big honor before the end of the school year. P-H-M Dyslexia Specialist Miss Alwine earned an IMPACT award for completing 70 LETRS sessions this year! Miss Alwine helped more than 280 ...

In March, Superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Dr. Jerry Thacker announced his retirement after 19 years. Under Dr. Thacker’s leadership, P-H-M has achieved extraordinary milestones, including raising the graduation rate from 79% to 98%, ranking in the top 4% of the state academically, and helping students earn more than $200 million in scholarships. He also prioritized school safety, leading P-H-M to be ranked sixth in ...

Dr. Jerry Thacker is proud and delighted that the Board of School Trustees appointed Dr. Heather Short this week to succeed him as superintendent upon his retirement. From Dr. Heather Short: As the incoming Superintendent, I am thrilled to recommend Dr. Lavon Dean-Null to succeed me as the next Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. In addition, I am also recommending Dr. Mindy Higginson as the next ...

In a special meeting held Tuesday, May 27, the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees unanimously (7-0) approved the appointment of Dr. Heather Short as the district’s next superintendent effective July 1, 2025. Nearly 50 P-H-M teachers, administrators, staff, family and friends showed up to express their overwhelming support of Dr. Short's appointment. Dr. Short, a lifelong educator who has dedicated her entire 31-year career to ...

After 19 years of dedicated service to Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker is retiring at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. To honor his legacy and impact, Bittersweet Elementary School held a special retirement parade in his honor. Students lined the halls holding homemade signs, many proudly featuring Dr. Thacker’s well-known “Triangle of Success,” which connects students, teachers, and parents—a philosophy he ...