All teachers make an impact on their students. At P-H-M we honor those teachers whose students have improved academically with the P-H-M Impact Award. This semester, Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker is visiting schools and surprising teachers whose students had significant First Semester growth

Today Dr. Thacker, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, Director of Literacy Ryan Towner, and the Executive Director of the P-H-M Education Foundation Jennifer Turnbloom stopped by Horizon Elementary and Discovery Middle School to surprise teachers there. 

Fourth grade Horizon students of Julia Rulli had the district’s highest movement/growth in ELA of 4^th grade students—those who were below proficiency in Clear Sight! It may have something to do with Mrs. Rulli showing her students love and support. Click here to read a story about how she makes her students feel loved. Click here to see a photo gallery of today’s surprise.

At Discovery, Coleen Manspeaker was recognized because her students had P-H-M’s highest growth in proficiency in 8th grade math, growing 59%! Click here to see the photo gallery.

The Impact Awards were first handed out in September 2023 to teachers with the most significant overall student growth during the 2022-2023 school year.

Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation for covering the cost of the awards for purchasing the beautiful crystal awards given to the teacher award recipients.

We are thrilled to announce that the P-H-M Education Foundation is providing funding for the 15th annual Running is Elementary program!

SAVE THE DATE!  The date is May 6 (Rain Date May 8).

All P-H-M 4th & 5th grade students are invited to participate.  Students will practice at their home schools with the culminating run at Elm Road Elementary School.

Exact details will be provided by the individual schools so be on the lookout for communication regarding signups. 

Take a look at the video below to see how fun and exciting it is!

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

According to the agreement, Culver’s co-owners Mark Nowak (1997 Penn grad) and Keith Remington 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. There will also be an additional donation of Culver’s workout t-shirts provided annually to students. The naming rights will be effective May 1, 2024.

Culver’s is also co-sponsoring the Bus Driver of the Month recognition that started in January. Click here for more details.

A new Culver’s is being built near Penn High School on McKinley Highway, near the Bittersweet Road intersection. 

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

We’re happy to introduce you to PHM bus driver Greg Trytko as the inaugural Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month!!!

Greg drives Bus #117 for Moran Elementary. Greg is a ’78 Penn grad and has been with PHM for going on seven years. Greg is praised for his positive attitude & willingness to cover extra routes when needed.

So far this school year, he has completed 41 field & athletics trips–adding up to almost 250 hours! The PHM Transportation Department is beyond grateful for Greg! Thank you Culver’s and P-H-M Education Foundation for being valued partners. 

Do you have a bus driver you want to nominate for Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month? We want to recognize elementary, middle and high school bus operators. Click here to fill out the nomination form. Winners will be announced on the last Wednesday of every month.

Discovery Middle School: Monday, February 26^th and Tuesday, February 27^th

(feeder elementary schools: Northpoint, Mary Frank & Horizon)

Schmucker Middle School: Monday, March 4^th and Tuesday, March 5^th

(feeder elementary schools: Prairie Vista, Walt Disney, Elsie Rogers, Bittersweet, & parts of Moran)

Grissom Middle School: Monday, March 11^th and Tuesday, March 12^th 

​(feeder elementary schools: Meadow’s Edge, Elm Road, & parts of Moran)

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation is nationally recognized as one of the “Best Communities for Music Education” offering choir, band and orchestra at Schmucker, Discovery and Grissom Middle Schools.

Every P-H-M 5th grader who will be attending a P-H-M middle school as an incoming 6th grader in the Fall 2024 has the opportunity to join an instrumental music class, which includes either band or orchestra. “Instrument Selection Night” is when students and families get to make their choice!

At “Instrument Selection Night,” a music professional will be available to give students advice about which instrument may be best suited for them. They will be allowed to “try out” instruments from various instrument groups. Click here to download, view and print more information on Instrument Selection Night.

In order to join 6th grade band or orchestra, students must select an instrument that they will learn, practice and perform for the school year. Click this link to sign-up for your appointment at your designated school and date. 

At the January 22 Board of School Trustees Meeting, P-H-M’s Executive Director of Business Services Dr. Thomas Keeley presented a summary of the 2024 Budget Order issued by the Department of Local Government Finance. Click here to view Dr. Keeley’s presentation.

One of the major highlights of Dr. Keeley’s presentation is that P-H-M is maintaining the property tax rate for 2024 at 0.9275, the same as last year. P-H-M continues to have the lowest property tax rate in St. Joseph County. P-H-M is fiscally sound and a good steward of taxpayer dollars, while also maintaining safe learning and working environments for students and staff.

Interested in being a Substitute Teacher, or Substitute Teacher’s Aide, Substitute Exceptional Education Aide or a Substitute Office Aide for P-H-M? 

Sub Teachers pay $100 day, Sub Aides and Sub Office Aides $14 an hour, & Sub EAs $85 a day. Click here for more details on the pay rate. Check out the ESS website for more info on the positions: https://bit.ly/PHMWork.

Come out Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Meadow’s Edge Elementary School, 16333 Kern Road, Mishawaka, IN 46554. Use the Main Entrance.

Please ignore!!

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