School is in Session April 29

Remember that we will be having school on Friday, April 29 as it’s a make up day for the February 25th snow day. At DMS, it will be a GOLD day. See you then!

Martin’s Advantage Points for Discovery

Parents, as your 5th graders prepare to enter middle school at Discovery, don’t forget to change your school code at Martin’s Supermarkets. This will shift your Martin’s Advantage Points to Discovery Middle School. You can do this online at https://martins-supermarkets.com/saving-rewards/advantage-card or stop by the customer service counter at your store.

DC Trip Information

Deadlines are fast approaching. If you still need to access a form or information for the 8th grade trip to Washington DC, you can get forms on Mr. Bontrager’s Canvas page or go to http://www.classictours.org/ and click on ‘Tour Forms’. 

Report Bullying

The Board of School Trustees and the Penn-Harris-Madison administration take bullying seriously.

The school district has put in place the tools, training and guidelines to help staff recognize and respond to bullying when it occurs. Staff members are required to report all instances of suspected bullying. We also engage our students in the discussion. We want them to fully understand why bullying is a problem—and that we expect them to be part of the solution. Well-informed parents can also be part of the solution. The resources below will help.

 

 

Letter from the Principal – ISTEP 2015

Dear Parents,
 
 
I wanted to give everyone an update on Spring 2015 ISTEP.  Schools have received very preliminary 
 
results and parents are asked to go online using the information mailed to you very recently.  Once you 
 
log onto https://indiana.ctb.com, you can access your student’s applied scores.  If you wish to have any 
 
rescored, you simply tap the BLUE scores and they will turn RED, thus requesting a RESCORE.   If you 
 
misplaced your letter (and the enclosed Invitation Code), you may call 800-481-4769 or email at 
 
support@ctb.com.  
 
 
On December 8, 2015, final ISTEP results will be released electronically to schools.  On December 22, 
 
2015, your student’s complete report will be available on the Indiana Parent Network and schools will 
 
have a copy, too.  A copy of your Individual Student Report will be mailed to you, also, sometime after 
 
Winter Break.  
 
 
I know it has been frustrating to all of us as we have awaited last spring’s scores.  However, we have 
 
kept our focus on the Acuity test results that are aligned to the Indiana Standards.  This information 
 
helps us plan lessons that need to be reviewed and/or expanded.  Our goal is still that 100% of our 
 
students PASS the ISTEP.  
 
 
The new tests are more difficult and complex.  They require more sustained reading..requiring student 
 
stamina AND higher order comprehension skill.  Students are routinely asked to compare more than one 
 
reading in answering questions and/or stating arguments.  We continue to practice these types of 
 
reading skills in all our content areas at DMS…especially in health, science, social studies, and math.  
 
Asking students to carefully read and evaluate instructions is also key to their success.  Being able to 
 
navigate technology enhanced questions is equally important.
 
 
We are working hard to have our students prepared for THEIR future!!
 
 
With your child in mind,
 
Sheryll M. Harper, principal

Take the Speak Up survey – because your opinion counts!

 

Speak Up is a national research initiative that seeks to gather widespread input on the topic of educational technology.  

Each fall the Speak Up survey is posted online so students, parents, teachers, school staff, and the general public can share their views on technology in schools. 

 

 

The Speak Up survey has three primary objectives:

  • To provide a means for local schools and districts to easily and effectively listen to and act upon the ideas of their stakeholders
  • To provide a conduit for the voices of education stakeholders, most notably students, to inform national and state policies and programs
  • To stimulate new local discussions around the use of technology within education.

Survey results are typically released in February, and are important to those who shape educational policy, direct school finance, create curriculum, and implement technology in our schools.

Penn-Harris-Madison participates in the survey in part because we are recipients of a Digital Learning Grant that helps to fund our technology.  

Another reason we support Speak Up is because the results can be helpful in the development of our formal technology plans. Each P-H-M school develops and follows a 3-year technology plan that outlines its goals for educational technology and directs how resources may be spent to achieve those goals.

Here’s a link to learn more about the SPEAK UP survey and the agency that conducts the research, Project Tomorrow.  Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Speak Up here.

Or, you may want to just jump right in and take the survey!

Parents and community members CLICK HERE to TAKE THE SPEAK UP SURVEY NOW

The survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete and you will not need to create an account. The survey will be open until December 18 and the link on this webpage will remain active until then. 

P-H-M staff and students will have opportunities to take their version of the Speak Up survey at school / at work through arrangements made in the coming weeks.

 

Chromebook Web Filter

P-H-M provides web filtering at school that complies with the federal CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) guidelines, and filters students from all recommended content such as hate crimes, nudity, violence, weapons and so on.  P-H-M also chooses to filter heavy time wasters such as social media websites from student use. The filter we use is an industry leader in content filtering and traffic shaping to help block not only harmful web pages, but mobile applications and other internet services. This filter only applies to student Chromebooks while they are at school or connected to the WiFi at any P-H-M building.  

At home students will be under the guidelines that parents provide for their home internet use.  If parents are looking for ways to help keep students on track at home we can make some suggestions that are inexpensive and safe for not only your Chromebook, but home computer, tablet and mobile phone devices as well.  One such program parents can use is called OpenDNS that allows parents to have a lot of control over how their internet access is used at home.  It is free for personal use. For more information go to https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/

Parents, take these steps to get HAC email alerts!

 

Parents of middle school and high school students who use HAC (Home Access Center), take note!

Some parents who signed up for HAC email alerts are not receiving them. 

Here are the two most common reasons for that, and what you can do to fix them.

PROBLEM:  You are not receiving any email alerts because the school has no email address on file, or the email address on file is incorrect.

SOLUTION:  Rather than assume yours is correct, please verify that it is!  Follow these steps:

  • Sign in to your HAC account

  • Go to REGISTRATION (on the right side of the main menu)

  • Click on the DEMOGRAPHIC tab

  • Look under CONTACTS, in the GUARDIAN section, to verify your email address

  • If none is listed, or the one listed is not correct, contact your child’s school and request a correction

Once you’ve confirmed your email address is correct, make sure your settings are correct, as explained in the PROBLEM/SOLUTION below.

PROBLEM:  You are not receiving an email that alerts you when your student gets a low grade (or, if you choose, a high grade) on an assignment in Gradebook because the high/low setting needs to be corrected.

SOLUTION:  This is an easy mistake to make, but an easy one to correct! Follow these steps:

  • Sign in to your HAC account

  • Click on CLASSES

  • Click the checkbox in front of “Alert me if my student receives an assignment average below ___ % or above ___%.”

  • Now put a number in one blank, or the other, but not both. If you fill in both blanks you will receive no alerts at all. Most parents want to know about a low score. To do that, enter a value in the “below_____ %” field – and leave the “above_____%” field blank.

Now you will receive an email if there is anything in the system that fits your “rule” at the time the email is sent!

HAC is a great resource and we want our parents to get the most out of it! 

Parents Having Trouble Logging in to HAC?

If a parent is having difficulty logging in to HAC, please email HAC@phm.k12.in.us with questions. You will need to include your student’s name and ID in your email. They are happy to help you see your student’s account.

Superintendent’s Luncheon

The annual Superintendent’s Luncheon is an opportunity for the community to learn more about P-H-M schools and the P-H-M Education Foundation. P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker will give the State of the Corporation address, reflecting on the past academic year and sharing his goals for the future. Also, 2014-15 PHMEF grant recipients will be recognized along with honoring the 2015 P-H-M Teacher of the Year Shelia Toth.   

Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon – 1:30pm

Windsor Park Conference Center, 4020 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka

The Superintendent’s Luncheon is a fundraiser for the Foundation, supporting innovative grants.

For more information about the luncheon or to purchase tickets or a table, go to phmef.org. All are invited but advanced reservations are required.