MISHAWAKA, IN —With the Indiana Department of Education’s release Tuesday, August 11 of 2026 IREAD-3 results, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Heather Short is proud to share that 94.7% of P-H-M students passed IREAD.

P-H-M’s corporation-wide pass rate increased over last school year (2025-2026) and is 6 percentage points higher than this year’s statewide overall passing rate of 88.7%.

Five P-H-M elementary schools achieved an outstanding 95% or higher passing rate, including one Title I school.

• Prairie Vista Elementary: 98.8% pass rate
• Horizon Elementary: 97.7% pass rate
• Northpoint Elementary: 96.9% pass rate
• Elsie Rogers Elementary: 96.4% pass rate (Title I school)
• Bittersweet Elementary: 95.9% pass rate

Statewide, results show that 88.7% of Indiana’s third grade students demonstrated proficient reading skills on the IREAD assessment. This is an improvement of nearly 1.5 percentage points over results for the 2024-2025 school year, the second-largest single-year increase since the assessment began (click here for more information on state results in today’s IDOE news release).

Five other P-H-M elementary schools had pass rates above the State average, with four of those scoring 90% or higher, including three of P-H-M’s Title I schools: 

• Moran Elementary: 94.8% pass rate (Title I school)
• Walt Disney: 94.4% pass rate (Title I school)
• Elm Road Elementary: 93.1% pass rate (Title I school)
• Madison Elementary: 90.5% pass rate
• Mary Frank: 88.9% pass rate

“These results are a reflection of the incredible dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the partnership of our families,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “I am especially proud of the growth we are seeing across our schools, including our Title I schools that have achieved a 90% or higher passing rate. These accomplishments demonstrate what is possible when we maintain high expectations and provide students with the support they need.”

P-H-M continues to prioritize research-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading, providing educators with professional learning, instructional resources, and opportunities to collaborate around student data and effective instructional practices.

The 2026 IREAD-3 results reflect the district’s ongoing commitment to building on a culture of academic excellence and ensuring every student develops the foundational literacy skills necessary for continued academic growth.

“We are proud of these results, but our work does not stop here,” Dr. Short added. “We will continue to use student data to identify opportunities for growth, strengthen instruction, and make sure every child has the opportunity to become a confident and capable reader.”

By the Numbers

• 94.7% — P-H-M corporation-wide IREAD-3 passing rate
• 6 percentage points — P-H-M performance above the state passing rate
• 5 schools — Achieved a 95% or higher passing rate
• 1 Title I school — Achieved a 95% or higher passing rate
• 3 schools — Increased their passing rates by 6–8 percentage points compared to 2025
• Year-over-year growth — P-H-M’s overall passing percentage has continued to increase since 2024

All second grade students participate in the IREAD assessment – a tactic that has already proven successful at providing educators and families an early indicator of whether a student is on-track to read by the end of third grade. 

P-H-M’s second grade results were an impressive 72.1% of students passing in 2026.

Congratulations to Northpoint Elementary 5th Grade teacher Jen Payne on receiving a P-H-M Teacher Impact Award!

Payne was recognized after her students achieved the highest overall growth in the district for Grade 5 Math from Checkpoint 1 to Checkpoint 3. Her students demonstrated an impressive 133-point growth, outperforming all other Grade 5 Math classes across P-H-M.

Principal Lorraine White and Superintendent Dr. Heather Short surprised Payne and her students with the award, celebrating the impact of strong instruction, student engagement, and academic achievement in the classroom.

The P-H-M Teacher Impact Awards recognize educators whose students demonstrate exceptional academic growth and success. Payne’s accomplishment reflects the dedication and hard work taking place each day at Northpoint Elementary.

Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation for supporting this recognition of excellence in teaching and learning across P-H-M.

Click to see the full photo gallery in Canto.

Northpoint Elementary students reached an impressive milestone during their February Month of Reading, logging more than one million minutes of reading across the school! To celebrate the achievement, students welcomed a special guest on Friday: Dr. Kate Biberdorf, widely known as “Kate the Chemist.”

Dr. Biberdorf brought science to life with a series of high-energy, interactive demonstrations that connected directly to the school’s reading focus. Throughout February, students read her book Kate the Chemist: The STEM Night Disaster, making her visit a meaningful extension of their learning.

During the assembly, students experienced science in action. Demonstrations included building a confetti cannon, creating controlled fire bursts, and launching hundreds of plastic balls into the air using an explosion of water vapor. Each experiment was conducted in compliance with University of Notre Dame Risk Management and Safety guidelines, ensuring a safe and engaging experience for all.

Dr. Biberdorf is the nation’s first Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Notre Dame. Through her work, she aims to change how people see science by making it accessible, exciting, and hands-on. She has appeared on national television programs including The Today Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, NBC Nightly News, The Rachael Ray Show, StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Late Night with Stephen Colbert.

In addition to her live demonstrations, Dr. Biberdorf is a bestselling author. Her books include The Big Book of Experiments, The Awesome Book of Edible Experiments for Kids, and It’s Elemental: The Hidden Chemistry in Everything, along with her five-book fiction series featuring “Kate the Chemist.”

Her visit gave Northpoint students the opportunity to see the science they read about come to life, reinforcing the connection between literacy and real-world learning.

Northpoint’s Month of Reading, combined with this interactive experience, highlighted the power of reading to spark curiosity, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.

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Northpoint Elementary students got an energetic introduction to STEM during a special assembly on January 22 that helped launch their One Book, One School month of reading for February.

The interactive program featured a visiting performer who demonstrated how simple machines can work together in creative ways.

Using balloons, he constructed a working “mouse trap” built around levers, showing students how design, problem-solving, and engineering thinking can turn everyday materials into something surprising and functional. Students were encouraged to predict, observe, and think critically throughout the presentation.

The assembly tied directly to Northpoint’s chosen book for this year’s One Book, One School program, Kate the Chemist: The STEM Night Disaster. Throughout February, all Northpoint students will be reading the same book and participating in related classroom activities that connect literacy with science, technology, engineering, and math.

The month of reading officially begins today, Monday, February 2, and will include lessons, discussions, and family engagement activities centered around the story.

Northpoint looks forward to a month of learning, curiosity, and hands-on thinking inspired by Kate the Chemist.

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Today, Northpoint Elementary, a STEM-certified school, celebrated National STEM Day a day early with a variety of engaging, hands-on learning activities! Students explored science, technology, engineering, and math concepts through creative and collaborative projects.

Throughout the day, students took part in experiments like the Musical Jars Science Experiment, built Pumpkin Catapults, programmed Sphero Robots, designed Creature Catchers, explored the Scientific Method, and even learned about VR technology—and much more!

These experiences showcased Northpoint’s commitment to STEM education and helped students strengthen their curiosity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork.

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Second grade students at Northpoint Elementary have been studying the lifecycle of butterflies to start the school year, and their classroom project came full circle this week.

Last week, students carefully observed the stages of transformation. At that time, they had one caterpillar remaining, about a dozen in their chrysalis, and one butterfly that had already emerged.

The anticipation was high as the students waited for more butterflies to spread their wings.

Today, that moment arrived. The classes gathered outside to witness the release of five butterflies they had raised. Some butterflies took off immediately, soaring into the sky, while others needed a gentle nudge to leave their habitat.

A few flew directly to neighboring trees, where students were able to admire them up close before they continued their journey into nature.

This hands-on experience gave students a chance to not only learn about science in the classroom but also to see the beauty of nature firsthand.

Great job, Northpoint! #PHMExcellence

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P-H-M’s Annual Community Tailgate is a long-standing tradition that brings families, students, staff, and community members together to show their Penn pride. The event is held before the Penn Football home opener and is a chance for everyone across the district to connect, celebrate, and support the Kingsmen.

This year’s home opener will be “The Backyard Brawl” against Mishawaka on Friday, August 29th, 2025. Click here for game ticket info.

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 at the Yeoman Family Plaza.

Friday night marks the 67th meeting between Penn and Mishawaka. Penn leads the all-time series 49-16-1. 

Penn-Harris-Madison invites students, families, alumni, and community members to celebrate Homecoming 2025 on Friday, September 26, 2025 courtesy of the PHM Education Foundation.

The annual celebration includes the Homecoming Parade on Bittersweet Road in front of Penn High School, showcasing student groups, athletic teams, school clubs, and community organizations, followed by the Penn Kingsmen football game against South Bend Adams at Everwise Freed Field.

This is an event for the ENTIRE community and will have activities for people of all ages. Mark your calendars and plan to join in the fun! More details will be shared closer to the date.

Northpoint Elementary 3rd grade students have been learning about life cycles in a hands-on way.

Thanks to the generosity of a Northpoint parent who owns a farm, fertilized chicken eggs were donated to the classrooms. Over the past few weeks, students carefully weighed and monitored the eggs while keeping them in incubators.

This week, the chicks began to hatch. After hatching, the chicks were moved to a holding tank equipped with heat lamps to keep them warm.

Students are now observing the chicks and continuing to learn about their development.

Once the hatching process is complete, all chicks will be returned to the donor’s farm.