No students may walk between Thacker Fieldhouse and Penn/Schmucker
FIELDHOUSE TRANSPORTATION
Before School (Speed and Agility):
- Tuesdays & Thursdays | 7:20–7:50 a.m. (high school) – Three buses will be on-site to transport student-athletes back to the high school afterwards for those who do not drive. Parents will drop off at the fieldhouse for training and students who drive can meet at the fieldhouse and drive to Penn for the start of school (can only turn right out of the Fieldhouse – see map). Bus Times- 8-8:30 a.m. from the Fieldhouse to Penn. This will begin on Thursday, Jan. 22
- Friday Futures Speed | 7:15–8:05 a.m. (6th-8th Grade) – Four buses on-site to transport students to their middle schools. Schmucker students will remain supervised by Coach Wetzel until 8:35 a.m., when they are transported to Schmucker. Parents will drop off at the fieldhouse for training. Bus Times – 8-9 a.m. from the Fieldhouse to middle schools. This will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
After School: (Practices):
- Students who have practice after school will be able to take a shuttle bus from Penn: Door E – 3:30-4 p.m..
- Students with vehicles can drive to the fieldhouse outside of school hours
- Students who do not drive will be picked up by their parents at the Fieldhouse
Penn celebrates Academic Achievement
Penn High School Rachel Fry and Penn-Harris-Madison Supt. Dr. Heather Short honored Penn students for their Academic Achievement at a ceremony on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at the Penn Boys & Girls Basketball doubleheader.
A Photo Gallery is posted below.
Penn honored 846 students with an academic letter, which is awarded to students with a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher after their fourth and sixth semesters. Second-year recipients received a chevron.
“The 846 students qualifying for Penn High School Academic Recognition this year is a testament to the culture of excellence our students and faculty have built together,” Fry said. “Earning an academic letter by maintaining a 3.5 GPA through the fourth and sixth semesters is no small feat — it requires consistent discipline and a genuine passion for learning. I am especially proud to see so many students earning their second-year chevron, demonstrating a long-term commitment to their education that will undoubtedly serve them well beyond these hallways.”
Penn’s Masetty selected to U.S. Senate Youth Program
“Shuddersome: Tales of Poe” presented Jan. 15-16
Penn Theatre will be presenting “Shuddersome: Tales of Poe”, the week before taking it to State competition.
A Photo Gallery of the play is posted below.
It is a re-telling of four of Edgar Allan Poe’s thrilling and spooky stories.
Performances at Penn will be on Thursday, Jan. 15, and Friday, January 16, at 7 p.m. in the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems) – Tania Bengtsson Center for Performing Arts.
The show is approximately 45 minutes long. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults; they can be purchased at the door the night of or online ahead of time (https://events.
Penn Winter Dance Recital scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 17
The annual Penn High School Student Choreography Showcase will be presented at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems) – Tania Bengtsson Center for Performing Arts.
A Photo Gallery is posted below.
Sounds of the Season presented on Dec. 4-6
The Penn Choir presents “Sounds of the Season” on Dec. 4-6.
The shows are 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, in the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems) – Tania Bengtsson Center for Performing Arts.
A Photo Gallery is posted below.
Penn Showcase
Penn High School held its annual Showcase, which allowed incoming Freshmen (current Eighth Graders) and prospective move-ins, along with their families, to tour Penn, meet with staff and students, and hear about all the college and career readiness opportunities Penn offers through its eight Academies.
A Photo Gallery is posted below.
Incoming Freshmen click here for additional details.
Marching Kingsmen perform at Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Penn High School Marching Kingsmen performed at the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.
Photo Gallery posted below.
The parade, known as the nation’s first Thanksgiving Parade, was LiveStreamed on Hulu, Disney+ and 6abc.com.
Penn’s marching band performed “Santa’s Parade” and “Strike Up The Band”.
Mere Schneider, Julie Rice, Dakota Bengtsson, Addison Singleton and Conner Hes serve as the Marching Kingsmen drum majors.
D.J. Landoll serves as the Band Director, with Sabin Martinez and Aaron Griesser the assistant directors.
Penn’s Early College Academy hosts annual Thanksgiving event
By C.J. Vantine
Penn student reporter
Last Friday, Penn’s Early College Academy hosted their annual in the Penn cafeteria. Students from all grades within the Ivy Tech program came together to celebrate the national holiday with classmates and teachers alike.
Photo Gallery posted below.
At the event, students enjoyed a meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and two types of pie, all provided by Penn Food Services.
Early College Junior Kole Klein gave a speech regarding his gratefulness for the program before students played a game of group trivia regarding the topic of the holiday they were celebrating.
This yearly tradition allows students to get to know their peers on deeper levels while appreciating the opportunities presented to them.
Penn’s Josiah Parker named Indiana Assistant Principal of the Year
Penn High School Assistant Principal Josiah Parker has been named the 2025 State Assistant Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP).
“We are incredibly proud of Mr. Parker for being named the Indiana Assistant Principal of the Year,” Penn High School Principal Dr. Sean Galiher said. “Josiah is a dedicated and committed colleague who works diligently to ensure we create engaging and authentic learning experiences for our students. Penn is a better place as a result of his creativity and commitment to all students and staff.”
Photo Gallery posted below.
Parker, who has been at Penn since 2014, was named District Assistant Principal of District 2 prior to the state honor.
District Assistant Principals of the Year are elected by their peers from 12 districts in Indiana.
Parker was one of the leaders of the heralded “Hand Of Grace” project in which Penn Robotics students created a prosthetic arm for a third-grade Madison Elementary student using 3-D printer technology.
He has been Penn’s point person strengthening the high school’s connection to the community, including helping to organize Penn’s annual College and Career Fair at Penn with the P-H-M Education Foundation.
“Community engagement has been the core of my educational philosophy,” Parker said. “This was introduced to me by my mentor and high school architecture teacher Mickey Schulze. The impact those experiences had in my life and building on those as an educator have proven again and again the importance of connecting our school to our community.”
Working with the South Bend Regional Chamber on the Work Based Learning Collaborative, Educator Externships, Career focused content creation (Manufacturing, Construction Trades, Healthcare), Parker works to make connections with community partners to expand real world career opportunities available to Penn students. Some of Parker’s other community connections include:
- South Bend Career Center Planning Committee, Elkhart Area Career Center Advisory Board, Ivy Tech Advisory Board and the creation of the Penn Partnership Team (Advisory Board)
- State and National work as an Indiana High School Education Committee member for CEMETS iLab (bringing the Swiss apprenticeship model to Indiana), a member of the US Chamber of Commerce’s TPM Academy of Indiana (advancing workforce development), Member of The 75 Million Network of Jobs for the Future (job placement and job quality)
Parker was also involved in the Innovation Challenge (local schools design innovations for groups in the community like ADEC, Lime Bike, Sibley Machining) and Mission to Engineering (creating unique designs for individuals in need like Voice for Braylen, Engineering Ella, Innovations for Isaiah, Connecting with Cooper, Project Rubber Ducky, Scooter Assist, and Zephan’s Magic Wheelchair Hulk project).
