The Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees will hold a Special School Board Meeting on
Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Services Center, 55900 Bittersweet Road,
Mishawaka, Indiana related to the following items:

• The Penn Harris Madison School Board will meet to discuss and hear objections to and support
  for a proposed new contract for a new Superintendent.

The Penn Harris Madison School Board hereby provides public notice in compliance with Indiana
Code § 20-26-5-4.3, Indiana Code § 5-3-1, and Penn Harris Madison Policy 1220.

The proposed new contract details are summarized as follows, and the entire contract can be found at
the following link: phmexcellence.com/SuptContract.

Monetary Value: $205,000 annually for the period of July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2028, which
the amount will be reviewed annually and adjustments made thereto by mutual agreement of the
parties.

Benefits and additional compensation: The Corporation will pay the sum of $30,000 into a 401(a)
and/or 403(b) annually. In addition, the Corporation shall provide the Superintendent with a leased
vehicle, insurance, gasoline, car maintenance and repair. The Corporation shall provide the Superintendent access to a computer workstation and mobile phone. The Corporation shall provide
the Superintendent reimbursement for all expenses incurred for the benefit or in service of the
Corporation, including but not limited to dues for membership in professional and civic associations
as the Corporation and Superintendent agree. The Corporation shall provide short-term disability not
to exceed 90 days. The Superintendent shall be entitled to all additional benefits approved by the
Board for administrative personnel as contained in the Leadership Team Personnel Handbook
including holiday time, disability, medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance and sick days.
The Superintendent is entitled to twenty-five working days of paid vacation during each year with a
maximum of five to be carried forward to the following year.

The annual one mile run for P-H-M fourth and fifth graders is held at Penn’s Cross-country course, which is located behind Elm Road Elementary School. The race is sponsored by P-H-M’s Education Foundation,

This event encourages fitness, healthy choices and wellness. Fourth and fifth graders, from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools are encouraged to sign up for the free running club. Designated coaches at each school are then tasked with training the runners for the 6-week club which then culminates with the Running is Elementary one mile race.

More than 500 students participated this year! The students are cheered on by their fellow students, their families, principals, teachers and running coaches; it’s amazing to see the dedication and hard work the students put in to complete the race. Click here to see the full photo gallery below.

Cindy Batalis, Mary Frank P.E. teacher, began the yearly tradition of Running Is Elementary back in 2008. Batalis’ own love for running and her desire to pass that love on to students is evident in the passion she puts into the Running is Elementary event each year. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all the students who participated! It is a tremendous accomplishment to complete a one-mile cross country course race. Below are the race results show 1^st, 2^nd, and third place winners.

Race Results:

5^th Grade Girls Winners

1. 6:31, Bib #518, [Prairie Vista]
2. 6:45, Bib #90, [Elm Road]
3. 7:01, Bib #11, [Bittersweet]

5th Grade Boys Winners

1. 6:03, Bib #484, [Northpoint]
2. 6:21, Bib #221, [Horizon]
3. 6:26, Bib #551, [Prairie Vista]

4^th Grade Girls Winners

1. 6:45, Bib #462, [Northpoint]
2. 7:21, Bib #476, [Northpoint]
3. 7:35, Bib #64, [Bittersweet]

4th Grade Boys Winners

1. 6:27, Bib #309, [Madison]
2. 6:29, Bib #468, [Northpoint]
3. 6:50, Bib #437, [Moran]

Click Here for Full Photo Gallery

The baseball field at Penn High School’s Jordan Automotive Baseball Stadium was officially dedicated and renamed on Saturday, April 26 as Greg Dikos Field after Hall of Famer Kingsmen and current coach. 

The field renaming was a $10,000 gift from retiring School Superintendent Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign. This makes the fifth donation Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community. Click here for more details.

The ceremony took place in the outfield between the doubleheader between the Kingsmen and Lake Central with the 12-2 Kingsmen win on the scoreboard as the backdrop. Click to see the full photo gallery below.

On hand with Coach Dikos and his wife Sally were their three children, extended family and friends, current and former Kingsmen players and coaches, Penn Hall of Famer Football Coach Chris Geesman, P-H-M School Board Members, P-H-M Education Foundation Board Members, Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher, P-H-M Administrators Dr. Heather Short and Dr. Tom Kelley, and of course Dr. and Mrs. Thacker.

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Penn has won six State Championships during Dikos’ tenure as head coach – 1994, 1998, 2001, 2015, 2022. 2023.

Coach Dikos has also led Penn to seven Semi-State Championships, 13 Regional Champion-

ships, 21 Sectional Championships and 22 Northern Indiana Conference Championships.

A graduate of Swartz Creek High School (Mich.) and Ball State University, Coach Dikos was selected by the Atlanta Braves as a third baseman in the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft in the 31st round.

Coach Dikos was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.

• 5th Grade Girls – 3:00 p.m.
• 5th Grade Boys – 3:20 p.m.
• 4th Grade Girls  – 3:40 p.m.
• 4th Grade Boys – 4:00 p.m.

Limited parking is available at Elm Road School. Overflow parking is at Grissom Middle School with shuttle buses running to Elm Road School. 

PARENTS: Please give yourselves plenty of time to arrive and get parked. You may end up having to park at Grissom and take the shuttle. Please follow the signs for parking at Grissom; school is still in session and releases at 4:00 p.m.

Spectators who park at Elm Road may be asked to wait to pull out of the lot if student runners are on the course. Please do not get impatient with volunteers; this is for our students’ safety.

Discovery Middle School is proud to announce that in late March 7th grade Social Studies teacher Les Cornelison was named the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Teacher of the Year for Indiana’s District 3 for 2025. The award recognizes exceptional educators who instill the values of civic responsibility, patriotism, and service in their students.

Mr. Cornelison, unaware he had even been nominated, was humbled to receive the news. He credits fellow educator Ryan Towner for submitting the nomination that led to the recognition. “I am very honored to be thought of in this manner,” Les shared.

Each year, the VFW selects one teacher from each state district for this distinction. Winners receive a stipend for both professional development and classroom resources. As the District 3 honoree, Mr. Cornelison is now eligible for consideration at the state and national levels.

Les Cornelison’s life has been a journey of service. He began in the United States Marine Corps from 1990-1994.

Following his military service, Les transitioned into the fire service, rising through the ranks from firefighter to Fire Captain and ultimately Fire Chief with both the Penn Township and Osceola Fire Departments. While working, he pursued his MBA part-time at IU South Bend.

He later served as a U.S. Diplomat in locations including China, the Philippines, Washington D.C., and Afghanistan. After retiring in 2020 and overcoming a spinal injury, Les found a new path in education—bringing decades of real-world experience into his classroom.

“My biggest drive is I want to be adding value to my students,” said Les. “I have my pension. I don’t need to work, but I want to give back and help develop a love of learning in my students.”

We congratulate Mr. Cornelison on this well-deserved honor and thank him for his continued dedication to serving others, both in and out of the classroom!

Along with earning the Transition to Teaching licensure, Mr. Cornelison earned two other degrees from IUSB: Bachelors of Science in Economics, Statistics Concentration and a Masters of Business Management and Administration. You can read more about what led Mr. Cornelison to transition into education. 

As a reminder, the last day of school for students is Thursday, June 5, 2025. This is one day earlier than previously scheduled. 

Due to the absence of local, state, or national elections on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, all P-H-M schools were in session and no longer had a Recess Day on this date. P-H-M Teachers Association worked collaboratively with the District Administration to make these calendar changes.

Indiana law requires schools to be in session for 180 days each year. If necessary, P-H-M can utilize up to three weather-related eLearning days, as permitted under Indiana law (HB-1093). If additional makeup days are needed, they will be added to the end of the school year, following the new last student day, Thursday, June 5, 2025. 

The updated 2024-2025 school year calendar is posted on the P-H-M website, click here to view the updated calendar.

Greg Dikos is retiring from Penn High School as a teacher after 45 years in education, but he will remain the head coach of the Kingsmen Baseball program. Dikos teaches Advanced Team Sports.

On Satuday, April 26, Penn’s home turf will be named Greg Dikos Field.

The ceremony to name field in honor of Coach Dikos will take place at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, in between games of a doubleheader between the Kingsmen and Lake Central. Former Kingsmen baseball players are invited to attend!

The field dedication is made possible by a $10,000 gift from retiring School Superintendent Dr. Jerry and Mrs. Thacker to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign. This makes the fifth donation Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community. Click here for more details.

Going into the 2025 season, Dikos owned a record of 839-298 in 37 seasons.

Penn has won six State Championships during Dikos’ tenure as head coach – 1994, 1998, 2001, 2015, 2022. 2023.

Coach Dikos has also led Penn to seven Semi-State Championships, 13 Regional Champion-

ships, 21 Sectional Championships and 22 Northern Indiana Conference Championships.

A graduate of Swartz Creek High School (Mich.) and Ball State University, Coach Dikos was selected by the Atlanta Braves as a third baseman in the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft in the 31st round.

Coach Dikos was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.

At tonight’s meeting of the Board of School Trustees, the Board voted to approve Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker’s recommendation naming Dr. Thomas Keeley as the new Chief Operating Officer for the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, effective immediately.

Dr. Keeley brings over 30 years of experience in public education, with a strong record of leadership in school operations and finance. Since joining P-H-M in March 2023 as Executive Director of Business Services, he has provided strategic oversight of the district’s $137 million budget, demonstrating sound financial stewardship and a commitment to fiscal responsibility. His expertise has been instrumental in navigating recent changes in state education funding, helping to position the district for continued financial stability and success.

Prior to his tenure at P-H-M, Dr. Keeley served as Director of Operations for Rush County Schools and spent 14 years as Assistant Superintendent of Beech Grove City Schools. His career began as a middle school science teacher, and over the years, he has held roles including wrestling coach, dean of students, athletic director, and principal.

In addition to his K-12 leadership, Dr. Keeley has been actively involved in higher education for the past 14 years as an adjunct professor and lecturer at Indiana State University. He teaches courses in school business finance, facilities planning, public school law, and the role of the public superintendent. He is an engaged member of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) and was named Region 8 Business Manager of the Year in 2014.  He has also served as the state director of INASPA.

Dr. Keeley was named after former COO Dr. Aaron Leniski announced his resignation to take on a new leadership role in the private sector, overseeing operations at a structural engineering firm. While we are excited for him and this next chapter, his departure marks the end of a remarkable 25-year career with Penn-Harris-Madison. Dr. Leniski Is a 1998 Penn graduate and returned to P-H-M in 2000 as a substitute teacher and then assistant football coach. His roles at P-H-M included: Mathematics and Technology teacher at Penn, Penn’s Assistant Athletic Director, Principal of Madison Elementary School, Penn’s Athletic Director, and then became COO in March 2018. In this role, he provided strategic oversight for Facilities, Business Services, Human Resources, Transportation, Safety, and Security while also serving as a key liaison for Penn High School Athletics. His leadership has left a lasting impact, spearheading over $175 million in capital improvement projects to modernize learning environments, upgrade the transportation fleet, and enhance safety protocols and systems districtwide. This includes establishing the Safety Agent program supporting all schools. Furthermore, he worked closely with the PHMEF to promote and expand the district’s naming rights campaign.

April Fools’ Day maybe the day of pranks, but today in Penn-Harris-Madison with a little help of the building principals Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker used this day synonymous with jokes to surprise five teachers with Spring 2025 Teacher Impact Awards. 

Joining Dr. Thacker on the fun secret surprises were Asst. Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, Director of Professional Development Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, Director of Literacy Ryan Towner, Exceptional Education Director Gena Todd, and Executive Director of the P-H-M Education Foundation Jennifer Turnblom McClain.

The Impact Awards are given to P-H-M educators who had the most significant individual student growth with DIBELS, IREAD, ILEARN, and AP testing.

Five awards were given out on Tuesday, April 1st:

William “Cub” Irons, 9th grade AP History, Penn High School: Highest percentage scoring a 3 or higher on AP History of the World exam.

Awards Given Out April 3rd & 4th

While all P-H-M teachers make an impact with their students and are dedicated to helping them achieve personal academic success, the Impact Award shines the spotlight on educators who have helped their students achieve individual academic growth on their formative assessments over time.

 The first-ever Impact Awards were handed out in September 2023. The Fall 2024 Impact Awards were given out in December.

Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation for covering the cost for the beautiful crystal awards which teachers can proudly display in their classrooms.

Ongoing issues from yesterday’s storm (Sunday, March 30, 2025) still persist, having an impact across our area and school district, and also resulted in P-H-M Administration calling for an eLearning today, Monday, March 31st. Tens of thousands of households and businesses are still without power, and numerous travel hazards remain throughout the district and are actively being addressed. 

Northpoint and Mary Frank Elementary Schools are still without power, and Indiana Michigan Power (AEP) has indicated that restoration efforts in that area could last through late tomorrow evening, Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Right now, P-H-M plans to open all schools tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, with the possible exception of Mary Frank and Northpoint Elementary. 

We will continue monitoring power restoration efforts and will directly communicate with impacted families if Mary Frank and Northpoint Elementary Schools must remain closed and have an eLearning for tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Any announcement of a decision to call an eLearning day would be made by 6:00 am on April 1, 2025.

As a reminder, P-H-M spans 135 square miles, covering Penn, Harris, and Madison townships, which receive service from Indiana Michigan Power (AEP), Mishawaka Utilities, and NIPSCO. 

Meanwhile, P-H-M Transportation and Safety and Security Administrators are actively evaluating road conditions and coordinating with St. Joseph County officials to monitor closures and hazards. If you are aware of conditions that may prevent bus service to your home or neighborhood or have concerns about your child’s safe travel to school tomorrow, you have the following options:

• Transport your child to school yourself, or
• Keep your child home—this will be considered an excused absence, though your child will be responsible for making up any missed work.

P-H-M will allow groups and sponsors to proceed with voluntary, previously planned events and activities this evening, with the exception of Mary Frank and Northpoint Elementary. Participation at P-H-M’s other 13 schools is optional and at the discretion of the organizers.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work through these challenges. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.