The newest members of the P-H-M Board of School Trustees were sworn last night (Monday, January 13, 2025) at the P-H-M Board of School Trustees meeting. New to the Board is Katie (Katelyn) Inabnit Bell, a 2012 graduate of Penn High School and Gary Fox, a former Trustee of 19 years. Returning Board Vice President Ryan McCullough was also sworn last evening. St. Joseph County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Steele administered the Oath of Offices. Click here to see the full photo gallery below.

Bell is replacing Jim Garrett who held the Penn Township, Seat 3, for two terms (2017-2024). Garrett is a retired P-H-M teacher and Penn Championship Girls Golf coach. Fox will take over the Harris Township, Seat 4 replacing Clare Roach, who did not seek re-election; she served one term (2021-2024).

Gary Fox served on the P-H-M Board from 2001-2020 before stepping down. He served as Vice President from 2005-2007, President from 2008-2010 and again from 2015-2017. Fox retired from Crowe LLP, a public accounting and consulting firm, after 42 years; before retiring, he was Head of Corporate Development. Crowe and his wife Tammy of 44 years are parents to two Penn High School graduates and now have five grandchildren, two of which are at Moran. Tammy and Gary Fox are longtime donors of the P-H-M Education Foundation most recently supporting the Fun Zone at Penn’s 2024 Homecoming and the Short Circuits program for all P-H-M 3rd graders at all 11 elementary schools. Fox is also making a $10,000 contribution to the Foundation’s Naming Rights Campaign to name Penn High School’s fieldhouse, currently under construction, the Dr. Jerry Thacker and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse (click here for more details).

Katie Bell, a graduate of Ball State University, worked for Penn-Harris-Madison for the 2016-2017 school year as a kindergarten teacher at Prairie Vista Elementary School. She also served as the assistant girls basketball coach at Discovery Middle School. Bell also taught fourth and fifth grade English Language Arts at Dewey School of Excellence in Chicago for three years before returning to the area. Bell is now a stay-at-home mother and manages her household full-time. She and her husband, Steve, have three young children. Bell is active in the community volunteering her time with several organizations.

Also being sworn in at tonight’s meeting is Ryan McCullough who was re-elected to Penn Township, Seat 2. McCullough was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2021 when then Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb appointed Jamie Woods to the St. Joseph County Superior Court. McCullough is a 1995 graduate of Penn High School. McCullough and his wife Nicole, also a Penn grad, returned to Penn Township several years ago to raise their three children: two graduates Classes of 2020 and 2024, and another currently at Penn. McCullough is actively involved in the P-H-M community including volunteering as a Penn Freshman Football Coach.

Also at last night’s meeting, the Trustees elected the Board Officers for the coming year. Chris Riley was re-elected President; he has served consecutively as President since 2018. Ryan McCullough was also re-elected Vice President; he was elected 2023. Outgoing member Clare Roach was the Board Secretary. Dana Sullivan was elected to serve as Board Secretary.

 

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Monday, January 13, 2025 the P-H-M Board of School Trustees approved a $10,000 donation by newly elected P-H-M Board of School Trustee Gary Fox to the P-H-M Education’s Naming Rights Campaign to name Penn High School’s new fieldhouse. The contribution will name the building currently under construction the Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse (click here for more details on the fieldhouse; and click here for pictures from the May 2024 groundbreaking.).

The fieldhouse investment for our students will NOT raise taxes for the residents of Penn, Harris, and Madison Townships. The Administration and Board are committed to fiscal responsibility and the district is in excellent financial health. Also on January 13^th , P-H-M held its Board of Finance meeting where P-H-M Executive Director of Business Services Dr. Thomas Keeley presented the Board with the district’s financial report (click here to see the Board of Finance presentation). P-H-M has one of the lowest tax rates in St. Joseph County of $0.9275 for three straight years.

Dr. Thacker began his teaching career at Penn-Harris-Madison at Madison Elementary School. He received his doctorate from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan; a master’s in elementary education from Indiana University South Bend; and a bachelor of science in elementary education from Bethel College. He returned to P-H-M in July 2006 as Superintendent. Under Dr. Thacker’s leadership, P-H-M has become one of Indiana’s most premier school districts with the schools, students, teachers, and staff achieving countless recognitions, at the state, national and international level.

P-H-M is among Indiana’s top performing public school corporations. With the release of the Spring 2024 ILEARN results, P-H-M is in the Top 4% of Indiana’s public school districts. Out of public schools that passed both ELA and Math: Prairie Vista Elementary School is #3 and Discovery Middle School is #2. Penn High School has a 98% graduation rate. Click here for a listing of P-H-M’s most recent Points of Excellence.

Dr. Thacker is a well-respected educator; some of his many professional recognitions include:

• 2017 IAPSS Indiana Outstanding Educator Award
• 2015 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Indiana University South Bend
• 2014 Sagamore of the Wabash, Issued by Indiana Governor Mike Pence
• 2013 IAPSS Indiana Outstanding Educator Award
• 2012 AASA Indiana Superintendent of the Year
• 2012 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Indiana University South Bend, School of Education
• 2012 Alumnus of the Year – Bethel College
• 2012 Indiana Senate Resolution, Congratulating Indiana Superintendent of the Year
• 2012 Indiana House of Representatives Resolution, Congratulating Indiana Superintendent of the Year

Donna Thacker is a former educator herself, a retired public school music teacher. Mrs. Thacker has been a staple in the community and a longtime volunteer and supporter of the P-H-M Education Foundation in such events as the Silver Mile and Running is Elementary.

Both Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have generously supported the Foundation with their time, leadership, service and financial contributions over the years. Since 2021, the Thackers have donated $232,500, including also contributing to PHMEF’s Naming Rights Campaign:

1. Chris Geesman Kingsmen Athletic Center (formerly the Kingsmen Athletic Center), $25,000 donated in December 2021 ($5,000 per year over five years, for an overall period of 12 years)
2. Al Rhodes Kingsmen Court, $10,000 donated in October 2023 
3. Arthur M. Klinger Planetarium (formerly the  P-H-M DVT & Planetarium), $10,000 donated in January 2024
4. Yeoman Family Plaza, $10,000 donated in March 2024 
5. Greg Dikos Field, $10,000 donated in August 2024 

The naming of the Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse is a fitting tribute to their unwavering commitment to Penn-Harris Madison and its students.

Gary Fox and his wife Tammy are longtime donors of the P-H-M Education Foundation most recently supporting the Fun Zone at Penn’s 2024 Homecoming and the Short Circuits program for all P-H-M 3rd graders at all 11 elementary schools. Gary served on the P-H-M Board of School Trustees for 19 years from 2001-2020 before stepping down. He was re-elected to Harris Township, Seat 4 in the November 2024 election. Gary was sworn in at the Monday, January 13^th Board Meeting (click here to read this story).

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 the education and training of teachers is a major priority for P-H-M School District.

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 and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Our school hosted the Monday, October 7 P-H-M Board of School Trustees meeting. It was an opportunity to shine the spotlight on some of the amazing things our students and staff are doing.

Principal Shonda Masterson kicked the meeting off by sharing with the School Trustees Bittersweet’s test data–Bittersweet students scored in the Top 5% of schools on last year’s ILEARN. Principal Masterson credited the teachers and the use of formative assessment with a focus on fostering stronger and more confident student writers. 

Creative writing exercises are being used at all levels. As an example second graders wrote about their field trip to Kercher’s Apple Orchard using their story vocabulary words. Alyssa Moles, Emmalyn Fazi, Steven Johnson, Cami Cromartie read their stories to the Board Members.

Other Bittersweet highlights included:

• pictures from 1st grade’s visit to nearby Garden at Chapel Hill Cemetery last Memorial Day to honor deceased veterans
• the Pen Pals program for 1st and 5th graders to other P-H-M elementary schools
• sharing the Bittersweet P.A.W.S. Pledge written by Media Aide Julie Villalba 

The spotlight on Bittersweet ended with a performance by Mrs. Cayleen Balbo-Veal’s 5th grade music students.

Penn High School welcomed a new member of the Kingsmen Athletics team when Culver’s Sports Performance Center was dedicated on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. Keith Remington and Mark Nowak co-owners of Culver’s Restaurant (on McKinley Avenue near Penn High School) donated $125,000 to P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights campaign. 

The partnership between Culver’s, P-H-M, P-H-M Education Foundation, and Penn High School signals a new chapter in Kingsmen Athletics Excellence.

P-H-M Board of School Trustees VP Ryan McCullough, P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, PHMEF Exec. Dir. Jennifer Turnblom, P-H-M Chief Operating Officer Dr. Aaron Leniski, Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher, Assistant Athletic Director Bridget Williams, and Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Cates welcomed Remington (1997 Penn grad) and Nowak and their families today.

The new Culver’s Sports Performance Center signage in Penn’s weight room and upstairs student fitness center were unveiled. Remington and Nowak also got to see for the first time Penn’s new Strength & Conditioning class “uniform” shirts. Several Penn student-athletes, including Remington’s daughter Anna, were on hand wearing the T-shirts.

Per P-H-M Education Foundation’s Naming Rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation will go into Foundation’s endowment, which will in turn provide funding for PHMEF teacher/classroom grants and various co-curricular and extracurricular programs in P-H-M schools. The remaining 20 percent directly funds P-H-M teacher professional development initiatives. To date the Foundation has given $1.6 million disbursements in classroom grants.

The T-shirts that the student-athletes were wearing at today’s event are an additional annual gift from Culver’s valued at $7,000.

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, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

“Community support is vital for our ability to support excellence in education in P-H-M schools,” PHMEF Director Jennifer Turnblom said. “Culver’s generous donation shows their dedication to our schools and positive impact on our community and we are honored to partner with them through the naming rights program. Their commitment allows us to continue to increase grant funding and support district wide programs in all 15 P-H-M schools.” 

The P-H-M Board of School Trustees approved the Naming Rights partnership between the P-H-M Education Foundation and Culver’s at the Feb. 12 Board Meeting.

According to the agreement, Culver’s co-owners Keith Remington and Mark Nowak and agree to pay PHMEF $125,000 over 12 years to name the weight and performance center at Penn High School the Culver’s Sports Performance Center.

Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart said that Culver’s sponsorship will provide a positive impact in the performance and lives of more than a thousand Penn students each school year.

“We sincerely appreciate the commitment that Culver’s is making to our school community,” Hart said. “By sponsoring our weight rooms, Culver’s is helping to put a spotlight on the Strength and Conditioning program at Penn and the importance that a successful program can have on our 1,100 student-athletes.

“The leadership at Culver’s understands the benefits this program provides through the prevention of injuries, self confidence, improved athletic performance, and long-term health,” Hart continued. “We look forward to an exciting partnership.”

The Culver’s Sports Performance Center is nationally renowned. The National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA) named Penn’s Strength and Conditioning program a NHSSCA Program of Excellence School. This honor recognizes that Penn High School’s Strength & Conditioning program operates at a highest level of professionalism.

In awarding Penn and Coach Cates with this honor NHSSCA noted …

“This honor recognizes that this High School Strength & Conditioning program operates at a highest level of professionalism. To earn this honor Coach Cates & Penn High School has displayed excellence in safety, quality, efficacy, outreach & highlighting. While also displaying excellent continuing education & technology usage in their Strength & Conditioning program.”

Penn Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Cates was named the National High School Strength Coaches Association 2024 National Coach of the Year.

Board President Mr. Chris Riley recognized outgoing P-H-M Board of School Trustees Members Mrs. Angie Gates and Mr. James Turnwald. Both Gates and Turnwald were honored with a proclamation and a plaque recognizing their years of service.

 

  

 

Mrs. Angie Gates has honorably served on the Board for six years. She was appointed to fill the Harris Township seat vacancy in March 2016 and was re-elected in 2018. Mrs. Gates has held a couple of officer positions on the Board: Secretary 2018 and 2021; Vice President in 2022. Mrs. Gates also served as the Board’s Legislative Liason and Delegate for the Indiana School Board Association.

 

As a gift to Penn-Harris-Madison, Angie and her husband Joel Gates donated $6,000 to P-H-M’s Exceptional Education Department to help serve our students with special needs.

 

Mr. James Turnwald has served one year as a P-H-M Board Trustee. He was appointed to the Board December 2021 to fill one of the two Penn Township Board seats vacancies.

 

Mr. Turnwald was contested by Mr. Matthew Chaffee for the Penn seat in the November 2022 election and was not re-elected. Mr. Chaffee along with Mrs. Dana Sullivan (At-Large) will be sworn in as the newest P-H-M Board of School Trustees at the January 9, 2023 Board meeting.

The Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees voted this morning to fill the two vacant Penn Township Board seats. The Board voted unanimously to appoint Mr. James Turnwald to Seat #1 filling the vacancy left by Mrs. Jaye Galloway. Mr. Turnwald will carry out the rest of the term, which is set to expire at the end of 2022. The Board also voted in a unanimous decision to appoint Mr. Ryan McCullough to fill the vacancy of Penn Township Seat #2, vacated by Mr. Jamie Woods. Mr. McCullough’s appointment will last through 2024. Both Mr. Turnwald and Mr. McCullough may choose to run for election for the ensuing four-year term with elections taking place in November 2022 for Seat #1 and November 2024 for Seat #2.

Mr. Turnwald serves as the Executive Director of the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) and a Board Member of the Potawatomi Zoo. He has a bachelor’s degree in Geography & Urban Planning from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and a master’s in Public Affairs from IUSB. He and his wife have four daughters, with two of their oldest enrolled at Meadow’s Edge. He brings a wealth of experience in civil government, planning, finance and infrastructure. As a P-H-M parent, he is passionate about education and supporting the growth and self-actualization of all students.

Mr. McCullough is a 1995 graduate of Penn High School. He attended Western State College of Colorado and was a member of the US Ski Team Freestyle 2004-2005. He works as a Sales & Marketing Executive for Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle out of Denver. Mr. McCullough and his wife, also a Penn grad, returned to Penn Township several years ago to raise their three children: Class of 2020 Penn grad, daughter at Schmucker, and son at Penn. Mr. McCullough is actively involved in the P-H-M community including volunteering as a Penn Freshman Football Coach.

Board President Mr. Christopher Riley said of the appointees, “The Board warmly welcomes Ryan McCullough and James Turnwald. The Board received many qualified applications and we thank all who applied. Ryan and James will be terrific members of the P-H-M Board of School Trustees. Both gentlemen are forward thinking, collaborative, and committed to the success of P-H-M. All Board Members are excited about working as a cohesive unit for the best interest of all P-H-M students and families.”

Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker added, “I am proud to welcome Mr. McCullough and Mr. Turnwald to the Board of School Trustees. They both exemplify passion and a commitment to excellence and the P-H-M Triangle of Success. I am confident that they will be outstanding, contributing members of our team.”

Mr. Turnwald and Mr. McCullough will be sworn in and take their Oath of Office of at the regular December 13 Board of School Trustees board meeting. Click here for a listing of all board meeting dates.

Mr. Turnwald and Mr. McCullough were chosen from among eight finalists. The other six finalists included Mrs. Anne Bolster, Mr. Vance Cole, Mr. Robert Hyde, Mrs. Ashley Leader, Mrs. Michelle Peters, and Mr. Andrew Tipton. Public interviews of these applicants took place during special board meetings held November 29 and 30. The final vote on the two appointees took place at a special board meeting held 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 1. The process the Board of School Trustees followed for filling the vacancies is posted on the P-H-M District website at this link:  https://www.phmschools.org/district-info/nov-2021/two-penn-twp-board-school-trustees-seats-vacant-school-board-seeking. The letters of intent and resumes of all 14 people who applied for the two Penn Township vacancies can be found here: https://www.phmschools.org/school-board/nov-2021/penn-twp-board-seat-appointee-applicants. 

Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees Mrs. Jaye Galloway, representing Penn Township Seat #1, and Mr. Jamie Woods, representing Penn Township Seat #2, both notified the St. Joseph County Office Clerk of the Circuit Court, P-H-M Board of School Trustees President Mr. Christopher Riley, and Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker of their resignations from the P-H-M Board of School Trustees effective Friday, November 5th, 2021. 

 

Mr. Woods term was set to expire at the end of 2024 and Mrs. Galloway’s term was set to expire at the end of 2022. Both were representing Penn Township.

 

Per Indiana Code 20-23-4-30, the remaining school board members must appoint an individual, in this case two, to fill the board vacancies within 30 days by a majority vote. The appointees must live within the boundaries of the school corporation and Penn Township and shall serve the balance of the term of the seat being vacated. The individuals appointed must possess the qualifications provided for a regularly elected or appointed governing body member filling the office. 

 

P-H-M bylaws po0142 lists the qualifications for P-H-M School Trustee appointees as the following:

• The appointees must be a resident of Penn Township and must also reside within P-H-M boundaries for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the date of appointment;
• must be at least 21 years of age per Indiana Code 20-26-4-9;
• and must also be registered voters.

 

Below are all the applicants that submitted letters of intent and resumes by the Wednesday, Nov. 17, 4:30 p.m. deadline. All applicants listed below were verified by P-H-M as meeting the qualifications listed above. 

• George Bashura
• Anne Bolster 
• Matthew Chaffee
• Vance Cole
• Nick Hardrict Sr.
• Robert Hyde
• Ashley Leader
• Ryan McCullough
• Michelle Peters
• Anthony (Andy) Rutten
• David Sammons
• Andrew Tipton
• James Turnwald
• Steven Witmer

 

The remaining members of the P-H-M Board of School Trustees met the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 17 to review all the applicants and choose finalists that will be called for the Board interview process.

 

The rest of the timeline is listed below:

 

• Thursday, November 18 – Finalists are contacted (via phone and/or email) to schedule an interview date/time.

   

• Monday, November 29, 6:00 p.m. – The Board of School Trustees holds a Special Board Meeting in the public to interview the final appointee candidates. 

   

• Tuesday, November 30, 6:00 p.m. – The Board of School Trustees holds a Special Board Meeting in the public to interview the final appointee candidates. 
   

• Wednesday, December 1, 8:00 a.m. – The Board of School Trustees holds a Special Board Meeting in the public to vote to fill the two vacant Penn Township Board positions. 
   

• Monday, December 13, 7:00 p.m. – The Board of School Trustees holds the regularly scheduled Board Meeting. The administration of the Oath of Office of the newest P-H-M School Trustees will take place at the beginning of this meeting.
   

All meetings will take place at the Educational Services Center (55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka). While the meetings are being conducted in the public and the public is welcome to attend and observe, public comment will not be part of the Special Board Meeting format.

 

We know there will be public interest in this process. We ask that all members of the public familiarize themselves with Indiana Code 20-23-4-30. In the case of Board vacancies when a board member leaves prior to the expiration of their term, there is not a public election process. The Board chooses and names the appointees to fill these vacancies. Indiana Code charges the Board to be thorough in their process, act swiftly, and to conduct the interview process in a format that the public can view. 

 

If you have any questions on Indiana Code or how this process works, please visit the Indiana General Assembly website or the website for Indiana’s Public Access Counselor.

Visit the BoardDocs® public website to access school board meeting agendas, minutes, and policies. 

 

HOW TO ACCESS BOARDDOCS®

Go to BoardDocs® by pasting this web address into your browser bar http://www.boarddocs.com/in/phm/Board.nsf  – or by simply clicking here! 

Once at the BoardDocs® page, click on Enter Public Site.

HOW TO SEE THE AGENDA FOR A SCHEDULED MEETING

Agendas are made public three days ahead of a meeting. The Agenda for the next scheduled board meeting will be listed on the left-hand side of the BoardDocs site under the Featured tab. If you wish to view a meeting other than the current or “featured” meeting, click on the Meetings tab and a listing of all Active Meetings (from 2008-2022) will appear.

When you click on a meeting date, a window opens on the right-hand side of the webpage, giving you the option to View the Agenda, which includes detailed information for each agenda item, or Print the Agenda. A print-out will not include the additional details.

HOW TO SEE THE MINUTES FOLLOWING A MEETING

The minutes from a school board meeting are provided in draft form in the agenda for the next school board meeting. That Agenda is released the Friday before the scheduled meeting.  

To access the Minutes from a given meeting, select the subsequent meeting and click View the Agenda.  The Agenda will appear in the left-hand column and Board Minutes are generally listed there as Item 4: Approval of Minutes. When you click there, the Agenda Item Details will appear on the right side of the page, including the link to open the minutes as a PDF file. 

To return to the “main page” of the BoardDocs® public website, simply click on the Featured tab at the top of the page.

HOW TO SEE SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES

The Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and the Board of School Trustees follows state and federal statutes, relying on the guidance of Neola Services, to ensure we remain in compliance while providing an excellent education to our students.

Please click here to be taken to the district’s BoardDocs policy website for a complete listing of P-H-M’s Board approved policies.

A school corporation’s strategic plan outlines the long-term vision, goals, and actionable steps aimed at improving educational outcomes and operational efficiency. It serves as a roadmap to guide decision-making and resource allocation to enhance student achievement and organizational effectiveness. 

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College & Career Readiness Goals

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Professional Development Goals

STRATEGIC GOAL – We know that parents are our biggest supporters. We will continually add to our list of community partnerships through collaboration with local businesses, universities and other forums.

MEASURES OF OUR SUCCESS

• Business partners, including:
  • Teachers Credit Union
  • May Oberfell Lorber Law Firm
  • Lionshead Specialty Tire & Wheel
  • Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care
  • Jordan Automotive Group
  • Whirlpool Corporation
  • St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
  • and many more!
• Academy partners, including:
  • Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame
  • South Bend Symphony
  • Elkhart General Hospital
  • and many more!
• University partners, including: 
  • University of Notre Dame
  • IVY TECH 
  • IU South Bend
  • Indiana Wesleyan University
• Parents as partners, including
  • Families for Fair Funding as advocates
  • Active PTO at every school
  • PHM Forum meets monthly 
  • Boosters supporting athletics
  • Boosters supporting performing arts
• PHM Education Foundation
  • Silver Mile and other community-based events
  • Teacher grants to support innovation
  • PHMEF Endowment 
• Corporations for Education
  • Laidig Systems
  • May Oberfell Lorber Law Firm
  • Spectron mrc LLC
  • Crowe Horwath
  • Memorial Children’s Hospital
  • Gibson