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.

Northpoint Elementary students took the stage for a historic moment—performing in the school’s first-ever musical production, The Big Bad Musical!

This courtroom-themed comedy put a creative twist on classic fairy tales. The story follows the Big Bad Wolf as the defendant in a class-action lawsuit brought forward by familiar characters like Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, and more. With each witness taking the stand, the audience is left to decide—is the Wolf really as bad as they say, or is there more to the story?

Students brought the characters to life through acting, singing, and lots of humor, earning big laughs and applause from the audience.

Congratulations to all the young performers, and a special shoutout to the staff and volunteers who helped make this exciting new tradition possible!

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When Northpoint Elementary kindergarteners arrived at school this morning, they were in for a surprise! A sneaky leprechaun had visited their classrooms overnight, leaving a trail of mischief. Desks were messy, papers were scattered, and carefully decorated leprechaun traps had been knocked over.

But all was not lost! Among the chaos, the leprechaun left behind special “gold coins” as a small token for the students.

With teamwork and enthusiasm, the kindergarteners worked together to clean up the mess, turning the unexpected visit into a fun and memorable St. Patrick’s Day adventure.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

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Fourth and fifth-grade students from Bittersweet, Elm Road, Mary Frank, Meadow’s Edge, and Northpoint elementary schools recently enjoyed a musical demonstration by the Penn High School Symphonic Orchestra. This event offered the elementary students an exciting glimpse into what musical instruments may be in their future.

The demonstration began with a slow, moving piece before transitioning into a showcase of individual instruments. Penn orchestra members lined up at the front of the stage to perform brief solos. Each instrument’s unique sound and appearance were highlighted, sparking curiosity and excitement among the elementary students.

The event reached its peak when two Penn teachers brought a thrilling touch of cinematic drama to the stage. Dressed as Princess Leia and Darth Vader from Star Wars, the duo engaged in a light saber battle to the delight of the audience. In a dramatic twist, Darth Vader emerged victorious and led the orchestra in a powerful rendition of the iconic “Imperial March.” Adding to the spectacle, the string players adorned their bows with LED lights, transforming them into glowing light sabers as they performed the final number.

The demonstration not only entertained but also served as an introduction to the world of orchestral music, inspiring many young students to consider learning an instrument in the future. The Penn High School Symphonic Orchestra’s performance was a perfect blend of education and entertainment, leaving a lasting impression on its young audience.

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Due to the absence of local, state, or national elections on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, all P-H-M schools will be in session on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.  P-H-M will no longer have a Recess Day on this date.

As a result, the last day of school for students will now be Thursday, June 5, 2025. This is one day earlier than previously scheduled. P-H-M Teachers Association worked collaboratively with the District Administration to make these calendar changes.

Indiana law requires schools to be in session for 180 days each year. If necessary, P-H-M can utilize up to three weather-related eLearning days, as permitted under Indiana law (HB-1093). If additional makeup days are needed, they will be added to the end of the school year, following the new last student day, Thursday, June 5, 2025. Currently, no eLearning days have been called.

The new 2024-2025 school year calendar is posted on the P-H-M website, click here to view the updated calendar.

The Fine Arts programs at Mary Frank and Northpoint Elementary Schools are set to shine even brighter, thanks to a grant awarded by the PHM Education Foundation (PHMEF). Jennifer Turnblom, Executive Director of PHMEF, visited to present the check for $5,036.98 to Jason Poff, supporting significant upgrades to sound and lighting equipment at both schools.

The grant will fund enhancements to the audio and visual systems used in Fine Arts performances. These improvements aim to elevate the quality of student productions while providing students with valuable experience in technical aspects of theater, such as lighting and sound engineering. Additionally, these upgrades will create opportunities for students to develop communication and presentation skills through improved performance experiences.

By investing in state-of-the-art equipment, the grant supports the mission of fostering creativity, collaboration, and technical expertise among students. The upgraded systems will enrich performances, benefiting not only the participating students but also the audiences who enjoy their work.

Congratulations to Jason Poff and the Mary Frank and Northpoint Elementary communities for this exciting advancement in their Fine Arts programs, and thank you to PHMEF for its continued support of innovative educational opportunities!

Third-grade students at Northpoint Elementary combined creativity, technology, and holiday spirit to host a spectacular Thanksgiving parade inspired by the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The event brought joy and excitement to the entire school community.

The third graders designed unique “floats” using balloons attached to cups, which they placed atop small robots. Each robot was programmed to follow a carefully planned parade route through the school. Students from other grades lined the hallways, eagerly cheering on the colorful and imaginative floats as they passed by.

Adding a festive surprise, the grand finale featured robots decorated as Santa Claus and his reindeer, spreading holiday cheer as they concluded the parade. 

This innovative project not only celebrated the season but also integrated STEM learning. By combining artistic expression with robotics and coding, the third graders showcased their skills while sharing a fun and creative experience with their peers.

Kudos to Northpoint’s third-grade students for an unforgettable parade that truly embodied the spirit of the holidays!

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Thank you to EVERYONE who came to the 2024 Homecoming Parade and Football game. It was a terrific time not only for the Penn students, but also for the entire community.

The Parade, Expo, Fun Zone, Food Trucks and Fireworks were all bigger and better than ever.

After the game was over, the fans in attendance were treated to a fireworks show set to music!

There are three photo galleries below, one of the parade floats and participants, one of the parade spectators and one of the fun zone and expo. Take a look and we’ll see you in 2025!

Parade Floats

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Parade Spectators

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Fun Zone & Expo

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On Friday, September 20th, Kindergarten students took a field trip to “Amazing Acres,” a local pumpkin patch, where they spent the morning doing fall-themed activities. The students enjoyed a tractor “hayride” to a pumpkin patch where they each got to pick their very own pumpkin!

The morning wrapped up with free time where students could jump on a “jumping pillow” and a wide variety of games that are on site. Special thanks to all of our parent volunteers who made this trip possible.

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