Penn-Harris-Madison is pleased to be able to offer enrollment to non-resident students on a limited basis for the 2026-27 school year.

Families living in neighboring school districts interested in having their elementary children attend a P-H-M elementary school can apply for that opportunity.

The window to apply for available non-resident seats will open Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. and close on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. 

On March 2 at 8:30 a.m., P-H-M will post the schools, grades and number of seats available for the upcoming school year. Families must complete an online application between March 2 – 20.

The NRS application will be posted on www.phmschools.org/non-resident-student-enrollment/ on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.

There is no first-come, first-served advantage. 

P-H-M’s Annual Community Tailgate is a long-standing tradition that brings families, students, staff, and community members together to show their Penn pride. The event is held before the Penn Football home opener and is a chance for everyone across the district to connect, celebrate, and support the Kingsmen.

This year’s home opener will be “The Backyard Brawl” against Mishawaka on Friday, August 29th, 2025. Click here for game ticket info.

Gates open at 5:00 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the south end zone at the Yeoman Family Plaza.

Friday night marks the 67th meeting between Penn and Mishawaka. Penn leads the all-time series 49-16-1. 

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 P-H-M, will succeed Dr. Jerry Thacker, who is retiring after 19 years of transformative leadership. Dr. Short has served as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction since 2017. During her tenure, P-H-M students have experienced consistent academic growth and achievement.

“I am deeply honored by the Board’s confidence and grateful to Dr. Thacker for his mentorship throughout my career,” said Dr. Short. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to grow as a leader within this incredible district. I’m excited to continue working alongside our talented staff, dedicated families, and exceptional students to expand opportunities and ensure every child thrives.”

Under Dr. Short’s leadership, P-H-M ranks in the top 4% of Indiana districts based on ILEARN scores. The district also outpaces the state average by 20 percentage points in overall percent passing rates.

“There is no one better—or more qualified—to lead P-H-M’s continued path of academic excellence than Dr. Short,” said Chris Riley, President of the Board of School Trustees. “Her academic expertise and visionary leadership in developing rigorous, relevant curriculum have been key to our students’ success. Dr. Short was the Board’s clear and unanimous choice for superintendent.”

P-H-M is home to some of Indiana’s highest-performing public schools in both English/Language Arts and Math. Prairie Vista Elementary ranks #3 in the state, while Discovery Middle School ranks #2. In Spring 2024, P-H-M’s IREAD pass rate was 86.8%, surpassing the state average of 82.5%. Three P-H-M elementary schools—Prairie Vista (97.7%), Northpoint (95%), and Horizon (95.3%)—achieved pass rates above 90%.

Included in her district-wide academic strategy was a robust Response to Intervention (RtI) program and expanded summer offerings that support both enrichment and remediation.

Dr. Short’s leadership journey reflects deep roots and unwavering commitment to P-H-M. She began her career as a classroom teacher before serving as an Instructional Leader and High Ability Coordinator. Click here to learn how Dr. Short and Board Trustee Katie Bell’s paths crossed when Dr. Short was a 3rd grade teacher at Northpoint. In 2004, she became principal of Prairie Vista Elementary. Recognizing her talent for professional growth and instructional excellence, Dr. Thacker appointed her in 2007 as P-H-M’s first Director of Professional Development—a role she held for a decade before being named Assistant Superintendent.

Throughout her career, Dr. Short has been deeply committed to developing others. She co-created a nationally recognized leadership development program designed to build internal capacity among P-H-M educators and administrators. Her strategic focus on professional development has empowered teachers at every level—from new educators to veteran principals—through initiatives like the annual Literacy Summit and the New Teacher Series.

As Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Short has combined her instructional leadership with strong fiscal stewardship. She has overseen the management of multimillion-dollar budgets and successfully secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grants—investments that have directly enhanced classroom instruction, expanded student programs, and strengthened districtwide operations.

“Dr. Short possesses one of the most valuable qualities a leader can have: the ability to build genuine relationships,” said Dr. Thacker. “She makes personal connections with teachers, principals, staff, families—and most importantly, students. She understands the P-H-M culture because she helped build it. There is no one more fitting to serve as the next superintendent.”

After the Board approved Dr. Short as the district’s new leader, Board members shared well wishes and comments. Trustee Katie Bell (elected in November 2024) talked about how things have come full circle for her as a former student of Dr. Short’s when she taught 3rd grade gifted and talented students at Northpoint. The two were actually featured in an article that ran in the South Bend Tribune in March 2003. The article featured Dr. Short teaching her students how to use PowerPoint for their Geography reports on Asia. Click here to read the original story.

Fast forward to 2013 to when Dr. Short was P-H-M’s Director of Professional Development, she interviewed Bell for a teaching position. Bell was hired as a kindergarten teacher in 2016 at Prairie Vista Elementary School and Dr. Short led the professional development for all new teachers. 

“Dr. Short and I are a testament that it’s never goodbye, it’s always see you later,” Bell said. “And I think that shows the true impact of a teacher, that they are in your lives forever, and that you will always remember them.”

Media Coverage

• South Bend Tribune
• ABC 57
• WSBT-TV
• WNDU-TV

The Arthur M. Klinger Planetarium’s laser shows transform music into a visually immersive experience, where vibrant laser lights are choreographed to iconic songs, creating a multisensory spectacle across the dome. 

These shows present a unique atmosphere, with lasers synchronizing to genres ranging from rock to seasonal tunes, creating striking visuals in tune with each beat and rhythm.

In addition to individual shows, the planetarium hosts themed seasonal performances, where holiday classics are brought to life in a dynamic new way. Whether it’s a festive holiday soundtrack or popular rock anthems, each laser show offers an unforgettable experience that draws audiences of all ages.

Below is a short sample of what laser shows are like: 

The planetarium’s event schedule allows patrons to explore upcoming themes and secure tickets to make the most of this exciting addition to P-H-M’s planetarium offerings. Click here for the Laser Show Schedule.

Pay stub information has been moved to a different section of the P-H-M website. Pay stub information can now be viewed by visiting the STAFF LINKS section of our website.

Please follow these steps:

• Click on STAFF LINKS
• Under PAYROLL, click on “Pay Stub Information”

Online Registration and Payments are now accepted!

There is a two step process for completing your course registration and paying online. Fill out the form below to complete your course registration and secondly, once the registration is completed, you will be provided an opportunity to print your registration information and will be guided to the Certified Payments link to make your online payment using Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards. There is a three percent charge for this service.

Cash and checks are accepted as well, however, the online Community Education Registration Form must be completed in all cases.  If paying by cash, please come to the Community Education office located in the Educational Services Center, 55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN  46545 which is just north of Penn High School on Bittersweet Road.  If paying by check, please make checks payable to P-H-M Community Education and mail to the address listed above.

You can contact Jenny Forkner, Community Education Coordinator, at 258-9568 or email her if you have any questions.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is proud to provide a wide variety of classes, activities, and even trips to the residents of St. Joseph County and surrounding communities at a nominal cost. These activities are open and available to all area residents; you do not have to be a resident of Penn, Harris, or Madison Townships to sign up. Click to see the listing of Spring and Summer Classes and activities.

Most of these activities are available to adults; however some classes, like Babysitting Basics, are also offered to teenagers. In the summer months, we also offer summer camps and other activities for school aged children. These too are open and available to any student in the surrounding area; children do not have to be a P-H-M student or reside in Penn, Harris, or Madison Townships to enroll and participate. Click to see the listing of Spring and Summer Classes and activities.

You can register for P-H-M Community Education Classes in one of four ways:

When the P-H-M School Corporation is closed due to inclement weather …

In the event the corporation closes school for the day or evening activities are canceled, Community Ed classes will also be canceled. Please note, however, that 2-hour school delays do not affect the Fitness Center.

When schools in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation must be canceled or delayed due to inclement weather, announcements will also be posted on Penn-Harris-Madison’s home page at www.phmschools.org/. The school district can provide more detailed information than the media can.

 Announcements are also made on the local TV stations: ABC 57, WSBT and WNDU.

P-H-M Community Education Winter Fitness Classes 2026

Winter fitness classes will be offered in January and February 2026. Registration begins Tuesday, October 28, 2025. Call 574.258.9568 to register by phone or online go to phm.revtrak.net and click on Community Education classes. You can mail in your registration form to P-H-M Community Education, 55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN 46545.