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

 

Student Ambassadors
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

 

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

 

Sarah Smith, new principal of Schmucker Middle School
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

Penn Principal Sean Galiher chosen as District 2 High School Principal of the Year

The Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) has chosen Principal Sean Galiher as the 2023 District High School Principal of the Year for IASP District 2.

District 2 is located in northern Indiana and is made up of Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, La Porte, Marshall, Pulaski, St. Joseph and Starke Counties.

District High School Principals of the Year are elected by their peers. One principal is honored from each of the 12 districts. From these 12 District High School Principal winners, one is chosen as the 2023 State High School Principal of the Year. The State winner will be announced at the award celebration.

The recognition ceremony is a part of the 2023 Principals of the Year Recognition Celebration, part of IASP’s annual Fall Professional Conference, which will be held in November 2023 in Indianapolis.

This is not the first time Penn’s principal has had a Principal of the Year. In 2015, then Principal Steve Hope was named District 2 winner in the spring and then won Indiana Teacher of the year in the fall.

Congratulations Principal Galiher and we wish you luck on winning Indiana High School Principal of the Year!

Summer Hiring Events: June 23, July 19 and August 4

Penn-Harris-Madison partners with ESS to hire Substitute Teachers and Paraprofessionals.

P-H-M will be in need of employees of both professions for the 2023-2024 school year. Therefore ESS is holding three hiring events. See the flyer for more information.

2023 Employee & Retiree Recognition Night

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.  

Robi Davidson, 2023 PHM Elementary Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers, 2023 PHM Teacher of the Year Julie Mead, 2023 PHM Employee of the Year

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 16th 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.

Coach Eric Bowers Coach Al Rhodes

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. 

2023 Employee Recognition Night

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.  

Robi Davidson, 2023 PHM Elementary Teacher of the Year Eric Bowers, 2023 PHM Teacher of the Year Julie Mead, 2023 PHM Employee of the Year

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 16th 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.

Coach Eric Bowers Coach Al Rhodes

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.