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Penn Wins IDOE Excellence in College Readiness Award & $250,000

Tonight (Friday, September 8, 2023) in Indianapolis at the Indiana Department of Education’s (IDOE) second annual Educational Excellence Awards Gala, Penn High School received the Excellence in College Readiness Award along with a $250,000 grant!

The Excellence in College Readiness Award as described by the IDOE is as follows:
This award recognizes an individual school that has demonstrated a commitment to helping students earn a credential of value before graduating high school. One or more of the following must be demonstrated by the award recipient: completion of high-value postsecondary credentials for graduating seniors, implementation of strategies that support students reaching their highest potential on ACT and SAT examinations, and expansion of scholarship opportunities for students entering into a higher education institution upon graduating.

For back-to-back school years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, Penn High School has been the top Indiana high school with the highest number of students earning ICC (Indiana College Core) or AGS (Associate of General Studies) certificates earned! Click to read more of Penn High School’s state and national recognition.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and Penn administrators Principal Dr. Sean Galiher, Associate Principal Rachel Fry, Assistant Principals Josiah Parker and Jeanie Mitchell were on hand to receive the award. Other P-H-M honorees recognized at this evening’s Gala included:

Excellence in College Readiness Award — *Left to Right: Rachel Fry, Eric Bowers, Dr. Sean Galiher, Josiah Parker, Jeanie Mitchell, & Dr. Jerry Thacker*

*Indiana History Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers and Dr. Sean Galiher*

Indiana Top 10 TOY Finalist — *Dr. Jerry Thacker and Amanda Fox, 2022 Top 10 Finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year*

Excellence Gala — *Left to Right: Eric Bowers, Dr. Jerry Thacker, Dr. Sean Galiher, Rachel Fry, Josiah Parker, Jeanie Mitchell, & Ryan Towner*

This is the second year in a row P-H-M has been honored at the IDOE Educational Excellence Awards Gala. At the inaugural event September 2022, Towner and Fox were honored. Fox for being Indiana’s Finalist for Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Towner for being last year’s Milken Educator.

At this year’s Educational Excellence Awards Gala, the IDOE awarded nearly $5 million to schools and educators across the state! The black-tie event focused on celebrating and elevating the work of Indiana’s educators as they support student learning.

“The heart of the Educational Excellence Awards Gala is focused on the impact of our educators and schools. We know that we have continuous improvements to make for our students…and we also know that we have shining examples of success existing across our state,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education.

“Our goal was to host a red carpet event to celebrate our very best educators, on a level similar to how we celebrate movie stars and professional athletes, because their incredible impact deserves to be celebrated at the grandest level we can,” Dr. Jenner continued her praise of Indiana’s teachers. “Many of the educators tonight have positively impacted hundreds of students over the years and are leaders in their local communities. So, bringing them together for an awards night to roll out the red carpet and provide surprise monetary awards is one small way we can spotlight the massive impact they continue to make on our state.”

Click to read the IDOE’s full news release on the 2023 Educational Excellence Awards Gala.

Penn Football Coach Cory Yeoman Named Indianapolis Colts/NFL Coach of the Week 2

Last Friday (August 25, 2023) night’s big Kingsmen win over the Mishawaka Cavemen also gave Penn Football Coach Cory Yeoman his 200th career win–making him Penn High School’s second football coach to receive 200 wins. Penn is now the ONLY high school in Indiana to have two coaches meet this milestone. The first was longtime legendary Kingsmen Coach Chris Geesman, who Coach Yeoman played under and coached with at the beginning of his career at Penn.

So it was only fitting that Hall of Famer Coach Geesman be on hand this morning (Wednesday, August 30) when the Indianapolis Colts presented Coach Yeoman with the award for Colts/NFL Coach of the Week for Week 2, presented by Corteva Agriscience, headquartered in Indianapolis. Click here to read the Indianapolis Colts news release.

Former NFL player and current Youth Football Commissioner for the Colts, Mike Prior, presented Coach Yeoman with the award and a $2,000 check that will go to Penn Athletic Department. Prior gave Coach Yeoman his award and check in Penn High School’s Strength & Conditioning Weight Room with Penn’s senior football players applauding him.

The student-athletes got a chance to hear from Prior who talked about his commitment and dedication through challenges in high school and college football, his choice to play pro football over baseball, and how it eventually paid off. Prior played for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Colts and the Green Bay Packers. For the Packers, he was a punt returner and a defensive back. He played in Super Bowl XXXI and XXXII. Prior showed the players one of his Super Bowl Championship rings and they had a chance to ask him questions. On an interesting note, Prior is an assistant football coach at Cathedral High School, who Penn plays this Friday, Sept. 1, in Indianapolis. Coach Yeoman joked and asked Prior if he “wishes every team good luck this week?” Prior said that “Yes, he does!”

Click to see the photo gallery on Penn’s website.

Penn High School in Top 8.9% of 2023 nation’s Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report

Penn High School has once again been ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s best public high schools. Penn ranks 1st in the South Bend area, 22nd in Indiana (out of 377 schools ranked in Indiana), and #1,581 in the national rankings (out of 17,680 nationally ranked high schools). This puts Penn in the top 8.9% of the nation’s best high schools for 2023!

In coordination with North Carolina-based RTI International, a global nonprofit social science research firm, U.S. News ranked approximately 17,680 public high schools out of nearly 25,000 reviewed. This is the count of public high schools that had a 12th grade enrollment of 15 students or greater, or otherwise had sufficient enrollment in other high school grades. Data from the 2020-2021 school year was used in the analysis. Click here to read more about the methodology.

Based on last school year, 2022-2023 the most recent school year, Penn’s students achieved a 98% graduation rate.

For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, Penn High School ranked FIRST in the state with the highest number of students earning ICC (Indiana College Core) or AGS (Associate of General Studies) certificates earned! Penn is also the State leader (2021-2022 and 2022-2023) for Ivy Tech dual credit completions!

Highlights from the Class 0f 2023 include:

$15 million in scholarships
446 earned Academic Honors diplomas
253 earned High Honors diplomas
41 earned Technical Honors diplomas
119 Early College Students
- 106 earned ICC through Ivy Tech Community College
- 89 earned Associates Degrees from Ivy Tech

The Academies at Penn High School provide the framework for student success. Through their work in each academy, students find relevant and meaningful coursework taught in a supportive environment where each student is known well by his teachers and peers. Through these “smaller learning communities,” students build relationships while engaged in relevant learning experiences.

Early College Academy was endorsed in 2019 as an “Early College High School” by The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis. In 2022, the Academy was endorsed as a Level 2 program WITH DISTINCTION.

Penn High School is the first and only Early College High School in Indiana to achieve this level of distinction! The IDOE named the Early College Academy a “UCAN Mentor School”

Click to see the full list of Indiana High Schools as ranked by US News & World Report in 2023.

Walt Disney Teacher Named Top 10 Finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year

The Indiana Department of Education released today (Friday, August 18, 2023) the Top 10 finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year and Walt Disney Elementary School Music teacher Mr. Robi Davidson was among them!

Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and Board of School Trustees Member Dana Sullivan were touring Walt Disney as part of the beginning of the school year school visits when they learned the news, so they popped into Mr. Davidson’s classroom to congratulate him. Watch the video below.

This is two Fridays in a row that Dr. Thacker has shown up to congratulate Mr. Davidson. Last Friday Dr. Thacker, Walt Disney Principal Dr. Mindy Higginson, and other P-H-M Administrators showed up at Penn Band practice to congratulate him as well when Mr. Davidson made it to the Top 25; last week he was “serenaded” by the Penn High School Marching Band! Take a look.

Mr. Davidson makes P-H-M’s fourth Top 10 Finalist in seven years–John Gensic in 2016, Jeanie Mitchell in 2019, Amanda Fox in 2022, and now Robi Davidson in 2023! And he’s the only teacher from the Michiana area to make it to the Top 10!

In April, Davidson was P-H-M’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. Between his teaching career and his K-12 education, Mr. Davidson has spent almost his entire life at P-H-M! He attended Madison Elementary School, Grissom Middle School and graduated from Penn High School in 2007. He has taught music at Walt Disney Elementary for 11 of his 12 years of teaching. Click here to learn about Mr. Davidson.

The announcement for the winner of Indiana Teacher of the Year is expected to come early to mid September. We believe Mr. Davidson will be the winner!

2023 Community Tailgate

This year’s annual Community Tailgate will be a great way to kick off the return of the Backyard Brawl between the Kingsmen and the Mishawaka Cavemen.

All fans are welcome, Cavemen and Kingsmen! There’s plenty of food for fans on both sides.

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, near the Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care South Concession Stand.

Walt Disney Music Teacher Named Top 25 Finalist for Indiana Teacher of the Year

The Indiana Department of Education released today (Friday, August 11, 2023) the Top 25 finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year and Walt Disney Elementary School Music teacher Mr. Robi Davidson was among them!

Davidson was at Penn High School Marching Band practice when Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, former Walt Disney Principal now Literacy Director Ryan Towner, and new Disney Principal Dr. Mindy Higginson surprised him to congratulate him. In the summer, Davidson coaches the tuba section for Penn’s award-winning Marching Band and works on the sound design team with the front ensemble. To celebrate Davidson’s next step in the Indiana TOY process, Walt Disney Principal Dr. Higginson brought him balloons and the band played the Penn Fight Song, with the tuba section front and center! Watch the video below. Click here to view the photo gallery.

In April, Davidson was P-H-M’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. Between his teaching career and his K-12 education, Davidson has spent almost his entire life at P-H-M! He attended P- Madison Elementary School, Grissom Middle School and graduated from Penn High School in 2007. He has taught music at Walt Disney Elementary for 11 of his 12 years of teaching.

Walt Disney is one of P-H-M’s five Title I schools. Nearly 30 different languages spoken in the homes of Disney families. To celebrate the school’s diversity, we host an annual “Culture Night” and month long of educational experiences and celebrations for both students and families alike. Along with his music teaching responsibilities, Davidson is the lead organizer along of Disney’s Cultural activities.

The IDOE each year recognizes an Indiana Teacher of the Year—a educator who works to inspire, rejuvenate, and celebrate the teaching profession by recognizing outstanding teachers from across the state. The INTOY award is a lifetime role in education, which has many opportunities to celebrate teaching and uplift the teaching profession.

On August 1, P-H-M’s Secondary Teacher of the Year Penn High School AP History teacher Eric Bowers was named Indiana History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute. Bowers will receive a $1,000 honorarium and a core archive of American history books from the Gilder Lehrman Institute. He is one of 53 finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year award. The national winner will be announced in fall 2023 and celebrated at a ceremony in New York City. Bowers will also be among those recognized at the second annual Indiana Educational Excellence Awards Gala coming up in September. The Gala is sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education.

Penn’s Eric Bowers Named 2023 Indiana History Teacher of the Year

Penn High School AP History teacher Mr. Eric Bowers was recently named Indiana History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute. The announcement came August 1. Bowers will be among those recognized at the second annual Indiana Educational Excellence Awards Gala coming up in September. The Gala is sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education.

Bowers was named P-H-M’s 2023 Secondary Teacher of the Year in the spring and is up for Indiana state Teacher of the Year.

The History Teacher of the Year award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. Territories. The award is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, each History Teacher of the Year receives a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials, and becomes one of 53 finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year award.

The winner of this year’s National History Teacher of the Year Award will be announced in fall 2023 and celebrated at a ceremony in New York City. This year’s ceremony will feature Peabody and Emmy Award-winning ABC News Senior National Affairs Correspondent Deborah Roberts as its presenter. Roberts, a contributing anchor for 20/20, was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in May. She is also the author of the New York Times recent bestselling book, Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life.

Past presenters of the award include the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, First Lady Laura Bush, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

2023-2024 District Activities Calendar

The 2023-2024 District Activities Calendar was mailed to the homes of P-H-M families the last week of July.

The calendar provides key dates for testing, recess breaks, and school specific events (for the schools that provided the information).

You can click here to view a PDF copy of the calendar. You can also view a one-page of the 2023-2024 school calendar that shows the school year at a glance.

The P-H-M District online (Google) calendar is the most up-to-date. You can add this district and any school calendar to your own personal Google calendar.

Each of our 15 schools also maintains an online calendar that is updated frequently with the school’s scheduled activities and event details. You’ll need to visit your school’s website to add that calendar to your personal Google calendar.

Notice of Public Hearing Related to Teacher Compensation & Collective Bargaining

On Wednesday, August. 2, 2023, 9:30 a.m., Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation administration and members of the Penn-Harris-Madison Teachers Association (PHMTA) will conduct a Public Hearing.

Please click to read the notice.

TOY Recognitions, New PHM Administrators and Coaches at May 22, 2023 Board Meeting

At the Board of School Trustees meeting on Monday, May 22, a variety of recognitions were held as well as announcements of new hires or promotions of staff.

Student Ambassador Chiara V. — *Penn High School Student Board Ambassador & Graduating Senior Chiara Von Eschenbach was thanked & recognized by Dr. Thacker and President Chris Riley*

Next school year’s Penn Student Ambassadors were introduced

PHM 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year Robi Davidson — *PHM 2023 Secondary Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers*

Eric Bowers, Secondary Teacher of the Year — *PHM 2023 Secondary Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers*

Robi Davidson, Elementary Teacher of the Year — *PHM 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year Robi Davidson*

*Sarah Smith, new principal of Schmucker Middle School*

new Penn Boys Basketball Coach, Barak Coolman — *Barak Coolman, Penn’s new head Boys Basketball Coach*

Kaitlyn Hickey, Penn new Volleyball Coach — *Kaitlyn Hickey, Penn’s new head Volleyball Coach*