Our School

Our School

Who We Are:

Bittersweet Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Mishawaka, Indiana, serving grades K-5 as part of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, one of northern Indiana’s top-ranked school districts.

P-H-M ranks in the Top 4% of ILEARN student performance and Penn High School’s graduation rate is 97.3%.

Bittersweet’s third graders posted a 95.9% IREAD pass rate in 2025, up from 85.0% in 2024—a double-digit gain of 10.9 points. This impressive improvement is the result of determination, strong teaching, and family support. Click here for more information on P-H-M’s overall 2025 IREAD district success.

Bittersweet has also earned the distinction of being ranked Indiana’s #94 for Public Elementary Schools by U.S. News & World Report (Data is based on the 2021–2022, 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years) Click here to learn more.

We are the Bobcats and our culture is captured in our  Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) plan and school motto, which is P.A.W.S. We teach our students that when they are Polite, Accountable, make Wise choices, and practice Safety of themselves and others, our school community benefits. 

Students are connected to each other and the greater school community so that they realize the are part of the Bittersweet family. The school as a whole participates in many project fundraisers that connect us together and also provide fun activities for the students, whether it’s the Bobcat Blitz Color Run or Silly String Showdown.

Our staff of compassionate and engaged teachers receive ongoing professional development.

We are a 1:1 Technology district, which means that every student at Bittersweet, as well as every student in the P-H-M school district, has access to their own Chromebook that they use every day in the classroom (kindergartners use iPads). 

History

We opened our doors in August 1980. Our school colors are red, white and black.

Grades: K-5

Click for most recent IDOE performance report

Bittersweet students will attend Schmucker Middle School and Penn High School.

Special Facilities/Resources:

School Activities:

  • Academic competitions
  • After-school clubs
  • 5th Grade Basketball
  • Science Expo
  • Music programs
  • Various family evening events throughout the year