Friday, August 23rd was the Home Opener for Kingsmen football. It was a perfect night for the dedication of the Yeoman Family Plaza at Everwise Freed Field. See the full photo gallery below.

Penn-Harris-Madison Superintendent Dr. and Mrs. Thacker donated $10,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign to rename the plaza after former Penn High School Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman and his family.

The Yeoman Family bleeds black and gold. Coach Cory’s father Wally Yeoman was an assistant coach with legendary Chris Geesman. Coach Cory and brothers Trent and Todd all played for Penn. Male members of the Yeoman family and those who married into the family have either played for or coached for the Long Black Line at some point. The wives of Cory, Trent, Todd, their children and grandchildren were all present for the dedication along with Dr. and Mrs. Thacker and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom.

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Cory earned all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, he 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. Cory graduated from Penn in 1980. 

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

In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Cory 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. 

Yeoman retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 40 years with P-H-M.

Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 18 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $232,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives.

Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made five donations since 2021 totaling $65,000 as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community:

1. Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center (formerly the Kingsmen Athletic Center), $25,000 donated in December 2021 ($5,000 per year over five years, for an overall period of 12 years)
2. Al Rhodes Kingsmen Court, $10,000 donated in October 2023 (one lump sum)
3. Arthur M. Klinger Planetarium (formerly the  P-H-M DVT & Planetarium), $10,000 donated in January 2024
4. Yeoman Family Plaza, $10,000 donated in March 2024 
5. Greg Dikos Field, $10,000 donated in August 2024 

Penn High School welcomed a new member of the Kingsmen Athletics team when Culver’s Sports Performance Center was dedicated on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. Keith Remington and Mark Nowak co-owners of Culver’s Restaurant (on McKinley Avenue near Penn High School) donated $125,000 to P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights campaign. 

The partnership between Culver’s, P-H-M, P-H-M Education Foundation, and Penn High School signals a new chapter in Kingsmen Athletics Excellence.

P-H-M Board of School Trustees VP Ryan McCullough, P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, PHMEF Exec. Dir. Jennifer Turnblom, P-H-M Chief Operating Officer Dr. Aaron Leniski, Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher, Assistant Athletic Director Bridget Williams, and Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Cates welcomed Remington (1997 Penn grad) and Nowak and their families today.

The new Culver’s Sports Performance Center signage in Penn’s weight room and upstairs student fitness center were unveiled. Remington and Nowak also got to see for the first time Penn’s new Strength & Conditioning class “uniform” shirts. Several Penn student-athletes, including Remington’s daughter Anna, were on hand wearing the T-shirts.

Per P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation will go into Foundation’s endowment, which will in turn provide funding for PHMEF teacher/classroom grants and various co-curricular and extracurricular programs in P-H-M schools. The remaining 20 percent directly funds P-H-M teacher professional development initiatives. To date the Foundation has given $1.6 million disbursements in classroom grants.

The T-shirts that the student-athletes were wearing at today’s event are an additional annual gift from Culver’s valued at $7,000.

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, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

“Community support is vital for our ability to support excellence in education in P-H-M schools,” PHMEF Director Jennifer Turnblom said. “Culver’s generous donation shows their dedication to our schools and positive impact on our community and we are honored to partner with them through the naming rights program. Their commitment allows us to continue to increase grant funding and support district wide programs in all 15 P-H-M schools.” 

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

According to the agreement, Culver’s co-owners Keith Remington and Mark Nowak and 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.

Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart said that Culver’s sponsorship will provide a positive impact in the performance and lives of more than a thousand Penn students each school year.

“We sincerely appreciate the commitment that Culver’s is making to our school community,” Hart said. “By sponsoring our weight rooms, Culver’s is helping to put a spotlight on the Strength and Conditioning program at Penn and the importance that a successful program can have on our 1,100 student-athletes.

“The leadership at Culver’s understands the benefits this program provides through the prevention of injuries, self confidence, improved athletic performance, and long-term health,” Hart continued. “We look forward to an exciting partnership.”

The Culver’s Sports Performance Center is nationally renowned. The National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA) named Penn’s Strength and Conditioning program a NHSSCA Program of Excellence School. This honor recognizes that Penn High School’s Strength & Conditioning program operates at a highest level of professionalism.

In awarding Penn and Coach Cates with this honor NHSSCA noted …

“This honor recognizes that this High School Strength & Conditioning program operates at a highest level of professionalism. To earn this honor Coach Cates & Penn High School has displayed excellence in safety, quality, efficacy, outreach & highlighting. While also displaying excellent continuing education & technology usage in their Strength & Conditioning program.”

Penn Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Cates was named the National High School Strength Coaches Association 2024 National Coach of the Year.

P-H-M’s annual Community Tailgate is a tradition and a great way to kick off the start of the Kingsmen football season. This year’s home opener will be against Valpo on Friday, August 23rd.

Gates open at 5:30 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 Zolman’s Tire Concessions Stand.

At 6:15 p.m. a special dedication for recently retired Penn Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman. Penn-Harris-Madison  Superintendent Dr. and Mrs. Thacker donated $10,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign to name the plaza located at Penn High School’s Everwise Freed Field the Yeoman Family Plaza, after former Penn High School Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman and his family.

The Yeoman Family bleeds black and gold. Coach Cory’s father Wally Yeoman was an assistant coach with legendary Chris Geesman. Coach Cory played for Penn, earning all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, he 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. Cory graduated from Penn in 1980. 

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

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. 

Yeoman retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 40 years with P-H-M.

Male members of Yeoman family and those who married into the family have either played for or coached for the Long Black Line at some point.

The dedication of the plaza in the name of the Yeoman Family is a great way to honor such strong supporters of the Kingsmen Family and all they’ve contributed to the Penn Football program!

Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 18 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $232,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives.

Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made five donations since 2021 totaling $65,000 as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community:

1. Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center (formerly the Kingsmen Athletic Center), $25,000 donated in December 2021 ($5,000 per year over five years, for an overall period of 12 years)
2. Al Rhodes Kingsmen Court, $10,000 donated in October 2023 (one lump sum)
3. Arthur M. Klinger Planetarium (formerly the  P-H-M DVT & Planetarium), $10,000 donated in January 2024
4. Yeoman Family Plaza, $10,000 donated in March 2024 
5. Greg Dikos Field, $10,000 donated in August 2024 

With the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, P-H-M is switching to ParentSquare, a new unified, user-friendly, communications platform designed with parents and guardians in mind. CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED.

ParentSquare provides a centralized location for families to receive communications from school principals, teachers, coaches, and front office staff on all their students, in all schools, in all classrooms! CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED.

Parents/guardians receive alerts, updates, and posts on:

• important notifications, such as school closings and delays
• attendance
• principal & teacher newsletters
• school & classroom calendar of events
• volunteer & RSVP for events
• fill out permission slips & other forms
• … ALL IN ONE LOCATION!

Families chose their preferred mode of communication for non-urgent notifications– app, text, email, phone. Parents/guardians can also chose to have all communications automatically translated to their preferred first language.

As we approach the first day of school (Wednesday, August 21), principals and teachers will be using ParentSquare to share important “Back to School” information. Parents and guardians are asked to activate their accounts by Monday, August 12, 2024. 

PLEASE NOTE: If your child is transitioning to a new building from last school year, the information will be updated later this summer. You are still able to register for ParentSquare.

To activate parent/guardian accounts, parents need to check their email for the welcome and introductory email.

The email was sent between Thursday, July 11 and Friday, July 12, 2024 with the subject line: “Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. is now using ParentSquare.” 

The sender of the email will appear as “Penn-Harris-Madison via ParentSquare” with a donotreply @parentsquare.com email address, similar to this … donotreply+01d8d49e-b6f1-47f3-ac23-d45abf67b233@parentsquare.com

P-H-M’s Employee Recognition Program was held Wednesday, May 17. While not all were present, the Corporation as a whole did honor PHM’s Teachers of the Years, Employee of the Year, retirees, as well as employees who’ve been with PHM for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. Click the links to view the dinner program, photo gallery and videos of the TOYs and EOY.

During the program Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and Board of School Trustees President Chris Riley honored this year’s retirees in attendance, as well as Robi Davidson, Elementary Teacher of the Year; Eric Bowers, Secondary Teacher of the Year; and Employee of the Year Julie Mead.  

  

Eric Bowers was a tad late, but arrived just in time to be recognized. Bowers who is also Penn’s Tennis Coach and the Kingsmen Girls were competing for their 16^th consecutive Sectional crown, which they won! Bowers got retiring Penn Boys Basketball Coach Al Rhodes in on sharing the good news with the crowd by having him bring up the trophy during his comments.

 

Board Members Jim Garrett, Clare Roach, and Dana Sullivan were also on hand to applaud and congratulate employees for their honors. The dinner was generously sponsored by Teachers Credit Union. Human Resources Director Dr. Lisa Soto-Kile served as Master of Ceremonies.

Mr. Davidson, Mr. Bowers and Mrs. Mead all spoke at last night’s dinner; they also received a commemorative plaque for their award. As part of the recognitions for Mr. Davidson and Mr. Bowers, P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom gave each teacher a $1,000 grant from the P-H-M Education Foundation to use in their classrooms. Mrs. Mead received a gift certificate from the District.

Click to watch the videos below to learn about Mr. Davidson, Mr. Bowers and Mrs. Mead.

View the photo gallery below of those who attended the May 17th dinner. Just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. 

The P-H-M Education Foundation hosted Dr. Jerry Thacker’s Superintendent’s Breakfast today (Wednesday, May 10). More than 200 community leaders, business partners, P-H-M parents, and P-H-M staff attended the event held at St. Joe Farm to hear Dr. Thacker give his “State of the District” address. 

WSBT morning anchor and P-H-M parent Bob Montgomery emceed the Breakfast. Pastor Michael Cramer of New Life Church gave the invocation. Attendees included State Senator Linda Rogers (R-11), Ivy Tech Community College (South Bend-Elkhart) Chancellor Dr. Tia Robinson-Cooper, P-H-M Board of School Trustees members President Chris Riley, Secretary Clare Roach, Matt Chaffee, Jim Garrett, Dana Sullivan, former P-H-M and Mishawaka Superintendent Dr. Dean Speicher, and representatives from Teachers Credit Union (TCU)—the event’s presenting sponsor. Click to see the full photo gallery below. 

     

Dr. Thacker, in his 17^th year as superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison Schools, updated the community on the district’s past and recent points of excellence which included, some not all, of the accomplishments below: 

• P-H-M is in the Top 3.67%, #11 out of Indiana’s public school districts (299) 
• Ranking of Indiana public schools that passed both ELA and Math:
  • Northpoint Elementary School is #1
  • Prairie Vista Elementary School is #2
  • Discovery Middle School is #2
• Penn High School graduation rate of 98%
• Penn’s Early College Academy is #1 in Indiana for earning college credits
• Penn’s Class of 2023, so far, has earned about $11 million in scholarships

Click to review Dr. Thacker’s entire presentation. 

All of this was accomplished with not only having the lowest school corporation tax rate in the area at $.09275, as well as having the lowest basic state tuition support in the area (P-H-M receives $6,524 per student). Click here to view these slides in Dr. Thacker’s presentation.

P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom also spoke highlighting how community donations and support has helped fund nearly $850,000 classroom grants in P-H-M’s 15 schools, impacting more than 10,000 students! Turnblom recognized some of the teacher grant recipients, along with P-H-M’s 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year Robi Davidson (Walt Disney Elementary School) and Secondary Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers (Penn High School). Click here to review PHMEF’s past grant recipients. The Foundation’s mission is to support excellence in education P-H-M schools. Since its inception in 1996, the non-profit organization has provided nearly $1.6 million in teacher classroom grants.

Other event highlights included, Penn’s Kingsmen Quartet performance and centerpieces handmade by Penn ceramics art students which were available for a donation.

A special thank you to P-H-M Education Foundation Board Members, Event Planning Committee members, Amy Chrise (PHMEF Office Manager), and student intern Ella Smoker.

Breakfast sponsors included …

• Presenting Sponsor: TCU
• Contributing Sponsors:
  • Church, Church, Hittle & Atrim Attorneys at Law
  • ProShow
• Patrons:
  • Cressy Commercial Real Estate
  • Holladay Properties
  • Schmidt and Associates
  • SmokerCraft

 

Interested in attending, please click here to sign up!

 

Are you a current education major with anticipated graduation in Winter 2022 or Spring 2023? P-H-M is looking for bright, fun and engaged soon-to-be certified teachers to join the P-H-M Family. 

 

Penn-Harris-Madison prides itself on being one of Indiana’s top academic leaders. At P-H-M our “Triangle of Success,” connects students, teachers and parents bringing about what we call #PHMExcellence (click to read and learn more).

 

At P-H-M you’ll be joining a family where you are not only supported with year round new teacher professional development, but also continuous mentorship.

 

P-H-M offers P-H-M has excellent salary—one of the highest starting salaries in the area—along with comprehensive benefit packages, including medical, dental and vision. Click Here for more about WHY you should join the P-H-M family!

 

At the P-H-M Teacher Job Fair, every candidate is GUARANTEED one face-to-face interview with a P-H-M administrator. 

 

Interested in attending, please click here to sign up!

 

It’s important to have both an application & resume on file with P-H-M. Please submit an online application prior to the Job Fair. If you do not have an updated online application on file with P-H-M Schools, a hardcopy of your resume is recommended, but not required.

 

Questions? Please contact PHMhumanresourcesinfo@phm.k12.in.us

ESS recruits and hires people interested in substituting at P-H-M for the following positions: 

• Teachers

• Educational Assistants

• Teacher’s Aides

 

Please click here to visit the ESS website, and be sure to type in Penn-Harris-Madison as the location. 

The Penn-Harris-Board of School Trustees unanimously voted tonight (Monday, Oct. 10, 2022) to approve the P-H-M teachers’ contract for the 2022-2023 school year increasing teachers’ overall base salaries by 7%.

With tonight’s vote to approve the contract, P-H-M’s new salary range for teachers will now be $44,940 to $77,412. The retroactive salary increases from August 2022 through November 2022 will be paid no later than December 2022.

“With this salary increase, P-H-M has one of the highest starting salaries in the region,” said P-H-M Board of School Trustees President Chris Riley. “In a competitive market and a national teacher shortage, the P-H-M Board supports the administration’s collaborative negotiations with the P-H-M Teachers’ Association to help attract teachers to work at P-H-M.”

Additionally P-H-M teachers who instructed students during the 2021-2022 school year and received an evaluation rating of “Effective” or “Highly Effective” for last school year will also receive an evaluation stipend of $600. Athletic and Extracurricular stipends will increase from 2% to 3%.

“Teachers new to the field of education and those more experienced are attracted to work at P-H-M because of the numerous resources, professional development opportunities, and our commitment to excellence in education,” said Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “P-H-M has a great, longstanding working relationship with PHMTA. Working together we can continue recruit and retain the brightest and best!”

Contract negotiations took place during the week of September 26 with PHMTA members overwhelmingly voted to approve the contract on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

“It is no secret that every school district in Indiana is facing a teacher shortage. P-H-M has fared better than many districts throughout this teacher shortage. PHMTA appreciates our administration and school board members who not only put our students and parents first, but also value our great teachers. This agreement will not only help in recruiting the best and brightest, it provides a very generous increase to those teachers currently serving the PHM community,” said PHMTA President Lisa Langfeldt.

Teacher’s contract is negotiated first and then negotiations with the rest of P-H-M employee groups follow. Annually the process takes place after the school year has begun, approximately September – November/December. Announcements about other P-H-M employee groups will be forthcoming.