The 2024 FIN Mishawaka FRC District Event will once again be held at Penn High School March 1st – 3rd (open to the public on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3). The event will be held in Penn’s Main Arena. See below for a daily schedule:

Saturday, March 2

• 10:30 – 11:00 a.m., Opening Ceremonies
• 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Qualifying Matches (No matches during Lunch, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.)

Sunday, March 3

• 9:30 – 10:00 a.m., Opening Ceremonies
• 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Qualifying Matches
• 12:30 – 1:00 p.m., Alliance Selections
• 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Lunch
• 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Playoff Matches & Awards Ceremony

Click here for the detailed daily schedule.

For elementary aged children, there’s also the Next Gen event from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The event will be upstairs–above Penn’s Main Arena–in the Fitness Center. This event is open to all children, not just P-H-M students. Children have the opportunity to do hands-on STEM activities, even operate a robot! Click here for pictures from last year’s event.

This year’s game is CRESCENDOSM presented by Haas; click here to view a video about the game. FIRST© Robotics Competition teams will use their STEM skills and creative power to turn up the volume as they design, build, and program their robots for action-packed game play. Watch the game animation to inspire ideas.

During our 2023-2024 arts-inspired robotics season, FIRST® IN SHOWSM presented by Qualcomm, FIRST Robotics teams will celebrate the roles STEM skills play in the arts and design, and how these skills help build a world of endless possibilities for students. Click here to learn more about FIRST® IN and the District event being held at Penn High School.

We are thrilled to announce that the P-H-M Education Foundation is providing funding for the 15th annual Running is Elementary program!

SAVE THE DATE!  The date is May 6 (Rain Date May 8).

All P-H-M 4th & 5th grade students are invited to participate.  Students will practice at their home schools with the culminating run at Elm Road Elementary School.

Exact details will be provided by the individual schools so be on the lookout for communication regarding signups. 

Take a look at the video below to see how fun and exciting it is!

P-H-M’s Northpoint and Prairie Vista Elementary Schools were celebrated for their outstanding IREAD-3 achievement rates.

With Northpoint students having a 98.00% pass rate and Prairie Vista students achieving 95.30%, our schools were among 241 Indiana elementary schools to receive 95% or higher on the 2023 IREAD-3 assessment.

A celebration took place Thursday, February 15 at Indiana State House South Atrium. Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner was on hand along with President Pro Tempore of the Indiana Senate Roderic Bray and Speaker of the Indiana House Rep. Todd Huston.

These accomplishments are not only a credit to the Northpoint and Prairie Vista students and families, but also of course to our K-3 teachers, aides, and educational assistants. Northpoint Principal brought 3rd grade teacher Nichol Mondy to the celebration; and Prairie Vista Principal Dr. Keely Twibell brought 3rd gr. teacher Mrs. Renee Johanson.

Penn High School Teacher Danielle Black, an Early College Academy Leader & Dual Credit Speech teacher, has received the 3rd Annual President’s Award for Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction from Ivy Tech!

As defined by the IDOE, Dual Credit is defined by: courses in which high school students have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously. Dual Credit classes are an exceptional way for students to advance their academic achievement and save money by completing college classes while still in high school.

About the award:

“President’s Award recipients representing all nineteen Ivy Tech campuses are nominees for the 2024 Statewide Award for Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction, presented annually to honor Ivy Tech’s most outstanding dual credit instructor statewide … The President’s Award recognition is one of the most important awards for Ivy Tech, allowing us to recognize and honor our most treasured asset–the College’s outstanding faculty.”

About Mrs. Black:

“As the Early College Academy Leader, Danielle oversees 24 teachers from multiple content areas and levels of experience. She works closely with the (best) Ivy Tech College Connections Coach to ensure the individual goals of each of our students are met. Mrs. Black collaborates with the Leadership Team consistently, serving as a bridge between teachers and administration. She collaborates with other teacher leaders to develop and implement professional development to staff on a variety of topics, ranging from formative assessment and feedback to impactful questioning strategies. I get the pleasure of watching her act out what she teaches as she is thoughtful and intentional in curricular and non-curricular decision-making.” – Penn Associate Principal, Rachel Fry

This year P-H-M Education Foundation’s Young Authors’ Conference is partnering up with the Next Gen Robotics event to bring you Books & Bots!  This event blends literary innovations with robotic creations. It’s a wonderful opportunity for P-H-M students in Kindergarten – 5th grade. Click here to view photos on Facebook from last year’s Young Authors’ Conference; click here to view photos of the 2023 Next Gen event.

The event will start at 9:15 a.m. in Penn’s Fitness Center.  There will be the three rotations at three locations within Penn High School. Families and students will visit each station for 45 minutes, with a 15 minute break in between. The rotations will be an author visit, reader’s theater, and fun with the bots! Next Gen (the bots area) will be open until 1:00 p.m. Registered participants will receive a S’more with confirmation details the week of February 26. You and your student’s rotation schedule and starting location will be provided in the S’more.  If you have any questions after receiving the email, please contact ccussen@phm.k12.in.us.

Please enter Door D. Parking is available in the front of Penn, at Schmucker Middle School, and in the parking lot near River Valley Church. Click here to access a Penn Building Map. Once inside Penn, look for “Books and Bots” signage and please arrive at your room between 9:00-9:15 a.m. With record attendance expected, plan plenty of time to park and walk to your designated area.  

Books & Bots is completely FREE! Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation and P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and his wife Donna Thacker for covering the cost of the YAC for the second year in a row from the proceeds of #GivingTuesday donations.

NEW THIS YEAR … both events will be held at Penn High School!

While the events are FREE, registration is required! 

Registration is NOW OPEN! Click here to register today!  Registration closes Friday, February 23.

One parent only must accompany students! Younger siblings may not accompany adults.  Due to the planned activities and available space, this experience is for your young author and one parent.

As part of the morning activities, students will participate in two rotations: one with well-known children’s author and speaker, Carolyn Crimi; and the other with Jocelyn Dupuis.  Following these rotations, students will enjoy spending time exploring technology, with an opportunity to share a piece of their piece of writing on a FlipGrid or online writing platform. 

Thanks to Better World Books, parents can purchase ahead of time Carolyn Crimi books online and then bring them to the March 2 event. Click here to preorder your student(s) books.

As a way to support Better World Books mission of providing books to children around the world to do their part in achieving global literacy, a collection box will be set up near Penn’s Door D for families to donate their gently used books.

BACKGROUND ON CAROLYN CRIMI:

Carolyn Crimi enjoys snacking, pugs, Halloween, and writing, although not necessarily in that order. Over the years she has published 19 books for children, including Weird Little Robots, Secondhand Dogs, Don’t Need Friends, Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies, Where’s My Mummy?, There Might Be Lobsters, and I Am The Boss of This Chair.  When she’s not snacking, Carolyn enjoys giving author talks to elementary schools all over the country.

BACKGROUND ON JOCELYN DUPUIS:

Also as part of Young Authors’ Conference, participants and parents will also enjoy an interactive experience with P-H-M’s extraordinary Jocelyn Dupuis.  Jocelyn has a passion for music education and the performing arts. As a music teacher, she has taught many students to enjoy music as well. 

*Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school at the end of February. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Candace Cussen at ccussen@phm.k12.in.us.

The P-H-M Board of School Trustees approved at the February 12^th Board Meeting the Naming Rights partnership between the P-H-M Education Foundation and Culver’s.

According to the agreement, Culver’s co-owners Mark Nowak (1997 Penn grad) and Keith Remington agree to pay PHMEF $125,000 over 12 years to name the weight and performance center at Penn High School the Culver’s Sports Performance Center. There will also be an additional donation of Culver’s workout t-shirts provided annually to students. The naming rights will be effective May 1, 2024.

Culver’s is also co-sponsoring the Bus Driver of the Month recognition that started in January. Click here for more details.

A new Culver’s is being built near Penn High School on McKinley Highway, near the Bittersweet Road intersection. 

Per PHMEF’s Naming Rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation will go into the Foundation’s endowment, which will in turn provide alternative and additional funding for various co-curricular and extracurricular programs. The remaining 20 percent directly funds professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. Continuing the education and training of teachers is a major priority for P-H-M School District.

The mission of the Education Foundation is to develop alternative sources of income to support education initiatives in the School Corporation by strengthening partnerships between the community and the District. PHMEF supports education through awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

After 40 years with the Penn High School Football program, Hall of Famer Coach Cory Yeoman announced to Kingsmen student-athletes and assistant coaches this afternoon that he will be retiring as head coach and Penn teacher at the end of this school year.

In his address to the players and coaches, Coach Yeoman shared, “By far the best thing I have ever done as a coach or as a player is to surround myself with great people. You win with people! Thousands of people made this journey possible. Thank you to the Yeoman Family; for over 50 Years our Mom, wives and daughters have let us boys play and coach the game we love for the school we love.”

Coach Yeoman went on to say to his players, “I would like to thank the hundreds of tough Kingsmen players in the ‘long black line;’ I am so proud of you. I love you boys! It has been an honor being a member of ‘the long black line.’ It has been an honor to be one of ‘Gees’s boys.’ Go Penn Go!”

Click below to see a full photo gallery of Coach Yeoman.

Coach Yeoman spent his first 19 years as an Assistant Coach under Hall of Famer ​Coach Chris Geesman, and the past 21 years as Head Coach. Yeoman took over the Kingsmen program in 2003 and compiled a 208-56 record overall.

In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Yeoman guided Penn to the 2003 State Championship Game. Yeoman also led Penn to Semi-state titles in 2017, 2015 and 2011. In addition to winning four Semi-state Championships, the Kingsmen have won nine regional crowns under Yeoman’s leadership, 13 sectional titles and 17 Northern Indiana Conference championships. 

“It’s hard to put into words what Coach Yeoman means to our school community. He’s been a staple of Penn High School for 40 years, as a student, a teacher, an assistant coach, and as our head football coach for 21 years,” said Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart.

“More importantly, his unmatched legacy as a positive leader, mentor, and relationship-builder will be sorely missed in our building and beyond,” Hart continued.  “I’ve been fortunate to work closely with him for the last several years and I’ve seen up close his unique ability to have great success coaching with a servant’s heart while building lifelong relationships with staff and students. I’m blessed to call him a friend.”

Coach Yeoman bleeds black and gold and has always been a Kingsmen. He played for Penn, earning all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, Coach Yeoman led a Kingsmen defense that only allowed 33 yards rushing a game. That Kingsmen team finished 11-1, winning an NIC Championship before losing to Hobart in the second round of the playoffs. Yeoman graduated from Penn in 1980. 

Coach Yeoman is in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, the first Penn player nominated for the Hall.

“Coach Yeoman is a Kingsmen legend. He learned from the best [Coach Chris Geesman] and became the best,” said Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “Coach is highly respected across Indiana; and while we’ll miss him coaching on the sidelines, we know that he won’t be very far from Everwise Freed Field on Friday nights. Once a Kingsmen, always a Kingsmen!”

After his playing career at Penn, coach Yeoman played for Miami (Ohio) University. He was a roommate and teammate of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning head coach, John Harbaugh. Yeoman joined the Kingsmen coaching staff after graduation from Miami, and has been on the Kingsmen sidelines for 40 seasons.

After Penn’s 28-7 victory against the Mishawaka Cavemen on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, Yeoman was named the Indianapolis Colts Indiana High School Coach of the Week. The victory against the archrival Cavemen also gave Yeoman his 200th career victory, making him only the second Kingsmen Football coach to reach that coveted plateau. 

Penn is now the only high school in Indiana to have two coaches meet this milestone. The first was longtime Kingsmen coach Chris Geesman (309 wins), who Coach Yeoman played under and coached with at the beginning of his career at Penn.

Yeoman is beloved and admired by his players and assistant coaches. He serves as a mentor to Penn students not only as a coach, but also as a Physical Education and Sports Performance teacher. Yeoman was also an Industrial Arts Teacher. Coach loves the interactions with students. For years, he’s assisted with Penn’s Commencements, helping line students up and assisting families whose children are being honored posthumously. Yeoman once said to a colleague “My favorite time of year is graduation; this is what it’s all about!”

Coach Yeoman’s last day will come at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Coach looks forward to spending time with his grandchild, wife and family, and of course cheering for the Kingsmen on Friday nights.

Penn-Harris-Madison will begin an immediate search for a new Kingsmen Head Football Coach; the announcement is to be determined at a later date.

Coaching Profile of Cory Yeoman:

• 40 Years Coaching at Penn High School, 425 – 79
• 504 Games Coached at Penn High School
• 1984 – 2023 Seasons 
• 1984 – 2002 Assistant Coach, 217 – 23
• 2003 – 2023 Head Coach, 208 – 56 

Championships

• 36 X Northern Indiana Conference
• 24 X Sectional
• 17 Regionals
• 11 Semi-state
• 7 State Runners-up
• 4 State Championships

We’re happy to introduce you to PHM bus driver Greg Trytko as the inaugural Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month!!!

Greg drives Bus #117 for Moran Elementary. Greg is a ’78 Penn grad and has been with PHM for going on seven years. Greg is praised for his positive attitude & willingness to cover extra routes when needed.

So far this school year, he has completed 41 field & athletics trips–adding up to almost 250 hours! The PHM Transportation Department is beyond grateful for Greg! Thank you Culver’s and P-H-M Education Foundation for being valued partners. 

Do you have a bus driver you want to nominate for Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month? We want to recognize elementary, middle and high school bus operators. Click here to fill out the nomination form. Winners will be announced on the last Wednesday of every month.

We’re happy to introduce you to PHM bus driver Greg Trytko as the inaugural Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month (January 2024)!

Greg drives Bus #117 for Moran Elementary. Greg is a ’78 Penn grad and has been with PHM for going on seven years. Greg is praised for his positive attitude & willingness to cover extra routes when needed.

P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Chief Operating Officer Dr. Aaron Leniski, Transportation Administrators (Director Brandon Tugmon, Asst. Directors Amy Aschenbrenner and Robin Tharp) joined Osceola Culver’s restaurant co-owners Mark Nowak and Keith Remington, Moran Principal Lisa Russell, and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom to surprise/congratulate Greg on January 31.

So far this school year, he has completed 41 field & athletics trips–adding up to almost 250 hours! The PHM Transportation Department is beyond grateful for Greg! Thank you Culver’s and P-H-M Education Foundation for being valued partners. 

Do you have a bus driver you want to nominate for Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month? We want to recognize elementary, middle and high school bus operators. Click here to fill out the nomination form. Winners will be announced on the last Wednesday of every month.

Discovery Middle School: Monday, February 26^th and Tuesday, February 27^th

(feeder elementary schools: Northpoint, Mary Frank & Horizon)

Schmucker Middle School: Monday, March 4^th and Tuesday, March 5^th

(feeder elementary schools: Prairie Vista, Walt Disney, Elsie Rogers, Bittersweet, & parts of Moran)

Grissom Middle School: Monday, March 11^th and Tuesday, March 12^th 

​(feeder elementary schools: Meadow’s Edge, Elm Road, & parts of Moran)

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band and orchestra at Schmucker, Discovery and Grissom Middle Schools.

Every P-H-M 5th grader who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall 2024 has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra. “Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional will be available 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. Click here to download, view and print more information on Instrument Selection Night.

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. Click this link to sign-up for your appointment at your designated school and date.