Cereal was flying around our 5th grade rooms today as two classes engaged in an EPIC St. Patrick’s Day showdown!

“Catapult Chaos” is an activity in which the students build catapults out of plastic spoons and rubber bands. The students then did their best to launch Lucky Charms cereal into cups at the opposite end of the table.

The target cups have a point value and the team with the highest total wins! 

This fun and unique activity allowed the students to practice engineering and physics in a playful way while also building camaraderie amongst the students.

Take a look at the photos below!

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Registration is now OPEN!

Cost is $25 per child, per day. If you are not currently enrolled in Kids Club, you must also pay the $25 registration fee per child. Please click to register. Payment must be submitted through https://www.myprocare.com/.

Registration and payment are due and non-refundable by midnight, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Registrations will not be accepted after that date.

Kids Club will operate at Northpoint Elementary School, 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Entry will be through Door E; there will not be a door code for entry.

Students should bring their own sack lunch and drink. Morning and afternoon snacks will be provided.

Kids Club Cell Phone: (574) 261-9974 

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!

It’s Computer Science Education Week and to celebrate P-H-M Technology brought Dash Robots to the classroom.

During this week we are emphasizing doing an “Hour of Code” where students are introduced to computer programming languages.

Fourth grade teacher Mr. Cardoza and fifth grade teacher Ms. Givens planned activities for their classes that included learning about Binary Code, which is the computer language utilizing 1’s and 0’s, as well as other types of coding.

Mr. Cardoza and Ms. Givens welcomed Jessie Kinney from P-H-M Technology who brought some Dash Robots. The students were tasked with coding the robots to make deliveries to various gingerbread houses in the village.

On Thursday they are bringing in a professional coder from an outside company to talk to their students. In addition to the Dash Robots they are doing unplugged activities such as making Binary Code key chains that represent their name as well as coding directions to get from point A to B.

To see what we’re talking about please view the photo gallery below!

To download high resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you, free of charge!

If you need advice on how to prepare your food this Thanksgiving, ask a fourth grader!

Ms. Ponsler’s class made pumpkin pie in a bag today and if smiles are any indication the results were quite good.

The students had to follow directions from a work sheet and exercise judgment to determine when the mixture was ready. 

What a great way to make learning fun, and tasty!

To download high resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you, free of charge!

Our third-grade teachers came up with an idea to have a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) fair one time per month for their students.

With the help of parent volunteers, all of our third-graders go from room to room doing various science based projects that also allow for artistic creativity.

Today the theme was “November.” Our kids built thanksgiving tabes out of straws, teepees out of newspaper, thanksgiving day parade floats out of balloons and so much more!

To download high resolution jpg files from the photo gallery, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you, free of charge!

There was a break in the rain on Wednesday (May 1) for the 11^th annual “Running is Elementary.” The course was mostly dry, but the 4^th and 5^th grade runners did get a little muddy!

Click to watch the YouTube video below & then click here to see the full photo gallery on our Facebook page.

The one mile run is held at Penn’s Cross-country course, which is located behind Elm Road Elementary School. Approximately 610 students participated in Wednesday’s race. Many more students participated in the 6-week training leading up to the race, but could not participate in the rain day event held on May 1; originally the race was scheduled for Monday, April 29, but had to be rescheduled due to rain.

This annual event encourages fitness, healthy choices and wellness. Fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to sign up for the free running club. Designated coaches at each school are then tasked with training the runners for the 6-week club which then culminates with the Running is Elementary one mile race. The students are cheered on by their families, principals, teachers and running coaches; it’s amazing to see the dedication and hard work the students put in to complete the race. 

Cindy Batalis (P-H-M’s 2009 Teacher of the Year and physical education teacher at Mary Frank Elementary School) began the yearly tradition of Running Is Elementary back in 2008. Batalis’ own love for running and her desire to pass that love on to students is evident in the passion she puts into the Running is Elementary event each year. 

The top times for the 2019 Running Is Elementary Race were as follows:

5^th grade Girls Winner

BIB# 485
Northpoint
Time: 6:42

5th grade Boys Winner

BIB# 431
Moran
Time: 6:11 

4^th grade Girls Winner

BIB# 522
Northpoint
Time: 7:21
 

4^th grade Boys Winner

BIB# 163
Elsie Rogers
Time: 6:15

“Running Buddies” accompany those students who may need a little extra assistance and/or encouragement. All runners are to be congratulated for their efforts and hard work!

A big thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation and Corporations for Education for sponsoring the event! After Race Snack Donations were donated by Urban Swirl.

Kids Club 2019 Summer Program registration opens soon! Click here for more information and registration.

Full-day childcare is offered at two locations (Prairie Vista and Walt Disney Elementary schools) for current P-H-M students in grades K-5. Children will enjoy a variety of educational and recreational activities, crafts and field trips.

Cost is $125 a week, for five days a week. All children not currently enrolled in Kids Club are required to pay a $25 registration fee along with a non-refundable $100 activity fee deposit.

Click to download a copy of the registration form.

Locations:    Prairie Vista Elementary School

                       Walt Disney Elementary School

Dates:          June 6 – August 20, 2019

                       (closed July 4)

Times:          6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Questions: If you have questions about Kids Club Summer Session,

                       please call Binti Shah at (574) 258 – 9514 or

                       Ashley Stoffl at (574) 258 – 9587

Saturday, May 4

8:30 a.m. – Noon

Penn High School

Register online today! Early Bird Registration is available until Sunday, April 21 ($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:

• Earlier start time, 8:30 a.m.
• 1.5 mile and 5K route options
• Lower early bird prices:$20 for adults, $10 for students
• The school with the most participation will win a Gaga Ball Pit or 9 Disc Golf Baskets ($2,500 value)!
• And more bubbles!

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 Student Talent Show starts at 9 a.m.

The Health & Fitness Expo will be in the cafeteria where everything from free health screenings by presenting sponsor Saint Joseph Health System to numerous businesses showcasing their health-related items will be offered.

And don’t forget about the Silent Auction!

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.

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

What do you get when you combine basketball, silly string and a good cause? The answer is the annual Elsie Rogers Elementary School Students vs. Staff Basketball Game!

The students have been having a “quarter war” with all proceeds going to the 2019 P-H-M Silver Mile Run Bubble Bash, which in turn supports the Penn-Harris-Madison Education Foundation. The PHMEF supports value add educational programs across the P-H-M school district by awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.

To kick off the festivities, our very own Kara Front (first grade) sang the national anthem. Then it was time to hit the hardwood as our 5th grade intramural basketball players took on the Elsie Rogers teachers and staff for a friendly game of basketball!

The students got some halftime entertainment when Literacy Coordinator Joy Johnson, who has been at Elsie Rogers for 47 years got covered in silly string!

The school raised $790.56. Way to go Roadrunners!

To download high resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you free of charge.