With 69 out of 72 words spelled correctly, Discovery Middle School finished in second place at the Indiana State Spelling competition!

Special thanks to coach Susan Berger, an Educational Assistant at Discovery.

In an effort to encourage reading and literacy, Discovery Middle School is once again doing “One Book, One School” where every student in the school reads the same book.

This year, to build excitement and continuity throughout the school, we held a scavenger hunt. Students started in their classrooms by reading this year’s book “Amari and the Night Brothers,” written by B.B. Alston. 

Students also had a work sheet with clues, after they got their first clue by reading the book, the students would then go to different stations around the school to find more clues that all related to the book.

Excitement was in the air as students went from station to station, finding the next clue to help their team finish first. 

Take a look at some photos below! 

On Friday, November 17, 2023, we hosted our Peer Leader Friendsgiving party!

The Peer Leader program partners Exceptional Education students with General Education students as a way to build friendships and understanding.

Our wonderful staff and parent volunteers brought in traditional Thanksgiving food that contributed to the feel of this being a special event.

A great time was had by all who attended, view the pictures in the photo gallery below!

Discovery’s Spell Bowl team finished 1st in the Class 1 Junior Area Competition on November 1. Discovery Spell Bowl students had the highest overall score with 6 perfect spellers and 2 near perfect spellers. The Spell Bowl State Championships will be held Saturday, November 11.

Congratulations to our Archers and the other three teams for representing P-H-M well!

• Discovery: Coach Susan Berger; Students: Lauren Arevalo, Lucie Arevalo, Abigail Kang, Hisham Khan, Samia Majeed, Abhijay Masetty, Sujay Patel, Allison Paul, Pariyansh Pelia, Haidyn Reed, Jack Richmond, Vihaan Shah, Xiaohe Wang, Aashna Wilkes, and Ella Yu
• Grissom: placed 7th out of 25 teams in the Junior Class 2 competition, with eight teams moving on

• Schmucker: placed 7th out of 39 teams, with 16 teams moving on

• Penn: finished in 2nd place with five perfect spellers

Now that's how you spell #PHMExcellence!!!

Today (Friday, September 15, 2023) Penn-Harris-Madison’s Learning Division awarded their first Teacher Impact Awards. New this year, the P-H-M Impact Award is being presented to educators who have helped their students achieve individual academic growth on their formative assessments over time. All P-H-M teachers across the district are dedicated to helping their students achieve personal academic success. The P-H-M Impact Award is shining the spotlight on those teachers who are showing the most significant overall student growth during the 2022-2023 school year (Round 1 of Awards). These teachers are prime examples of how our teachers and students achieve P-H-M Excellence!

With the help of Principal Elizabeth Cunha and Assistant Principals Troy Kauffman and Kevin McMillen, Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, Dr. Lavon Dean-Null, Ryan Towner, and Executive Director of the P-H-M Education Foundation Jen Turnblom surprised 7^th grade teacher Emma Zerfas while she was teaching Math Class. Her students were overjoyed for her! Zerfas students had the highest consistent 7th grade Math growth of all 7th grade Math teachers in P-H-M’s three middle schools. Zerfas’ students averaged 47% growth in proficiency; the average P-H-M proficiency growth was 28%. Click here to see photos on Facebook.

Dr. Thacker and team also gave two awards to 5th grade co-teaching team of Lexie Banks and Erin Horvath at Mary Frank. With the help of Principal Christie Heerschop, Dr. Thacker was also able to surprise Banks and Horvath. Banks and Horvath had the two highest Math growth scores for 5th grade in P-H-M. Banks’s Class went from 3% proficiency at the beginning of 2022 school year (Clear Sight), to 97% proficiency on the Spring 2023 ILEARN. Horvath’s class went from 5% to 90% proficiency. Banks’ class had a gain of 94% and Horvath’s 85%! The average 5th Math grade gain across P-H-M 5th grade was 50%.Click here to see photos on Facebook.

As a side note, Horvath’s classroom was Dr. Thacker’s room when he taught at Mary Frank!

P-H-M is grateful to the Education Foundation for covering the cost of these beautiful awards. 

The Teacher Impact Awards are also a testament to the hard work and outstanding learning and comprehension of our students and the support they receive from their families. That’s P-H-M’s Triangle of Success!

This was only Round 1 of surprising teachers with the Impact Awards. There are many P-H-M teachers to recognize in the days, weeks and months ahead!

Boys in grades 2nd to 8th are invited to participate in "Back to School" Basketball League at Penn High School.

2nd – 6th grade League

DATES: September 24th; Oct. 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd 29th LOCATION:

• 2nd-4th, Penn Fitness Center
• 5th-6th, Main Arena/West Balcony/Aux Gym Time

TIMES:

• 2nd-4th, Sundays, Noon – 4:00 p.m.
• 5th-6th, Sundays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

COST: $99 Click here to register online.

7th & 8th grade League

DATES: September 10th, 17th, 24th; Oct. 1st, 8th

LOCATION: Penn High School

TIMES: Sundays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

COST: $79 Click here to register online.

Questions? Please contact the League Director Coach Smith if you have any questions at jsmith5@phm.k12.in.us

This year’s annual Community Tailgate will be a great way to kick off the return of the Backyard Brawl between the Kingsmen and the Mishawaka Cavemen. 

All fans are welcome, Cavemen and Kingsmen! There’s plenty of food for fans on both sides.

Gates open at 5:00 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the South End Zone, near the Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care South Concession Stand.