Back to School Information

 

Elementary student on first day of school

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 14th. 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

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

PARENTSQUARE

  • Penn-Harris-Madison uses ParentSquare to send urgent alerts, such as school closings and delays.
  • Principals and teachers also use it for noncurricular school and classroom communications.
  • Click here for instructions on setting up your account.
  • Once your account is set up, families can chose their preferred mode of communication for non-urgent notifications–app, text, email, phone. You can also chose to have all communications automatically translated to your preferred first language. Click here for details on how to personalize your account and check your notification settings.

CLOSINGS/DELAYS PROCEDURES

 

PHM's Triangle of SuccessPenn-Harris-Madison’s culture of excellence, what we call #PHMExcellence, is built upon the “Triangle of Success”– linking students, teachers, and parents for the the best outcome for students. Success depends on supportive parents … help us help your children!

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

 

2016-2017 Busing

If your busing needs change, please stop by our Moran office to submit a transportation change form. Please allow 3-5 school days for changes to take effect.

Summer Visual Arts Academy open to all elementary students

The 2015 Summer Visual Arts Academy is offered to all P-H-M elementary students – at no charge!

The Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame and Penn-Harris-Madison are teaming up to offer an extraordinary week-long summer learning experience for our students!

This exciting 2015 Visual Arts Academy will integrate art history, art production, and writing into a week-long, intensive and enriching learning experience that will challenge children to “think outside of the box.” Students will create works of art inspired by pieces in the Snite Museum’s collection as well as learn about museum objects through tours, reading and writing. A highlight will be a field trip to the Snite Museum of Art that all students will take, one day of the week.

 

P-H-M teachers, the Snite Museum's Curator of Education, and an Artist-in-Residence will lead this learning experience! Click here to watch the Visual Arts Academy.

Each five-day session is designed for a single grade level so children will interact with those of the same age, and the material and activities will be developmentally appropriate.

The Academy hours are 8:00 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. Here are the scheduled dates for each grade level:

Kindergarten: June 8 – June 12, 2015

2nd Graders: June 15 – June 19, 2015

4th Graders: June 22 – June 26, 2015

1st Graders: July 6 – July 10, 2015

3rd Graders: July 13 – July 17, 2015

5th Graders: July 20 – July 24, 2015

The 2015 Visual Arts Academy will be held at Penn High School. Families are to provide daily transportation to and from Penn High School. Enter through Door C.

On the day of the field trip, P-H-M will provide school bus transportation from Penn to the Snite Museum and back to school before parent pick-up.

 

Registration for the Visual Arts Academy is now closed. If you have questions about your child's attendance, please contact the P-H-M Learning Division at 258-9588.

 

Moran Elementary rated an A school by Indiana Department of Education

Moran Elementary School  has been rated an A school by the Indiana Department of Education. This grade reflects Moran's most recent academic performance and is calculated based on data collected throughout each school year. The grade takes into account a variety of factors including student performance and student growth. For more information and to see the report card, go to the Indiana Department of Education’s COMPASS website. There is a link on the this homepage.

Immunization requirements for 2015-2016 school year

Your child’s health is important to us. It is well known that healthy children are in a better position to take advantage of the educational opportunities presented to them than children who are physically or emotionally struggling.

Immunizations are used to protect your children against certain diseases as well as other children in the school. Under Indiana Public Law, when a child enrolls in school his/her parent/guardian is required to furnish written proof that a child is fully immunized as required by the Indiana State Department of Health. Parents must furnish immunization paperwork to the school health office before the first day of school, which is August 19, 2015.

Immunizations may be obtained from your family doctor, St. Joseph County Health Department, or other area clinics. Please call the school health office for resources.

Minimum Immunization Requirements for 2015-2016 School Year

  1. 5 doses of DtaP/DTP/DT or 4 doses are acceptable if the fourth dose was administered on or after the fourth birthday
  2. 4 doses of Polio-the 4th dose must be on or after the fourth birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose or another dose will be required or 3 doses are acceptable if all are IPV or all are OPV and the 3rd dose was given after the 4th birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose.
  3. 3 doses of Hepatitis B
  4. 2 doses of MMR- on or after the first birthday
  5. 2 doses of Varicella (chickenpox)-on or after the first birthday and separated by 3 months or written physician documentation of the month and year of disease.
  6. 2 doses of Hepatitis A

Questions about immunizations can be directed to the school health office.