Looking for a job with flexibility around your student’s school schedule? Do you know of a friend or family member looking for a great place to work?

We’re hiring these positions:

• Educational Assistants, starting at $16.42 
• Teacher Aides, starting at $15.35 per hour 
• School Bus Drivers, up to $25.00
• Food Service, $15.03 – $25.40
• Custodians,  $17.74 – $23.96
• Kids Club Childcare Assistants, starting at $13.38
  *click here for more info on hourly wages for these positions

Come out to our Job Fair for on the spot interviews!
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023
2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Schmucker Middle School (Door B)
56045 Bittersweet Rd, Mishawaka
 

Click here to see the open positions that are accepting applications. If you can’t make it to the job fair, fill out an application online today!

Save the date for the P-H-M’s Young Authors’ Conference:

Saturday, March 4

8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Schmucker Middle School

P-H-M Elementary students, grades K-5

FREE!

Space is limited. Online Registration opens Monday, Jan. 30 & closes Friday, Feb. 17.

The Young Authors’ Conference is for P-H-M students in grades K-5. The event, sponsored by the P-H-M Education Foundation, provides an opportunity for students and their parents to meet and learn from a well-known children’s authors. Click here to view the photo gallery of the 2022 event.

This year students and their parents will meet and work with former Notre Dame Leprechaun mascot turned children’s author Mike Brown. Brown’s first book Little Netta’s Gift is the touching story of a “Little Netta’s” compassion to share the gifts of Christmas with other children. Brown is the founder and CEO of SOULSTIR, a social enterprise with a mission of enriching lives by creating “soul-stirring experiences that inspire empowerment and action.” Under SOULSTIR Books, the publishing division of the company, Brown co-authored his second book with Cara Krenn The Leprechaun’s Game Day at Notre Dame. The delightful story describes the family, fun-filled experiences of a Notre Dame home football game told through the eyes of Notre Dame’s first Black student to play the mascot, Brown himself. 

Participants and parents will also enjoy an interactive experience with local illustrator Corey Mann.   As part of the morning activities, students will share their own writing piece in small group sessions with students from other P-H-M elementary schools. (Note:  Students should bring a piece of their writing with them that morning.)  While students are meeting with their peers, parents will join Dr. Michelle Fish, as she explores promoting writing through children’s literature. 

This year, thanks to P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and other generous #GivingTuesday donors this year’s Young Authors’ Conference is FREE OF CHARGE to all attendees!

Please note, one parent only must accompany the student attendees. However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day. This experience is for your young author and parent. However, we’ve found the attendance of younger siblings is not encouraged.

ONLINE REGISTRATION: Registration will open January 30, 2023. Click here to access the form.

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

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Candace Cussen at ccussen@phm.k12.in.us.

Penn-Harris-Madison schools are focused on continuous academic improvement that results in academic success for all students.

Standardized testing, or summative assessment, is one measure of academic success, but it is not the only measure.

In pursuit of providing more comprehensive analysis and to expand upon the data provided by state standardized tests, the Indiana Department of Education publicly launched this week (Tuesday, December 13, 2022) the first iteration of the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard, or Indiana GPS (click here to view the State Indiana profile).

The description of the Indiana GPS dashboard on the IDOE website states “Together, our mission is to empower Indiana’s educators, families, communities, and employers with a learner-centered, future-focused dashboard that displays how our students are building the necessary knowledge and skills—in all grades and in all schools— through the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard, or Indiana GPS.”

The IDOE’s goal is to support Indiana’s goal to educate and graduate Hoosier students who can compete in the global economy. P-H-M supports this goal. Students whether they are going on into higher education, directly into the workforce or enlisting in our nation’s military must be prepared to be successful in life beyond high school. Strong and valuable education of today’s youth results in a knowledgeable and skilled adult Indiana workforce for tomorrow.

A student’s access to early education is an essential first step in their academic and overall development. Measuring kindergarten readiness, as well as a student’s PreK-2 literacy progress can provide key indicators of future success across the K-12 continuum.

We know that effective literacy skills play a vital role in helping students gain a deeper understanding of the world, explore topics in-depth, and seek credible information. At Penn-Harris-Madison, we have a well-articulated approach to teaching literacy based on the five critical pillars: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 

All of these components woven together help create a skilled reader. Our daily literacy block incorporates whole-group instruction, small-group (leveled) instruction, explicit phonics instruction, and vocabulary building. 

Our teachers have been trained in order to deliver high-quality instruction that is supported through curriculum resources to meet the needs of all learners. Teachers are in regular contact with parents regarding their student’s progress and instructional goals.

At the elementary level, a couple of the indicators the GPS dashboard measures are early literacy and math growth. See some of P-H-M’s highlights are below; click here to view the full P-H-M GPS profile.

Early Literacy Measures

• Percentage of PHM 3rd graders showing proficiency on IREAD-3: 88.3%
  • State Goal: 95% by 2027
  • Current State Status: 81.6%, 1 out of every 5 third graders in Indiana is not proficient in key literacy skills

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? 
Students who pass the IREAD-3 assessment by grade three are roughly 35% more likely to graduate high school (as referenced on the GPS information webpage).

Math Growth

• Percentage of PHM 6th graders meeting their individual growth targets on the math ILEARN: 41.9%
  • State Goal: 45.8% by 2030
  • Current State Status: 34.1% of Indiana sixth graders are meeting their math growth goals

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Early mathematics instruction focuses on concrete concepts before transitioning to more complex ideas after grade six. Students who are meeting growth goals at this critical juncture have a leg up on future math and science learning.

Graduation Pathways Completion

While still in its first iteration, the goal of the GPS is to examine Indiana high school’s graduation and post-graduation data with the goal to ultimately measure long-term success of each Hoosier.
 

• Percentage of Penn Students who complete graduation requirements: 97.3%
  • State Goal: 95% by 2030
  • Current State Status: 86.4% of Indiana students complete their graduation requirements

• Percentage of Penn Seniors who completed advanced coursework (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Dual Credit) during high school: 75.4%
  • Current State Status: 59.5% of Indiana students complete advanced coursework
• Percentage of Penn Seniors earning Indiana Diplomas above a General designation (Core 40 or higher): 98.3%
  • Current State Status: 90.1% of Indiana students earn Core 40 diplomas or higher

• Percentage of Penn Seniors earning high quality college and career credentials: 11.3%.
  Members of the Class of 2021 who earned either an Indiana College Core (ICC) or an Associates Degree was 11.3%–the graduates who completed one or two years of college were members of Penn’s Early College Academy. In 2021, Penn High School ranked FIRST in the state with the highest number of students earning the Indiana College Core (ICC)! Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, non-Early College students will also be able to pursue an ICC Certificate.
  • State Goal: 60% by 2030
  • Current State Status: 5% of Indiana students earn a college or career credential before graduation, opening doors of future opportunity

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Increased education levels are positively correlated to labor participation, wages, and overall net worth.

COMING SOON:

The second iteration of the Indiana GPS dashboard – which will display all local data, including longitudinal and disaggregated data – is coming soon. Later in 2023, schools will be able to use the dashboard to view authenticated student-level data (not available to the public). 

• PreK-Grade 2 Literacy – Percentage of PreK-Grade 2 students demonstrating progress in essential early reading skills from one year to the next.
• Kindergarten Readiness – Percentage of students demonstrating the skills necessary to be considered ready to start kindergarten.
• Employment & Enrollment – Percentage of high school graduates employed or enrolled 1 year after their expected graduation year. Goal TBD.

Click here to learn more about the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard.

Click here to view the full P-H-M GPS profile (scroll to the bottom of the webpage to find links to all 15 P-H-M schools–11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and Penn High Schoo

What would make more than 200 elementary students and dozens of Penn High School students show up at school on a Saturday? It would have to be something pretty cool, and there’s no doubt that P-H-M’s new  “Short Circuits” Sphero is cool! Click here to see the full photo gallery on the P-H-M District website.

Teams of third graders from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools and their Penn Robotics Team 135 coaches/mentors were excited to show off what they had learned about coding, programming, and robotics to their parents, grandparents and family members. 

The idea for Short Circuits came about from a discussion between longtime, now retired, Penn Robotics Team 135 Coach Jim Langfeldt and P-H-M Education Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom.

Current Team 135 Teacher Coach Kyle Marsh worked with Michael Niemier — a Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at Notre Dame — under the umbrella of his National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) grant, which funded Mr. Marsh’s summer work to write the Short Circuits coding program. Co-developer and former P-H-M teacher Jim Langfeldt has also participated in Niemier’s RET program.

During the 4-week after school practices, the Penn students have coached and mentored 3rd grade teams at all 11 elementary schools; one or two teachers at each elementary school are also involved helping to oversee the students.

During Saturday’s celebration, the 3rd grade students will demonstrate for their parents and family members what they’ve learned, including programming the Sphero robots to maneuver through the Penn Robotics student built obstacle course.

Short Circuits is sponsored by P-H-M Education Foundation. Former longtime PHM Board Member Gary Fox, and his wife Tamera, generously committed to a $20,000 donation over four years to sponsor the program. $30,000 was raised at the PHMEF 25th Anniversary Gala to pay for Sphero kits for all the elementary schools. 

(picture above was taken March 2019)

Mark your 2022 calendars for P-H-M’s Young Authors’ Conference:

Saturday, March 5

8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Schmucker Middle School

P-H-M Elementary students, grades K-5

Registration Fee: $5 per child

Online registration is at phm.revtrak.net. The deadline for registration is Friday, February 18, 2022.

The Young Authors’ Conference is for P-H-M students in grades K-5. The event, sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation, provides an opportunity for students and their parents to meet and hear from a well-known children’s authors. Click here to view the photo gallery of the 2019 event.

This year students and their parents will meet and hear from well-known children’s author, teacher, and speaker, Gabrielle Balkan. Mrs. Balkan is best known for non-fiction books that delight readers ages 3-12 with curious and essential facts about the United States, animal record-breakers, and ground-breaking artists. Mrs. Balkan will share her experiences as a writer and illustrator during her engaging, grade-level  presentations.

Participants and parents will also enjoy an interactive, up-close animal experience from the Potawatomi Zoo staff.   As part of the morning activities, students will share their own writing piece in small, adult-led group sessions with students from other P-H-M elementary schools. While students are meeting with their peers, parents will join P-H-M Teacher and writing expert, Mary Nicolini, as she explores how writing can be a method for remembering and preserving events using real-life stories, drawings, and photographs.

Elementary student attendees will also work in small adult-led breakout sessions sharing their own writing pieces with other P-H-M students.

COST: The registration fee of $5.00 per child is used for conference expenses. There is no cost for the parent. One parent only must accompany students!  However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day.  YOUNGER siblings may not accompany adults. This experience is for your young author and parent.

REGISTRATION: Online registration will be available at phm.revtrak.net. If you don’t have a P-H-M Revtrak account, you will need to create one. There is a fee for using this service. The deadline for registration will be Friday, February 18.

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

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Schirripa at lschirripa@phm.k12.in.us.

The message below was sent out to all P-H-M staff and families the afternoon of March 3, 2020.

Dear P-H-M Families,

The health, safety and well-being of Penn-Harris-Madison students and staff are our top priorities. With the ongoing elevated discussion regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the world news, we are reaching out to remind everyone in the P-H-M family about the preventive safety measures we can all take, as well as to inform you what we at P-H-M are doing.

As a school district, we are closely monitoring the situation via the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The CDC is providing local expert and community guidance through the St. Joseph County Department of Health and the Indiana Department of Health. We are also receiving information from the U.S. Department of Education and the Indiana Department of Education, as well as a host of other state and national professional organizations. The one good thing about this situation is that there is an abundance of expert guidance. We are following the advice and direction of the governmental entities in charge. As a district, we are focusing on the things within our control.

All of the health officials are uniformly reiterating that the best preventive measure that each and every one of us can do is practice good hand hygiene. The same precautions that we annually remind our students, at all grade levels, during the cold and flu season are the exact same practices that the CDC is recommending to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

1. Clean hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
2. Cover your mouth and nose. Remind your students to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. The best thing to do is to cough/sneeze into your elbow. Second best is to cover the mouth and nose area with a tissue and then throw the tissue away.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

P-H-M’s janitorial staff already cleans common areas and disinfects common touch surfaces regularly. We ramp up these efforts during the cold and flu season. Under the current circumstances and in an abundance of precaution, P-H-M is taking extra steps to increase our normal diligent disinfectant measures.

As stated in all P-H-M Student Handbooks if students are sick please keep them home. Students should not return to school until they are fever and symptom free for 24 hours. We are constantly reminding families to practice this ongoing safety practice year round.

As it pertains to concerns over COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC has very specific recommendations if the symptoms coincide with recent travel to specific countries on their watch lists.

This situation continues to evolve. P-H-M Administrators are staying abreast of the information, as we have since the beginning. If the need should arise to change or defer from our normal operations, rest assured we will communicate with our families and staff immediately.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Dr. Jerry Thacker

Superintendent of Schools

The message below was sent out to all P-H-M staff and families the afternoon of March 12, 2020.

Dear P-H-M Families and Staff,

Based on Governor Eric Holcomb’s announcement released at 4:28 p.m. today, all P-H-M students will not report to school tomorrow Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16, 2020. These days will be recess days (no eLearning will be conducted on these two days). Students and families should be prepared to begin extended eLearning beginning on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

All P-H-M staff are to report to their normal work location at normal times on Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16 to help prepare the district for extended eLearning days.

More details to come for respective staff groups and families. Please be patient with us as we work through these details.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Thacker​
Superintendent of Schools

Click here to register your child today for Summer 2020 Kids Club!

The last day for P-H-M Schools is Thursday, June 4. Full-day childcare will be offered at two locations (Northpoint and Walt Disney Elementary Schools) for current P-H-M students in grades K-5  June 8 – August 17. Children will enjoy a variety of educational and recreational activities, crafts and field trips.

Cost is $150 a week, for five days a week.

All children not currently enrolled in Kids Club are required to pay a $25 registration fee, along with a non-refundable $125 activity fee deposit.

Space is limited so families must register by midnight, Friday, May 29. Click here to register online.

Locations:   Northpoint Elementary School

                       Walt Disney Elementary School

Dates:          Monday, June 8 – Monday, August 17, 2020
*Please note Kids Club will not be operating Friday, June 5 or Tuesday, August 18. Kids Club will also be closed Friday, July 3 for the Independence Day holiday. The first day of school for P-H-M Schools is Wednesday, August 19, 2020.

Times:          6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Questions: If you have questions about Kids Club Summer Session, please call:

• Binti Shah, Kids Club Program Director, 574-258-9514
• Ashley Stoffl, Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator, 574-258-9587
• Diane Dyer, Kids Club Assistant Program Coordinator, 574-286-1982

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15 for the FIRST Robotics St. Joseph District Event. Penn High School is once again hosting more than 40 high school FRC robotics teams from Indiana and Michigan who will battle it out for the title. Join more than 5,000 students, coaches, mentors, parents and fans during this one-of-a-kind two-day FREE event!

Saturday, March 14 

10 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Next Gen (K-8): 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 15 

9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Click to watch the video below to check out all the upcoming excitement, then come out to cheer on Penn Robotics Team 135!

Make sure to also bring your young Robotics fans to “Next Gen,” an area for students ages K-8, who can get hands-on engaging fun with some of Team 135’s other robots. Next Gen will be open Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This event is also FREE ADMISSION!

The last day of school for the 2025-2026 school year is Thursday, June 4, 2026. But your child’s education does not have to end, and should not. Research shows students may lose two or more months’ worth of reading achievement, a month or more of spelling learning skills and about 2 months’ worth of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills during their summer break.

That’s why P-H-M offers a wide variety of activities over the summer from District enrichment camps to Penn athletic camps, as well as opportunities for students to improve their academic skills in Summer School. The enrichment academies are offered through P-H-M’s Learning Division and are FREE! We believe that children’s summer break can be fun while also giving students the academic boost they need.

Listed below are some of the activities available to P-H-M students and children in the greater community this summer. Parents are responsible for transportation unless otherwise noted. Not all camps are open to students who do not attend P-H-M schools, so please read the qualifications for each camp carefully. Click here for a listing of non-PHM community organizations that also offer summer camps activities.

Please Note: Camp Availability Subject to Change

Penn Athletic and Academic Camps

• Kingsmen Camps: Penn coaches and members of the P-H-M faculty offer a wide variety of athletic and academic summer camp opportunities, including sports such as cheerleading, basketball, baseball, flag football, and boys and girls volleyball, as well as academic options like robotics and speech and debate. Camps are open to current students in grades K–8 (most are open to all children in the community). There is a cost for these camps.
  • Click here to see the full listing on Penn’s website. 

Enrichment Academies

• Visual Arts Academy (July 13 – 17, July 20 – 24, or July 27 – July 31, 2026)
  In this award-winning one-week academy, current P-H-M Kindergarten – 5th grade students learn art history, art production and writing through a unique integration program. The program is based at Penn High School and in collaboration with the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. Families may select the week that is most convenient for all of their children to attend, regardless of their grade.  The program is free of charge. Registration is required and it is on a first come first served basis as space is limited for this week long learning opportunity!
  • Click here for complete information and to register for the Visual Arts Academy
     
• Junior STEM Academy 
  In this one-week academy, current P-H-M Kindergarten – 5th graders will discover how math and science are applied in the real world. Each week is reserved for specific grades and will be held at Penn High School.  The program is free of charge.  Registration is required and it is on a first come first served basis as space is limited for this week-long learning opportunity!
  
  • Kindergarten and 1st grade attend the week of July 27 – July 31 REGISTRATION CLOSED
  • 2nd and 3rd grade attend the week of July 20 – 24 REGISTRATION CLOSED
  • 4th and 5th grade attend the week of July 13 – 17
  • Click here for complete information and to register for the Junior STEM Academy
     
• Junior Foreign Language Academy (July 13 – 17) 
  This academy integrates the German language, social studies, culture, visual arts and music into an intensive and enriching learning experience.  The one-week camp is held at Penn High School and is open to current P-H-M 3rd, 4th or 5th grade students.  The program is free of charge.  Registration is required and it is on a first come first served basis as space is limited for this week long learning opportunity!
  
  • Click here for complete information and to register for the Junior Foreign Language Academy
     
• Learn a Foreign Language Academy (June 15 – 26) 
  This two-week academy is open to current P-H-M 6th and 7th graders.  The course will be taught by Penn High School Foreign Language teachers who will teach the students how to read, write, and speak in Spanish.  The program is free of charge. Registration is required and it is on a first come first served basis as space is limited for this week long learning opportunity!
  
  • Click here for complete information and to register for the Learn a Foreign Language Academy

Opportunities through P-H-M Community Education – Click for Full Brochure

Community Education classes are open to any student in the community; the child does not need to be a P-H-M student or live within the District to be eligible.

Learn to Swim Classes: (Penn High School, Session I: June 15-26, 2026; Session II: July 6-17, 2026; Session III: July 20-July 31, 2026)
All three sessions are 10 classes held at the Penn High School pool.  Classes are 30 minutes each and take place both in the morning and afternoon with 8 different class times to pick from. Children must be at least 4-years-old and potty trained. The cost is $50 per child, per two-week session. Click for more details.

Camp Invention (Mary Frank Elementary School – June 22-26, 2026)
A week-long summer enrichment program for children entering Grades 1–6. Camp Invention program instills life skills such as problem-solving and teamwork through
hands-on fun! Camp will be held Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. It will be based at Mary Frank Elementary School. The cost is $290 Click here to register and pay online through the Camp Invention website.

Super Kids Camp (Horizon; June 15-19, 2026 | Mary Frank; July 13-17, 2026 | Elsie Rogers; July 27-31 2026)
Students entering Grades 1- 6 will experience an engaging rotation of science, music, art and fitness activities in this half-day camp. Camp hours are 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at three locations. The cost is $50 per child per camp. Click here for more details.

Youth Theater Camp at Penn High School (Session I: June 22-26, 2026; Session II: July 20-24, 2026)
A one-week creative and expressive experience for students entering Grades 5 – 8. Pick one (or both) of these weeks for your child to attend. This half-day camp is offered 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The cost is $90 and includes a t-shirt. Click for more details.

Summer Kids Club (June 8th – August 14th)

Full-day childcare will be offered for  current P-H-M students in grades K-5. Children will enjoy a variety of educational and recreational activities, crafts and field trips. Click here for more details and online registration. 

Summer School Information 

P-H-M will conduct two Summer School sessions prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Current P-H-M students who need the academic boost from summer instruction will receive invitations to attend. Penn High School students are able to take high school classes for credit in either summer session. Some students will work online to complete coursework and make up credits.

For elementary, middle and high school students, Summer School will be offered. Times vary depending on the program, please refer to the programs below.  

ELEMENTARY SUMMER SCHOOL (Grades K-4, June 11 – July 1)

• Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Meadow’s Edge and Moran Elementary School, breakfast & lunch provided, P-H-M Transportation available to students that live within PHM boundaries

MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER SCHOOL (Grades 5 – 7, June 11– July 1)

• Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Penn High School, P-H-M Transportation available to students that live within PHM boundaries

YOUNG ADULT & LIFE SKILLS (Grades 6 – Young Adult, June 11– July 1)

• Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Penn High School, P-H-M Transportation available to students that live within PHM boundaries

PENN HIGH SUMMER SCHOOL, Session 1 (June 11 – July 1)
PENN HIGH SUMMER SCHOOL, Session 2 (July 9 – July 29)

• Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Penn High School, P-H-M Transportation available to students who live within P-H-M boundaries

P-H-M students entering grades 9-12 must register with their school counselor to take high school summer school classes. Click here for more information on Penn’s website.