Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation was named among the Best Communities for Music Education (​BCME) in the country by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for the 10^th year in a row!

Now in its 24th year, the 2023 Best Communities for Music Education program has recognized 830 school districts and 78 schools across the country for the outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders and their support for music education as part of a well-rounded education for all children. 

Penn High School offers the Fine Arts & Communication Academy as part of its unique academy structure. The seven academy design provides Penn students with relevant and meaningful coursework taught in smaller, supportive environments where each student is known well by his teacher and peers. Nearly a third of Penn’s approximately 3,800 students are enrolled in the Fine Arts Academy with the majority being involved with music programs, either Choir, Orchestra, Band or another music program. Every year the Penn Fine Arts Academy enlists choir, band and music students to do a tour of P-H-M elementary schools to get students more interested in music.

In our elementary schools, music class is part of the regular curriculum following state standards. Students are instructed in both vocal and instrument classes. Beginning in 6th grade, P-H-M students at our three middle schools (Discovery, Schmucker and Grissom) have the opportunity to choose choir, orchestra or band as their music elective. Students at Discovery also have the option of choosing Piano Lab. Schools from elementary all the way up to Penn High School also perform musicals.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, P-H-M answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. In a series of landmark studies by scientists and researchers at Northwestern University a link was found between students in community music programs and life-long academic success, including higher high school graduation rates and college attendance. In another study from the University, it was discovered that the benefits of early exposure to music education improves how the brain processes and assimilates sounds, a trait that lasts well into adulthood.

Beyond the Northwestern research, other studies have indicated that music education lays the foundation for individual excellence in group settings, creative problem solving and flexibility in work situations, as well learning how to give and receive constructive criticism to excel.

Discovery History teacher Mr. James Howard was nominated as Indiana's middle school teacher representative for the "National History Day" Teacher of the Year.

Each National History Day affiliate may nominate one high school and one middle school teacher for this award. Every nominee for the $10,000 award is a teacher who demonstrates a commitment to engaging students in historical learning through the innovative use of primary sources, implementation of active learning strategies to foster historical thinking skills, and participation in the National History Day Contest.

The national winner will be selected by a committee of experienced teachers and historians, and announced on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at the National History Day National Contest Awards Ceremony in College Park, Maryland. Nominees’ work must clearly illustrate the development and use of creative teaching methods that engage students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past.

*Photo credit to the Discovery Photography Club students who took these great pictures of Mr. Howard!

Penn High School is thrilled to learn that once again Penn students have been named Lilly Endowment Community Scholars.

The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County announced today the names of four students who have been offered the 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for St. Joseph County. The two Penn students are Zichu Wang and Allison Yu. The other two students who have been offered the scholarship are Jennifer Leon of Washington High School and Cooper VanDriessche of Riley High School. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are chosen based on community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership. Click to read the release on the Community Foundation’s website.

Zichu Wang and Allison Yu are both seniors. Both attended Northpoint Elementary School and Discovery Middle School. In October, both Wang and Yu were also awarded National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist Designation, one of the largest groups ever to achieve the coveted academic status at Penn. Last December as juniors, Wang and Yu were named Rising Stars of Indiana by the Indiana Association of School Principals’ Department of Student Programs. As far as extracurricular and co-circular activities,  Wang plays on the Tennis Team and Yu is on the Model UN Team and is a Freshman Mentor.

Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and equipment for four years of undergraduate study on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects scholars with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI).

Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-1999 school year and has supported the program every year since with tuition grants totaling in excess of$486 million. More than 5,000 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception. 

In St. Joseph County since the Community Foundation began administering the Lilly Scholarship in 1998, 33 Penn Scholars have been named accounting for 25% of the total number of Scholars! Last year Penn had four Penn seniors named Lilly Scholars (click to read that story).

Upon learning that once again Penn High School students were selected as Lilly Scholars, Principal Sean Galiher said “We are extremely proud of Zichu and Allison for their academic dedication and scholastic achievements of being named recipients of this prestigious Indiana scholarship. When our students receive recognition of this kind, it is affirmation that Penn High School is delivering on our commitment to provide academic excellence, a wide range of choices for college and career pathways, and opportunities for a variety of student activities that facilitate community involvement and service.”

Awards in St. Joseph County are based on academic excellence, leadership, community service, written essays, personal recommendations, under-representation, and whether the student is the first generation of her/his family to attend college. The Community Foundation received 90 applications from 11 schools, and submitted final nominees to the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, ICI, for the selection of scholarship recipients.

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.

More about the Lilly Endowment

Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company to establish the Lilly Endowment. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.

Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.

What would make more than 200 elementary students and dozens of Penn High School students show up at school on a Saturday? It would have to be something pretty cool, and there’s no doubt that P-H-M’s new  “Short Circuits” Sphero is cool! Click here to see the full photo gallery below.

Teams of third graders from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools and their Penn Robotics Team 135 coaches/mentors were excited to show off what they had learned about coding, programming, and robotics to their parents, grandparents and family members. 

The idea for Short Circuits came about from a discussion between longtime, now retired, Penn Robotics Team 135 Coach Jim Langfeldt and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom.

Current Team 135 Teacher Coach Kyle Marsh worked with Michael Niemier — a Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at Notre Dame — under the umbrella of his National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) grant, which funded Mr. Marsh’s summer work to write the Short Circuits coding program. Co-developer and former P-H-M teacher Jim Langfeldt has also participated in Niemier’s RET program.

During the 4-week after school practices, the Penn students have coached and mentored 3rd grade teams at all 11 elementary schools; one or two teachers at each elementary school are also involved helping to oversee the students.

During Saturday’s celebration, the 3rd grade students will demonstrate for their parents and family members what they’ve learned, including programming the Sphero robots to maneuver through the Penn Robotics student built obstacle course.

Short Circuits is sponsored by P-H-M Education Foundation. Former longtime PHM Board Member Gary Fox, and his wife Tammy, generously committed to a $20,000 donation over four years to sponsor the program. $30,000 was raised at the PHMEF 25th Anniversary Gala to pay for Sphero kits for all the elementary schools.

Penn High School Principal Sean Galiher announced that 15 Penn High School students have been awarded National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist Designation, one of the largest groups ever to achieve the coveted academic status at Penn.

Sakina Al-Fadhl, Ryan Cheng, Tanya Datta, Noah Durand, Hadley Jessop, Eshaal Kizilbash, Gwyneth Lannon, Reagan Ludwig, Derick Shi, Grace Wang, Zichu Wang, Andrew Wolter, Allison Yu, Janet Yu and Madelyn Zavada were named Class of 2023 National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalists by the College board.

Additionally, William Chenoweth, Luke Johnson, Amelia Martin, Benjamin Marvin, Jacob Moehn, Samuel Palmer, Rudra Patel, Sydney Szklarek and Elaina Wright have been named commended scholars by the College Board.

“We are extremely proud of these students and their accomplishments,” Galiher said. “This recognition a culmination of the great efforts of these students including all the wonderful teachers they have had while attending P-H-M schools.”

In each annual National Merit Scholarship Program, about 50,000 academically talented high school students are honored, and 16,000 of them are named Semifinalists. Students who qualify as Semifinalists based on their performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) are the only program participants who have an opportunity to advance to the Finalist level and compete for National Merit Scholarships. About 7,250 of the outstanding Finalists will be chosen as Merit Scholarship® winners in the 2023 competition.

All Merit Scholar® designees are chosen based on their abilities, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, religious preference, or family financial circumstances. Although all students who become Finalists are outstanding, not all Finalists receive a Merit Scholarship award. Of the 15,000 Finalists in the 2023 program, about half will win an award, and no student will receive more than one scholarship offer from NMSC.

Considerations for selection as a National Merit Scholar include the academic record, the school’s recommendation of the Finalist, a student essay, extracurricular activities and scores on the PSAT/NMSQT.

Mrs. Amanda Fox, 4th grade teacher at Elsie Rogers, was notified this week that she had been selected to receive a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Click here to read the White House news release. This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States to K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers. President Joe Biden named 117 teachers and Mrs. Fox was among the national winners! 

Mrs. Fox was chosen in December 2020 as the State's only PAEMST finalist in math. At the time Mrs. Fox was a 3rd grade teacher at Prairie Vista and had expanded the after-school coding courses at Prairie Vista. She also worked over the summers with the ND Department of Computer Science & Engineering on various research efforts funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF grants funded a K-6 ND computer science summer program, as well as her Prairie Vista after-school coding classes. Mrs. Fox was among the first cohort of teachers to help K-8 teachers develop age-appropriate curriculum to introduce students to computer science within existing STEM curricula. Notre Dame Professor Michael T. Niemier praised Ms. Fox for mentoring other area teachers. Mrs. Fox also helped create content for K-8 students in various local school districts other than just P-H-M. Click here to learn more about Mrs. Fox's background. She’s also established a northern Indiana chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). P-H-M School Trustee and Board Secretary Clare Roach got to know Mrs. Fox when she was a Prairie Vista parent and was also instrumental in Mrs. Fox's nomination for this prestigious award. 

This is the second time a PHM teacher has been honored as a PAEMST finalist. Penn High School's John Gensic was an Indiana finalist and was a national award recipient in 2017. Click to read that story.

Recipients of the PAEMST receive the following:

• A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
• A paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
• A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

If COVID-19 travel restrictions are a concern, a Virtual Announcement may be held with a live award ceremony to take place at a later date.

P-H-M kicked off Black History Month on Monday, February 1^st by sharing a post on the district’s Facebook page that explained the origin’s of Black History Month …

Did you know that Carter G. Woodson celebrated Black History Week for the first time in February 1926? Woodson (the 2nd African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard, after W.E.B. DuBois) dedicated his career to lobbying for the establishment of Black History Month as a nationwide recognition. He's known as the "Father of Black History" because in February 1926 he sent out a press release announcing the nation's first Negro History Week. He chose February because the month contained the birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (an escaped slave who became a prominent abolitionist, author, & public speaker). Lincoln’s birthday was February 12; Douglass (as a former slave, hadn’t known his actual birthday) marked his on February 14. The result is now Black History Month celebrated by communities, schools, colleges & universities, and organizations nationwide. Click here to learn more here. 

This historical factoid was the first of many we shared throughout the month. For the rest of February, we shared historical facts about Black Hoosiers:

• Bill Garrett, 2/2/21
• Madam C.J. Walker,  2/5/21
• Samuel and Andrew Huggart,  2/9/21
• Emma Christy Baker,  2/12/21
• Frank Beckwith,  2/16/21
• Dr. Daisy Riley Lloyd,  2/19/21
• Belford “Sinky” Hendricks,  2/23/21
• John W. Hardrick,  2/26/21

Click to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

In our 15 schools, students and staff have been learning about historical events and leaders that made valuable contributions to U. S. History. As P-H-M takes another conscious step forward in the district’s effort to incorporate history of all peoples', races and cultures into the curriculum, teachers and staff across the district found ways to make this happen. Here are just some examples:

Videos:

Horizon 2^nd graders make a quilt inspired by Black History Month. Click to watch the video below …

Grissom Middle School student teacher teaches students what diversity representation means. Click to watch the video below …

Schmucker Libriarian arranged a virtual author talk for students. Click to watch the video below …

These are links to web stories and photos of other school projects:

•  Penn Art students make African masks
• Northpoint 3rd grade virtual teacher assigns research project
• Northpoint Library Display
• Walt Disney 2nd grade historical timelines
• Schmucker student research projects

On Friday, May 25, 869 students graduated from Penn High School in Commencement Ceremonies at Purcell Pavilion on the University of Notre Dame campus. Click to view the Class of 2018 Commencement photo gallery .

Penn’s Class of 2018 features 17 Valedictorians: Nicholas Casetti, Madeline Cullison, Margaret Finnessy, Kendra Fuelling, Kristine Hocker, Morgan Jankowski, Fezaan Kazi, Veronica Kirgios, Sybil Kurian, Kendra Laidig, Erin Ludwig, Bryan Mai, Christopher Mazurek, Matthew Rach, Maheera Siddique, Mackenzie Wood and Renee Yaseen. Click to read more about these students and see where they’ll be attending college/university. The Valedictorians have an average GPA of 4.4 on a scale of 4.0!

Lauren Frank and David Li earned Salutatorian status. The average GPA of the salutatorians is 4.3! Click to read more about this year’s Salutatorians.

This year’s class also has six National Merit Scholarship Finalists: Nicholas Casetti, Margaret Finnessy, Kristine Hocker, Shane Hullinger, Kendra Laidig, and Renee Yaseen. 

Nicholas Casetti also earned Indiana Academic All-State Honors.

Of the 869 member graduating class:

• 304 are graduating with High Honors
• 446 – Academic Honors
• 105 – Technical Honors
   

Another highlight of this year’s graduating class is that it includes 82 students of the first cohort of the Early College Academy. The Academy was started four years ago to offer students, who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to attend college, to earn dual college credit in the supportive environment of Penn High School. These students have been taking classes at Penn and also earning college credit through courses at Ivy Tech Community College.

• 37 earned Associate of General Studies degrees
• 31 earned Technical Certificates (earning between 32-62 credits, the equivalent of one year of college or more)
• 14 earned at least 15 college credits

To date, members of this year’s graduating class continuing their academic career in higher education have received just over $8 million in scholarships!

Many students will be attending in-state colleges and universities:

• Purdue University – 86
• Indiana University South Bend – 84
• Indiana University Bloomington – 65
• Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis– 38
• Ball State University – 25
• Butler University – 11
• University of Notre Dame – 6
• University of Indianapolis – 4

A few Kingsmen will also be venturing a little farther from home attending across the country, for example: Oregon State University, University of Southern California, University of Utah, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Mississippi, Florida State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

We take pride in providing a wide array of academics and career learning opportunities to appeal to a wide base of student interests supporting our students for college and career readiness.

Fourteen students have enlisted in the military and armed services to honorably serve our country.

Several members of the Class of 2018 will also pursuing Electrician School, Apprenticeship for Photography, Apprenticeship for Carpentry, and finishing Cosmetology Programs.

Click to read more about the Penn’s Class of 2018 and the Student Awards handed out at Senior Recognition Night held last week (Tuesday, May 15, 2018). 

Click to watch Class of 2018 Excellence Happens Here student profiles on Penn-Harris-Madison’s YouTube channel.

Article written by Melinda O’Malley, Director of P-H-M DVT & Planetarium

On the morning of Wednesday, January 31st, Michiana and all of North America will see its first Super Blue Blood Moon in more than 150 years!

P-H-M families will want to rise early and try to find a nice open viewing area to see as much of  this beautiful “lunar trifecta” as possible. On the morning of Jan. 31^st, the moon will be low on the western horizon–opposite the rising sun when the eclipse begins. Around 5:51 a.m., the left side of the moon will begin to take on a slightly pink color as it moves into the outer edge, the penumbra, of the Earth’s shadow. The moon will continue to move deeper into the Earth’s shadow as it slowly sets.  By 6:48 a.m., viewers in our area will begin to see the Moon’s color changing to a deep red as the Moon moves into the center, the umbra, of the Earth’s shadow. 

Now here’s an explanation of the Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse is why it is so special …

A supermoon is when a full moon occurs during perigee, its closest distance to Earth within its orbit. This makes the moon appear bigger and brighter than normal.

A “blue” moon, despite the name, actually has nothing to do with the color. Instead, it signifies the second full moon within a single calendar month. The expression “once in a Blue Moon” implies something rare. Blue Moons typically happen every two to three years, but double Blue Moons only happen three to five times per century and 2018 we will experience double Blue Moons in January and March! 

Finally, a Blood Moon is often the name given to a total lunar eclipse because the moon appears a reddish color when it enters the Earth’s shadow. The red coloration is caused by sunlight that is refracted, or bent, as it passes through the earth’s atmosphere.

Just as the entire lunar surface is bathed in a “blood red” tint totality begins and the Moon will start to disappear below the horizon. So, make sure to wake up early to beat the rising sun and witness a once in a lifetime “lunar trifecta!”

Bringing the world to students and students to the world!

Penn-Harris-Madison believes there is immense value in enhancing students’ understanding and comprehension of globalization and history through experiential learning opportunities. Annually, we offer one week trips at the end of the school year to Washington, D.C. for 8^th graders. Every other Spring Break we offer one week immersion trips to China through our cultural exchange program with Lishan school district in Anshan, China. Qualified middle school students also have the opportunity to travel to Europe every other summer visiting historical sites during our curriculum based trip. All of these travel opportunities are open to students from all three of our middle schools (Discovery, Grissom and Schmucker).

The safety of our students and staff is the number one priority for P-H-M, that is what we partner with the EF Educational Tours for our China and European trips. As our trusted educational partner, P-H-M has conducted numerous tours with EF. The company has more than 50 years of experience providing a 24/7 Tour Director who is able to connect with a local EF office present in 53 countries around the world.

Europe Summer 2018 Trip

The 10-day-trip trip planned for the summer of 2018 is scheduled to depart June 25 and return July 4, 2018. Students will visit historic sites in Germany, Italy & Switzerland. This trip will provide an opportunity for students to take the knowledge and standards they gain in the classroom and connect it to the real world. The trip is designed to align with the Social Studies sixth, seventh and eighth grade standards that focused on western civilization, world religions, exploration, scientific revolution and the enlightenment periods. World War II and the Holocaust will also be studied when the children are in Germany.​ Click here to see the full travel itinerary.

The safety of our students and staff is the number one priority for P-H-M, that is what we partner with the EF Educational Tours for our China and European trips. As our trusted educational partner, P-H-M has conducted numerous tours with EF. The company has more than 50 years of experience providing a 24/7 Tour Director who is able to connect with a local EF office present in 53 countries around the world.

Trip enrollment is going on right now! If you are interested in having your child participate, please email Mr. Kevin McMillen or Mrs. Sheryl Harper for details. Students must be in good discipline standing.

If you missed the previous parent meetings, you can get more trip details by viewing the Google Slide show by clicking here.

China Spring 2019 Trip

One of the many educational value adds that Penn-Harris-Madison students have a chance to encounter are travel abroad experiential learning opportunities. Every other spring break, students from all three middle schools (Discovery, Grissom and Schmucker) are given the amazing chance to travel to China. P-H-M Discovery Middle School Principal Sheryll Harper established the exchange program with Lishan school district in Anshan, China in 2008, trips began in 2009.  The next trip is planned for March 27 – April 4, 2019.

The curriculum based immersion trip engrosses the students in Chinese culture during the one week plus trip. The curriculum was developed by P-H-M educators and meets Indiana state Social Studies educational standards. It is well timed and coordinates to when the middle school students are studying ancient and modern day China in their Social Studies classes. 

And for the first time ever, the P-H-M Education Foundation is making available two (2), $2,500 travel grants enabling two (2) qualified current P-H-M 6th and 7th grade students for participation in the Spring 2019 Middle School China Immersion Trip. Please click here to download a pdf copy of the grant description, criteria, application process and acceptance of terms. Applications are being accepted now!

If you are interested in having your child participate, please email Mr. James Howard or Mrs. Sheryl Harper for details. Students must be in good discipline standing.

Enrollment for this trip will open soon. Stay tuned for more information about upcoming parent and student information meetings.

Washington, DC 8^th Grade Trip Spring 2018

Each year 8th graders from all three middle schools travel to Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the end of May for a week long national history field trip!  Our students tour the nation’s capital by boot, bus, and boat, taking in monuments and museums. If that isn’t enough, students charge the battlefields of Gettysburg before we make our way home.  This is an incredible opportunity for our students and is a memory-making experience to conclude their study of U.S. history.

Each school handles the trip as a school field trip, so please visit the Discovery, Grissom and Schmucker websites individually to view more detailed information about each school’s specific trip.