P-H-M Forum

    

Families are part of the P-H-M Triangle of Success!

P-H-M Forum is a volunteer-based parent group which meets monthly with District Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and various administrators to learn more about district initiatives. Click here to read Forum Bylaws.  Click here to learn more how you can join Forum.

Each month a new topic is discussed. We hold meetings over the lunch hour to allow for both working and non-working Forum members to attend. The topics are voted on by Forum members the year prior. School and District Administrators most familiar are invited as Guest Speakers to present information on the chosen topics. Past sessions have included The Healthy Foods Initiative, student assessment, gifted and talented programs, P-H-M summer programs, and Penn High School Academies. Click here to see the meeting dates and topics for this school year.

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“Meet the Candidates Night”

This year is an election year and three seats on the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees are open for election. The Forum is hosting a “Meet the Candidates Night” for P-H-M Families and taxpayers. This was not a debate. Decorum and respectful behavior was the expectation for all in attendance.

The participating candidates were given the entire list of questions submitted by the public. However because the event is two hours in length, Forum Officers combined/condensed questions of similar topics. Priority was placed on questions asked of all candidates. Questions that were personal attacks or those deemed inappropriate for this setting, were asked. 

• Monday, September 30, 2024, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Schmucker Middle School Cafeteria
  • All Candidates for Board of School Trustees Election were invited. Those noted in blue accepted the invitation to participate:
    • Penn Twp. – current Board Member/Vice President Mr. Ryan McCullough
    • Penn Twp. – current Board Member Mr. Jim Garrett
    • Penn Twp. – Candidate Katie Inabnit Bell 
    • Penn Twp. – Candidate Doug Chaffee
    • Harris Twp. – Candidate Gary Fox
    • Harris Twp. – Candidate Arthur M. Klinger
  • The event was livestreamed on P-H-M’s YouTube Channel. There was no virtual participation either by the Candidates or members of the public. A recorded version is now available on P-H-M’s YouTube account.
  • Format:
    • Each candidate had five (5) minutes to introduce themselves, share qualifications, and their platform. This was done in alphabetical order by last name.  
    • Each Candidate was asked the same questions with 90 seconds to respond.
    • In-person audience members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the Candidates. Candidates had 90 seconds to respond. 
    • Each Candidate had three (3) minutes for closing statements.
    • Candidates were a 30 second warning each time they speak.

Click here to see the other meeting dates and topics for this school year.

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Qualification of Forum Members:

• Forum members must have a student enrolled in P-H-M.
• Representatives from each school are designated by their PTOs.
• 2 per elementary school
• 3 per intermediate school
• 4 representing Penn High School
• Plus 3-4 board members

Click here for a listing of this year’s Forum Officers.

To become a Forum member:

• Please begin with your PTO. Each PTO should have at least one Forum representative.
• If you are unable to reach your PTO, feel free to contact us directly at PHMForum@gmail.com.

Forum Meetings:

Who:

• Forum Representatives (At least one per school)
• Parent/guardian guests (Anyone with a student enrolled in P-H-M can also attend the presentation portion of the meetings as a guest)
• The P-H-M Superintendent and various P-H-M administrators, teachers or staff members invited to present as Guest Speakers

When:

• During the school year
• Starting at 12:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise noted

Where:

• The Educational Services Center boardroom at 55900 Bittersweet Rd, Mishawaka, next to Penn High School
• We also typically take one field trip per school year

What:

• Superintendent’s Update
  • Dr. Thacker is a guest at most meetings and shares current happenings in the district. Subjects include budgets, political impact on education, security issues, sports and academic team updates, district accolades, and more.
• Presentation
  • District administrators, teachers or staff members serve as Guest Speakers and make approximately a 30-minute presentation to Forum members
  • Presentation topics are determined by Forum vote prior to the start of the school year. In the past, Forum has explored issues such as The Healthy Foods Initiative, student assessment and Common Core, Gifted and Talented Programs, P-H-M summer programs, College Prep & Career Readiness, Safety, New Technologies, and Penn High School Academies.
  • Typically there is time for question and answer by Forum members–usually about 10-15 minutes; but the total time of the meeting, including the business portion, should be wrapped up by 1:15.
• Forum Business Meeting
  • After the presentation, Forum members hold a brief business meeting.
  • This meeting is for Forum representatives only, and guests are asked to leave.
  • During this portion, we will share and discuss Forum-related and district-wide needs as they arise, consider approval of minutes and other actions. This is also an opportunity to connect with others to form committees as the needs arise.

Forum Member Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• You can expect to commit approximately 25-30 minutes per month, outside of the 45/50 minute Forum meeting, followed by a 15-30 minute business meeting.
• Prior to the meeting, you will receive a consent agenda which shares presentation information and any necessary communication from the executive board. 
• At least one Forum representative per school is asked to attend the monthly meetings.
• Within a week of the meeting, meeting minutes will be emailed to members. You’re asked to review them so that any necessary corrections can be noted before their adoption during the next general meeting. 
• From those, as well as your meeting notes, you’ll build a report to share with your PTO. Each PTO incorporates the Forum report differently: You may be asked to share at the PTO meeting, provide the report for a newsletter, or post on your PTOs social media. Please click here for a guide to follow.
  *Since there are 2-4 representatives per school, and only 1 report is needed, you can coordinate between your school reps who will report each month, thus lowering your overall time commitment.
• Near the end of each school year, Forum representatives suggest potential presentation topics for the following year. The topics are then voted on and the president works with district administration to create a feasible presentation schedule.
• Additionally, it’s a nice service to your school/PTO to stay abreast of the P-H-M district calendar & P-H-M Facebook feed so that you can occasionally share posts updating school families of upcoming special events, district fundraisers, and special learning opportunities. 

Please Note:

Forum representatives serve as school ambassadors, but for the sake of privacy are not empowered to advocate for individual students. If you or another parent/guardian has an issue which requires attention, please set a private appointment with the student’s teacher, principal, and/or the appropriate district administrator (please click here for a list of District Administrators and their areas).

Forum meetings are focused on a broad-scale, and individual cases cannot be discussed. That said, if there is a broad issue which affects students across several schools and warrants both focus and inquiry, please discuss with a Forum board member the possibility of addressing it at a meeting or joining a Forum subcommittee geared toward exploring the issue.

Click here to read Forum Bylaws.

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2024-2025 Meetings and Scheduled Topics