The Indiana Department of Education has announced the 2014-15 Four Star Schools and six Penn-Harris-Madison Schools made the annual roster for this elite distinction.

Along with Northpoint, P-H-M’s other Four Star Schools are Horizon, Mary Frank, and Prairie Vista Elementary Schools, as well as Discovery Middle School and Penn High School.

In order to achieve this designation, a school must be in the top 25th percentile of schools in two ISTEP-based categories. Additionally, a qualifying school must have earned the highest designation in the state’s accountability system and be accredited by the Indiana Department of Education. A total of 287 schools received the award throughout the state. A complete list of the schools that received the award, as well as a more complete methodology outlining Four Star determination, can be found on the IDOE’s website.

In January, the 2015 ISTEP+ scores were released and P-H-M ranked 10th in the state among 293 public school districts. The District earned an 81.4% pass rate for ELA (English/Language Arts); 78.0% pass rate for Math; and an overall combined pass rate of 72.1% for both subjects areas. P-H-M was also rated an “A-rated” school district for the 6^th year in a row.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves approximately 10,700 students in 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and Penn High School. Penn High School's graduation rate exceeds the state’s with a 97% graduation rate and is rated a 90-25-90 school by the IDOE. 100% of P-H-M teachers rank either highly effective or effective. 

CANVAS is an online communication platform that connects students, parents and teachers. CANVAS has boosted the success of P-H-M’s Chromebook program in middle and high school, and most of our users have given it a “thumbs up” this year.

Starting June 6, 2016, P-H-M’s CANVAS users will see a new and improved “dashboard” when they log on. In addition to the new look, the user will have new options for organizing and viewing CANVAS content. We think the changes being made to the user interface will merit two thumbs up!  

Parents and students, watch the video below for an overview of the changes. 

The URL (web address ) to CANVAS is not changing. You will find it at the same location, or by using the same link or shortcut, as you have used in the past. 

• Click here to go to the CANVAS login page now, or copy/paste this address into your browser bar: https://phm.instructure.com/ to go there. 

Your login information will not change. Your CANVAS login is the same as your HAC (Home Access Center) login.

• Contact the school office or email the HAC helpdesk HAC@phm.k12.in.us if you need help setting up your account. 

Visit the Canvas Help Page for additional resources and information.

Running Is Elementary, now in its 8th year, took place Monday, May 2, 2016, on the 1 mile cross-country course located behind Elm Road Elementary School. The 700 student-athletes ran on wet ground under cloudy skies, but their spirits were warmed by the hundreds of spectators cheering them on. Enthusiasm for this event—including student participation and family support—grows every year!

This exciting program gets its momentum from the schools’ running clubs, formed early in the spring and led by staff who act as coaches for the fourth and fifth grade boys and girls who choose to participate. The clubs meet, run and train for several weeks ahead of the public RIE event in May. On that day the students, in their colorful team T-shirts, gather at the start line, eager to give the rugged course their best effort. Superintendent Jerry Thacker and TCU’s Chris Griggs-Huppert signaled the start of the first heat, with P-H-M Board members and patrons starting the other heats.

Every student, from the first to cross the finish line to the last, is cheered on. Some even have companions or support runners who help them keep the pace and finish the race.

One goal for all involved is personal fitness—a healthy pursuit made all the more fun since RIE takes place as outdoor recreation among friends.  Some youngsters with a bent for running set speed goals as well. One fifth grader finished the mile with a remarkable time of 6:04! 

Running Is Elementary is sponsored by Corporations for Education, the corporate arm of the P-H-M Education Foundation. Much credit also goes to Horizon Elementary P.E. teacher and RIE coordinator Cindy Batalis, who, along with her committee and many volunteers, works hard to make the event safe and successful.

Here is a photo gallery from this year’s event for you to enjoy! 

The Gala took place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Palais Royale Ballroom and PHMEF Executive Director Mari Linn Wise reports, “It was a smashing success!”

Friends of the school district gathered to celebrate the P-H-M Education Foundation’s two decades of accomplishments—having a great time and raising even more funds while they were at it!

The evening’s Roaring 20’s theme came through with plenty of glitz and glam. There were “flappers” in headbands and feather boas, and “dappers” in hats and spats. Chairperson Christine Rutherford and her staff of volunteers saw to the many details that made the evening memorable, including black and gold art deco touches, vintage costumes, designer cupcakes, and jazz music provided by Penn High students. 

View the full photo gallery here.

The highlight of the evening was the on-stage entertainment provided by teams of principals and assistant principals. Wise says, “PHMEF asked our principals and assistant principals to step outside their comfort zone to raise funds for our students by performing. P-H-M is so fortunate to have such caring administrators who want to raise funds for our students. Our winning Team Five closed out the night with a standing-ovation performance. Congratulations to all of the teams!”

Many parents, friends, staff members and community members who did not attend the Gala still supported it by casting $10 votes for their favorite teams of principals and assistant principals. On top of that giving, came a vote matching offer from Gary Fox for Crowe Horwath. He pledged to match each $10 vote, up to 100 votes for each team!

Here’s the final tally, including Mr. Fox’s generous support:

• Team 1 – 122 votes (Penn High)
• Team 2 – 217 votes (Horizon, Northpoint, P Vista)
• Team 3 – 437 votes (Elsie, W Disney, Meadow’s, Bittersweet, Madison)
• Team 4 – 223 votes (DMS, GMS, SMS)
• Team 5 – 451 votes (Mary Frank, Elm Road, Moran)
• Team 6 – 198 votes (Wildcard: Mr. Kauffman!)
• Total votes – 1,648

$16,480 was raised for P-H-M students and programs through votes alone!

Thousands of dollars in additional funds were raised through a silent auction conducted through online bidding, as well as live bidding to support the Summer Visual Arts Academy, and live bidding to underwrite PHMEF direct classroom grants. 

"I am overwhelmed by the support and generosity of the P-H-M community,” Wise states. “Our 20th Anniversary Gala was the first sit-down dinner in the Foundation’s history and it proved to be such a success. It was a night of fun and entertainment while raising much needed funds for our students.”

She continues, “Many thanks to the gala chair, Christine Rutherford, to the principals and assistant principals who showcased their talents, and to our families for their continued support.” 

The Foundation Board expresses special thanks to these five underwriters:  Gurley Leep Subaru, University of Notre Dame, Crowe Horwath, Jim and Julie Schwartz, and Gates Automotive Group.

Click here to view the Foundation’s timeline, charting 20 amazing years of contributions and growth. 

All P-H-M schools will be in session on Friday, April 29—including Northpoint, of course!  

This day of instruction will make up for the day that schools were closed due to bad weather, Thursday, Feb. 25. 

Parents, thanks for your cooperation.

Students, see you then! 

Parents, show your support for P-H-M’s elementary school leadership AND help raise money for Northpoint Elementary School!

At the P-H-M Education Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Gala on April 23, P-H-M principals will perform Vaudeville-style acts, competing against other P-H-M school teams. 

All the acts will be unique and definitely entertaining, but only one team—the one with the most votes—will win the PHaMmy award!

Here’s how you can help raise money for our school:

• Votes cost $10 each and you can cast multiple votes between now and the evening of the Gala.
• 50% of what each team raises will go directly back to that team’s schools!
• The first 100 votes for each team will be matched dollar for dollar by Gary Fox of Crowe Horwath. (Mr. Fox is P-H-M Board of School Trustees President and an Education Foundation Board Member.)

DO MRS. WIRTH AND HER TALENTED TEAMMATES DESERVE YOUR VOTE?

You bet they do! Just watch the video.

►START VOTING TODAY & give TEAM TWO a head start! Follow these easy steps:

1. Click "Browse, Bid and Buy – View Items"
2. ​Click "Register” to create a Gesture account 
3. Vote for TEAM TWO  (Auction Item #102)

Check here daily to see how the votes are coming in, and which team’s in the lead!

►WATCH LIVE STREAM OF THE GALA PERFORMANCES (Sat., April 23, 7:30 p.m.) on the Penn News Network—then vote again! Votes will be tallied and a winner announced at the end of the evening.

►PARTICIPATE IN THE SILENT AUCTION at the same “Browse, Bid and Buy” page where you cast your votes. Check out the many attractive items being offered, then stay on top of the bidding to get what you want and benefit the Foundation.  

The P-H-M Education Foundation has many reasons to celebrate its 20 years of service to the P-H-M community.  Since 1996, the Foundation has distributed more than $520,000 to our schools and classrooms via innovative teaching grants. The Foundation also uses proceeds to underwrite district activities with widespread impact such as “Running is Elementary” and the “Summer Visual Arts Academy.”  Its mission: To support excellence in education.

A vote for TEAM TWO is a vote for excellence in education!

P-H-M’s 30^th annual Elementary Spell Bowl took place Wednesday, March 23, 2016. Nearly 200 third, fourth, and fifth grade students took the stage at Penn High’s Center for Performing Arts, all prepared to do their best in regulated competition.

Northpoint Elementary spellers accomplished a sweep, finishing first at all three grade levels—including a perfect score of 30 at fourth grade!

In third grade competition, the Bittersweet, Madison, Mary Frank and Prairie Vista teams each scored 23 points, resulting in a four-way tie for second place.

The fourth grade spellers did very well, with the Bittersweet, Prairie Vista and Walt Disney teams each scoring 26 points and also finding themselves in a tie for second place.

On the heels of Northpoint’s winning fifth grade team was the Horizon team who took second place with 26 points and the Prairie Vista team whose 25 points brought them third place honors.

Each of the 11 elementary schools fielded three six-person teams (plus one alternate) representing grades 3, 4, and 5. Led by a teacher-coach, the teams spend weeks preparing for Spell Bowl. They may study word lists, learn about derivations (e.g., Latin roots) and rules (e.g., capitalization, pluralization), all the while gaining confidence in their ability to think clearly and spell correctly under pressure.

During the competition, each student must listen to a word, then write it on paper within a 15-second time limit. Their written entries are reviewed by a panel of judges and their score posted in front of the audience. Each correct spelling is worth one point.

Penn High School’s Center for Performing Arts was the setting, and it was full of students, family, friends, and faculty. The audience was hushed as spellers worked, but cheers broke out whenever results were announced.

Mrs. Anne-Marie Reininga, K-5 High Ability Coordinator for the district, manages the P-H-M Spell Bowl and works to assure that it is a positive and enriching experience for students. Academic competition can give students confidence, increase their motivation to sharpen their skills and abilities, and expand their opportunities to receive recognition.

Congratulations to all who participated in the 30^th annual P-H-M Spell Bowl!

Four ambitious students represented themselves and Northpoint Elementary School at the Northern Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NIRSEF) held at the University of Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. 

Science fair projects are an amalgamation of reading, writing, mathematics, statistics, logic, critical thinking, computer science, graphic arts, scientific methodology, and even public speaking—all accomplished by self-directed students in pursuit of the discovery of new knowledge.  It’s an exciting process but it requires a lot of work, much of it done outside the school day. 

Judging by their entries, the future of science looks bright—and it appears our STEM programs are attracting more female students! 

Congratulations to these students on their awards!

• ANIKA AMIN, Grade 4: Are Icicles Clean? 

• EVELYN SHROUT, Grade 4: What Makes the Best Paper?

• ARDA KURAMA, Grade 5: Are There Patterns in Bridge Deflections?

• COLE KLINEDINST, Grade 5: Effects of Temperature on Strength of a Magnet 

  • ​Cole’s project has been selected to advance to the state competition, and will be exhibited and judged at the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair on April 2. GOOD LUCK, COLE!

Overall, twenty-two Penn-Harris-Madison students, representing eight of the district’s 15 schools, participated at NIRSEF, earning 33 awards overall. 

Due to the weather, our parent night for incoming sixth graders to Discovery has been rescheduled. Mrs. Harper will meet with parents on March 9^th at 7:00 p.m. at Northpoint. Fifth grade students are welcome to attend.