The camaraderie and forever bond of Penn’s “Long Black Line” was prevalent among the more than 100 former Penn football players and coaches who showed up Friday night, August 19, 2022 to help dedicate the Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center. Click to view pictures from the pregame recognition.

As part of the P-H-M Education Foundation naming rights campaign, Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Thacker generously donated $25,000 in December 2021 to the Education Foundation to have the Kingsmen Athletic Center at Penn High School’s TCU Freed Field named after Penn’s legendary championship football coach, Chris Geesman, renaming the facility the Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center. 

Coach Geesman and his family, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker, Head Coach Cory Yeoman, and the entire Penn football team were on hand for the dedication of the newly renamed facility taking place at halftime of the Penn Kingsmen’s first home football game of the 2022 season against Valpo. The Kingsmen won 35-6. It was a very special night; take a look … 

Geesman, a Hall of Famer coach, came to Penn 1973. The previous season, Penn had a 0-10 record. In Geesman’s first season, the Kingsmen posted a 5-5 record. In addition to the five state championships, Geesman led Penn to 309 wins, and the Kingsmen never had a losing season during the span of his 30-year career as head coach of the Kingsmen. 

Click here to play the full recorded audio of Coach Geesman’s thank you to the Penn football program.

Click here to view pictures from the August 19th Dedication.

“Donna and I are truly honored to have the Kingsmen Athletic Center named after this legendary coach who guided the Kingsmen to five state championships and three state runners-up,” said Dr. Thacker. “It’s only fitting that a facility built to provide Penn student-athletes with the best on field playing experience be named after the coach that led Kingsmen Football to so many wins.”

Penn’s Geesman Athletic Center is a 13,264 square-foot facility that was completed in October, 2018. It houses three locker rooms to be rotated during the Fall and Spring sports seasons: Football (Varsity, JV and Freshmen), Track & Field (Boys & Girls) and Girls Lacrosse. All three locker room areas have adjacent coaching staff office space and an on-site training room, giving Penn athletic trainers access to equipment and medical treatment supplies. Click here to read more details about the Athletic Center when it first opened.

Since 2008 and including the naming rights contribution, as Superintendent of P-H-M, Dr. Thacker has contributed $194,850 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Besides the $25,000 pledged to the Naming Rights Campaign some of the other programs he has contributed to include:

• $20,000 in matching funds for the Annual Drive
• $25,000 Corporations for Education (matching funds)
• $15,000 Silver Mile
• $39,550 total to Thacker Scholarship funds

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, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

“Our goal is to provide P-H-M teachers and staff with access to grant funding for unique and creative educational programs that fall out of the school district’s budget,” PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom. “We support P-H-M teachers by helping to ensure that they have access to the best education tools. Community partners are vital to sustaining P-H-M excellence in education.”

PHMEF’s naming rights commitment is $25,000, payable at a rate of $5,000 per year over five years. The naming rights last for 12 years. 80 percent of the donation goes into the Foundation’s endowment, which in turn provides alternative and additional funding for various P-H-M co-curricular and extracurricular programs. The remaining 20 percent directly funds professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. Continuing education and training of teachers is a major priority for P-H-M School District.

“The Foundation Board and I are so appreciative of Dr. and Mrs. Thacker’s generosity through the years,” said Turnblom. “Their unwavering support has been a tremendous help to us fulfilling our mission. The Thacker’s donations alone have made it possible for the Foundation to fund approximately 20% more classroom grants, activities and programs possible for the students of all P-H-M’s 15 schools. Their impact has been nothing less than incredible!”

As part of the P-H-M Education Foundation naming rights campaign, Dr. and Mrs. Jerry Thacker have generously donated $25,000 to the Education Foundation to have the Kingsmen Athletic Center at TCU Freed Field named after Penn’s legendary championship coach, Chris Geesman, renaming the facility the Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center.

The donation commitment is $25,000, which will be paid at a rate of $5,000 per year over five years. The naming rights will last for 12 years.

The Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees voted to approve the sponsorship agreement Monday, Dec. 13, Board meeting.

“Donna and I are truly honored to have the Kingsmen Athletic Center named after this legendary coach who guided the Kingsmen to five state championships and three state runners-up,” said Dr. Thacker.

Geesman, a Hall of Famer coach, came to Penn 1973. The previous season, Penn had a 0-10 record. In Geesman’s first season, the Kingsmen posted a 5-5 record. Geesman led Penn to 309 wins, and the Kingsmen never had a losing season during the span of his 30-year career as head coach of the Kingsmen. Geesman coached the Kingsmen through 2002.

Penn’s Geesman Athletic Center is a 13,264 square-foot facility that was completed in October, 2018. It houses three locker rooms to be rotated during the Fall and Spring sports seasons: Football (Varsity, JV and Freshmen), Track & Field (Boys & Girls) and Girls Lacrosse. All three locker room areas have adjacent coaching staff office space and an on-site training room, giving Penn athletic trainers access to equipment and medical treatment supplies. Click here to read more details about the Athletic Center when it first opened.

Dr. and Mrs. Thacker’s donation to name the Athletic Center after the storied head coach was a natural decision, said Dr. Thacker. “It’s only fitting that a facility built to provide Penn student-athletes with the best on field playing experience be named after the coach that led Kingsmen Football to so many wins.”

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, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Per PHMEF’s naming rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation will go into the Foundation’s endowment, which will in turn provide alternative and additional funding for various co-curricular and extracurricular programs. The remaining 20 percent directly funds professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. Continuing education and training of teachers is a major priority for P-H-M School District.

“Our goal is to provide our students with an outstanding education to prepare them for college and career success,” said P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Thacker. “We do this by making sure our students are receiving the best education possible from the best educators. P-H-M’s ‘Triangle of Success’ is built upon students, teachers and parents. Community partners are vital to sustaining P-H-M excellence in education.”

Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 15 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $192,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation, including this most recent donation of the naming rights. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives. This is the first time they have made a donation to the naming rights campaign.

“The Foundation Board and I are so appreciative of Dr. and Mrs. Thacker’s generosity through the years,” said Jennifer Turnblom, Executive Director of the P-H-M Education Foundation. “Their unwavering support has been a tremendous help to us fulfilling our mission. The Thacker’s donations alone have made it possible for the Foundation to fund approximately 20% more classroom grants, activities and programs possible for the students of all P-H-M’s 15 schools. Their impact has been nothing less than incredible!”

At the start of the 2022-2023 football season, a ceremony will be held at TCU Freed Field with Coach Geesman and his family.

About Penn Athletics
Penn boasts 21 IHSAA team state championships and 26 Penn student-athletes have been named winners of the IHSAA mental-attitude award. Penn Athletic Teams earned a remarkable seven Sectional Championships in the eight sports offered by the IHSAA in the 2021 Fall Sports season.

About P-H-M Education Foundation
In pursuit of excellence in education, the P-H-M Education Foundation has partnered with P-H-M School Corporation to grow the Foundation’s endowment in order to provide permanent additional funding of programs for outstanding students and teachers.

Naming rights is a 12-year partnership, payable over five years, that highlights a commitment to excellence in P-H-M. Signage will include name and/or company logo that will be associated with a specific property or program within the Corporation.

We invite you to be a part of a large and diverse group of individuals, professionals, and companies who support excellence in education. For more information, click here or please contact Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom at jturnblom@phmef.org. 

The P-H-M Education Foundation announced its Fall Grant Cycle recipients. A total of $10,188.63 will be disbursed to P-H-M staff. See the complete list is below.

Since the Foundation’s inception in 1996, more than $1 million have been distributed in innovative teaching grants supporting P-H-M teachers, staff, and students. The Grants Committee is comprised of Foundation board members, community representatives, and a P-H-M administrator who evaluate each grant application. 

EZ Form grant winners of $250 or less:

1. Breakout EDU: Classroom Escape
   Horizon Elementary – Derrick Fairbotham​
   Grade 5; 160 students impacted
   Awarded: $160.50 – Multiple escape room activities challenging critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills.

2. Building Number Fluency in 4th and 5th Grades
   Elsie Rogers Elementary  – Rachael Givens
   Grade 4-5; 200 students impacted
   Awarded: $218 – Tang math kits that will help with number bonds, counting, place value.

3. A Multisensory Approach
   Meadow’s Edge Elementary – Stacey Miller
   Grades 2; 24 students impacted
   Awarded: $277.56 – Materials that provide multisensory approach using doodle boards, playform shapes, and sandpaper letters.

4. Safety Poster
   All Elementary Schools – Mike Seger​
   Grades K-5; 4,936 students impacted
   Awarded: $250 – Poster contest to educate kids about strangers and how lockdowns relate to stranger danger.

5. Reading and Writing Hands-On Learning Games for Deeper Understanding
   Elsie Rogers Elementary – Carlye Ponsler​
   Grade 4-5; 100 students impacted
   Awarded: $248.50 – Project benefit students will 44 various reading, vocabulary, and writing games.

6. Every Voice Matters
   Schmucker Middle – Maggie Hartford
   Grades 608; 150 students impacted
   Awarded: $191.50 – Qball will help students who are reluctant to speak up and out in a classroom setting.

7. Exercise Body and Mind
   Elm Road Elementary – Stephanie Newcomer
   Grades K-5; 500 students impacted
   Awarded: $84.95 – Pound sticks would be used for “brain breaks” and refocusing students’ minds.

8. Kindness Squad
   Elm Road Elementary – Christy Cook
   Grade K-5; 500 students impacted
   Awarded: $222.66 – Stickers, kindness squad belts, and letter packs to help promote kindness throughout the school.

9. Handwriting Interactive Teaching Tool
   Horizon, Northpoint, Prairie Vista, Mary Frank Elem– Tess Weaver
   Grades PreK-2; 40 students impacted
   Awarded $225 – Writing tool for students who receive occupational therapy.

10. Raspberry Pi Server and Cyber Security Labs
    Penn High – Steve Sinish
    Grades 10-12; 50 students impacted
    Awarded $200 – Servers support ongoing learning about servers for those in the computer tech support program.

11. Social Emotional Learning Center
    Penn High – Megan Bidigare
    Grades 9-12; 3,600 students impacted
    Awarded $250 – Funds to support a SEL safe space inside Penn High School for students who may have high emotions.

Full Funding/Traditional Form Grants approved for $250 or more:

1. They All Fall Down
   Horizon Elementary – Ann Lira
   Grades Pre-5th  —  680 students
   Requested $470 — Received $470​
   Domino workshop kit to instruct and reward classes for positive behavior. Students will design and build their domino creation and work closely in teams of two. The goal is for each individual creation to completely topple and transfer energy to the next group’s creation until all 15 creations completely topple.  

2.  Careers and Work Experience Project
   Penn High – Kristal Wheeler
   Grades 9-12 — 3,000 students
   Requested $1,000 — Received $1,000
   Program centers around Penn High School students with disabilities that will be given the opportunity to form a business. The program will center around two main experiences: a pet treat production and sale and a coffee cart. Both experiences will allow students to understand production, pricing, and sales. 

3. WGMS Media Class Equipment
   Grissom Middle – Kristian Verash​
   Grades 6-8 — 700 students
   Requested $918.12 — Received $918.12
   Equipment will improve the video and audio technology through WGMS and YouTube Grissom Middle School. Students can utilize their phones to video school activities for better communication. 

4. High Quality Evidence for Like Long Critical Thinking
   Penn High  – Jeremy Starkweather, Kaitlin Dickmen, Kayla Pfernere​
   Grades 9-12 — 100 students
   Requested $978.84 — Received $978.84
   Literature for debate topics that are current, peer reviewed, and written by experts in the field to be used by high school’s debate class and team. 

5. Visualizing the Dream for Lifelong Learners
   Penn High – John Gensic and Angela Yarrell​
   Grades 9-12 — 200 students
   Requested $775 — Received $775
   Funds will help offset costs for students who will be visiting, touring, and learning about historically black colleges and universities. 

6. Phones, SEL, and Biological Impact at the Brain
   Penn High – John Gensic, Jeanie Mitchell, Danielle Black
   Grades 12 — 5,013 students
   Requested $911 — Received $911
   The science of addiction, from opioids to cell phones is rooted in the biology of the brain. This grant would allow Early College seniors to delve more deeply into understanding the root cause of addiction and take meaningful action. Funds will be used to purchase the book The Deepest Well, which covers the biological impacts of toxic stress. The book will be paired with lessons on how technology has been designed to be addictive (such as apps on a phone).

7. Choosing Joy – Schoolwide Positive Messaging
   Discovery Middle – Aubrey Rollins
   Grades 6-8 — 900 students
   Requested $1,000 — Received $1,000
   Student groups will volunteer to help beautify public spaces throughout Discovery, including hallways and restrooms, that will have positive messages to inspire students to have a positive attitude and motivate them to do their best every day. ​

8. Ecology: Ecosystem (three classrooms/three different grants)
   Discovery Middle — Jackie Dan, Mikaylah Ganza, Gabriella Kintner
   Grades 6 – 280 students
   Requested $840 – Received $840
   Potawatomi Zoo representative will come to the school and discuss different topics related to ecology. The goal would be to use the presentation at the end of the unit as an application and analysis of the content the students’ have learned.

Partial Funding

1. SEL Classroom Environment
   Elsie Rogers Elementary – Krystle Mauro
   Grade 3 —  50 students
   Requested $489.84 — Received $117
   Emotional prompt cards and materials that will be used in the social emotional learning classroom environment. 

2. Personal and Academic Student Development Through Reading
   Grissom Middle – Joshua Kelver​
   Grades K-5  —  25 students
   Requested $999.10 — Received $900
   Classroom library that will incorporate inclusive topics such as disabilities and LGBTQ+. In addition, library will include books written by minorities and topics that cover minority experiences in America.

Some big news came out of Dr. Thacker’s annual Superintendent’s Luncheon held on Tuesday, Oct. 15 …

In a surprise announcement made by P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Mari Linn Wise, Penn 2011 alumna and World Championship Wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt (and the rest of the 300+ luncheon attendees) learned that Chris and Nancy Hildebrandt had donated $15,000 to PHMEF to name the wrestling room at Penn High School “The Hildebrandt Family Wrestling Room!” The gift was made through PHMEF’s Naming Rights Campaign. 

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. Per PHMEF’s naming rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation will go into the Foundation’s endowment, which will in turn provide alternative and additional funding for various co-curricular and extracurricular programs. The remaining 20 percent will directly fund professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. 

Sarah was the featured speaker at the annual luncheon. She was joined by her family Mom and Dad Chris and Nancy Hildebrandt, brothers Drew and Cory, sister Amy, and her grandmother. Sarah was just as surprised as everyone else to learn of the donation. Click to see all the highlights of the 2019 Superintendent’s Luncheon.

Sarah has made an indelible mark on Penn’s Wrestling history. She was Indiana’s first female wrestler to qualify for IHSAA Wrestling Semi-state her junior year under Penn Wrestling Coach Brad Harper. She accomplished this weighing just 103 pounds! Sarah also helped Penn win an IHSAA Team Regional Championship with a pin vs. Jimtown's Cody Koebel (4:54). Penn defeated Jimtown 37-25 for the Team Championship.

Sarah got her start in wrestling when she was in middle school. At Discovery she wrestled under Coaches Raoul Donati and Scott Vandergriff winning the Big 11 Conference!

Sarah got a very enthusiastic “Welcome Home” from the Luncheon crowd, thanks to Coach Harper who was thrilled to introduce her to the crowd. And Sarah did not disappoint with her heartfelt “Thank You” to all her teachers and coaches throughout her years as a P-H-M student. Sarah’s Discovery Middle School teachers and coaches were also present.

Her list of accomplishments since leaving Penn are long … This past August she earned another gold medal at the Pan Am Games, making that her 4th gold medal at Pan Am Games. She also won gold in 2013, 2015 and 2018 for USA Wrestling. Hildebrandt was the 2018 USA Wrestling Women’s Wrestler of the Year and also earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award at the Pan Am Games in 2018. She was last year’s U.S. Open champion and was a world silver medalist.

She was more than happy, elated and exuberant actually, to share her story with Penn’s current Female Wrestling team who attended the Luncheon as as Sarah and Coach Harper’s special guests. The students had a chance to practice with her on Monday evening. And after the Luncheon, they got to enjoy some “one-on-one” time with Sarah where she answered their questions about juggling wrestling, academics in high school and college, as well as how hard it is to compete in a male dominated sport. Sarah did a great job of not only giving great advice, but inspiring the next generation of female wrestlers! Click here to see the full photo gallery.

She truly is a Kingsmen Making a Difference!

Today Mrs. Jeanie Mitchell was notified by the Indiana Department of Education that she was now among the state’s TOP 10 FINALISTS for Teacher of the Year!

Mrs. Mitchell was named P-H-M’s Secondary Teacher of the Year back in April. Click here to read the story and see the video when she was named. 

Mrs. Mitchell is a French Teacher and the Academy Leader for Freshman Academy. She learned on August 5 that she had made the Top 30 lists of finalists, along with Mrs. Christine Austin (4^th grade teacher at Walt Disney Elementary School) who was named P-H-M’s Elementary Teacher of the Year also back in April. Austin and Mitchell were among 30 teachers chosen as the top finalists from a field of 61 applicants. P-H-M was only one of two school districts, and the only one in the Michiana area, that has two teachers who made the Top 30!

Mrs. Mitchell will now move on to the “Top 10 Interview Day” on September 12 in Indianapolis, with the announcement of the Indiana Teacher of the Year winner coming in late September, early October. A banquet to honor all candidates will be held November 15. 

We are proud of both Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Mitchell and we wish “Madame Mitchell” best of luck on her upcoming interview!

P-H-M’s Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year learned today that they have been selected among the Indiana Department of Education’s Top 30 Finalists for the Indiana Teacher of the Year.

Christine Austin is a fourth grade teacher at Walt Disney Elementary School. Mrs. Austin learned in a surprise announcement in the Spring that she had been chosen as P-H-M’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. Click here to see the video of the surprise announcement and to learn more about Mrs. Austin.

Jeanie Mitchell teaches French at Penn High School and is the Freshman Academy Leader. Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker also surprised Madame Mitchell with the good news that she had been named Secondary Teacher of the Year by popping in on her class back in April. Click to watch the video.

Austin and Mitchellwere among 30 teachers chosen as the top finalists from a field of 61 applicants. P-H-M is only one of two school districts, and the only one in the Michiana area, that has two teachers who made the Top 30!

The IDOE TOY Selection Committee will determine the “Top 10” within the next few weeks, with those finalists being invited to the “Top 10 Interview Day” on September 12.

P-H-M’s 28th Annual Employee Recognition Dinner was held on Wednesday, May 15 honoring the District’s Teachers of the Year, Employee of the Year, and retirees. Service Awards were also given to employees who have dedicated 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years of service to Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. Click here to see a full list of this year’s Service Award honorees. Several employees received standing ovations as part of their recognitions. Along with members of P-H-M’s Administrative Cabinet, Board of School Trustees President Chris Riley, Vice President Larry Beehler, and Board Member Jim Garrett were also on hand to applaud and congratulate employees for their honors. The dinner was generously sponsored by Teachers Credit Union.

P-H-M’s Teachers of the Year Christine Austin Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year Jeanie Mitchell, as well as Employee of the Year Diane Dyer all spoke at last night’s dinner; they also received a commemorative plaque for their award. As part of the recognitions for Austin and Mitchell, each teacher received a $500 grant from the P-H-M Education Foundation to use in their classrooms; Dyer received a gift certificate from the District. Click here to view the photo gallery below for pictures of the recognitions.

Walt Disney’s Christine Austin is in her sixth year of teaching. She started with P-H-M full-time in 2014 as a teacher at Prairie Vista Elementary School. She moved to Walt Disney in 2015 and is currently teaching fourth grade there. Christine is a Spell Bowl Coach, a sponsor for after school learning clubs, teaches Saturday Enrichment for the District, and volunteers for Young Authors’ Conference. She’s also an important integral part to Disney’s Teacher Leadership Team (TLT), supporting all grade levels as well as her own fourth grade team. Christine has led staff PDs for Guided Math, Guided Reading for Exceptional Education, and presented at Technovation. Christine and her husband Lamar lived in Bulgaria for several years doing humanitarian work. These are just some of the reasons why her colleagues nominated her for P-H-M’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.

Click to watch the video below and learn more about Christine …

Penn’s Jeanie Mitchell came to P-H-M and to Penn High School to teach French in the World Languages Academy in 2008. Last September, she also became Freshman Academy Leader.  Mme. Mitchell provides classroom project based learning projects, as well as field trips to the French Market in Chicago and even to France! As the Freshman Academy Leader, Jeanie helps make the transition from middle school to high school more manageable and less daunting for incoming freshmen. Jeanie has also worked on a Tier 3 RtI program to identify Penn’s most at-risk freshmen students pairing them up with an administrator, counselor or dean. Jeanie also frequently leads staff professional development on a variety of topics such as technology, literacy strategies, effective parent communication, and how to use social media to develop teachers’ personal learning networks.

Click to watch video below and learn more about Jeanie …

Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator Diane Dyer was chosen as P-H-M’s Classified Employee of the Year and was also recognized as part of the program. Diane Dyer has worked for P-H-M for five years; she started at Prairie Vista Elementary School as a Kids Club Assistant in August 2014. In 2015, she was promoted to Site Coordinator at Horizon Elementary. And in February 2019, she was promoted as the Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator, based at Elsie Rogers Elementary School, helping to train the other Site Coordinators. As Program Coordinator, Diane is now working with the rest of the Kids Club staff to put into place the best practices at all other nine P-H-M Kids Club locations. During her time as a Site Coordinator for Horizon, Diane implemented “After Homework Clubs.” Horizon’s Kids Club also had the largest Kids Club enrollment.

Click to watch the video below and discover how well loved Diane is by her students and colleagues …

This year 40 longtime employees retired from P-H-M.

The names listed below noted with an asterisks (*) submitted a reflection. You can click here to read those reflections in the Dinner program.

Those retirees noted in bold were present at the dinner and their picture is in the photo gallery posted below. Click here to view that photo gallery.

• Dennis Addison, Teacher *
• Mark Baldwin, Teacher*
• Debra Barrier, Transportation
• William Bauer, Food Service
• Diane Bowersox, Teacher*
• Donna Christensen, ESP* 
• Lorri Csakany, ESP
• Tom Csenar, Teacher*
• Cynthia Davenport, ESP*
• Mary Davison, Teacher
• Karen Edison, Educational Assistant
• Janet Germann, Transportation
• Cindy Grover, Exceptional Education*
• Kimberly Grunawalt, Teacher
• Jan Hank, Teacher
• Sheryll Harper, Administrator*
• Thomas Hartman, Administrator*
• Pam Hollenberg, Teacher*
• Jane Hostetler, Teacher*
• Joel Howard, Custodian
• Lynn Johnson, Custodian*
• Leslie Kistler​, Teacher*
• Charlotte Koelndorfer, Kids Club
• Barbara Langle, Food Service
• Susan Lynn, Educational Assistant*
• Ann Metzner, Educational Assistant
• Richard Moroni, Custodian*
• Deb Nehls, Teacher
• Valerie Ong, Teacher
• John Rice, Teacher*
• Richard Roberts, Custodian
• Eileen Sherk, Educational Assistant
• Kathleen Strycker-Healey, Educational Assistant
• Vicki Topolski, Teacher*
• Laura Vanderheyden, Teacher
• Denise VanHulle, Educational Assistant
• Debra Wassenhove, ESP*
• Mark Watts, Teacher*
• Nietta Wright, Teacher
• Conley Yoakum, Transportation

Click here to download a pdf copy of the Employee Recognition Dinner program to read the submitted retirement reflections. Only those noted above with an asterisks (*) submitted a reflection.

*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. 

There was a break in the rain on Wednesday (May 1) for the 11^th annual “Running is Elementary.” The course was mostly dry, but the 4^th and 5^th grade runners did get a little muddy!

Click to watch the YouTube video below & then click here to see the full photo gallery on our Facebook page.

The one mile run is held at Penn’s Cross-country course, which is located behind Elm Road Elementary School. Approximately 610 students participated in Wednesday’s race. Many more students participated in the 6-week training leading up to the race, but could not participate in the rain day event held on May 1; originally the race was scheduled for Monday, April 29, but had to be rescheduled due to rain.

This annual event encourages fitness, healthy choices and wellness. Fourth and fifth graders 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. The students are cheered on by 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. 

Cindy Batalis (P-H-M’s 2009 Teacher of the Year and physical education teacher at Mary Frank Elementary School) 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. 

The top times for the 2019 Running Is Elementary Race were as follows:

5^th grade Girls Winner

BIB# 485
Northpoint
Time: 6:42

5th grade Boys Winner

BIB# 431
Moran
Time: 6:11 

4^th grade Girls Winner

BIB# 522
Northpoint
Time: 7:21
 

4^th grade Boys Winner

BIB# 163
Elsie Rogers
Time: 6:15

“Running Buddies” accompany those students who may need a little extra assistance and/or encouragement. All runners are to be congratulated for their efforts and hard work!

A big thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation and Corporations for Education for sponsoring the event! After Race Snack Donations were donated by Urban Swirl.

In a surprise announcement Tuesday (April 23) morning at Penn High School, Penn-Harris-Madison Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker honored the District’s 2019 Secondary Teacher of the Year Penn Freshman Academy Leader & World Languages French Teacher Jeanie Mitchell. Click to see the photo gallery below of the surprise announcement.

Watch the video below to see her reaction when she walks into the room to find Dr. Thacker and the cameras waiting …

Madame Jeanie Mitchell came to P-H-M and to Penn High School to teach French in the World Languages Academy in 2008. Last September, she also became Freshman Academy Leader.

Through her French classes Mme. Mitchell brings the world to her students providing classroom project based learning projects, as well as field trips to the French Market in Chicago and even to France! Mme. Mitchell sees her role as a French teacher is to “encourage students to gain a better understanding of themselves and their own world by studying and relating to the practices and beliefs of others.”

As the Freshman Academy Leader, Jeanie helps make the transition from middle school to high school manageable and less daunting for incoming freshmen. She worked with other Academy teachers to begin recognizing two freshman “Students of the Month” (two from each of the four freshman houses); so far more than 60 students have been highlighted this year.

Jeanie has also worked on a Tier 3 RtI program to identify Penn’s most at-risk freshmen students pairing them up with an administrator, counselor or dean. These students not only get the wraparound support they need, but more importantly they also come to realize that they have trusted adults who care about them and who they can go to for help. Speaking of help … Jeanie is also involved in Penn’s Natural Helper’s program, which helps students to not only care for themselves, but to also show compassion and reach out and help others.

Jeanie is a leader among her peers at Penn, frequently leading staff professional development on a variety of topics such as technology, literacy strategies, effective parent communication, and how to use social media to develop teachers’ personal learning networks.

Jeanie and her husband have two children who attend Horizon Elementary School.

Before the Kingsmen hosted cross-town rivals the Mishawaka Cavemen for a very rainy Backyard Brawl, Penn High School hosted the Penn-Harris-Madison community for the opening of the new Kingsmen Athletic Center and Plaza (Friday, Oct. 12).

For an hour-and-a-half before kickoff, members of the public had the opportunity to get in from the cold and rain and tour the new building which holds locker room space for Penn High School student-athletes and visiting teams. The new 13,264 square foot facility includes three new locker rooms to be rotated during the Fall and Spring sports seasons: Football (varsity, JV and Freshmen), Track & Field (boys & girls) and Girls Lacrosse. There are a total of 255 oversized lockers large enough to house equipment. There are also private shower and rest room stalls. Click for a brochure with more details about the new facility. All three locker room areas have adjacent coaching staff office space for supervision. The two home larger locker rooms include integrated team meeting and film areas with video projection. With the addition of a training room at TCU Freed Field, Penn athletic trainers will have on-site access to equipment and medical treatment supplies during sporting activities. The new building also provides private facilities for sports officials. Click to see the full photo gallery on Penn’s website.

The home and visiting locker rooms were not in use for the Oct. 12 home game, but will be on Oct. 26 when Penn hosts Warsaw in the Class 6-A Sectional 2 opener.

On Thursday, Oct. 11, Kingsmen senior football players Caden Paquette, Bryce Stone, Rockne Hurley, Drew Schneider, and Brock Boynton got a sneak peek at the new facilities as part of a media tour with P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Chief Operating Officer Aaron Lenski and Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart. Click to see the full photo gallery on Penn’s website.

On Friday afternoon, Penn Freshmen football players and coaches were also given a tour of the new facility. Check out their reaction in the video below.

P-H-M and Penn administrators along with P-H-M School Board of Trustees Members were on hand to welcome the public. Taking part in the evening’s events were Board of School Trustees Members Jim Garrett, Secretary Angie Gates, Jaye Galloway, Vice President Larry Beehler, Jamie Woods, Mr. Lenski, Dr. Thacker, President Chris Riley, Coach Hart, and Penn Principal Sean Galiher (Board member Gary Fox was unable to attend).

The Kingsmen Athletic Center & Plaza also enhances the visitor experience adding features on the south end of TCU Freed Field where none previously existed. Public restrooms (30 stalls for women, 20 for men) and three family restrooms were opened for Friday’s game. Patrons were also able to enjoy the new south end zone concession stand and family plaza picnic area. 

The new concession stand has been named the Zolman’s Tire Concessions. P-H-M community business partner Zolman’s Tire has donated $25,000 (over 12 years) to the P-H-M Education Foundation for the naming rights. Zolman’s made the same commitment in 2016 to name the north end zone concession stand. The mission of the Education Foundation is to develop alternative sources of income to support education initiatives in P-H-M by strengthening partnerships between the community and the District. PHMEF supports education through awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives. Per PHMEF’s naming rights campaign, 80 percent of the donation goes into the Foundation’s endowment. The remaining 20 percent will directly fund professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. The Zolman’s Tire Concessions Stand will be dedicated in the coming weeks with Zolman’s owner Nate Zolman.

The Kingsmen Athletic Center and Plaza has been a year in the making. In November 2017, the P-H-M Board of School Trustees approved the construction of a new athletics facilities building to be built in the south end zone of Penn High School’s TCU Freed Field. The bid was awarded in February 2018 to Fanning Howey. Ground broke on March 1 with the project completing October 2018. The project was part of Penn-Harris-Madison’s overall $7.5 million 2018 Capital Improvement Projects districtwide for 15 school buildings. The cost of overall TCU Freed Field stadium improvements (such as safety and security upgrades, replacement of asphalt, fencing, drainage, etc.) was $3.7 million, with the cost of the Kingsmen Athletic Center being $2.9 million. The stadium project was financed using General Obligation Bonds. When using bonds to finance projects the goal is to borrow funds within our financial capacity which in turn keeps property taxes level.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation has a vision of excellence serving more than 11,100 students in 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and Penn High School. The School Corporation received an “A” rating from the Indiana Department of Education consecutively since 2011. For grade 10, P-H-M ranks in the Top 5% (out of 291 Indiana public school corporations that have a high school). In grades 3-8, P-H-M is in the Top 6% of public school districts (out of 294 Indiana public school corporations that have grades 3-8).