Due to some unforeseen delays in the picture printing process, our picture retake day will be rescheduled to a later date. Once our picture packages arrive and are distributed, we will set a new date for picture retakes.

ILEARN is Indiana’s standardized test. It is an online computer adaptive assessment designed to measure students’ proficiency of the Indiana Academic Standards in Grades 3–8. At the high school level, students enrolled in Biology and U.S. Government take ILEARN as End-of-Course-Assessments (ECA).

Last school year (2018-19) was the first time ILEARN was administered. This year it will be administered again to students in the spring.

What does it mean that the test is computer-adaptive? 

Every time a student answers a question, his or her response helps determine the next question presented. The difficulty of the test will adjust to each student’s skills, providing a better measure of what each student knows and can do.  For more information, click here to visit the IDOE website. 

Because the ILEARN test is online it has built in tools for students to use while testing:

• Built-in glossaries allow students to select unfamiliar words and read their definitions.
• Glossaries are available in English, Arabic, Burmese, Mandarin, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
• Students are provided with authentic tools, such as spell check, a dictionary, and a thesaurus for use when responding to the writing task.
• The Desmos calculator (provided for Mathematics Grades 6–8) is available for students to practice using free of charge at: desmos.com.
• Spanish translations (stacked over the English version) are available for Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

Online resources parents can use at home to help prepare their students

• Indiana’s Released Items Repository allows students to interact with released items and try some of the tools and features:  https://login12.cloud1.tds.airast.org/student/V367/Pages/LoginShell.aspx?c=Indiana_PT
• Indiana’s ILEARN Portal provides information and resources for understanding the assessment at: https://ilearn.portal.airast.org/
• The ILEARN for Families website answers questions about ILEARN:  https://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/ilearn-families

Student ILEARN reports

• Reports provide a scale score as an indication of overall student achievement in a grade level, as well as several subscores.
• Parents and guardians may request rescores of open-ended items through the local school. 

Questions?

Contact INassessments@doe.in.gov

On Sept. 12, students & counselors from PHM's three middle schools, Discovery, Grissom and Schmucker, attended an anti-bullying conference sponsored by St. Joseph County Medical Society. Hear from those who attended & learn what messages & lessons they're bringing back to their schools to help ensure #PHMExcellence is taking place in the way students treat each other …

Tuesday, Oct. 15
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, Youth Service Bureau St. Joseph County and St. Joseph County Special Victims Unit will present the materials to secondary students in grades 6-12. Each unit is age appropriate specific to the grade level.

The elementary (grades K-5) curriculum can be viewed at http://fightchildabuse.org/. The program’s main goal is to educate children about what to do when confronted with abusive behavior, safe and unsafe touches, going to a parent or another trusted adult if they are confronted in an unsafe situation, and that it is not their fault. An “Unsafe Touch” is defined as touching private parts of the body that are covered by a bathing suit. Stranger safety, Internet safety and other situations are also presented. 

For middle school, P-H-M will be utilizing the Teen Lures Prevention curriculum on a variety of safety issues. For additional information about the curriculum, please visit https://childluresprevention.com/​grades7-12/.

At the high school level, students will watch a video created by the St. Joseph County Special Victims Unit will be presented about ways youth can prevent, respond to and report all forms of child abuse, dating violence and sexual assault.  By talking openly with students about what constitutes healthy and respectful relationships, we prepare young people to better recognize and resist all forms of mistreatment.

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 Tuesday, Oct. 15, 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 complete the online permission slip through their student(s) school website. Please click here for Discovery’s online permission slip. 

*Please note a permission form needs to be returned to your student’s school for each individual child enrolled in a Penn-Harris-Madison School. If you have a child in another school, please visit that school’s website and search for “Mandatory Curriculum Permission Slip” and fill out that online form.

Sign-up for the Kingsmen Junior Boys Basketball League on Tuesday, September 10^th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Penn High School, enter Door D.

All games will be played on Sundays in the Penn Fitness Center, enter Door G.

 Grades 3 & 4 Games Times: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Grades 5 & 6 Games Times: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

*Game times subject to change due to league size

Before each game, all players will learn a Team Concept. The 15 minute Team Concept will be led by Penn Varsity Assistant Coach Julius Smith. Team coaches will consist of approved volunteer parents and members of the community. Each team coach will assist with the team concept lesson before each game. The league will start on September 22nd with the last games being played on November 3rd.

The cost of the league will be $75 for every player, along with the additional cost of the Kingsmen reversible jersey. All players must purchase a Penn Jersey. We will have info to order your sons Jersey at the time of registration.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Assistant Boys Varsity Coach Julius Smith at jsmith5@phm.k12.in.us.

P-H-M’s annual Community Tailgate to kick off the start of the Penn Football Season will once again be held at the TCU Freed Field, South End Concession Stand Plaza.

The Tailgate is hosted by Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation and the Penn Boosters Club for all P-H-M families and patrons to enjoy.

So come out early to the football game, grab a hot dog and catch up with old friends! Then stick around to cheer on the Kingsmen as they take on LaPorte in the season Home Opener!

Friday, August 30

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

TCU Freed Field, South End Concession Stand Plaza

Tickets $4.00 (payable at the event) includes:

• Bratwurst or hot dog

• Potato Chips

• Cookie

• Drink

Tuesday, September 3
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Penn High School CPA

Topic: High in Plain Sight: Current alcohol, drug and concealment trends and identifier

What are the current trends are among teenagers when it comes to drugs and alcohol? Learn how these dangerous products can be concealed and the important identifiers to keep your middle and high school students safe. For more more information on Officer Galloway’s presentations, please click here to visit his website.

This presentation was arranged by P-H-M’s Safety and Security Department and is open to all parents (grades 6-12), districtwide, along with staff who wish to attend. Click here to download and share the PDF of the event flyer

Today was New Teacher Orientation for Penn-Harris-Madison. 

Discovery Middle School is welcoming 3 new teachers.

Click to get more details on P-H-M’s Penn's New Teacher Class of 2019.

The purpose of each Middle School Task Force (MSTF) to provide the school constituency the opportunity to have input into the school’s decision making process, toward the achievement of school-wide goals for school improvement plans related to student safety, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Restorative Practices. 

As part of our “Triangle of Success” connecting students, teachers and parents, we invite all Penn-Harris-Madison parents/guardians of their respective middle schools (Discovery, Grissom, and Schmucker) to apply to serve as a member of the MSTF as we work to build a strong community-parent-school partnership.

MSTF members will:

• Enhance communication between the principal and school patrons.
• Serve as a sounding board for new ideas.
• Help the principal anticipate and/or identify community concerns and potential solutions to those issues.
• Assist with planning issues surrounding the implementation of change.
• Assist with developing School Improvement Plan Goals related to safety and/or behavior as well assist and support the school to reach these goals.

The MSTF will hold a minimum of one meeting every month (with some exceptions) during the 2019-2020 school year. More frequent meetings are held in September due to School Improvement Plan deadlines. Additional meetings may be scheduled as the need arises.

HOW TO APPLY

For those parents or community members interested in applying, please click here for a full description of the Middle School Task Force. 

Click here for the application packet for Discovery’s Middle School Task Force.

Sign-up for the Penn Girls Basketball Leagues will be from noon-to-2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25.

The Junior League is for grades 3-6, and the Senior League is for grades 7-8.

Both the Junior League and Senior League start on Sunday, Sept. 8. The Junior League ends on Sunday, Nov. 10, and the Senior League ends on Sunday, Nov. 17.

• Click here for information on the Junior League.
• Click here for information on the Senior League.