This is the Special Education News and Information Page

Contact us:

Mary Keller Grade 6 Resource Teacher mkeller@phm.k12.in.us

Jennifer McMillen Grade 7 Resource Teacher jmcmillen@phm.k12.in.us

Monica Swygart Grade 7 Resource Teacher  mswygart@phm.k12.in.us

Mandy Stanifer, Speech and Language Therapist mstanifer@phm.k12.in.us

Virtual Tour of Discovery Middle School

 Just FYI: Community Resources

 www.michianadownsyndrome.org

 Asperger Autism Group of Goshen
(SECOND Monday)
Free and open to the public
Lending library available at 6:45 pm
Childcare available by reservation — contact Dena (below)

sites.google.com/autismgoshen

Little Star  Where kids with Autism learn to live in the world. Where parents learn they are not alone

http://www.littlestarcenter.org/blog/excellenceindirectcare/

Visit www.logancenter.org

Nuts & Bolts Newsletter Asperger/Autism Group of Goshen

Dear Parents and Caregivers of Loved Ones with Autism:   Michele Trivedi, parent and volunteer advocate, is conducting a survey regarding health insurance coverage for people with autism.     Michele Trivedi is a volunteer advocate and parent of a teen with autism who was the "test case" for the enforcement and implementation actions for the Indiana Autism Health Insurance Mandate. Michele has been advocating for the proper implementation of the Autism Mandate from 2000 on-going.  She also was the consumer representative appointed by the IDOI commissioner to negotiate Bulletin 136 with the IDOI and insurance industry representatives.  At the conclusion of the test cases for her child, she traveled the state with the assistance of IRCA to educate parents and willing providers about the mandate and the terms of Bulletin 136 and implementation of the mandate. She has spoken at various conferences about the Indiana Mandates, and has conducted trainings with any provider upon request, free of charge.  For the past 12 years, she has volunteered to assist any family that contacts her to address insurance issues as they pertain to autism coverage.  She is the health insurance contact person for ASI, Autism Speaks, the Arc and IRCA in Indiana.  Her professional background is in managed care contracting, physician group management, ambulatory care management, clinical quality improvement and provider education.  She worked in the medical industry in these areas for several years before "retiring" in 1999 to care for her daughter.  She has a Masters degree in Health Services Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.   Please go to the link below to take Michele’s short survey before November 30, 2012.    The information will assist Michele and the autism advocacy partner organizations to better advocate for you and your loved ones with autism.  Thank you very much for your participation.  If you have a questions regarding the survey, please contact Michele Trivedi at trivmm@gmail.com.    Click here to complete the survey.   Changes at Division of Disability and Rehabilitation Services   Shane Spotts, Director of the Division of Disability and Rehabilitation Services (DDRS) has resigned effective November 30, and will move on to work in the private sector.  Tracy Myszak, Deputy Director of DDRS, has been appointed to serve as Acting Director.   The Autism Society of Indiana thanks Shane for his support of the Indiana Allies program and his attention to issues that affect individuals affected by autism.  We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors!   We enthusiastically congratulate Tracy Myszak on her appointment as Acting Director.  ASI has a strong connection to Tracy, and we are looking to continue working with her and her team. CONTACT US Asperger Autism Group of Goshen 406 S 7th St Goshen, Indiana 46526 Add us to your address book WHAT WE OFFER The nuts & bolts of autism info and support in northern Indiana  Visit our website for information about … Events calendar Speakers, topics Conversation nights Lending library Spouses group  Facebook group Meeting locations Local, regional & state resources Christine Guth, Coordinator 574-534-2718 Dena Deal 1-800-609-8449 ext. 202 ASI Autism Ally for region ASPERGER AUTISM GROUP OF GOSHEN …is affiliated with Autism Society of Indiana (ASI) …follows the Options Policyof ASI, which means we do not endorse or promote particular providers, organizations or resources but offer them as resources for you to choose those that work best in your family. …benefits from volunteers who contribute their gifts and time. Please consider how you can help families affected by autism in our community. See some of the volunteer opportunities.

The Instructional Media Center (IMC) provides many resources for our students.

The Counseling Office at Discovery helps students make good choices (academically, personally, and socially) as they learn and grow.

The Discovery Counseling program has earned the Indiana Gold Star School Counseling Award. To earn this award, a school must exhibit the highest level of school counseling professionalism by addressing The Indiana School Counseling Competencies for Students and the American School Counseling Association’s Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success.

The Gold Star designation is aligned with the American School Counselor Association’s National Model and mirrors requirements for the ASCA RAMP Award for Recognized ASCA Model Programs.

To contact Discovery’s Counseling Office, please call the main line at (574) 674-6010 and ask to be transferred to the Counseling Office.

Autumn Stout (astout@phm.k12.in.us), Counselor for the Class of 2029 & 2032 

Sarah Horn (shorn@phm.k12.in.us), Counselor for the Class of 2030 

Abigail Harder-Lopez (aharder-lopez@phm.k12.in.us), Counselor for the Class of 2031

Jamie Relias (jrelias@phm.k12.in.us), Guidance Secretary

Kevin Runyan (krunyan@phm.k12.in.us), School Psychologist             

To request an appointment with your counselor, please click here:

School Counselor Appointment Request Form

Possible New Students:

Contact the office at (574) 674-6010

Enrollment paperwork is also available on the PHM home page at phmschools.org.  Hover over the Parents tab and scroll down to Enrollment Info under the General Info heading to find registration information.

Teens and Stress

Here is a good article from the Screenagers company.  If you’d like more articles about technology and how it affects our teens, please sign up for their Tech Talk Tuesdays available on this link.

How Parent Can Help Youths With Stress

SKYWARD 

Students are encouraged to check SKYWARD weekly to keep progress of their grades.  If you did not get your log in from PHM, please email familyaccess@phm.k12.in.us for your log in and password.  

21st Century Scholars Program

Indiana middle school students can have  up to four years of their undergraduate tuition paid at any participating public college or university in Indiana if they enroll and meet income eligibility requirements.   Please only complete if you meet the income eligibility guidelines.

Please click here for more information on the 21^st Century Scholarship website.

Be Safe and Smart with Technology

The following websites are great supports for knowing how to help your child’s online activity to be safe.   http://www.netsmartz.org/Parents  

It also has worthwhile information for students at http://www.kidsmartz.org/.

Take a College Tour Now?

This website has great virtual tours of many colleges and universities.  It’s never too early to start looking at different campuses and keeping the goal of college in front of you.  Check out http://www.youvisit.com/colleges.

College Costs

There is a new website that is a great resource for parents and students to look over information on the cost of college.  Please check it out at www.indianacollegecosts.org.  Another great website is www.TriptoCollege.org/WIN for information on planning and paying for college.

LearnMore Indiana

LearnMore Indiana, Indiana’s Pre-K College connection, supports and encourages lifelong learning for all Indiana citizens. Up-to-date materials, helpful checklists and other valuable resources and tools provide parents, students, school counselors and others with information about every aspect of education from early learning, to K-12, to college and careers.  Check out this great website!      www.learnmoreindiana.org

Study Tips

Please check out this website for some great study methods and tips:

http://homeworktips.about.com/od/studymethods/tp/studyhabits.htm

Great Homework Help at Night

Students – if you need help with Math or Science homework, please try the “Homework Hotline” at 1-877-ASK-ROSE.  It’s a free service from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  Our students in the past have found it very helpful, or try their website at  www.askrose.org.  They are open 7 PM – 10 PM, Sunday through Thursday evenings.

Be Safe!

Students are encouraged to talk to a trusted adult if they know someone who is having suicidal thoughts. Click here for resources students can use to talk/text with a trained professional.

Crisis Text Line: text “GO” to 741741 to text to a trained professional about your thoughts and feelings.

Click here for a listing of textbook fees for middle school core classes, elective classes, and other additional fees for the 2008-2009 school year. Fees are due at the beginning of the school year. More information and forms are listed under the Parent section of the P-H-M website.

10050 Brummitt Road Granger, IN 46530

Phone: (574) 674-6010 

Fax: (574) 679-4214

Elizabeth Cunha, Principal

Troy Kauffman, Assistant Principal

 Kevin McMillen, Assistant Principal

Stephanie Holmes, Treasurer

Jennifer Tebell, Secretary

Laurie Ruoff, Attendance Secretary

Camille Harvey, Office Aide

Click here for a list of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation contacts.

”A” rated School & School District
Discovery is one of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation’s nine “A” rated schools. P-H-M has consistently received an “A” rating from the Indiana Department of Education every year since 2011. 

Discovery has also earned the distinction of being ranked Indiana’s #2 for Public Middle Schools by U.S. News & World Report (data is based on the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years). Click here to learn more.

THE IDOE’S GRADUATES PREPARED TO SUCCEED DASHBOARD provides student-focused data to empower Indiana’s educators & families with information on how we are preparing our students for college and career success. Click here to view our GPS Report Card.

For State Accountability purposes, the State Board has placed all schools into the “No Grade” category for the 2022-2023 school year. Therefore, a state report card for 2022-2023 is not available.

History

Discovery Middle School was completed in the summer of 1996 and welcomed the first student body for the 1996-97 school year.  Discovery Middle School serves families from Mary Frank, Horizon, and, Northpoint.  Each area of the school contains the latest technical equipment to assist students as they prepare for their place in the 21st century.  The school community is committed to providing a safe, interactive learning environment where all can achieve their personal best.

Special Facilities/Resources

• 1:1 Technology, every student has a Chromebook to take home
• Television studio/production rooms
• Family and Consumer Science technology lab
• Soundproof music practice rooms
• Instructional Materials Center (IMC)
• Flexible instruction areas
• Grade level team resource/office space
• Fitness and main gymnasiums
• Fitness lab
• Basketball and Tennis courts
• Soccer and football fields
• Indoor track

Activities

• Academic competitions program
• After school club program
• Athletic teams
• Fine arts/life management programs
• Intramural/recreation program
• National Junior Honors Society program
• Performing fine arts (band, orchestra, chorus, piano)
• Student Intervention programs
• Student Ambassadors

Colors:   Dark green/old gold with burgundy trim

Mascot:  Archers

Archers have to be ‘on target’ the same as we do at school.  An Archer has to be as “sharp” as an arrow.  This mascot goes perfectly with our logo, for there is an arrow going straight through it.  An Archer not only “points” us the right way, but as students of Discovery Middle School, we should Aim High with our goals to get a better start on life. 

We practice our AIM. High goals throughout the school:  A – positive attitude, I – integrity, and M – Make a Difference.