Dear Parents/Guardians:

As the New Year approaches I often stop and ask myself, “Where has the time gone?” Although the winter break does not officially mark the halfway point, it is close. As I look ahead I see many opportunities for our Moran families to enjoy time together in several of our PTA sponsored events. January will offer the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Winter Ball. Additional activities are scheduled later in the spring. Isn’t spending time with one’s family what it’s all about? I think so and I’m sure you agree. These opportunities to spend time together will pass all too quickly. So be sure and set aside some time together for your family. To be current with what’s happening at Moran and PHM check the Moran or PHM web site. I have also listed some additional information below.

Sincerely,

Frank Anglin, Ed.S.

January 7: School Resumes. Welcome Back 

January 16: First Semester Ends

January 21: No School, Dr. Martin Luther King Day

January 18: PTA Winter Ball

January Assessments: DIBELS Gr K-2, CogAt select Gr K,2,5, WIDA and AIRways Gr 3-5,

2019 ILEARN TEST WILL BE CHALLENGING: The Indiana Department of Education has changed the vendor who provides tests for students in grades 3-5. The best way for me to describe the new assessment is: ILEARN will be more rigorous in content and require students to persevere through lengthy problems, requiring multiple answers. This will not come easily or natural to students. At Moran we start preparing students for the new tests from the very first day of school. Parents can help support their child by insuring homework is completed, keeping in contact with their child’s teacher and encouraging them to do their personal best each and every day.

Note: Parents may go to the D.O.E. website and find more information about ILEARN.

Track Your Child’s Bus: Using a smart phone or computer you can track your child’s bus each school day. Here’s how:

Register for GPS bus tracking by creating your “Here Comes the Bus” account through this link: www.HereComesTheBus.com

• PHM’s account number, which is 76205
• Child’s last name
• Child’s Student ID#
The “Here Comes the Bus” app is also available in Google Play and iTunes making it available on your smart phone. If you have problems with the app or website contact “Here Comes the Bus” directly at 1-877-SYNOVIA or herecomesthebus@synoviasolutions.com

eLearning: When students miss school due to cancellation they can access their assignments in real time with their teacher. Parents should have already received information from their child’s teacher regarding eLearning. School work during an eLearning day is expected to be completed. Incomplete assignments will be treated just like any other homework that is not turned in. If you have questions about eLearning you may contact your child’s teacher.

Discovery Middle School PTO in Partnership with Discovery Middle School presents “An Evening of Vocational Options and Saving for College.” 
 

Please join us at Discovery Middle School for presentations about the College Savings 529 Plan and by Elkhart Area Career Center. The programs at the EACC are available to Penn High School students. A complete listing of classes and programs are outline in the Penn High School Program of Studies—just use the “Cntrl F” function to search for the Elkhart Area Career Center.

Monday, February 11, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at Discovery Middle School.

Penn Robotics Team 135 is once again holding workshops for 1^st ​- 8th grade students over two days of Winter Recess (Thurs., Dec. 27 & Friday, Dec. 28).

Creative Workshop 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Suggested Age: 1^st ​- 3^rd graders. Price: $80.00. A camp that stretches the creative mind! Students are given a design challenge to complete over the course of two days. Students will be using K’NEX to build a solution to the stated problem. They will be on teams that will design, create, and improve upon their concept. While having fun in an exciting environment, the emphasis is always on the process of design to build, while always improving on previous ideas! On Friday students will have the opportunity to test their concepts against the other teams within the workshop. Parents are also welcome to attend the Parent Show which will take place the last 15 minutes of the workshop on the December 28th. High school robotics students will be mentors during these two days of fun!

Applied Workshop 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Suggested Age: 4^th – 8^th graders. Price: $80.00. This camp is geared towards students who want to expand their knowledge in designing and manufacturing! This workshop is also geared towards students who can follow instructions and are comfortable behind computer software. Over the two days, students will be designing 3D parts on the computer that can be brought to life with many CNC Machines. Students will have the opportunity to use the 3D printer, CNC Laser Cutter, the CNC Router, and many other tools/machines in the Penn Robotics Lab! High school students will be mentoring and helping students with their 3D computer designs and machining their parts.

Click here to sign-up and pay online today!

When the snow falls it’s time to play outside! This year’s November snowfall gave the children of Moran Elementary school an opportunity to put on their snow suits and enjoy some winter fun.

Whether it’s sliding on their bellies acting like penguins, making snow angels, or just running around, playing in the snow gives students a fun recess break before returning back to the classroom.

To download high resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you free of charge. 

Do you like to dance? Do you want to learn how to spin a flag? Do you like to perform?

All levels are welcome to come to the Penn Winter Guard Call-Out at Bittersweet Elementary School (next to Penn HS). The call-out will be on Tuesday, November 27^th at 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Girls and boys, grades 4-12, will be accepted. 

Come be a part of this incredible performing arts group!

Click here to download and print the flyer.
 

The IDOE released the 2017-18 Accountability grades on Wednesday, November 14 and once again the Indiana Department of Education has recognized the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation as an “A” rated school district! Along with the district’s “A” rating, Moran Elementary and six other schools also received “A” letter grades:

• Elsie Rogers Elementary School
• Horizon Elementary School
• Northpoint Elementary School
• Prairie Vista Elementary School
• Discovery Middle School
• Penn High School

This is a tremendous achievement for Moran as a Title I school! For more information on Moran’s rating and 2017-18 ISTEP+ scores, please click here.

P-H-M has received an “A” rating every year since 2011—making this the seventh consecutive year!

Overall, nearly 64 percent of Indiana Schools received an A or B. For more information on and to view the 2017-18 School Accountability Grades, please click here to visit the IDOE website. 

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves more than 11,100 students in 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and Penn High School. With the release of the Spring 2018 ISTEP+ results, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation ranks in the state’s Top 5% of public school districts for grade 10 ISTEP+ results and in the Top 6% for grades 3-8.

Penn High School ranks in the Top 5% of all Indiana public high schools and has a 97% graduation rate, exceeding the state’s graduation rate.

P-H-M’s “Triangle of Success” connects students, teachers and parents for excellence in education.

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Playgrounds: We ask that parent/guardians not visit our playgrounds during recess time or when school is in session. This policy is for your child’s safety and security as well as those of other parents.

Focused Instruction: Are you curious about what skill your child is working on and if they have mastered it or not? Teachers in grades K-5 are sending this information home. If you’re not seeing your child’s information coming home contact their teacher. FI skills are those state mandated skills we want all students to know and be able to perform.

Picking Up/Dropping off Your Child: Only bused students should use the front drop off area of our school. Students in cars, vans or trucks should be dropped off and picked up at the south entrance or exit. Please do not drop off students prior to 8:25 a.m. Help keep our students safe. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: We appreciated your attendance during our two evenings of parent/teacher conferences. Working together, in partnership, we can help your child reach their learning potential. We hope you found your conference helpful.

Picture Retakes: Retakes were completed on Wednesday, October 10.

Daylight Savings Time: November 4, at 2:00 a.m., marks the end of daylight savings time. Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour.

D.A.R.E. Graduation: Tuesday, November 27, is D.A.R.E. graduation for 5th graders. Graduation starts at 11:30 a.m. in the IMR. Seating is limited.

Don’t forget to come visit us. We’d love to have you visit or volunteer. Please remember only approved volunteers may participate. If you have not been approved please stop by our office and pick up the forms you need in order to serve. Moran Elementary School is dedicated to serving its students and families. Please do not hesitate to call or stop by if we can be of service.

Sincerely,

Frank Anglin, Ed.S.

Breakfast with Santa is an annual beloved family event sponsored by P-H-M’s Community Education Department held at Bittersweet Elementary. The program is only for children in grades kindergarten through 3^rd grade and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets must be purchased for each person attending.

Breakfast with Santa event

Saturday, Dec. 1

8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., & 11 a.m.

Bittersweet Elementary School

$7 for all tickets

Online ticket sales begin on Thursday, November 1 at 9:00 a.m. Tickets will only be sold online through phm.revtrak.net. We strongly encourage that those wishing to buy tickets go online to phm.revtrak.net prior to Nov. 1 and create their account if they don’t already have one. This will save time and ensure a speedier online checkout. Tickets are online on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited to 100 participants for each time slot. Online payment can be done with an eCheck, Discover, Visa or MasterCard credit cards as well as debit cards. Please note there is a 3.49% fee for using this service. Tickets will be mailed to you prior to the event on Dec. 1. 

There will be no refunds and tickets will not be available at the door.

Penn High School’s Drama Club will present “Boo Bash”  in the Studio Theater on Thursday, Oct. 25.

“Boo Bash” features two shows, and admission is free.

The first show, “Wren and Moose”, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25. It is a 25-minute children’s Halloween show written by Penn High School student Kenny Collymore-Williams. After the show, there will be Halloween candy and a short meet-and-greet with the characters.

The second show, “Death and All His Nonexistent Friends”, is a 30-minute young adult Halloween show, also written by Kenny Collymore-Williams. It is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., and features a few more jumps, bumps, and scares.

According to Drama Club Sponsor Crystal Ryan, “Boo Bash” is a student-led project. It is student-written, directed, acted, and teched.

“The Drama Club developed this event as a way to have a fun, free event for the community, but more importantly, the Drama Board members wanted a low pressure, fun way to engage incoming theatre students,” Ryan said. “With such a large program, it is a great way to get our “Intro to Theatre” involved in a performance situation. 

“The other unique thing about this event it is Penn’s first stage reading!” Ryan said. “Stage readings are how most professional playwrights get their works initially read before they go on to a huge, full production. Having several aspiring playwrights in our program, I would like begin implementing this more in our program to teach students how to get their work read, produced, and out in the professional world.“

Monday, Nov. 5
5:30 p.m.
Schmucker Middle School, 56045 N Bittersweet Rd.

Indiana law (IC 20-19-3-11) now requires that all schools provide age appropriate and research based instruction on child abuse and child sexual abuse to students in grades kindergarten through 12th. Penn-Harris-Madison has partnered with the Family Justice Center, Youth Service Bureau of St. Joseph County and the St. Joseph County Special Victims Unit to provide this instruction for our students.  

In November and early December, staff from the Family Justice Center and Youth Service Bureau St. Joseph County will present a series of age appropriate curriculum to elementary students in grades K-5. Each unit is age appropriate specific to the grade level.

To learn more about the new State mandated child abuse/sexual abuse prevention curriculum, all P-H-M parents are invited to attend an optional parent information night on Monday, November 5, 5:30 p.m., at Schmucker Middle School, 56045 N Bittersweet Rd.

Parents have the option to have their student(s) participate in the state mandated educational program.

Parents are asked to return either a paper version of the permission slip or click here to submit it electronically through our school website. *Please note a permission form needs to be returned for each individual child enrolled in a Penn-Harris-Madison School.

If you wish to fill out the electronic version of the form, please click here. 

To download and print a pdf copy of the elementary (grades K-5) permission form, please click here.

Adobe Acrobat Reader will be required to view the pdfs. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please visit Adobe’s website, at this link www.get.adobe.com/reader/, to download your free version.

If you opt to fill out the paper form, you will need to print the form, fill it out and return it to the school.