Judging by the work of P-H-M students at Saturday’s (Feb. 27, 2016) regional science fair, the future of science looks bright, and our STEM programs are attracting more female students! Twenty-two P-H-M students, representing eight of our schools participated, earning 33 awards overall.  Six of those entrants were male students; 16 were female students.

The Northern Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NIRSEF) is hosted annually at the University of Notre Dame. Students must first exhibit their work at a school fair, and then their project is entered into the regional competition by a teacher.  Every entry must meet strict requirements based on INTEL’s nationally-recognized rubric for judged science/engineering events.

Science fair projects are an amalgamation of reading, writing, mathematics, statistics, logic, critical thinking, computer science, graphic arts, scientific methodology, and even public speaking—all accomplished by self-directed students in pursuit of the discovery of new knowledge.  It’s an exciting process!

Students vie for recognition on three levels at NIRSEF.  Regional standings of 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd place and Honorable Mention are awarded within each category of competition. Additionally, “independent awards” are granted by independent agencies with specific interests, such as the U.S. Army and NASA. The third award arena is known as “special awards,” these being the ones that advance to state and national competition. Thus, a student may earn more than one award for a single research/presentation project, as happened for 9 of the P-H-M participants.

Entries by three of the P-H-M participants have been selected to advance to the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair to be held April 2 at IUPUI in Indianapolis. Those three students are highlighted in the list of regional winners below. 

Congratulations to these Penn-Harris-Madison students for their awards—and their contributions to science!

​HORIZON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Alex Leung, Grade 4: Parachutes
• Caroline Johnson, Grade 4: The Blue Bird Trail
• Brianna Taylor, Grade 4: Plastic Made From Milk

MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Caroline Bontrager, Grade 4: Can Dog Drool Kill Germs?
• Kaylee Weaver, Grade 5: Does the Temperature of the Water Affect the Width of the Tornado?

MARY FRANK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Nadalyn Gerwels, Grade 5: Which Type of Sunscreen Protects Your Skin Best?

NORTHPOINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Anika Amin, Grade 4: Are Icicles Clean? (2 awards)
• Arda Kurama, Grade 5: Are There Patterns in Bridge Deflections?
• Cole Klinedinst, Grade 5: Effects of Temperature on Strength of a Magnet (2 awards) Will compete at the state level!

PRAIRIE VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

• Name withheld, Grade 4: Brown vs. Green, Carbon:Nitrogen Balance in Composting (2 awards) Will compete at the state level!
• Larissa Evans, Grade 5: Left or Right? (2 awards)
• Sydney Szklarek, Grade 5: Can Magnetic Fields Magnify the Medical Effect? (3 awards)
• Reagan Ludwig, Grade 5: Can A Healthier Cookie Be As Tasty?
• Faisal Syed, Grade 5: The Effect of Antioxidants on Drosophila Melanogaster Longevity (2 awards) Will compete at the state level!

DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Wilson Shrout, Grade 7: Magic or Math?

SCHMUCKER MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Phillip Matous, Grade 6: Shape Up Your Sound Waves
• Lorelei Fluckiger, Grade 7: Breathe! (2 awards)
• Arianna Hardy, Grade 8: The Science of the Bloodstream: Blood Vessels and Artery Constriction
• Anjelica Zitto, Grade 8: The Science of the Bloodstream: Blood Vessels and Artery Constriction
• Grace Julian, Grade 8: Orange You Glad You Can Sleep at Night? (2 awards)
• Kayla Leady, Grade 8: Orange You Glad You Can Sleep at Night? (2 awards)

PENN HIGH SCHOOL

• Daraius Balsara, Grade 10: What the Beetle Gut Can Tell Us About Becoming Freeze Tolerant 

Responding to adversity can define a championship team.

Penn High School’s girls basketball team faced adversity throughout the season, but their ability to counter it with character helped the Lady Kingsmen author one of the more remarkable chapters in Hoosier Hysteria.

Coach Kristi Kaniewski Ulrich’s Kingsmen outscored Columbus North 38-20 and stunned the No. 1-ranked and defending state champion Bull Dogs, 68-48, to capture the Class 4-A state championship Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Penn (28-2) captured the school’s first state crown in girls basketball. Columbus North (27-2) defeated the Kingsmen 67-52 in the regular season, but Penn played that game without point guard Kaitlyn Marenyi (stress fracture).

In the rematch with the state title on the line, Marenyi scored 21 points, and Camryn Buhr scored 24, as the Kingsmen ruled the court. Lindsy Kline scored 11 points, Claire Carlton scored seven and Kamra Solomon scored five points for the Kingsmen.

Buhr and Carlton hustled for seven rebounds each, and also led Penn with three assists each. Marenyi, Buhr and Solomon led Penn’s relentless defensive effort with three steals each.

Penn torched the nets early, hitting seven of its first 11 shots on the way to a 20-9 lead after the first quarter.

Columbus North stormed back, outscoring Penn 19-10 in the second quarter and closing what at one time was a 13-point Penn lead to two points (30-28) by halftime.

Columbus North took a 31-30 lead at the 7:11 mark of the third quarter.

That’s when the Kingsmen responded in full force.

Penn went on a 24-7 run the rest of the third quarter and stormed to a 17 points lead, 54-37, entering the fourth quarter. From that point, the Kingsmen maintained the upperhand to build their 20-point margin of victory.

Buhr and Marenyi led a sizzling effort by Penn. Buhr hit 8-of-12 shots, and Marenyi hit 7-of-10 shots, as the Kingsmen connected on 23-of-44 shots for 52 percent.

The Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation will hold two upcoming Special Meetings to interview the four candidates interested in filling the Board of School Trustees vacancy created by the resignation of Harris Township Trustee, Mr. Larry Romero on February 8, 2016.

The two meetings will be held on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016 and Wednesday, March 2 at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the Educational Services Center, 55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka. The meetings are open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. 

Board President Gary Fox has called the Special Board Meetings and will lead the interviewing of the four candidates.

The four Harris Township candidates are:

1. Mrs. Angie Gates, Granger

2. Mr. Terry Miller, Granger

3. Mrs. Carole J. Pascarella, Granger

4. Mrs. Clare Roach, Granger

The P-H-M Board will hold a third Special Meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 8:00 a.m., in the Boardroom at the ESC, to appoint the newest Board member. This meeting is also open to the public. Whoever is selected will serve the remainder of Mr. Romero’s term, which runs through December 31, 2018.

Interested in joining one of Indiana’s best school districts?

P-H-M Administrators want to meet you!

For the upcoming 2016-2017 school year, we anticipate openings in all content areas for Elementary, Secondary & Special Education.

Every applicant in attendance will have the opportunity to interview with school and District leadership!

WHEN:  
Friday, Feb. 26, 2016

2:00 – 6:00 p.m. (EST)

WHERE:  
Schmucker Middle School (come to Door B)

56045 Bittersweet Rd.

Mishawaka, IN  46545

      
Can’t attend? Click here to apply online via Applitrack.

For questions, please contact Jayson Snyder at Jsnyder@phm.k12.in.us.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SINCE PUBLICATION OF THIS ARTICLE, THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR NON-RESIDENT ENROLLMENT HAS PASSED. AS OF MARCH 4, 2016, APPLICATIONS FROM NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED.

P-H-M is pleased to be able to offer out-of-district enrollment on a limited basis! 

The Indiana state law that supports out-of-district enrollment requires that a district list the grade levels where openings exist and establish dates when applications will be accepted for those openings. In advance of the 2016-2017 school year, P-H-M announces openings at the following grade levels:

• Kindergarten
• Grade 1
• Grade 2

The window to apply for non-resident enrollment shall be from Tuesday, February 16 through Friday, March 4.  The district will accept applications from parents on behalf of students going into the three grade levels listed above during this 3-week period.

Please visit the Non-Resident Student Enrollment page on our website for more complete information. 

One of just 200 Indiana schools to receive the designation School of Promising Practice, Discovery Middle School is being recognized for its “effective implementation of the promising practice of Student Centered Instruction.”

Principal Sheryll Harper explains, “At Discovery we pride ourselves on being a very student-centered school. Students ALWAYS come first! Teacher-leaders consistently identify and develop best practices in all classrooms. Classrooms are engaging places where we make learning visible. Collaboration among students and among staff is a common practice at Discovery.”

She continues, “We believe that one of the best ways for us to represent this engaging learning environment is through our practice of student-led conferencing. When students analyze their learning goals, they begin to monitor and celebrate their own growth. This exemplifies the power of student voice at our school.

“The proof of our success lies within our students' high standardized test scores AND in their performances here every day!”

IDOE’s letter of commendation announcing the award states, “Identified programs, like Discovery’s, are student-centered and focused on positively impacting students through innovative programming and activities that provide a high quality learning environment and experience. By highlighting these practices an opportunity for educators to network with one another will be created – allowing educators to learn about best practices that are taking place throughout our great state.”

State Superintendent Glenda Ritz’s message, imprinted on the school’s award certificate, is clear and emphatic: “Thank you for making it happen!”

More information can be found at the Department’s website: www.doe.in.gov/outreach/promising-practices. 

Note that the Feb. 16, 4:30 p.m., deadline to apply for this vacancy has passed and the application materials are no longer available online. 

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is accepting applications to fill the Board Member vacancy resulting from the change in residency of Harris Township representative Mr. Larry Romero. The individual selected will serve on the P-H-M School Board from the date of appointment to the end of Mr. Romero’s unexpired term, which ends in December, 2018. If the appointed member desires to remain on the P-H-M Board, they must run for election for a full four-year term during the general election in November 2018.
 

P-H-M’s mission is to provide an educational environment for students to reach their highest academic achievement. We will prepare them to be responsible, healthy, contributing citizens who have acquired the skills to be lifelong learners ready to adapt to a changing world.
 

As the corporate entity charged by law with governing the school district, the P-H-M Board of School Trustees sits in trust for the entire community. The goal of the P-H-M Board’s governance model is to focus the entire school district – from school board members to administrators, teachers, parents, students, and support staff – on the mission of improving student learning. By adopting a Board Governance Compact that clearly supports learning and demands accountability, the board is able to stay the course and set an example that is communicated throughout the district and results in record gains in student achievement. The Governance Compact demonstrates that a climate of accountability starts at the top.
 

To be eligible for appointment to the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees, applicants must be at least 21 years of age, a registered voter, and a resident of Harris Township for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the date of appointment. 
 

Applicants should show familiarity with the Board’s policies regarding general duties and responsibilities of a Board and a Board member, including, but not limited to: systematically measuring the district’s student achievement, monitoring superintendent performance, setting district policy, adopting an annual operating budget, conflict of interest, and ethics. The Board’s policies are available on this website under the “About Us” tab – “School Board” – “Board Policies” or by clicking here.
 

To apply for the vacant Harris Township position, please submit a letter of interest, along with the completed application and return to the attention of:

Mr. Gary Fox, President
P-H-M Board of School Trustees
55900 Bittersweet Road
Mishawaka, IN 46545
 

Application materials must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. Candidates will be notified if selected for interview by the School Board. 

PLEASE NOTE:

• The P-H-M School Corporation will be closed on Monday, February 15, 2016 in observance of President’s Day).
• On February 12, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Penn-Harris-Madison will be performing computer network maintenance to upgrade our current internet services. During that time, access to P-H-M online services, including P-H-M hosted websites will be unavailable. This will impact access to the Board Application packet. We expect www.phmschools.org to be accessible after 7:00 p.m. This network maintenance is necessary in order for P-H-M to continue to offer excellent technology online service. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION (this link is now disabled)

The application is an Adobe Acrobat file. It is a writable pdf that will allow you to type out your responses. You will then need to save your document and print off a copy to either mail or drop off at the District’s Central Office by the Tuesday, February 16^th deadline. Applications will not be accepted by email. You can also print the application and fill it out neatly by hand.

Timeline to fill the Vacancy:

• Tuesday, February 9, 2016 – Board Candidate Application Available Online and at the District’s Central Office
   
• Tuesday, February 16, 2016 no later than 4:30 p.m. – Applications due at the District’s Central Office
  *PLEASE NOTE: The P-H-M School Corporation will be closed on Monday, February 15, 2016 in observance of President’s Day.

   

• Monday, February 29, 2016 @ 6:00 p.m. – Candidate Interviews to be Scheduled
  Wednesday, March 2, 2016 @ 6:00 p.m. – Candidate Interviews to be Scheduled
  *PLEASE NOTE: Interview dates/times are contingent on the number of applications received.
   

• Monday, February 29, 2016 or Wednesday, March 2, 2016 following last interview – Appointment of New Board Member
  PLEASE NOTE: Date of appointment of new Board Member is contingent on the number of applications received and candidates interviewed.
   

• Monday, March 14, 2016, 7:00 p.m. – Swearing in of new Board Member

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN 2nd District) made a surprise visit today to call Penn High School Principal Steve Hope out of the principal’s office!

Representative Walorski made the special drop-in visit to present Principal Hope with a Congressional Record recognition. The award is actually a framed letter from the Congresswoman that states that she submitted a statement about Mr. Hope to the official Congressional Record of the United States Congress honoring him for being named Indiana Principal of the Year. The Congressional Record is published daily when Congress is in session and is the official register of the proceedings of both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. Hope was named Principal of the Year in November 2015 by the Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP). Principal Hope is known to his students as an attentive and compassionate leader, and  a mentor to Penn’s 194 teachers and staff. During his time as principal, Penn’s graduation rate accelerated from 79% in 2008 to 97%. Indiana’s Department of Education named Penn an A-rated school, a 4-Star Award winner and a 90-25-90 high school. U.S. News and World Report named Penn an Outstanding High School in 2009 and again in 2015. 

On hand for today’s surprise visit and recognition by Representative Walorski, was Penn-Harris-Madison School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker; members of the Board of School Trustees President Gary Fox and Randy Leliaert. Members of Penn’s administration, teaching staff, support staff and a handful of students were on hand for the presentation.

Penn-Harris-Madison will be performing computer network maintenance on February 12, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. to upgrade our current internet services. During that time, access to P-H-M online services, including P-H-M hosted websites, Canvas, APlus and Plato will be unavailable. This network maintenance is necessary in order for P-H-M to continue to offer excellent technology online service. We appreciate your patience.

The Indiana Department of Education released 2015 school accountability grades today and all 15 of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation’s schools earned an “A!” The final grades were approved unanimously by the State Board of Education during the January 26 Board meeting.

“This straight ‘A’ report card is a result of the hard work and dedication from principals and teachers to the staff, students and families at all of our schools,” said P-H-M School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “This latest achievement is a result of our District’s commitment to excellence.”

Last year, 13 P-H-M schools earned an “A.” With Madison Elementary and Elsie Rogers Elementary moving up from a “B” to an “A,” all 15 P-H-M schools (11 elementary, three middle and one high school) have now earned this top recognition from the IDOE. Out of 2,095 schools across the state that got a letter grade, only 123 schools saw their letter grades go up in this latest ranking.

A spreadsheet reflecting the final school grades as approved by the State Board of Education is available through this link, http://www.doe.in.gov/news/indiana-department-education-releases-2015-accountability-grades.

On January 6, 2016 the IDOE publicly released the 2015 ISTEP+ results. With an 81.4% pass rate for ELA (English/Language Arts) and a 78.0% pass rate for Math, P-H-M ranked 10th in the state among 293 public school districts. The District’s 2015 overall combined pass rate for both subject areas is 72.1%

Click here for more information on P-H-M’s 2015 ISTEP+ results.