Friday, August 23rd was the Home Opener for Kingsmen football. It was a perfect night for the dedication of the Yeoman Family Plaza at Everwise Freed Field. See the full photo gallery below.

Penn-Harris-Madison Superintendent Dr. and Mrs. Thacker donated $10,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign to rename the plaza after former Penn High School Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman and his family.

The Yeoman Family bleeds black and gold. Coach Cory’s father Wally Yeoman was an assistant coach with legendary Chris Geesman. Coach Cory and brothers Trent and Todd all played for Penn. Male members of the Yeoman family and those who married into the family have either played for or coached for the Long Black Line at some point. The wives of Cory, Trent, Todd, their children and grandchildren were all present for the dedication along with Dr. and Mrs. Thacker and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom.

Click here to see the full photo gallery on Penn High School’s website.

Cory earned all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, he led a Kingsmen defense that only allowed 33 yards rushing a game. That Kingsmen team finished 11-1, winning an NIC Championship before losing to Hobart in the second round of the playoffs. Cory graduated from Penn in 1980. 

Cory played for Miami (Ohio) University. He was a roommate and teammate of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning head coach, John Harbaugh. He joined the Kingsmen coaching staff after graduation from Miami, and has been on the Kingsmen sidelines for 40 seasons.

In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Cory guided Penn to the 2003 State Championship Game. Yeoman also led Penn to Semi-state titles in 2017, 2015 and 2011. In addition to winning four Semi-state Championships, the Kingsmen have won nine regional crowns under Yeoman’s leadership, 13 sectional titles and 17 Northern Indiana Conference championships. 

Yeoman retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 40 years with P-H-M.

Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 18 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $232,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives.

Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made five donations since 2021 totaling $65,000 as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community:

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 (one lump sum)
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 

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.

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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.

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P-H-M’s annual Community Tailgate is a tradition and a great way to kick off the start of the Kingsmen football season. This year’s home opener will be against Valpo on Friday, August 23rd.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the south end zone at the Zolman’s Tire Concessions Stand.

At 6:15 p.m. a special dedication for recently retired Penn Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman. Penn-Harris-Madison  Superintendent Dr. and Mrs. Thacker donated $10,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation Naming Rights Campaign to name the plaza located at Penn High School’s Everwise Freed Field the Yeoman Family Plaza, after former Penn High School Head Football Coach Cory Yeoman and his family.

The Yeoman Family bleeds black and gold. Coach Cory’s father Wally Yeoman was an assistant coach with legendary Chris Geesman. Coach Cory played for Penn, earning all-state honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, he led a Kingsmen defense that only allowed 33 yards rushing a game. That Kingsmen team finished 11-1, winning an NIC Championship before losing to Hobart in the second round of the playoffs. Cory graduated from Penn in 1980. 

Cory Yeoman played for Miami (Ohio) University. He was a roommate and teammate of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning head coach, John Harbaugh. He joined the Kingsmen coaching staff after graduation from Miami, and has been on the Kingsmen sidelines for 40 seasons.

In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Yeoman guided Penn to the 2003 State Championship Game. Yeoman also led Penn to Semi-state titles in 2017, 2015 and 2011. In addition to winning four Semi-state Championships, the Kingsmen have won nine regional crowns under Yeoman’s leadership, 13 sectional titles and 17 Northern Indiana Conference championships. 

Yeoman retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after 40 years with P-H-M.

Male members of Yeoman family and those who married into the family have either played for or coached for the Long Black Line at some point.

The dedication of the plaza in the name of the Yeoman Family is a great way to honor such strong supporters of the Kingsmen Family and all they’ve contributed to the Penn Football program!

Dr. Thacker has been superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation since 2006 and has supported the Education Foundation wholeheartedly. Over the course of 18 years, Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have donated $232,500 to the P-H-M Education Foundation. Most of this money has either been unrestricted donations or used as matching funds for fundraising initiatives.

Dr. and Mrs. Thacker have made five donations since 2021 totaling $65,000 as part of the Naming Rights Campaign, recognizing the contributions P-H-M employees have made to the community:

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 (one lump sum)
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 

With the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, P-H-M is switching to ParentSquare, a new unified, user-friendly, communications platform designed with parents and guardians in mind. CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED.

ParentSquare provides a centralized location for families to receive communications from school principals, teachers, coaches, and front office staff on all their students, in all schools, in all classrooms! CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED.

Parents/guardians receive alerts, updates, and posts on:

• important notifications, such as school closings and delays
• attendance
• principal & teacher newsletters
• school & classroom calendar of events
• volunteer & RSVP for events
• fill out permission slips & other forms
• … ALL IN ONE LOCATION!

Families chose their preferred mode of communication for non-urgent notifications– app, text, email, phone. Parents/guardians can also chose to have all communications automatically translated to their preferred first language.

As we approach the first day of school (Wednesday, August 21), principals and teachers will be using ParentSquare to share important “Back to School” information. Parents and guardians are asked to activate their accounts by Monday, August 12, 2024. 

PLEASE NOTE: If your child is transitioning to a new building from last school year, the information will be updated later this summer. You are still able to register for ParentSquare.

To activate parent/guardian accounts, parents need to check their email for the welcome and introductory email.

The email was sent between Thursday, July 11 and Friday, July 12, 2024 with the subject line: “Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. is now using ParentSquare.” 

The sender of the email will appear as “Penn-Harris-Madison via ParentSquare” with a donotreply @parentsquare.com email address, similar to this … donotreply+01d8d49e-b6f1-47f3-ac23-d45abf67b233@parentsquare.com

We’re thrilled to welcome back all of our 11,000+ students and are excited to help all our students achieve Excellence.

The first day of school will be Wednesday, August 20, 2025 for grades 1 – 12.

• All students in 1st through 12th grades will report to their school buildings that day, and all those who are signed up for transportation services may ride the bus that day.  
• Kindergarten orientation takes place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 with the first full day of kindergarten being Thursday, August 21st.

BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS. MARK CALENDAR & ATTEND! 

• Our elementary schools are hosting many fun Back to School family events starting the week of August 11. Check your school’s Google calendar on its website or be on the lookout from communication directly from your school principal. 
• All three Middle Schools are also planning a Walk-Around on Thursday, August 14^th. Check the school’s Google calendar on its website or be on the lookout from communication directly from your school principal. Make sure you mark your calendar and plan to attend!
• Penn is hosting a “Walk Around” to help parents and students get familiar with the school:
  • Penn High School’s “WALK AROUND” on Saturday, August 16, from 9 a.m. – Noon gives students a chance to familiarize themselves with the school and find where their classes and activities are located.

The BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION listed below will help P-H-M parents and students get ready for the 2025-26 School Year! 

CONTACTING SCHOOLS OVER THE SUMMER

• Elementary and Middle School Front Offices open Monday, August 4th.
• Penn is open every week day over the summer.
• All schools are open Monday – Friday during business hours. Those hours vary by school.
• Click here for the School Directory of all 15 schools

REGISTERING STUDENTS

• Register a new elementary or middle school student by visiting the school after offices open August 4, 2025. Click here to know what documentation you need to bring with you for registration.
• Register a new Penn High School student by calling (574) 254-2851. We will help you schedule your registration appointment and advise you on what information to bring with you to the appointment.  

BACK TO SCHOOL PACKETS & FORMS

• Back to School packet & information sheets
• Parent/guardians will sign these three forms in ParentSquare:
  • Photo Consent
  • Mandatory Curriculum Consent
  • Handbook Certification   
• These forms will be in Skyward Family Access:
  • CHIRP Release
  • Chromebook packet
  • Authorization to administer non-prescription medication at school
• Back to School Info Sheets

Click here for more information on how to login into your Skyward Family Access account

SCHOOL CALENDARS

• Here is the SY 2025-26 one-page calendar showing “at a glance” the start and end dates, as well as scheduled recess and vacation dates.
• All P-H-M families are mailed a District Activities Calendar early August. It lists key school and district events throughout the year. Click here to view a PDF version.
• Our online (Google) calendars are the most up-to-date. You’ll find a link to the P-H-M Corporate Calendar posted on the home page of the District website. It’s a Google calendar that can be added to your personal calendar.
• Each school also maintains an online Google calendar on the home page of each school website that is updated frequently with the school’s scheduled activities and event details. You can also the school’s Google calendar to your personal calendar to remember important dates.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

• All P-H-M schools provide basic school supplies to our students, free of charge. Therefore, our schools do not issue supply lists. You will need to purchase a backpack, water bottle, lunch box, and other items you want your child to have at home or take with them to school. If other specific items need to be purchased for a class or lab, your child’s teacher will inform you after school starts.  

IMMUNIZATIONS AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES

• Click here to make sure you child is up-to-date with all required immunizations. 
• Proof of immunizations must be provided to the school office by the first day of school.
• Kindergarten parents, please click here to learn about important kindergarten health information and medical forms before your kindergartner’s first day of school. 
• Click here for the forms administering medications at school
• Click here for more information on P-H-M Healthcare Services 

TRANSPORTATION

• School bus route times and locations will be shared with parents in a Transportation letter to be emailed before school starts
• Parents can check EZRouting to see your child’s bus route information online
• Here Comes the Bus provides real time GPS bus location info so parents know when to send their students out to the bus stop
• Have more questions about Transportation? Visit their webpage for contact information.

FOOD SERVICE

• Visit our Food & Nutrition page  to see monthly menus and find nutritional information
• See if you qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch and Textbook Assistance. Click here to apply online.
• Online payment for child’s meals
• Other Payment options

Penn-Harris-Madison’s Triangle of Success is built on student achievement, with parent and teacher support. Success depends on supportive parents … help us help your children!

PARENTS Click here for ways to stay informed, as well getting connected and volunteering.