Right before Penn’s Spring Band Concert on Thursday, May 1, 2025 was a perfect time to unveil the sign for the newly renamed EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems) – Tania Bengtsson Center for Performing Arts (Bengtsson CPA for short).

P-H-M parent and Penn Band parent Tania Bengtsson donated $50,000 to P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights Campaign to have Penn’s CPA renamed after her business EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems). The naming rights for the Bengtsson CPA are in effect for 12 years. Per the Naming Rights Campaign, 80% of Mrs. Bengtsson’s donation will go to PHMEF’s endowment, and 20% comes back to P-H-M to pay for teacher professional development.

The new sign and monitor appear right above the entrance to the CPA. On hand for the sign unveiling were Tania Bengtsson and her family, PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom McClain, PHMEF President Jill Lebbin, PHMEF President-Elect Ginée Ames, PHM Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and his wife Donna, PHM Asst. Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, PHM Director of Professional Development Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, Penn High School Principal Sean Galiher, and Penn Band Director Glenn Northern.

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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

• 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.

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.

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.

It was a clean sweep for Northpoint at P-H-M’s at this year’s Elementary Spell Bowl–with the 5th grade team earning a perfect score! Click here to see the photo gallery below.

The annual event, held March 25th at Penn High School, is a competition between 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade student teams from all 11 elementary schools compete. The number of points between the placing teams are within just points of each other!  

Below is this year’s “leaderboard” listing all first, second, and third place team scores:

3rd Grade Winners:

• 1st place- with 29 points, Northpoint, coached by Nichol Mondy
• 2nd place tie- with 28 points, Prairie Vista, coached by Renee Johanson
• 2nd place tie- with 28 points, Walt Disney, coached by Matt Serge
• 3rd place- with 27 points, Mary Frank, coached by Andrea Christensen

4th Grade Winners:

• 1st place- with 29 points, Northpoint, coached by Jen Payne
• 2nd place- with 25 points, Bittersweet, coached by Matt Bodnar
• 3rd place- with 23 points, Prairie Vista, coached by Rachel Kline

5th Grade Winners:

• 1st place- Perfect Score of 30 points, Northpoint, coached by Kendra Suddarth
• 2nd place- with 29 points, Prairie Vista, coached by Shelley Lebiedzinski
• 3rd place- with 28 points, Bittersweet, coached by Michelle Leniski

The teams spend weeks preparing for Spell Bowl with their teacher coaches. They may study word lists, learn about derivations (e.g., Latin roots) and rules (e.g., capitalization, pluralization), and how to spell correctly under pressure.

The format of the Spell Bowl is more like a written test. The emcee reads a word and uses the word in a sentence, the students listen and then write it on paper within a 15-second time limit. The students’ written entries are reviewed by a panel of judges and then their score is posted in front of the audience. Each correct word spelling is worth one point.

The annual event is held in Penn High School’s Center for Performing Arts to not only accommodate all the student teams, but also the students’ “fans,” which are their family, friends and other staff from their home schools!

Mrs. Franca Peluso Mulhern, P-H-M’s High Ability Coordinator, manages the Spell Bowl and works to assure that it is a positive and enriching experience for students. Academic competition can give students confidence, increase their motivation to sharpen their skills and abilities, and expand their opportunities to receive recognition.

Congratulations to all the student teams and coaches; they put in a lot of time and hard work!

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A new chapter in Penn High School’s rich sports history will begin in the Fall of 2025, as the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees voted to approve the formation of a Girls Flag Football Program. 

The P-H-M School Board vote on Monday, March 24, gives a green light to join the Girls Flag Football initiative in Indiana. The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) announced on Monday that 55 schools have committed to Girls Flag Football Teams for the 2025 season, an increase from 27 teams in 2024.

“We are thrilled to add girls flag football as a fall sport at Penn,” Athletic Director Jeff Hart said. “With the strong support of the IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts, the interest around the state has been strong and we look forward to building a program that competes at a high level.  We will begin the process soon of hiring a head coach and meeting with interested students. We can’t wait to get started!”

The IHSAA is one of 19 state associations currently piloting the Girls Flag Football in conjunction with the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts. The NFL and the Colts are providing grants to Penn High School totaling $6,500 to support the 2025 and 2026 seasons. In addition, they will provide 25 black jerseys with “Vegas gold” lettering.

Plans are for Penn to play a seven-game regular-season schedule followed by the state tournament. The Northern Indiana Conference is projecting six teams for the 2025 season – Penn, Elkhart, South Bend Adams, South Bend Riley, South Bend St. Joseph and South Bend Washington.

Girls Flag Football will be played in a 7-vs.-7 format, with games lasting 60 minutes.

Plans are for Penn to field a Varsity team in 2025, with a Junior Varsity team to be added later. Tryouts/practice for the Penn Flag Football Team are scheduled to start on Monday, August 4.

Previously, Penn offered a Girls Flag Football tournament once a year around Homecoming, called “Powder Puff.” Four teams, made up of student-athletes from each class year, playing each other. The annual tournament has been very popular, and will remain part of Penn’s Homecoming week traditions.

Girls Flag Football at Penn will provide a new competitive outlet that fosters teamwork, leadership, and increased participation in education-based athletics. As the sport gains traction nationwide, this program will offer female students access to emerging scholarship opportunities and potential career pathways in sports. Additionally, it will strengthen the Penn Athletic community, build school spirit, and further enhance Penn’s reputation as a leader in Indiana high school sports.