The Silver Mile was held this past weekend (Saturday, May 6).  The first place overall male race winner was Colton Shail, Junior track and cross country runner at Penn High School, with a time of 16:29.9. First place overall female was Erin Moore, 13-year-old Niles student, with a time of 20:07.6.

Meadow's Edge Elementary earned the top participation P-H-M school prize and will receive a $5,000 grant to be used for a fitness/health program.

Coming in at second place was Northpoint Elementary. They will receive a $1,000 grants. The school with the third most student participation was Madison, and they will receive a $500 grant.

Overall there were 500 participants in this year’s race.

This year’s Health and Fitness Fair was a huge success featuring health screenings by Saint Joseph Mishawaka Medical Center.

Healthy post-race snacks were provided by Whole Foods Market. Urban Swirl also helped runners cool off with frozen yogurt cups.

Penn Robotics Team 135 setup robot test drives so that younger children could learn to drive robots. And the Kingsmen Cheerleaders lent their face painting talents to make some prettier faces even prettier!  Click here to see a full gallery of pictures.

“Running is Elementary” took place on Monday, May 1 for the 9th consecutive year! Almost 700 students from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools participated in the 1 mile run on the Penn cross-country course located behind Elm Road School.

Although the weather was windy, cold and rainy, the runners’ spirits were high and full of excitement as family, teachers, staff and friends cheered them on.

Each year fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to sign up for the free running club. Designated coaches at each school are then tasked with training the runners for the 6-week club which then culminates with the Running is Elementary Race.

Cindy Batalis (P-H-M’s 2009 Teacher of the Year and physical education teacher at Horizon Elementary) began the yearly tradition of Running Is Elementary in 2008. Batalis’ own love for running and her desire to pass that love on to students is evident in the passion she puts into the Running is Elementary event each year.

The top times for the 2017 Running Is Elementary Race were as follows:

• 5th Grade Girls 

     1. Bib 87- 6:14     Elm Road
     2. Bib 478- 6:16   Moran
     3. Bib 159- 6:26   Elsie Rogers

• 5th Grade Boys

     1. Bib 612- 6:26   Prairie Vista
     2. Bib 658- 6:35   Walt Disney
     3. Bib 23- 6:39     Bittersweet

• 4th Grade Girls

     1. Bib 293- 7:15   Horizon
     2. Bib 48- 7:21     Bittersweet
     3. Bib 550- 7:24   Northpoint

• 4th Grade Boys

     1. Bib 144- 6:26   Elm Road
     2. Bib 141- 6:37   Elm Road
     3. Bib 578- 6:46   Northpoint

Congratulations to all runners for their great spirit and effort!

A big thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation and Corporations for Education for hosting the event!

Sponsors for the 2017 event:

Presenting sponsor – Corporations for Education

Royal Excursion, the Hunter Family, and Team Pride Athletics

After Race Snack & Water Donations:

Urban Swirl, B&B Organics & Fleet Feet

​        

Dear Parents/Guardians,

P-H-M Counselors have been made aware of a new Netflix show "13 Reasons Why." The story is about a high school student who dies by suicide and then leaves a message blaming the people close to her for her death. Mental health experts nationwide have expressed concerns that the program glorifies suicide and leaves survivors with the idea that it is their fault if a loved one completes suicide.

We want the parents of our 4th-8th grade students, along with Penn High School parents, to be aware of this television program and give you resources to use if your son or daughter watches the show and needs to process its content. We have loaded "13 Reasons Why" talking points to the District website that you can use when discussing  with your child:  

https://www.phmschools.org/sites/phmschools.org/files/13rw_talking_points_final.pdf

Remember that talking about suicide doesn't cause suicide. Making connections and showing people we care reduces isolation that may contribute to suicide ideation. Please remember that the counselors at all our schools are available to talk to your son or daughter and parents if you or they need help.

We also have many resources on the District website that can help parents and students. Please visit www.phmschools.org/lifelines.

Thank you,

Frank Anglin, Ed.S.

Follow Dr. Thacker’s lead and get a jump start on the Give Local St. Joseph County May 9 day-long online giving event NOW!

Starting today, Monday, May 1 you can schedule your gift in advance for the P-H-M Education Foundation. When the 24-hour giving event kicks off on May 9, your gift will already be in ahead of the game!  

Penn-Harris-Madison School Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker made his #GiveLocalSJC donation May 1 designating the P-H-M Education Foundation. 

Make an online donation of $25 or more designating the P-H-M Education Foundation

as part of #GiveLocalSJC campaign and

• 75% of your gift to P-H-M Education Foundation will be paid out to help the Foundation now;
• 25%—plus generous matching funds—will   go into the Foundation’s Endowment Fund to generate annual earnings that will help from now on!
   

Every dollar donated on May 9 to any of the 67 charities participating in Give Local St. Joseph County will be increased by a share of $2.4 million in matching funds provided by generous sponsors.

So this is your opportunity to maximize your donation to the Education Foundation. 

DONATE NOW!

It’s the gift that continues to give!

The Education Foundation supports value add educational programs across the P-H-M school district by awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Online gifts may be made by clicking here May 9, 2017, starting at 12:01 a.m. and for the next 24 hours, using your credit or debit card. You can also schedule your online gift in advance, any time after the preview period begins on May 1, 2017. If you use a credit or debit card, your card will not be charged until May 9.

If you wish to send a check, please mail it early to ensure receipt by May 9, 2017. Checks are to be made out to the Community Foundation (P.O. Box 837, South Bend, IN, 46624) and dated May 9, 2017, make sure to include “P-H-M Education Foundation” in the memo field. Donations are 100% tax deductible.

Mark your calendars for the 12th Annual Silver Mile Run for Education & Health and Fitness Fair, hosted by the P-H-M Education Foundation.  This popular fun-filled family event will take place on Saturday, May 6, from 8:30 a.m. – noon at Penn High School. 

Register online today!

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Hopefully April will bring more sunny skies and warmer weather. Soon we’ll be hearing the sound of baseballs flying off aluminum bats and observe kites flying overhead. Spring often teases us with sunny days and warming temperatures. I can hardly wait for the real thing to arrive. I’m sure you and your family feel the same way too. There’s just something refreshing about the start of a new season. April is another busy testing time for our students. Please note below these upcoming test windows and be sure your children are getting a good breakfast each morning as well as a good night’s sleep. It they are to do their best they need to be ready to go. A word of encouragement goes a long way too. Kindergarten registration is going well and will continue throughout the spring.

                                                                                                                               Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                Frank Anglin, Ed.S.

Progress Reports:

Progress reports were sent home with students on Wednesday, March 29. If you did not receive a copy contact your child’s teacher.  

APRIL TEST DATES: 

April 10 – April 14: 5^th Grade Math placement for Middle School

April 12 – May 10: DIBELS Reading K-1

April 17 – May 5: ISTEP grades 3-5

May 5 –   May 26: NWEA, select students

Note:  Mandatory ISTEP practice tests will be given to students prior to the actual test dates.

IREAD 3:

We expect IREAD scores to arrive after spring break. Students who did not pass the March IREAD assessment will be required to attend IREAD summer school. Students will receive small group intensive tutoring during this time. At this summer session students will have their final opportunity to pass the state mandated assessment. IREAD summer school is from June 12 – June 30, 2017.

School Improvement Plan/Targeted Focus Group:

Our School Improvement Plan (SIP) includes interventions that address student needs as identified by data from ISTEP. Moran has many ongoing interventions for students. Interventions are targeted to specific groups of students that demonstrate similar academic needs. It’s always important to discuss what, if any, your child’s interventions are with their teacher. Our goal is to help each student accomplish their personal best. Cooperation between home and school is important in helping your child achieve their personal best. Parents can assist by encouraging regular attendance, volunteer in your child’s classroom or a PTA activity and by monitoring your child’s individual learning goals. For more information about our school’s performance parents may to http://compass.doe.in.gov/dashboard/overview.aspx.

SUMMER SCHOOL:

Regular summer school for 2017 will be held at Meadow’s Edge from July 10 – July 28. The PHM transportation department provides transportation. If your child has been invited please get them signed up for this very important learning opportunity. The extra time and attention they receive in summer school may be just the academic boost they need to do their personal best. Principals for summer school have not yet been determined. Summer school sites are at Meadows Edge and Walt Disney. Moran students attend Meadows Edge. I look forward to seeing our students improve their skills during these sessions. Be looking for more summer school information from your child’s teacher as well as our monthly newsletters. 

5^th Grade Tours:

Moran fifth graders will be traveling to their respective middle schools on Wednesday, May 18. Students will tour the buildings with their teachers and eat lunch at the middle schools. Moran students attend either Grissom or Schmucker Middle School.

June 6-June 7:

Awards Day will be on June 6 and June 7th will be the all school Field Day. The last day of school is Wednesday, June 7.  

Kids Club will be open for Spring Break 2017!

WHEN: Monday, April 3 – Friday, April 7

                 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

                *House of Bounce Carnival Day on Friday, April 7

WHERE: at the Mary Frank Elementary School location

                    13111 Adams Road, Granger (Entry through Door H) 

COST: $25 per child, per day + $10 activity fee per child

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Payment due Monday, March 27

                                                         Click here to download and print the registration form

Questions? Please contact Kailey Campanaro at (574) 258-9514 or Ashley Stoffl at (574) 258-9587 or click here for more information about P-H-M’s Kids Club program.

For 28 years, Circle the State with Song has been an integral part of Indiana’s choral landscape. This program is a statewide choral festival for elementary and junior high/middle school choirs. Nearly 5,000 youth from hundreds of different schools participate in Circle the State each spring at one of 12 sites throughout Indiana.  Over 15,000 community members attend these concerts annually. During the festival, the participating schools rehearse and perform together under the director of a highly experienced Clinician.

The primary objectives of the program include:

• Provide students with an exciting and quality choral performance with other students from their area;

• Allow music teachers an opportunity to observe and learn from the clinician working with the students, plus to share and discuss vocal pedagogy with other teachers; and

• Provide students the challenge and opportunity to sing quality children’s choral repertoire.

Our music teacher Mrs. Sherer and our students have spent many valuable hours preparing for this concert on February 25th at Goshen College.  Congratulations to the following Moran students:

Lauren Alwine, Lana Balajadia, Cole Bennett, Caleb Burns, Maia Centilli, Josie Clarke, Kylie Creech, Braelyn Freel, Abigail Hughes, Ryan Klosowski, Therisa McFarland, Brayden Minix, Alisandra Pinedo, Rily Pletcher, Charlotte Ryska, Julian Smith, Leah Spinsky and Ellisa Thompson.

THE DEADLINE IS NOW EXTENDED TO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1!

P-H-M’s annual Young Author’s Conference offers an opportunity for all P-H-M elementary students in grades K-5 and their parents to meet and learn from a well-known children’s author.

This year’s guest author Judith L. Roth has written three children’s picture books (Goodnight Dragons, Julia’s Words and Cups Held Out) and a middle school novel-in-verse, Serendipity & Me. A native of California, Roth has been a resident of Indiana for almost 30 years now. Inspired by a love of music, Roth also writes some poetry. Her love of writing began with her love of reading when she was a student herself at the age 10. Roth is hoping to inspire other budding young authors like she once was!

While students are meeting with their peers, parents will attend a special presentation by Penn High School English teacher and Writing Coordinator, Mrs. Mary Nicolini, who is a recent recipient of the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award.

The Young Author’s Conference is sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation.

DATE: Saturday, March 11, 2017

TIME: 8:45 – 11:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Schmucker Middle School, 56045 Bittersweet Road

COST: Just $5.00 per child; the registration fee is used for conference expenses. Checks should be made payable to: YAC. Cash is also accepted. 

REGISTRATION: The deadline for registration is now Wed., March 1, 2017.  Please make sure you return the registration packet and fee to the front office by March 1. Please contact your child’s school, if you did not receive one. We require that at least one parent accompany their student(s) to the Conference. However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day.

CONFIRMATION: Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school the first week of March.

QUESTIONS: Please click here to email Lisa Duerksen.

At Penn-Harris-Madison, we are proud to offer year-round academic enrichment, athletic and recreational activities for the students and families within our award winning school district.

For months, P-H-M administrators, teachers, coaches and staff have been busy planning all the camps and activities that will be available for students when school lets out this year on Wed., June 7, 2017.

Everything from Japanese to building apps for mobile devices to baseball will be offered this summer! And we’re adding more and more …

Click here to see the full list of camps and activities being offered so far this year. New this year, some of the camps now have online registration making it easier for busy parents to register their children for these engaging opportunities.