The Spring 2026 P-H-M Teacher Impact Awards have been delivered. Penn-Harris-Madison celebrated a group of outstanding educators whose students demonstrated exceptional academic growth and achievement across the district. The awards highlight the dedication, innovation, and impact they bring to their classrooms every day.

At Grissom Middle School, Interventionist Christy Zobrosky was recognized for her work supporting Tier 2 math intervention students across 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. In addition to supporting intervention students, Zobrosky also serves as an Instructional Leader, helping strengthen math instruction and student learning across all grade levels at Grissom. Click to see the full photo gallery.

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At Discovery Middle School, 7th Grade Language Arts teacher Erin Randolph earned recognition after her students achieved the highest overall growth in the district for Grade 7 ELA from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 3, posting an impressive 84-point growth. Click to see the full photo gallery.

At Schmucker Middle School, 8th Grade Math teacher Anna Turpin was recognized after her students achieved the highest overall growth in the district for Grade 8 Math from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2, also demonstrating an impressive 84-point growth. Click to see the full photo gallery.

Several elementary teachers were also honored for strong student growth and achievement. Moran Elementary 3rd Grade teacher Sarah Schiff was recognized after her students demonstrated exceptional growth in Math from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2, achieving a total growth of 50 points. Click to see the full photo gallery.

At Northpoint Elementary School, 5th Grade teacher Jen Payne earned recognition after her students achieved the highest overall growth in the district for Grade 5 Math from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 3. Her students posted an impressive 133-point growth, outperforming all other Grade 5 Math classes district-wide. Click to see the full photo gallery.

Elsie Rogers Elementary School 4th Grade teacher Allison Simpson was honored after her students demonstrated outstanding growth in ELA from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 2, achieving a 62-point growth. 

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P-H-M also recognized teachers supporting students beyond traditional classroom roles. Walt Disney Elementary and Elsie Rogers Elementary ENL teacher Mayra Chanon received a Teacher Impact Award for her work supporting multilingual learners at both schools. At Elsie Rogers, 100% of the Grade 2 students she worked with passed IREAD, while 68% of her students at Walt Disney either passed IREAD or are on track to pass next year. Click to see the full photo gallery.

At Penn High School, teachers Martin Ufkin and Megan Buckler were both recognized for student academic growth connected to PSAT/NMSQT and SAT performance. English 11 teacher Martin Ufkin was honored after 61% of his students demonstrated measurable academic growth from the PSAT/NMSQT in October to the SAT in March, the highest percentage among English 11 classes district-wide. Algebra II teacher Megan Buckler was recognized after 79% of students demonstrated measurable growth between the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT, the highest percentage among Algebra II classes across the district.

Click to see the Martin Ufkin photo gallery in Canto.

Click to see the Megan Buckler photo gallery in Canto.

Throughout the spring, Superintendent Dr. Heather Short joined principals at eight schools to surprise each award winner in front of their students and colleagues. 

In February and March, Dr. Short handed out 10 awards to deserving teachers. Click to read.

Click on the links to see previous Impact award winners: 2023, 2024, 2025.

P-H-M thanks the Penn-Harris-Madison Education Foundation for supporting the Teacher Impact Awards and helping recognize excellence in teaching and learning across the district.

What started as a typical first block this morning in Señora Kelley Watts’ Spanish IV class quickly turned into a surprise party when Spanish teacher Kelley Watts unexpectedly learned that she was being named Penn-Harris-Madison’s 2026 Secondary Teacher of the Year.

With some behind-the-scenes planning by Principal Rachel Fry and Associate Principal Jeanie Mitchell, Watts was called away from her classroom for what she thought was a photo opp with students in Penn’s Main Arena–on the other side of the building away from her classroom. While Watts was being kept busy, P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, other P-H-M administrators, and local TV station news crews snuck into Watts’ classroom to get everything in place for the big surprise. Click to see a photo gallery below. Click here to see the full gallery on Canto.

When Watts returned, she was met with applause, cameras, and the big news that she was P-H-M’s  Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Click below to watch the video of the surprise for Señora Watts.

Throughout her career, Watts has demonstrated a deep commitment to student learning, leadership, and building meaningful connections both inside and outside the classroom. She brings 30 years of teaching experience, including 22 years at Penn High School. In addition to her classroom role, Watts has led student initiatives, including serving as the Kingsmen Against Cancer sponsor for more than eight years. 

She serves as an instructional coach and is an active leader in the P-H-M Teachers Association, where she advocates for both students and staff. As a mentor to fellow educators, she is an example of continuous growth and collaboration. She also serves alongside her husband, Mark, as co-head coach of the Boys Volleyball team, now in its second season. Click here to read a recent article in the South Bend Tribune, featuring the Watts’, about the growth and rise in popularity of boys volleyball as a new IHSAA sanctioned sport.

Teaching and coaching colleague Eric Bowers nominated Watts for the honor. Bowers understands firsthand what it takes to excel in both the classroom and in athletics. Bowers, an AP History teacher and Penn’s Boys and Girls Tennis coach was named P-H-M’s 2023 Secondary Teacher of the Year.

“Kelley has a unique ability to connect with students not only in the classroom, but through opportunities like Spanish Club [which she led in previous years] and now through coaching as well,” Bowers said. “She reaches a wide range of students and creates meaningful relationships that extend beyond the school day.”

Known for her engaging and supportive teaching style, Watts creates learning environments where students feel confident to take risks and grow. One example is her Spanish II “Yelp Review” writing unit, where students progress from foundational language skills to composing six-paragraph essays entirely in Spanish.

“My favorite level of Spanish to teach is Level 2. When they enter my class, they have made the choice to continue learning Spanish, which already reflects a level of commitment,” Watts reflected. “Level 2 of any language is often the most challenging, and I enjoy pushing students to reach levels of learning and understanding that they initially believe are beyond their capabilities.”

Watts has created educational opportunities for her Penn Spanish students to engage in authentic conversations, build global connections, and apply their language skills in real-world settings. Through a month-long cultural exchange experience, she brought Ecuadorian students studying in the United States to Penn to spend several weeks alongside her students, immersing the international students in English instruction and American culture, while also giving her students the opportunity to learn directly from native Spanish speakers and experience authentic cultural exchange.

Principal Rachel Fry said Watts exemplifies the very best of Penn High School.

“Kelley Watts represents what it means to be an exceptional educator,” Fry said. “She builds strong relationships with students, challenges them to achieve at high levels, and creates meaningful learning experiences that extend far beyond the classroom. Her leadership and commitment to excellence make a lasting impact on our entire school community.”

Watts’ love for language has permeated down to benefit P-H-M’s elementary and middle school students as well. Watts was involved in the creation of P-H-M’s Summer Visual Arts Academy, a week-long summer enrichment program that integrates music, art, and culture. One of the first years the VAA included Spanish language instruction, for which Watts helped develop the curriculum. She’s also been involved with the district’s summer week-long Language Academy camps for elementary and middle school students, with a different language featured each year.

Superintendent Dr. Heather Short has seen the impact Watts has on students over the years.

“Kelley’s impact is felt across our entire district,” Dr. Short said. “She is deeply committed to helping students at every level develop a love of language and culture, and she creates meaningful learning experiences that inspire curiosity and connection in all of our learners.” 

Every Spring P-H-M honors a Secondary Teacher of the Year, Elementary Teacher of the Year and a Certified Employee of the Year. All three honorees are officially recognized at P-H-M’s annual Employee Recognition & Retiree Dinner, which will be held this year on Wednesday, May 20th. The two Teachers of the Year will then go on to compete for Indiana’s Teacher of the Year, which will be announced Fall 2026 by the Indiana Department of Education. The PHM Education Foundation awards each Teacher of the Year a $1,000 grant and gift card to the Employee of the Year.

Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees Secretary Dana Sullivan is being recognized at the state level for her commitment to leadership and continued learning.

Sullivan recently earned a Distinguished Level 3 award through the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA), a statewide organization that supports and trains school board members across Indiana. 

Through its School Board Member Awards Program, ISBA honors board members who go above and beyond in their dedication to professional development and effective school governance. Earning the Distinguished Level 3 award represents a significant investment of time and effort and a strong commitment to thoughtful leadership and continuous growth. 

In addition to individual recognition, the Penn-Harris-Madison School Board was also honored this year with the Commendable Board Recognition. This recognition is given to school boards whose members have actively participated in professional development through the ISBA program. 

Congratulations to Dana Sullivan on earning this recognition, and thanks to all School Board members for the time, leadership, and care they put into supporting student success.

Penn-Harris-Madison is pleased to be able to offer enrollment to non-resident students on a limited basis for the 2026-27 school year.

Families living in neighboring school districts interested in having their elementary children attend a P-H-M elementary school can apply for that opportunity.

The window to apply for available non-resident seats will open Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. and close on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. 

On March 2 at 8:30 a.m., P-H-M will post the schools, grades and number of seats available for the upcoming school year. Families must complete an online application between March 2 – 20.

The NRS application will be posted on www.phmschools.org/non-resident-student-enrollment/ on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.

There is no first-come, first-served advantage. 

At the Monday, November 10, 2025, Board of School Trustees meeting, the Penn-Harris-Madison Board formally approved the 2025–26 teachers’ agreement between the district and the P-H-M Teachers Association. Click here to review it.

“P-H-M is a premier, high-performing school district because of our educators and the academic excellence they provide,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “This agreement reflects our continued commitment to attract and retain the best teachers for our students and to invest in the people who make our schools thrive.”

Developed through a collaborative process between P-H-M Administration and the P-H-M Teachers Association, the agreement provides an overall base salary increase of approximately 3.45% for teachers. 

The starting salary for new teachers will now be $50,000 (up from $48,370), with the maximum salary increasing to $86,777 (up from $84,204). The salary adjustments are retroactive to July 1, 2025, and extend through June 30, 2026.

Additional highlights of the agreement include:

• A one-time $650 stipend for eligible teachers rated Effective or Highly Effective who served at least 120 school days during the 2024–25 school year.
• A 2% increase in stipends for teachers who coach or lead extracurricular activities, retroactive to the start of the school year.
• A $250 base salary increase for teachers who have earned their Early Literacy Endorsement.

The Board also approved a 3.45% pay increase for classified and administrative employee work groups. 

Employee contributions for the medical insurance premiums will increase a marginal 3%. PHM is moving from a 2-tier to a 4-tier medical plan through our current carrier Anthem. P-H-M will join Anthem’s HealthSync network, offering additional savings to members. The corporation will also provide matching funds for those who choose health insurance Plan “C” in the amount of $600 for Single and $1,200 for the other tiers.

P-H-M’s newest School Trustee Jen Smoker was sworn in Saturday, November 8, 2025 by Board Attorney Jon Rogers.

School Board President Chris Riley and Mrs. Smoker’s family were on hand.

Prior family commitments on November 10th prevent Mrs. Smoker from being sworn in Monday night during the regularly scheduled Board of School Trustees meeting. Mrs. Smoker’s first Board meeting will be Monday, December 8th.

The Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees voted unanimously this morning to appoint Mrs. Jennifer (Jen) Smoker to fill the Penn Township Seat #1 vacancy created by the resignation of Matthew Chaffee in early October. 

A long-time resident and active community volunteer, Mrs. Smoker is a dedicated P-H-M parent of four children attending district schools. Her service and advocacy for students and staff have been felt across the district and throughout the greater community.

Mrs. Smoker currently serves on the P-H-M Education Foundation (PHMEF) Board of Directors, where she has chaired the Grants Committee since 2019. In that role, she helps oversee the process of awarding teacher and school grants that enhance learning, spark innovation, and promote excellence in all 15 P-H-M schools. She also supports PHMEF’s fundraising events and community partnerships that benefit students across the district.

Beyond her PHMEF service, Mrs. Smoker is deeply involved in several community organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors for Granger Community Church, where she helps guide strategic planning and budget oversight; chairs the Grissom Middle School PTO Scholarship Committee, which awards scholarships to Penn High School seniors; and previously served as Board Secretary for Jr. Irish Soccer Club and Development Chair for Girls on the Run Michiana. Through these roles, she has combined her love of youth development, leadership, and service—supporting programs that build character, confidence, and connection.

Professionally, Mrs. Smoker brings two decades of business leadership and creative experience. A graduate of Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, she began her career as an Account Executive for major advertising firms in Detroit and Chicago, managing national brands such as Lincoln/Mercury and Quaker Oats. In 2003, she founded and operated CardCare.com, an online greeting card company she successfully led for 20 years.

“Mrs. Smoker’s commitment to servant leadership and her deep connection to our schools make her an outstanding addition to the Board,” said Board President Christopher Riley. “She has demonstrated her heart for P-H-M through years of volunteerism and community involvement and will bring a strong parent perspective to the table.”

Superintendent Dr. Heather Short added, “Jen’s energy, insight, and collaborative leadership reflect the very best of P-H-M’s Triangle of Success—students, teachers, and parents working together. Her service to our schools and community exemplifies P-H-M Excellence.”

Arrangements will be made with the P-H-M Board Attorney for Mrs. Smoker to take her Oath of Office. She will serve through the remainder of the current term, which expires in 2026. She may choose to run for election to the ensuing four-year term in the November 2026 general election.

Mrs. Smoker was chosen from five applicants. The other four candidates were John “Todd” Douthit, Brandon M. Kastner, William “Matt” Ludwig, and Ryan C. Woodruff (click here for their resumes). Public interviews of these applicants took place during a special board meeting held Tuesday, October 28th. President Riley said the decision to fill the vacancy was a difficult one, as all five candidates would have been excellent choices.

Click here for the process the Board of School Trustees followed for filling the vacancies.

Penn-Harris-Madison Superintendent Dr. Heather Short and district administration presented the tentative teachers’ agreement to the Board of School Trustees during a Special Board Meeting on Monday, November 3, 2025. The meeting provided Board members an opportunity to discuss the tentative agreement and allowed the public to review and comment.

“P-H-M is a premier, high-performing school district because of our educators and the academic excellence they provide,” said Dr. Short. “We want to continue attracting and retaining the best teachers for our students, and this agreement demonstrates our commitment to our staff.”

The tentative agreement, developed through a collaborative effort between P-H-M Administration and the P-H-M Teachers Association, includes an overall base salary increase for teachers of approximately 3.45%.

The starting salary for new teachers will increase to $50,000 (up from $48,370), and the maximum salary will rise to $86,777 (up from $84,204). The School Board will officially approve the agreement at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, November 10.

Salary increases will be retroactive to July 1, 2025, and will extend through June 30, 2026.

Other highlights of the tentative agreement include:

• A one-time $650 stipend for eligible teachers who were rated Effective or Highly Effective and served at least 120 school days during the 2024–25 school year.
• A 2% increase in stipends for teachers who coach or lead extracurricular activities, retroactive to the start of the school year.
• A $250 base salary increase for teachers who have earned their Early Literacy Endorsement.

Director of Human Resources Bob Thompson also shared details on updates to P-H-M’s health insurance. Employee contributions for medical premiums will increase by a modest 3%. The district is also transitioning from a two-tier to a four-tier medical plan through its current carrier, Anthem, and joining Anthem’s HealthSync network—providing employees with additional cost-saving opportunities when using participating providers.

Again the P-H-M Board of School Trustees will officially vote on the teachers’ agreement, other employee group contracts, and the updated health insurance package at its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, November 10.

U.S. News and World Report released its “Best Schools” rankings for public K-8 and high schools.

They ranked the best public elementary schools by state. For Indiana, 989 elementary schools were ranked and 483 middle schools.

Data is based on the 2021–2022, 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years.

All of P-H-M’s elementary schools are ranked among Indiana’s “Best Elementary Schools”:

• Northpoint #1
• Prairie Vista #2
• Horizon #37
• Mary Frank #39
• Bittersweet #94
• Elm Road #172
• Moran #175
• Elsie Rogers #297
• Madison #273
• Meadow’s Edge #370
• Walt Disney #385

Two of P-H-M’s middle schools were also recognized:

• Discovery #3
• Schmucker #53

Indiana’s 395 Indiana public high schools were also ranked, and Penn ranked #26.

The U.S. News & World Report analyzed 103,391 pre-K, elementary and middle schools nationwide for their rankings. The rankings use the same methodology for all included grade levels. For each state, schools were assessed on their shares of students who were proficient or above proficient in their mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments. Half of the formula assessed the scores themselves and the other half incorporated the test results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. In other words, the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students. Click here for more information on the methodology.

The highest ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions. They reviewed data on 17,901 public high schools. Click here for more background information on their ranking system.