To help kick off National Appreciation Week, P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker surprised two very special teachers on Monday, May 2 to notify them that they had been chosen as year’s P-H-M 2022 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year. 

In the morning Dr. Thacker dropped by Elsie Rogers Elementary School to surprise 4th grade teacher Mrs. Amanda Fox. She was in the middle of teaching a math lesson when Dr. Thacker and Cabinet members popped into her classroom for the big surprise. Mrs. Fox is such a committed and focused teacher that she even made Dr. Thacker wait until she was finished before he could continue with the “surprise!” Click here to see the photo gallery below.

Later Monday afternoon, Dr. Thacker stopped by Penn High School to surprise Art Teacher Mrs. Becky Hope to award her with the honor of PHM Secondary Teacher of the Year. Click here to learn more about Mrs. Hope.

This is one of three of Mrs. Fox’s latest awards. Last week she was chosen as one of the recipients of the 2022 Michiana Forty under 40 class. The program recognizes young adults, professionals, executives and leaders, under the age of 40, achieving outstanding professional success while also engaging in his/her community through charitable and civic involvement.

Back in February, Mrs. Fox was named a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Click here to read the White House news release. This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States to K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers. President Joe Biden named 117 teachers and Mrs. Fox was among the national winners! 

Mrs. Fox’s colleague and fellow teacher Becky Richhart nominated Mrs. Fox for P-H-M Elementary Teacher of the Year partially because of her passion of “devising ways to incorporate computer science concepts into existing STEM curriculum.” 

Ms. Richhart recounted how recently Mrs. Fox had her students create book reports and multiplication games using a free block-based programming website. She led her students in a “telephone style” game designed to demonstrate how different parts of a computer communicate when it’s computing.

One of the things that stands out the most about Mrs. Fox is her collaboration with ND Department of Computer Science & Engineering on various research efforts funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF grants funded a K-6 ND computer science summer program, as well as Prairie Vista after-school coding classes where Mrs. Fox used to teach. She was also the first teacher sponsor of the VEX Robotics team at Prairie Vista and was the Project Lead the Way teacher.

Last summer while developing content for her classroom, Mrs. Fox participated in research activities alongside Notre Dame grad students as part of RET (National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers), a program which is typically aimed at high school teachers.

Mrs. Fox was among the first cohort of teachers to help K-8 teachers develop age-appropriate curriculum to introduce students to computer science within existing STEM curricula. She also contributed to developing a framework for K-12 schools to meet new state computer science standards. Mrs. Fox also established a northern Indiana chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA).

Over her eight years at P-H-M, she has “used computer science to deepen the computational thinking skills for her students,” said Ms. Richhart.

Take a look through the photo gallery below to see Mrs. Fox in action in her classroom.

[Show slideshow]

South Bend Chamber’s Michiana “Forty under 40” shines the spotlight on 40 of the region’s most talented and dedicated young professionals who are leaders and engaged in the community in a variety of ways.

We are proud that our own 4th grade teacher Mrs. Amanda Fox was named to the 2022 Class, along with fellow P-H-M educator, Walt Disney Principal Ryan Towner! The Chamber announced the winners on April 28.

This is the latest honor for Mrs. Fox. In February, she was praised as one of the top math teachers in the nation by President Joe Biden when she was named a a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

Mrs. Fox and other honorees will be treated to a photo shoot with their families, friends, colleagues or nominators. She and Principal Towner will also be featured in a Recognition Video being produced by the Chamber, debuting in late June. The South Bend Tribune will feature all Michiana Forty under 40 winners in a special edition that will June 26. A reception is slated for late summer.

Elsie Rogers is participating in One Book, One School from Feb. 22, 2022 – March 30, 2022. By reading “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate.

Click here to access all the resources for the One Book, One School activity.

(picture above was taken March 2019)

Mark your 2022 calendars for P-H-M’s Young Authors’ Conference:

Saturday, March 5

8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Schmucker Middle School

P-H-M Elementary students, grades K-5

Registration Fee: $5 per child

Online registration is at phm.revtrak.net. The deadline for registration is Friday, February 18, 2022.

The Young Authors’ Conference is for P-H-M students in grades K-5. The event, sponsored by Corporations for Education, a division of the P-H-M Education Foundation, provides an opportunity for students and their parents to meet and hear from a well-known children’s authors. Click here to view the photo gallery of the 2019 event.

This year students and their parents will meet and hear from well-known children’s author, teacher, and speaker, Gabrielle Balkan. Mrs. Balkan is best known for non-fiction books that delight readers ages 3-12 with curious and essential facts about the United States, animal record-breakers, and ground-breaking artists. Mrs. Balkan will share her experiences as a writer and illustrator during her engaging, grade-level  presentations.

Participants and parents will also enjoy an interactive, up-close animal experience from the Potawatomi Zoo staff.   As part of the morning activities, students will share their own writing piece in small, adult-led group sessions with students from other P-H-M elementary schools. While students are meeting with their peers, parents will join P-H-M Teacher and writing expert, Mary Nicolini, as she explores how writing can be a method for remembering and preserving events using real-life stories, drawings, and photographs.

Elementary student attendees will also work in small adult-led breakout sessions sharing their own writing pieces with other P-H-M students.

COST: The registration fee of $5.00 per child is used for conference expenses. There is no cost for the parent. One parent only must accompany students!  However, keep in mind that students and parents will separate for a portion of the day.  YOUNGER siblings may not accompany adults. This experience is for your young author and parent.

REGISTRATION: Online registration will be available at phm.revtrak.net. If you don’t have a P-H-M Revtrak account, you will need to create one. There is a fee for using this service. The deadline for registration will be Friday, February 18.

CONFIRMATION: Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school at the beginning of March.

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Schirripa at lschirripa@phm.k12.in.us.

Mrs. Amanda Fox, now teaching 4th grade at Elsie Rogers, was notified this week that she had been selected to receive a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Click here to read the White House news release. This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States to K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers. President Joe Biden named 117 teachers and Mrs. Fox was among the national winners! 

Mrs. Fox was chosen in December 2020 as the State’s only PAEMST finalist in math. At the time Mrs. Fox was a 3rd grade teacher at Prairie Vista and had expanded the after-school coding courses at Prairie Vista. She also worked over the summers with the ND Department of Computer Science & Engineering on various research efforts funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF grants funded a K-6 ND computer science summer program, as well as her Prairie Vista after-school coding classes. Mrs. Fox was among the first cohort of teachers to help K-8 teachers develop age-appropriate curriculum to introduce students to computer science within existing STEM curricula. Notre Dame Professor Michael T. Niemier praised Ms. Fox for mentoring other area teachers. Mrs. Fox also helped create content for K-8 students in various local school districts other than just P-H-M. Click here to learn more about Mrs. Fox’s background. She’s also established a northern Indiana chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). P-H-M School Trustee and Board Secretary Clare Roach got to know Mrs. Fox when she was a Prairie Vista parent and was also instrumental in Mrs. Fox’s nomination for this prestigious award. 

This is the second time a PHM teacher has been honored as a PAEMST finalist. Penn High School’s John Gensic was a Indiana finalist and was a national award recipient in 2017. Click to read that story.

Recipients of the PAEMST receive the following:

• A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
• A paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
• A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

If COVID-19 travel restrictions are a concern, a Virtual Announcement may be held with a live award ceremony to take place at a later date.

Saturday, May 16

8:30 a.m. – Noon

Penn High School

Register online today! Early Bird Registration is available until Sunday, May 3 ($20 for adults, $10 for students)!

Do you like bubbles? Well, if you do, you’ll enjoy the Silver Mile Bubble Bash!  

Highlighted changes for this year’s event:

• Early start time, 8:30 a.m.
• 1.5 mile and 5K route options
• Lower early bird prices: $20 for adults, $10 for students
• Family Pricing: $60 for four or more (at same address)

Missed out on all the bubbly fun last year? Don’t let it happen two years in a row! Watch the video and see how much fun you and your whole family will have …

The Silver Mile Run is the largest fundraiser for the P-H-M Education Foundation and all the proceeds go towards providing innovative P-H-M teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development, and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Presenting sponsor Saint Joseph Health System will offer free health screenings including body mass index and blood sugar! Other area businesses will also be on hand to showcase health and fitness related activities, resources and services. 

After a fun day, leave with great bargains purchased at the Silent Auction. The P-H-M student talent showcase is always a crowd pleaser. Last year, the student groups included Horizon Show Choir, Bittersweet Cardio Drummers, Elm Road Jumping Eagles, Meadow’s Edge Dancers, and Penn High School Dancers.

Choose to walk or run the 5K or take a shorter loop. This exciting untimed race welcomes runners of all experience levels while blasting through foam bogs and fun spirit stations along the course.

The Silver Mile Bubble Bash is a chance for P-H-M families and local community members to get together and show their support for excellence in education in all P-H-M schools.  Proceeds are returned to P-H-M schools by awarding innovative teacher grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

Click here to take advantage of early bird registration and for more information on the Bubble Bash.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14 & Sunday, March 15 for the FIRST Robotics St. Joseph District Event. Penn High School is once again hosting more than 40 high school FRC robotics teams from Indiana and Michigan who will battle it out for the title. Join more than 5,000 students, coaches, mentors, parents and fans during this one-of-a-kind two-day FREE event!

Saturday, March 14 

10 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Next Gen (K-8): 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 15 

9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Click to watch the video below to check out all the upcoming excitement, then come out to cheer on Penn Robotics Team 135!

Make sure to also bring your young Robotics fans to “Next Gen,” an area for students ages K-8, who can get hands-on engaging fun with some of Team 135’s other robots. Next Gen will be open Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This event is also FREE ADMISSION!

Registration for kindergarten students for next year, the 2020-2021 school year, will begin on Tuesday, January 21, 2020.

Children who live within the P-H-M district and who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2020 are eligible to register. A parent or guardian must appear in person to register their child. 

Bittersweet is one of Penn-Harris-Madison’s 11 elementary schools, each offering full-day kindergarten.

Use this interactive Google based District Map and the P-H-M Street Guide to verify which elementary school serves your neighborhood. 

Click here for more details about kindergarten registration.