Board Approves New Administrators at Dr. Short’s First Meeting
At Monday night’s P-H-M Board of School Trustees meeting Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, presented three current P-H-M administrators for promotion. This was Dr. Short’s first school board meeting as superintendent since she started in the role on July 1. The following administrative changes were approved at the meeting:
Randy Williams was approved as the new Director of Academic and Student Support. Williams previously served in several administrative roles within PHM since 2008, including Principal of Madison and Walt Disney Elementary Schools, Dean of Students at Penn and Associate Principal of Penn. In 2018 he was honored as a member of the “Forty under 40” class. In 2023 He became the Director of Secondary Education and Student Services for the Middlebury Community School system. Williams now returns to Penn-Harris-Madison with a wealth of new professional experiences and an enhanced skill set.
Maddie Schmidt was approved for the Assistant Principal position at Grissom Middle School. Schmidt is a former Kingsmen and a graduate of Judson University. She has a master’s degree in Educational and Business Administration from Bethel University. Schmidt began her career teaching language arts at Schmucker Middle School. During her time there, she also served as an Instructional Leader. She is an active member of PHM’s Excellence in Leadership initiative and has held multiple teacher leadership roles at SMS. Most recently, she served as a Dean at Schmucker.
Beth Stroven was approved for the Assistant Principal position at Schmucker Middle School. This past year, Stroven served as a math teacher at Grissom Middle School and is a member of PHM’s Excellence in Leadership initiative. Prior to joining P-H-M, she was a teacher in Elkhart Community Schools, where she was recognized as the 2019 District Elementary Teacher of the Year and received the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Grant where she earned a master’s degree in Educational and Business Administration from Indiana State University. She later served as the principal of Mary Daly Elementary School.
P-H-M Students Excel on Spring 2025 ILEARN
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation (P-H-M) proudly shares the outstanding performance of its students on the Spring 2025 ILEARN assessment, as released by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). P-H-M students once again outperformed the state average by an impressive 20 percentage points in the percentage of students passing both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. This achievement places P-H-M in the top 4% of public school corporations across Indiana (see the charts below).
“These results reflect the exceptional work of our teachers, students, and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “We remain deeply committed to ensuring every child reaches their full potential, and this data shows that our efforts are paying off.”
P-H-M has maintained its Top 4% ranking for a second consecutive year, a testament to the district’s commitment to academic excellence and the strategies that drive student success. Out of Indiana public schools that passed both ELA and Math, Northpoint and Prairie Vista Elementary Schools are in the Top 10; and Discovery Middle School is #3 in the state.
A closer analysis of the data shows strong gains across grade levels and student groups. Middle school students, in particular, demonstrated significant improvement in math, based on the state’s 2021 benchmark. P-H-M 8th grade Math performance is up 24% since the benchmark year and now the variance over the state average is 28%.
The district’s Free and Reduced Lunch (F/R) student population, which now exceeds 30%, continues to demonstrate notable progress. Among Indiana’s largest public school districts testing close to 5,000 students, P-H-M ranks #1 in the state for the percentage of F/R students passing both ELA and Math.
“These achievements are not by accident,” added Dr. Short. “They are the result of intentional investments in teacher professional development and the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices. We are fortunate to have educators and staff who are deeply committed to supporting every learner.”
Indiana junior high school students are now required to take the SAT for graduation. The IDOE also released SAT results. Among public high schools in pass percentage, Penn High School moved up from #27 last year, to #15 this year.
Results from the Spring 2025 IREAD assessment are expected to be released in early fall, and P-H-M looks forward to sharing those outcomes as well.
ILEARN Math
Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | |
PHM | 71% | 65% | 65% | 52% | 57% | 63% |
State | 52% | 50% | 42% | 40% | 36% | 35% |
Variance | +19% | +15% | +23% | +12% | +21% | +28% |
ILEARN ELA
Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5 | Grade 6 | Grade 7 | Grade 8 | |
PHM | 60% | 55% | 64% | 57% | 56% | 64% |
State | 41% | 42% | 41% | 41% | 38% | 43% |
Variance | +19% | +13% | +23% | +16% | +18% | +21% |
Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker Receives Several Honors Upon Retirement
In March, Superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Dr. Jerry Thacker announced his retirement after 19 years. Under Dr. Thacker’s leadership, P-H-M has achieved extraordinary milestones, including raising the graduation rate from 79% to 98%, ranking in the top 4% of the state academically, and helping students earn more than $200 million in scholarships. He also prioritized school safety, leading P-H-M to be ranked sixth in the nation for school safety initiatives. Click here to read more about P-H-M student success achieved during Dr. Thacker’s tenure.
Dr. Thacker has had a remarkable 53-year career in education working in leadership roles across Indiana and Michigan. As the school year wrapped up and in gratitude for his many contributions to the field of education, Dr. Thacker has received several honors.
These five prestigious awards were conferred upon Dr. Thacker:
- May 4, named IAPSS – District II Superintendent of the Year
- May 9
Ivy Tech Community College presented him with an Honorary Degree in College and Community Service at their Commencement
- May 9, Head Start Consortium gave him the “Making a Difference” award for his loyal dedication, unwavering commitment, and his indispensable support of Head Start’s mission at Head Start’s 60th Anniversary Celebration and Board Meeting
- May 21
Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood presented him with a Key to the City and a proclamation declaring May 21st “Dr. Jerry Thacker Day”
- May 30
State Senator Linda Rogers presented him with the Circle of Corydon award on behalf of herself and Governor Mike Braun. The award honors Hoosiers who have made remarkable contributions that have bettered Indiana, and who have demonstrated the qualities exemplified by our state’s greatest citizens
Internally, P-H-M school principals, teachers, and students also wanted to thank Dr. Thacker for his years of service and dedication to the district. Several came up with meaningful ways to express their appreciation:
- May 1, Penn High School Bands recognized him for his “caring leadership and service” at the Spring Concert
- May 16
Grissom Middle School students and staff lined the hallways to applaud him as he walked through the school’s hallways - May 16
Penn High School Building Trades program presented him with a Golden Hammer for recognition of his Outstanding Support and Service - May 22
Bittersweet Elementary School students and staff lined the hallways to applaud him as he walked through the school’s hallways - May 27
Walt Disney Elementary School establishes the “Dr. Jerry Thacker Achievement Award” to recognize students who exemplify persistence, good citizenship, and positive competitiveness
- May 30
Schmucker Middle School principal presented him with an Elevation Award for 53 years of service in education to students, teachers, and parents - June 2
Prairie Vista Elementary students performed a “We are your Triangle of Success” presentation and gave him a planter with all the thumbprints of students (grades K-5) and staff to illustrate the impact he’s had on their lives
- June 3
Retiring Penn Band Director Glenn Northern, leads the Symphonic Winds section of the Kingsmen Marching Band in the Penn High School Fight song outside Dr. Thacker’s office at the Educational Services Center. Click here to see the video on Facebook.
Before the end of the 2024-2025 school year came to a close, Dr. Thacker shared the video message below with P-H-M students, teachers, and families.
Recommendations for Asst. Superintendent and Dir. of Professional Development


Dr. Dean-Null began her educational career as a teacher at Discovery after graduating from Bethel University. Dr. Dean-Null taught at Discovery for 10 years. During that time she took a sabbatical and taught in Ansan, South Korea for a year. While at Discovery, Dr. Dean-Null became a top finalist for the Indiana Teacher of the Year award. With a master’s degree in educational leadership from Indiana University and a Ph.D. from Purdue University, she served as assistant principal of Grissom, principal of Walt Disney, followed by principal of Schmucker before becoming Director of Professional Development and Student Learning. Dr. Dean-Null has a passion for leadership development and has coordinated educational programs abroad for over a decade and presented at educational forums worldwide. She is currently enrolled in Learning Forward’s national Academy and will graduate in June of 2026. Lavon’s commitment to education extends beyond her district role; she shares her expertise at state and national conferences. She is always striving to foster communities of high-achieving learners through continuous growth initiatives, and will be the perfect fit for the next Assistant Superintendent of P-H-M.

Dr. Higginson has spent the last two years as principal of Walt Disney Elementary School and has strengthened student and staff learning through multiple avenues, including being selected to participate in the Indiana Department of Education’s noteworthy “Get Your Teach On” program. She was most recently honored as Indiana’s District II Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals and holds her Ph.D. from Purdue University in educational leadership. Before coming to Penn-Harris-Madison, she served as the District Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction and as an elementary principal at Elkhart Community Schools. She also served at both the elementary and middle school levels in the South Bend Community School Corporation. She will bring a wealth of assets to her new role at Central Office.