Each student gets a progress report at the end of the school year that lets parents know about their child’s academic standing and achievement. Penn High School gets one also!

Principal Steve Hope delivered Penn High School’s annual progress report to the school trustees and others in attendance at their June 27, 2016 board meeting.

He shared these academic achievements, athletics highlights, and other accolades. Click here to access the full report. 

ACADEMICS

Mr. Hope reported that Penn met and exceeded Indiana’s three “high achievement” targets, known as 90-25-90, by scoring 90-66-97.

The three data points in this metric represent End-of-Course Assessment (ECA) results, College and Career Readiness measures, and Graduation Rate. Of note is Penn’s continued improvement in these three areas.

• Looking at ECA Scores over time, the passing rate for English 10, for example, has risen from 83% five years ago to 90% in 2015.
• Gains in the area of College and Career Readiness are remarkable, up from 27% success in 2011 to 66% in 2015.
• Penn’s graduation rate has climbed steadily, rising from 79% in 2008 to just under 98% in 2015.

Another measure of success is the rate at which Academic Honors Diplomas are being earned. More than 50% of Penn graduates earned an Academic Honors diploma in 2016—nearly double the 27% rate in 2008—while fewer than 2% graduated with a general diploma.

Mr. Hope attributes Penn’s success in educating and graduating students in great part to the faculty’s dedication to the three R’s of Rigor, Relevance and Relationships, as well as the school’s academy structure, and the district’s investment in professional development for its instructional staff.

Penn is proud to once again be recognized as an elite 90-25-90 school!

ATHLETICS

The Penn Girls Basketball program won its first ever state championship this year. The squad is coached by Kristi Ulrich–who was recently named South Bend Tribune Coach of the Year.

In addition to the Girls Basketball team’s run to the state title, these three teams finished as semi-state champions: Boys Varsity Football, Girls Soccer, Girls Softball.

Also won this year by our IHSAA-sanctioned fall, spring and winter sports teams: 12 Northern Indiana Conference championships, 16 sectional championships, and 9 regional championships.

Penn is proud to be home to three Indiana Mental Attitude Award winners! These three student-athletes were recognized at the state level for their character and contributions: Camden Bohn (Football), Kamra Solomon (Girls Soccer), and Alyssa Griman (Softball).

ACCOLADES

While Penn High School students and staff have earned many accolades in the past year, Mr. Hope singled out these four in his report to the board:

• Penn was named an Indiana 4-Star School for the fourth consecutive year
• US News & World Report included Penn in its national “Best High Schools” list
• The Washington Post identified Penn as one of “America’s Most Challenging High Schools”
• Indiana Department of Education recognized Penn as a School of Promising Practices for its delivery of “Problem-based Learning”

Click here to access the full report

The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced that physical forms required for participating in IHSAA sports at member high schools may now be completed and signed by more medical professionals.

The IHSAA adopted the changed during its recent final meeting of the 2015‐16 school year.

Effective immediately, the IHSAA pre‐participation physical evaluation form may now be completed and signed by, not only a physician with an unlimited license to practice medicine, but also nurse practitioners and physician assistants clearing high school students for athletic participation.

Penn HIgh School students must have completed physical evaluation forms turned into the Athletic Office by July 18 to participate in Fall Sports for the Kingsmen.

"The Indiana High School Athletic Association continues to greatly value the medical guidance from the Committee on Sports Medicine which is a branch of the Indiana State Medical Association” said IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox in a press release issued by the IHSAA.  “Traditionally, the Association has maintained a position whereby a doctor with an unlimited license to practice medicine in our state either perform or certify the pre‐participation physical examination for our student athletes. While our expectation of providing the highest standard of care for our students has not wavered, the Association respects the changes in the health care landscape over the last few years. In light of this ever changing panorama, the Association now extends an opportunity for a select group of professionals to execute the pre‐participation physical examination."

Between April 1 and a student’s first practice in a sport, a physical evaluation must be performed and the appropriate form completed, signed and submitted to member school administrators. The Indiana High School Athletic Association continues to receive guidance from the Sports Medicine Committee of the Indiana State Medical Association. Approximately 160,000 students participate in high school athletics on an annual basis in Indiana.

Some music tugs at the heartstrings.

There is no tugging with Andrew Warner’s music. It punches through emotional walls and blasts through a Photoshop culture to confront the listener with a piercing reality. It is melodic and soulful music that can be harsh, yet offer hope at the same time.

Warner, a Biology teacher at Penn High School, is on tour this summer to promote his new album, “Temporary Circumstances.” The Album can be downloaded for free at https://andrewwarner.bandcamp.com/album/temporary-circumstances-ep (donations accepted).

Creating an acoustic punk pop sound that converges with enthralling no-holds-barred lyrics, Warner’s “Little Ein’s Tour” will hit Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin, as well as Indiana this summer.

A solo artist, Warner will be performing at The Well Basement, 2410 Mishawaka Ave, South Bend, on Tuesday, June 28. Click here for event info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1704136839832043/

“It’s a message of hope cloaked in anger and frustration,” Warner said of the songs on “Temporary Circumstances”. “I’m not confronting my audience, but I’m confronting myself.”

 “It’s really hard to find people in my genre,” Warner said. “I really like screaming. It’s angry music that tells people how I feel. It’s not like I’m upset at people for hurting me. It’s like, ‘I’m trying to make the world a better place, and here’s why I’m upset by it, and here’s my music trying to make things better.’”

Warner’s music is a lightning strike to the conscience of the human condition.

“My music is about my experiences with divorce in my family, my grandparents,” Warner explained. “I lived with my grandparents starting when I was in the third grade.

“I write about the difficulty of having a relationship with somebody, and how this incorporates with my faith in God, how my actions try to do the right thing, but I always, somehow, end up falling short. It’s wrapped around the idea of my finding purpose in something greater, so that I can still be sad about the things around me, but I can still have hope in the end.

“My music is really sarcastic,” Warner continued. “It’s tongue-in-cheek, like, ‘Is he really calling that person out right now?’ ‘Is he really saying that?’ I’m not cursing people, but I’m yelling because I mean it, and I’m yelling because I’m passionate about it.”

Warner’s high-volume message pushes a mirror in front of listeners, and demands thoughtful self-reflection. His open and punk approach can take some listeners aback.

“In terms of me yelling … some generations don’t think that’s music,” Warner said. “They think it’s scary. I think there is something about my music that my students can relate to, that people my age can relate to. There are a lot of things in the world that aren’t being said, and when they are, they’re being said really quietly, or they’re being said behind closed doors. One thing I like about my music is I’m open, and I’m vulnerable, and I’m not afraid to say things that people talk about, that people gossip about, that people whisper about. I like being extremely honest. I think every generation can afford to be a little more honest.”

Warner is comfortable with being uncomfortable, whether it’s reflecting about his relationship with his wife, how he treats his friends, or overcoming the pain of anguish. He gives that same jolt of discomfort to his listeners.

“I hope my music is offensive to people, because it makes people remember. It’s going to upset people,” Warner said. “It will make some people feel uncomfortable. I openly talk about God in some of my songs, and that will make some people upset.

“I scream at myself more than I scream at people. I see this idealistic way of living that is characterized by the perfect character of God, and then I see my life, and I say, ‘I’m such a broken person,’ and I’m aware of it. There are people who are broken, who aren’t aware of it, and they’re settling and they’re comfortable and it’s driving me nuts. I’d rather know about my brokenness and live the way I am now, than be blinded.

A graduate of Michigan State University and a native of the Detroit area, Warner just completed his first year at Penn. The honesty of his music is an extension of the honesty of his teaching and his character.

“I’m open with my students,” Warner said. “I’ll say like, ‘Here’s what I have. Take what you want. It will come to you in six years, so I’m expecting an email in six years. You’re 14 now. Half of the stuff I’m saying now, you’re not going to understand until you’re older.’

“I’m everything that I’m trying to teach against. I think there’s some value in that, and I think there’s some transparency in that, that you don’t really see in people. That’s what I just want. I want people to be a little more open about themselves. If you tell people that you’re not perfect, then I think they’ll see you as a human, rather than the authoritative teacher.”

Warner said that Penn High School music teacher Lavon Oke provided resources that were extremely helpful in the production of the album. He also credited the album producer, Kept On Hold, for his contributions.

“We just brought it to life,” Warner said of his album. “I feel like that the album has something for everybody. It has the nice, slow acoustic love song, it has the hard-hitting sarcastic real songs.”

After a whirlwind week of events that seemed to rival the velocity of Skylar Szynski’s 95 mile-an-hour fastball, the former Penn High School baseball star finally gets to catch his breath … at least for one day!

Szynski, who was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round (112 overall) in the Major League Baseball Draft on June 10, held a news confrence at his house Thursday, June 16 announcing his decision to sign with the Athletics. He is scheduled to fly to Arizona on Friday, June 17, to start his professional career with the Athletics’ Rookie League team in Mesa.

MLB.com reported that Szynski signed for $1 million bonus, well above the $531,500 slotted for the 112th pick and has a provision for his college education to be paid for by the Athletics. Skylar has attended Penn-Harris-Madison Schools for his entire K-12 school career, including Horizon Elementary School and Discovery Middle School.

Click here for the Skylar Szynski stat sheet.

“It’s very exciting, and nerve-wracking, too,” Szynski said after announcing his decision to forego a baseball scholarship to Indiana University and sign with the Athletics. “The pros will be less wear-and-tear on my arm. I’ll be more fresh.”

Szynski concluded a brilliant career at Penn in the Kokomo Semistate on Saturday, June 11. The defending state champion Kingsmen won the Northern Indiana Conference title this season, as well as sectional and regional championships before their season ended in the Final Four.

A 6-foot-2, 207-pound right-hander, Szynski pitched Penn to the 2015 Class 4-A state championship. He had a 27-4 career record for the Kingsmen. Szynski is only the fourth player to be drafted in coach Greg Dikos’ 29-season tenure, and he is the highest drafted Penn player.

Szynski burst onto the scene as a sophomore. He pitched a perfect game against defending state champion Elkhart Central, and finished that season with a 7-2 record.

“We’ve been watching Skylar for the last couple of years, the state tournament last year, the summer showcase tour last summer,” said Oakland Athletics Midwest Scouting Supervisor Rich Sparks. “He was on my team at the East Coast Pro last summer. A lot of eyes were on him last summer.

“It wasn’t just the Oakland A’s that liked Skylar this spring,” Sparks said. “I was at a game one time when there were 15 of us (scouts) there, and then the next time, there were 45 of us. All of the organizations had him high on their list. We just stepped up and pursued it a little harder than anybody else.”

Szynski said that the process leading up to his becoming a professional baseball player and signing has been a kaleidoscope of emotions.

“It’s awesome,” Szynski said entering the pro ranks. “I’m just blown away. I’m still in shock. Everyone has been very supportive. You just have to take it in stride.

“I’ve been talking about it for a couple of months, almost every day, trying to make the right decision, and weighing the pros and cons.”

Szynski said that his Penn coaches and teammates helped get him ready for the leap into pro baseball.

“They helped me get prepared by working hard every day, not taking a day off, and just having fun with it,” Szynski said.

Sparks said that Szynski displayed the character and maturity to sign out of high school.

“I would say that 90 percent of all kids drafted out of high school aren’t ready to go to the minor leagues,” Sparks said. “What sparked us is make-up. Make-up is a big thing for us in the Oakland A’s organization … mental toughness and stuff.”

Many high school pitchers only have a fastball in their arsenal, but Szynski’s 95 mile-an-hour fastball was just one reason the scouts flocked to Penn games. He also has a plus change-up and a plus breaking ball.

“The stuff itself is the peaking interest for us … the body, the frame, the way the arm works, the arm speed,” Sparks said. “It’s very tough to teach arm speed. We think he’s going to be stronger. We think he’s going to get bigger. He might throw harder in the future. That’s what we project. I don’t think there’s reason we can’t think of him as a No. 2, 3 starter in the Big Leagues for years to come.”

This year the Kingsmen offered player trading cards to their fans and boosters, and found that they were especially popular with younger P-H-M students playing in area youth leagues. Many youngsters had their cards signed by the ball players. Some day those Sklyar Szynski cards may be highly collectible! Click here to download your copy of Skylar’s card.

On Wednesday, May 25th, Penn’s all-girls Intro to Engineering Design class visited Elsie Rogers to present their prototype for the “Voice for Braylen” project. Throughout second semester, the students have been working hard to brainstorm, design, mock-up, and build a device that will help Braylen move around and always keep the voice-acquisition device that helps him speak close at hand.

Their most recent version consists of a base constructed out of aluminum and a wooden tray made out of cherry. It has lockable wheels, the ability to adjust the tray, and the ability to fold up to make moving it easier.

Throughout this project, the girls have learned about design, documentation, organization, machining, and manufacturing. The girls have used mills, drill presses, grinders, band saws, calipers, and drills, as well as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software to model their ideas.

The device also encompasses several 3D-printed pieces. Girls in the class were able to use computers with CAD software to design the pieces they needed. These designs were then put on a flashdrive, and imported to one of Penn’s six 3D printers to be manufactured. In a short amount of time they had the pieces they needed.

The device continues to improve, and the students are planning on working into the summer to continue to refine their design.

Click here to read part one of Braylen’s story, or here to read part two.

(June 10, 2016) It seemed assured that 2016 Penn grad Skylar Szynski would be drafted this year to play for a major league ball club. Known for his amazing fastball and great composure on the mound, last year he led the Penn Kingsmen to the IHSAA Class 4A State Championship. Of course the unknowns surrounding the draft were “In what round?” and “By which team?”

Those questions were answered Friday afternoon, June 10, 2016 when he was picked in the fourth round by the Oakland A’s (Oakland Athletics). Skylar was not in New Jersey for the event, nor was he watching from home with friends and family. He was practicing with his high school teammates as they prepare for this year’s Semi-State contest. (Penn will take on the Zionsville Eagles at noon on Saturday, June 11, at the Kokomo Municipal Stadium.)

As anticipated, Szynski was taken in the early rounds, being the 6^th pick of the 4^th round, and the 112th draft pick overall. MLB commentators had this to say about the A’s recruit: “He has a quick arm and a strong frame…… consistent delivery of the fastball… great aptitude for the change-up.” They concluded, “There is little doubt he can make it as a starter in pro ball.”

Major League scouts have had eyes on Skylar (6-2, 207 lbs.) for a few years now. The right-hander pitched a perfect game, retiring 21 batters, while still a sophomore at Penn, and he has attracted attention ever since. With speed guns in hand, no less than 20 MLB scouts have attended games this season to record Skylar’s 95 MPH pitches and to observe his play as a right fielder. The 2016 season wrapped with a 10-game winning streak for Szynski and the Kingsmen, followed by strong post-season play.

In the preseason, Szynski was named to the 1st team senior preseason All American team. This list recognizes the top 50 seniors around the country as they enter their final season in their high school career. 

Szynski’s 2015 honors include pitching in the prestigious Area Code Games in California, the East Coast Pro showcase in Fla., and the Jupiter (Fla.) World Wood Bat Tournament. His 2016 honors include being named the Northern Indiana Conference MVP. Skylar, son of Brent and Robin Szynski of Granger, Indiana, is an Indiana University commit.  He has not made a decision yet abou the Oakland A’s or Indiana University. He has attended Penn-Harris-Madison Schools for his entire K-12 school career, including Horizon Elementary School and Discovery Middle School.

This highlight sheet includes Skylar’s stats and other facts about the outstanding Penn baseball program led by Head Coach Greg Dikos for the past 29 years. The program has garnered four State Championships to date (1994, 1998, 2001, 2015—with the 2016 title to be determined on June 18).

This year the Kingsmen offered player trading cards to their fans and boosters, and found that they were especially popular with younger P-H-M students playing in area youth leagues. Many youngsters had their cards signed by the ball players. Some day those Sklyar Szynski cards may be highly collectible! Click here to download your copy of Skylar’s card.

About Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves approximately 10,700 students in 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and Penn High School. P-H-M’s six “Four Star schools” for the 2015-2016 school year, as named by the IDOE are: Horizon Elementary, Mary Frank Elementary, Prairie Vista Elementary, Northpoint Elementary, Discovery Middle, and Penn High School. 100% of our teachers rank either highly effective or effective. P-H-M’s 2015 ISTEP+ results placed the District 10th in the state among 293 public school districts. P-H-M has been rated an “A-rated” school district by the Indiana Department of Education for six years in a row. Penn High School's graduation rate exceeds the state’s with a 97% graduation rate earning the High School national rankings by both the Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” and “Best High Schools.” Penn’s STEM Academy is a Fully STEM Certified Program by the IDOE—making it the first large, comprehensive public high school in the state to achieve this elite status! To learn more, please visit www.phmschools.org.

Penn High School principal Steve Hope, Penn STEM Academy Leader Rachel Fry, and the Indiana Department of Education have announced that Penn’s  Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy has been designated a full STEM-certified program, making it the first large, comprehensive public high school in Indiana to achieve the elite status!

The Indiana Department of Education singled out and congratulated Penn’s STEM Academy as the only full STEM-certified program in the “School within a School” model.  

According to the Indiana Department of Education, Full STEM Certification is awarded to schools or programs that demonstrate a commitment to providing high quality STEM programs in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, while preparing students for success in the 21^st century. 

A total of 16 schools in the state applied for STEM certification this year; but Penn is unique among them in that it is not an entire STEM school, just the Academy. Only nine schools were STEM certified this year. Penn is now one of 19 STEM-certified programs or schools in Indiana.

Hope called the STEM certification a significant milestone.
 

“Penn High School's certification as an Indiana Department of Education Full STEM Program is a major accomplishment for our school and community,” Hope said. “The rigorous accreditation process recognizes only the highest quality programs, with state-of-the-art facilities and instructional programs that incorporate best practices like problem-based learning.

“I applaud the efforts of the teachers in technology, math and science who have come together integrating coursework to make our STEM Academy successful. I also applaud the efforts of all teachers as we continue to implement relevant coursework and mastery of skills that support the success of every student. STEM Academy Leader Mrs. Rachel Fry did a great job of collaborating with students, teachers and administration to complete the certification process and arrange for the Indiana Department of Education site visit.”

According to Hope, STEM certification will have a major impact.

“The STEM certification from the Indiana Department of Education is also a boon for this area,” Hope said. “As we build and maintain quality programs that offer relevant learning experiences, we make the P-H-M schools a draw for businesses to locate in our community. The college and career pathways available to our students in not only the STEM Academy, but also in the Fine Arts and Communications Academy, the Health and Human Services Academy and the Management and Business Academy all help our students transition from high school to the myriad of post-secondary options. These efforts also help to keep our graduates in our state and our community.”

Penn High School Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Academy teachers and students showcased innovative and relevant learning in the STEM Academy Expo on Thursday, April 21.

At the Expo, Penn High School student Chris Dell spoke to representatives of the Indiana Department of Education representatives about his involvement with the “Hand of Grace” project, in which Penn technology students constructed a prosthetic hand for a Madison Elementary school student.

John Gensic, a Penn High School biology teacher and P-H-M’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, talked about working with scientists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a research project on Lake Michigan last summer.

“Although the certification process was lengthy, it was extremely exciting to document all of the wonderful things taking place in Penn High School's STEM Academy,” Fry said. “The  Penn High School Achievement Academies strive to connect students to community partners, specific to their area of interest, in order to provide them relevant learning experiences and opportunities.  IDOE STEM certification is proof that we are doing just that.” 

Fry noted the efforts of students and teachers to generate learning through work on authentic projects, and searching for real solutions to real problems.

“The teachers work tirelessly to develop partnerships with community members, businesses, and organizations,” Fry said.

Learning projects such as “Hand of Grace,” the annual Innovation Challenge with Whirlpool, Women in Technology (WIT) Day, Research Club, Computer Science Internship (CSI), Medical Statistics, Amboseli Baboon Research, “A Voice for Braylen”, and the STEM Expo were key components in Penn’s STEM certification.

Other classes, innovations and projects that were showcased during the application process were the Aerospace Engineering class, Robotics I & II, student-made drones and the augmented reality sandbox with Earth & Space science students.

Indiana Supt. of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz said congratulated the STEM-certified schools in a press release.

“I am pleased to recognize Indiana’s STEM Certified Schools today,” Ritz said. “Programs like these provide students with the tools they need to be successful after high school, whether they go to college or enter the workforce. Moving forward, my Department is committed to working with all schools to ensure that every student has the opportunity to be exposed to high-quality STEM programs.”

STEM Certified Schools must demonstrate a commitment to employing inquiry and project-based learning, community engagement, student-centered classrooms, and out-of-school STEM opportunities.

The Kingsmen Baseball squad—the reigning state champs—will take on the Zionsville Eagles in Class 4A northern division semi-state tournament play on Saturday, June 11. The game will take place at Kokomo Municipal Stadium (click here for map) and is scheduled for a noon start.  (Note the earlier start time; some prior announcements had indicated a 1:00 p.m. start.)

At the same time Roncalli and Center Grove will meet in Plainfield, Indiana, to settle the southern division semi-state. The winner of that match will meet the winner of the Penn-Zionsville match at the state tournament on Saturday, June 18 (time TBA) at Victory Field in Indianapolis. 

Semi-state tickets cost $6 and will be available at the gate at Saturday’s game. 

Can’t make the games? Follow the action on Twitter!  The Pennant staff of sports journalism students will keep you informed at @The_Pennant. 

Tickets for the Saturday, June 11th IHSAA State Softball Championship Game, featuring the Penn Kingsmen taking on the Avon Orioles, are on sale in the Penn High School Athletic Office.

Penn (26-3) plays Avon (25-5) for the state title at 7:30 p.m. at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

Tickets can be purchased at the Penn High School Athletic Office from 8 – 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, and Thursday, June 9.

Tickets will be on sale from 8 – 11 a.m. on Friday, June 10.

All tickets are $10.00

The softball team will get a Championship send-off Saturday, 2:30 p.m. from the Softball Field from the St. Joseph County StatePolice Department and Penn Twp. Department.

Penn High School will host a community celebration for the team (win or lose) on Tuesday, June 14th at 5:00 p.m. in the Studio Theater. Patrons may enter through door C. 

The 57^th Commencement Exercises for Penn High School took place Friday, May 27, at the Purcell Pavilion on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. There was a lot to be proud of from the nearly 850 seniors made up the Class of 2016, click here to see their “Points of Pride.” Here are some photos taken at the happy event.