Dr. Lisa Soto Kile as the new Director of Professional Development and Student Learning. Dr. Soto Kile is the current principal at Elm Road Elementary School and will begin her new position at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.

Dr. Soto Kile began her career in P-H-M in 1992 as a teacher at Prairie Vista. In 1998, she became the Schoolwide Enrichment Specialist and then moved into the Gifted and Talented Coordinator in 2000. Dr. Soto Kile also held the position of Assistant Principal at Northpoint Elementary (2002-2003), Title I Director (2005-2011) and principalships at Northpoint (2003-2005), Madison (2005-2011) and her current role as principal of Elm Road Elementary which she began in 2010. During the 2010-2011 school year, she served a dual principal role leading both Madison and Elm Road Elementary schools.

Dr. Soto Kile’s dissertation focused on balanced literacy programs and the impact on students in Title I schools according to gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This along with her many years of experience in meeting the needs of students in Title I schools will make a positive impact on the culture, environment, and educational experiences for our students and staff.

Dr. Soto Kile received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University Bloomington, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University South Bend, Elementary and Secondary Principal’s License from Indiana University South Bend, and completed her Ph.D. in Educational Studies, Superintendent’s License from Purdue University. She also holds memberships in many associations including the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Indiana Association of School Principals, IU South Bend Teacher Education Advisory Board, as well as the National Science Teaching Association. 

Under Dr. Soto Kile’s Leadership, Elm Road Elementary has been an “A” rated school and in 2020 earned the distinction of being named a STEM Certified school by the IDOE. Elm is one of 90 schools in the state to have received this designation.

The P-H-M Board of School Trustees approved Dr. Thacker’s recommendation of Dr. Soto Kile to the Director of Professional Development and Student Learning position at the April 19, 2021 Board Meeting.

Dr. Soto Kile is replacing Dr. Jayson Snyder who had previously held the Director of Talent Acquisition and Development position. Dr. Snyder was named the new Superintendent for Middlebury Community Schools on March 31. His last day with P-H-M is June 30.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation was named among the Best Communities for Music Education (​BCME) in the country (686 school districts, in 40 states) by the the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.  This is the 8^th year in a row that P-H-M has received this national honor!

This week the NAMM Foundation celebrated and recognized K-12 music teachers in school districts who found creative ways for the “show to carry on” despite schools moving online or to in-person settings where masks were required not only for student musicians and instruments.

In 2020, as districts shut down for in-person learning, teachers began sending sheet music, videos, and audio to students via the internet. Classes went from the band room to Zoom. Music education became much more individualized and difficult.

Within P-H-M, music teachers worked really hard to make sure their students’ music education did not suffer due to the necessary pandemic safety protocols. Here are a few examples:

• In December, Penn High School Choirs’ annual “Sounds of the Season” concert was held virtually.
• Also in December, Discovery Middle School Choir teacher Jennifer Graybill led the schools’ choirs in a virtual, recorded performance of “One Candle.”.
• In March Penn High School’s annual musical was held in person with many safety precautions: a limited audience, live streamed, and the student actors wore masks. Click to watch a video about how Penn Musical Director pulled it off.

These examples are just a few out of the many ingenious ways P-H-M music, choir, band, and orchestra directors/teachers succeeded in reinventing music instruction and performances. Their successes wouldn’t have been possible without the flexibility and support of students’ families and the larger community. This is just one of the many reasons why P-H-M and other districts were recognized by the NAMM Foundation this week as “Best Communities for Music Education.”

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.

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 total 3,500 students are enrolled in the Fine Arts Academy with the majority being involved with music programs, either Choir, Orchestra, Band or another music program.

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.

With the announcement that Tuesday, March 30, 2021 will be an eLearning day, the meal plan for March 30th is as follows:

Elementary:

• Every elementary student in school on Monday, March 29th will receive a meal for Tuesday, March 30th as they leave. 
• Breakfast AND lunch will be included for students who attend Bittersweet, Elm Road, Elsie Rogers, Horizon, Mary Frank, Meadow’s Edge, Walt Disney, Moran & Madison.
• Lunch only will be provided for students who attend Northpoint & Prairie Vista
• Elementary School Menu

Middle:

• When students leave school on Friday, March 26th, they will receive 2 days worth of meals. Those meals will cover Monday, March 29th and Tuesday March 30th.
• Students at Grissom and Schmucker will receive pre-packaged breakfast and lunch.
• Students at Discovery will receive pre-packaged lunches.
• Middle School Menu

High School

• When students leave school on Friday, March 26th, they will receive 2 days worth of meals. Those meals will cover Monday, March 29th and Tuesday March 30th.

• High School Menu

Meals for 100% Virtual Learners:

• Pick up meals at Door K at Penn High School
• Day & Time: Monday, March 29, 1-3 p.m.
• Students will receive a refrigerated box and a frozen bag with four (4) breakfasts and four (4) lunches since Friday, April 2nd is a recess day.

Additional Information

• Students do not need to be present for the parent or guardian to pick up meals.
• Student ID’s WILL NOT be required.

*Meals will not be provided on Recess Days.

Menus for all schools and virtual learners can be found here.

Almost a year to the date Indiana schools shut down (P-H-M schools shut down on March 12, 2020), P-H-M teachers and staff got a literal shot in the arm and marked a major step forward in our fight against COVID-19.

On Monday, March 8, 202, Meijer Pharmacy set up a vaccination clinic inside the Main Arena at Penn High School and administered 1,170 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. 

Every P-H-M teacher and staff member who wanted to get the vaccine was able to do so. 

The vaccines were made available under the federal allotment of vaccines through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. The White House announced that the federal allotment would be open to educational staff at schools so teachers and staff could receive the vaccine, especially in states where educational staff had not been included in the first responder group. P-H-M Human Resources reached out to Meijer as word spread that they were working with Indiana schools to set up on-site vaccination clinics.

We are so thankful to the team at Meijer and to EVERYBODY at P-H-M who worked so hard to make this event happen on very short notice. 

Jenni McCarthy, a kindergarten teacher at Bittersweet Elementary said “I honestly have to say that it was fantastic when I found out that we could get them right here at school. I didn’t have to go anywhere. I didn’t have to sign up on any list, I didn’t have to do anything. It just goes to show that Penn-Harris-Madison is a great place to work because they always think of their employees first and are trying to make sure that we are safe to be back in the classroom.”

In addition to the over 700 P-H-M staff members who received a vaccine, we also reached out to area schools to make doses available to others as well. P-H-M felt it was important to share any extra vaccines with educators and staff from other school districts and private schools within P-H-M’s boundaries so that no vaccines would be wasted. 

Dr. Jerry Thacker, P-H-M’s superintendent of schools said “…this just has a tremendous positive impact on the feeling the teachers, all school employees and the students have with regards to receiving a vaccine. They know they’re going to be safer, so this is the first step in that. It also gives us a barometer of what we need to be doing in the future with regard to reaching out and making sure that we can get our students back [in person].”

Watch the video to get a fuller sense of what the day was like. Meijer will return to Penn Monday, March 29th to administer the second dose. 

To download high-resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you, free of charge!

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

The penalties are pretty stiff for those drivers who don’t stop for a stopped school bus (see above).

See the graphic below that highlights the traffic situations where drivers MUST STOP for a stopped school bus. Don’t, and you’ll PAY THE PRICE!

On December 14th, the PHM Board of School Trustees approved the purchase and installation of high resolution stop arm cameras on all P-H-M school buses by vendor 24-7 Security Systems. That process began on February 1^st and all cameras are now installed and fully functional. As we phase in the return of more secondary students, it becomes increasingly more important to make drivers aware of school bus traffic laws. See how stop arm cameras will help catch drivers who violate school bus traffic laws …

Discovery 

February 22, 23 & 24, 2021

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Schmucker 

March 2, 3 & 4, 2021

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Grissom 

March 8 & 9, 2021

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band and orchestra at Schmucker, Discovery and Grissom Middle Schools.

Every P-H-M 5th grader who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall 2021 has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra. “Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

In order to join 6th grade band or orchestra, students must select an instrument that they will learn, practice and perform for the school year.  Click this link to sign-up for your appointment at your designated school and date. 
 

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional will be available to give students advice about which instrument may be best suited for them. They will be allowed to “try out” instruments from various instrument groups.

Spring Break Kids Club

April 5 – 9, 2021

6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Northpoint Elementary School (Door E)

Cost is $35 per child, per day or $150 per child for the full week. If you are not currently enrolled in Kids Club, you must also pay the $25 registration fee per child. Registration and payment are due, and non refundable, by Tuesday, March 30, 2021. 

Click here for more details and online registration.

Calling all kindergarten through fifth grade students and their families…it’s time for the VIRTUAL Young Author’s Conference! 

Sponsored by the P-H-M Education Foundation, the Young Authors’ Conference is an opportunity to meet and hear from multi-talented children’s author and speaker, Matthew Gollub.  Mr. Gollub has written over 20 picture books and will share his experiences as a writer during his engaging, grade-level presentations.

Participants will also enjoy an interactive music and movement experience with Horizon Elementary School’s very own music teacher, Jon West. 

Mr. West is a seasoned Elementary music teacher in the P-H-M School Corporation in addition to being the Executive Director of a local nonprofit community theater company, The Main Stage Inc.

COST:

• FREE for any K-5 P-H-M Student.

REGISTRATION:

• Students MUST be registered and registration is limited!
• Every student, including multiple students within the same family must have their own registration.
• Register at YAC Virtual Registration.
• Deadline for registration is Friday, February 19, 2021

VIRTUAL EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday, March 6, 2021       

9:00am – 10:30am

• Prior to the conference at the beginning of March, participating students will receive the link for the virtual event and additional information.

• This information will be sent to the email that was provided on the registration form.

• If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Schirripa at lschirripa@phm.k12.in.us

Special thanks to our community partners who help make events like these possible: 

May Oberfell Lorber, Laidig Systems, Crowe Horwath, Gibson, Teachers Credit Union, Tuesley Hall Konopa, Lake CityBank,  Holiday Coral, EdwardJones – Joel Laidig & Barnes & Noble.

Interested in joining the P-H-M family and inspiring #PHMExcellence?

WHAT:

The 2021 Job Fair is going virtual! All applicants will be contacted by a P-H-M administrator to set up  a time for a virtual interview.

WHEN:

You MUST submit this form by February 19^th, 2021

TIPS:

Since your virtual interview will occur in a place of your choice, here are some considerations that will allow you to make a good first impression!

• Dress for success. Even though you may be in your house, dress as if you were walking into an in-person interview.
• Have your resume in front of you and be ready to talk about your specific experiences & qualifications.
• Test your technology (internet connection, camera & microphone)  ahead of time…we will be using Google Meets.
• Prepare the scene by considering the following:
  • Find a place that is quiet
  • Make sure you have quality lighting 
  • Remove all distractions from your area
  • Be logged in and ready 10 minutes before your interview begins
  • Consider what is in your background, you want the focus to be on you, not what is on the wall behind you
  • Steady Camera (don’t hold your phone / laptop in your hand)
• Be authentic and answer questions honestly!