The Penn-Harris-Madison Education Foundation (PHMEF) continues its mission of supporting excellence in education by awarding $73,715.48 in classroom innovation grants for the 2025-2026 school year, marking one of the largest funding years in foundation history! And Penn was fortunate to receive $28,206.97 in grant dollars!

Each year, PHMEF’s Annual Grant Cycle provides teachers across the district with opportunities to bring creative, hands-on learning projects to life, projects that go beyond traditional classroom resources. The grants are made possible through the generosity of community donors, local businesses, and district supporters.

During the first couple of weeks of December, PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom surprised grant recipients. Click here to see the full photo gallery.

Penn was awarded six traditional grants (more than $1,000) and 15 EZ grants (under $750) for a total of 21 grants. The descriptions are listed below:

1. Tania Bangtsson CPA Haze Machine
Braden McMillen • $1,449.98
Purchase of a professional-grade haze machine to enhance student learning and production
quality. Facilitates a hands-on student experience (with staff guidance/oversight) for classroom
learning and public performances. Allows for student interaction with stage lighting to create
high-quality atmospheres to enhance production.

2. Kingsmen in Custom Shining Armor
Stephen Vincent, John Gensic • $1,713.08
Collaboration between Principles of Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics
students to produce custom Kingsmen Armor (chainmail articles, shields, helmet, NO swords)
that can be worn by student mascots. Additional production of chain nets for outdoor basketball
hoops located east of the Educational Services Center. 

3. Graphing Finite Math for Infinite Human Flourishing
Angela Yarrell, John Gensic • $2,560.00
Funds to purchase new graphing calculators to allow students to focus on financial literacy and
forecasting. Students can compare compound interest, annuities, mutual funds, stocks and
more. Additionally, students will use calculators to model increased use of electricity in the
region due to data centers and population growth. Grant allows for all students to have access
to the same tools in classrooms. 

4. Wisdom Across Generations
John Gensic, Angela Yarrell, Corin Sailor, Sarah Dwigans, Danielle Black • $1,175.00
Purchase of 25 books, 5 of each author for 5 different classrooms. Allows for students who
complete work early, to stay engaged and off digital devices. 

5. Shaping Future Minds
Scott Shelhart, John Gensic • $2,599.00
Purchase of a 3D Printer with laser engraving technology. Allows all students enrolled in
Manufacturing to have the same technological printing level experience as the Robotics
students while continuing to learn the importance of manufacturing through student projects.

6. Penn HS Digital and Legacy Recognition Wall
Josiah Parker • $10,000.00
Allows for the creation of a Digital Alumni Recognition Wall to preserve, celebrate and expand
access to past/current student achievement. Will feature two touchscreen TVs to explore
digitized photos, trophies and historic memorabilia that are currently in storage due to limited
display space. The Wall will highlight the prestigious Schmucker Award and Kingsmen Award as
well as past honorees. The Wall will be created and maintained collaboratively by students in
Computer Science, Graphic Design, Interior Design and Architecture, Yearbook and
Photography classes.

7. Classroom Breakout Boxes
Stephanie Roy-Stover
Digital Escape Room
Awarded $657.00 

8. Portable Bocce Ball Courts
Keith Stork
Portable bocce ball courts for new Unified Sports team
Awarded $609.08

9. Chinese Culture and Literature Study
Ming Liu
Chinese Culture and Literature Books
Awarded $300.00 

10. Blooket Plus
Melissa Brazeau
Online Review Game for Spanish Classes/Club
Awarded $550.00 

11. Real-Time Heart Rate Monitoring in Cellular Respiration Labs
Zackary Lopez
Heart Rate Monitors for Biology Class
Awarded $350.00 

12. Go Penn Go!
Alex Dunfee
Penn Spirit Button Maker
Awarded $723.85 

13. Dishwashers for Biology Classrooms
Sarah Clark
Countertop Dishwashers for Biology Classrooms
Awarded $639.98

14. Illuminating Art – Sculptural Ceramic Lamp Design
Lacey Dilly
Ceramic Lamp Materials and Lighting Inserts for Sculpture II Class
Awarded $750.00

15. Jewelry Room Updates
Jessica Marsh
Mobile Jewelry Making Tools for Students
Awarded $750.00 

16. Bridging Language Barriers: Enhancing Communication Through AI Translation Technology
Sarah Hendricks and Wendy Pierce
Two Pairs AI Glasses to Aid in Language Translation for Parent Conferences 
Awarded $700.00

17. Dried for Good
John Gensic
Funds Kiln Drying Existing Materials (Wood) for Future Use in Construction Classes
Awarded $325.00 

18. Just Planed Wood
Evan White
Small Wood Planing Tool for Construction Class
Awarded $730.00 

19. Professional Audio/Video Recordings
Andrew Nemeth
Professional Audio/Video Recording Equipment
Awarded $750.00 

20. Daily Formative Assessment Materials
Ashlyn Graham
Individual Student White Boards
Awarded $205.00 

21. Modern Measures to Maximize Potential
John Gensic, Matt Cates
Biometric Impedance Analysis Tools
Awarded $670.00 

On behalf of the entire PHM Education Foundation Board I want you to know how deeply we believe in our teachers and staff,” said PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom. “Your dedication, and passion for making a positive impact are what make our schools truly exceptional. We are committed to funding your innovative ideas because you are the heart of excellence in PHM, and we are proud to support the remarkable work you do every day.”

For more on the P-H-M Education Foundation’s 2025-26 grant awards, click here.

At the Monday, December 8th Penn-Harris-Madison School Board Meeting, Mrs. Rachel Fry was approved to serve as Penn High School’s next principal. Dr. Sean Galiher was approved to move into the district’s Chief Operations Officer role.

Mrs. Fry has served as Penn’s Associate Principal since 2016. She brings a strong academic background to the role, including her experience in mathematics instruction and curriculum development. She has supported instructional leadership, strengthened academic programming, and built strong relationships with students, staff, and families. Her deep understanding of Penn, combined with her commitment to excellence, will support continued growth, stability, and achievement at the high school.

When Superintendent Dr. Heather Short recommended Mrs. Fry for the position, Mrs. Fry shared the message below with Penn families and staff.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve Penn High School as principal. Penn has been my professional family for many years, and I hold tremendous pride in the achievements, traditions, and spirit that define our school. My journey here has prepared me well for this role. I began my career teaching special education before dedicating a decade to high school mathematics. I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors throughout my career, who have shaped my growth as an instructional leader through experiences as an Instructional Coach, Academy Leader, and Associate Principal. 

Penn has flourished under Dr. Galiher’s leadership, and I am fortunate to have learned from him these last nine years. I look forward to deepening the relationships we’ve built, supporting the incredible work happening in our classrooms, and partnering with the Penn community to advance the vision of excellence. I admire the remarkable dedication of Penn’s students, staff, and families, and I am truly humbled by the trust placed in me to lead our continued success. 

On a personal note, my husband, Lucas, is a Class of 1999 graduate of Penn, and we are very proud to be raising two future Kingsmen:  Cooper, a sixth grader at Discovery Middle School, and Laney, a first grader at Horizon Elementary School.

I am eager and excited to begin this new chapter with all of you.

Warm Regards,
Rachel Fry

Penn High School’s Girls Flag Football State Champion student-athletes are continuing to break records. As Indiana’s, and the Kingsmen’s, first State Champions the team is full of talent. Representatives from the Indianapolis Colts, as the NFL team sponsor, came to Penn today to recognize and surprise one of the team’s standout players, junior quarterback Quinn Driscoll naming her Indiana’s winner of Maxwell Football Club’s (MFC) Girls Flag Football Player of the Year award. Quinn will now be considered for the National Girls Flag Football Player of the Year.

The award considered players based on on-field performance, academic achievement and community service. The award will be presented on Mar. 13 at the 89th Maxwell Awards in Atlanta. The Maxwell Football Club, based in Philadelphia, recognizes excellence in football at the high school, collegiate and professional levels and is home to several of football’s most prestigious awards including the Maxwell, Chuck Bednarik and Bert Bell awards.

The club created the Girls National Flag Football Player of the Year, now in its second year, to recognize the top high school student-athletes in the fast-growing sport.

Quinn’s family was also on hand for the surprise today. Click here for a full photo gallery.

 A three-sport athlete, Quinn was a standout quarterback during Penn’s first-ever girls flag season in 2025. She led her team to an undefeated season and Indiana’s first ever girls flag state championship, completing 160-of-214 passes for a total of 2,010 yards, 41 touchdowns and two interceptions on the season. She also tallied 72 rushing attempts for 576 yards and eight touchdowns.

“Quinn is a phenomenal person who is a true leader on and off the field,” said Penn head coach Jeremiah Maggart. Her stats this season are truly remarkable but the impact and leadership she had on our state championship team are what sets her apart. She never missed practice or any opportunity to help herself and her team improve, while still finding time to volunteer to help others.” 

Off the field, Quinn is a school leader and active community volunteer. As a member of the Penn Key Club, she participates in many projects in the school and greater community. She also is a member of Healthy Hands Healthy Hearts, a volunteering club that makes cards to go to local homeless shelters, community centers and organizations for people going through tough times.  

Quinn also serves on the Student Athletic Leadership Committee; a position that she was chosen for by her coaches. She is active in the Penn student council and the school’s “Wellness Wave,” a club that raises awareness about mental health and shares coping skills with students.

Quinn along with two other teammates were named to Indiana Preps Underclassmen All-State Top 22 Team, a collection of emerging standouts who showed poise, explosiveness, and playmaking ability well beyond their years, Macy Little and Alivia Dawson. Macy was named Senior Defensive player of the year for Indiana by Indiana Preps.   

The Penn Choir presents “Sounds of the Season” on Dec. 4-6.

Click here for Tickets

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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Penn High School has received another Excellence in Education Award from the Indiana Department of Education.

Recently, the Penn Administration learned that Penn earned the Excellence in Data-Driven Support Award and a grant of $25,000. The award was presented at the IDOE’s Educational Excellence Award Gala on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.

The award recognizes the school that has made the most progress in improving achievement for all students. Penn won the award for its increased academic achievement for students as indicated by ILEARN English/Language Arts/Mathematics assessment results, prioritization of initiatives focused on accelerating learning, and implementation of progress monitoring and evidenced-based practices for students in need of extra support.

This is Penn’s second IDOE Educational Excellence Award. In 2023, the IDOE honored Penn with the Excellence in College Readiness Award along with a $250,000 grant.

“Winning the Excellence in Data-Driven Support Award is a reflection of the incredible teamwork that happens every day at Penn,” Penn Principal Dr. Sean Galiher said. “Our teachers, staff, and students have embraced the idea that using data is about understanding each student and helping them reach their full potential. This award means a lot to our school community because it recognizes the care, intentionality, and dedication that drive our work to make sure every learner has the opportunity to succeed.”

Penn’s commitment to Excellence in Data-Driven Support is reflected in measurable growth across multiple indicators of student success. By intentionally aligning efforts around progress monitoring, evidence-based practices, and accelerated learning opportunities, Penn has elevated achievement for students at all levels. Penn’s targeted Advanced Placement (AP) and SAT preparation has yielded clear improvements in both participation and performance, while the AP program continues to grow in both the number of students served and the individual success of those students.

Penn leads the state in dual-credit attainment. Equally important, Penn is committed to ensuring students on free and reduced lunch and students with an IEP make meaningful growth across benchmarks, underscoring our belief that every learner can thrive when given the right support. Together, these achievements demonstrate Penn’s relentless focus on using data to guide decisions, support student needs, and ensure that every learner has access to rigorous, high-quality opportunities that prepare them for the future.

Penn High School boasts a robust plan to ensure that all students are given the best possible opportunity for growth and success on standardized assessments, including Biology iLearn, PSAT/NMSQT, school-day SAT, and AP Exams.

Focused preparation for the PSAT & SAT begins in ninth grade for all students. Ninth, 10th, and 11th graders participate in a minimum of two benchmark assessments, using the paid Progress Learning (formerly Horizon Education) platform. In addition, they take the PSAT 8/9 in the Spring of freshman year, and the PSAT/NMSQT in the Fall of sophomore and junior years.

Since implementing data-driven learning supports, Penn’s number of National Merit Scholars has increased from six to an anticipated 15 this year. Schoolwide SAT results also reflect growth as a result of efforts to accelerate learning. Forty percent of Penn juniors met the benchmark in math in the first year of the digital format, which increased to 43% in 2025. Even more impressive, Penn’s English-based reading and writing results increased from 65% to 72% of students meeting the benchmark last school year. The percentage of Penn students who met the benchmark on both parts of the SAT was 19% higher than the Indiana state average. 

In 2023, 7.9%, 7.9% and 14.5% of students with an IEP passed both Math, and the English portions of the SAT respectively.  In 2025, 8.5%, 11.3% and 23.9% passed both Math and the English portions of the SAT, reflecting an improvement across each data point. This growth moved Penn High school from ranking No. 27 in 2024 to No. 15 in 2025 when compared to other public school corporations in the state of Indiana.

AP participation grew from 639 students (1,289 exams) in 2021 to 873 students (1,791 exams) in 2025. Success rates rose from 60% to 83%, nearly doubling the number of students scoring a 3+ (385 to 724) which demonstrates significant growth in the number of students participating in this challenging level of coursework, necessitating varying levels of support.  Most importantly, students who are on free and reduced lunch participating in an AP course at Penn High School have more than doubled in the last 5 years from 50 students in 2021 to 108 students in 2025.   Additionally, 55 of the exams taken by free/reduced students in 2021 scored a 3+ with 142 exams receiving this same score in 2025.

In Penn’s most recent accreditation review in 2023, the Cognia evaluation team affirmed that “Leadership is unwavering in its commitment to all parents, community members, and most importantly, the students. Learners’ well-being is at the heart of all decisions the organization makes.” 

This commitment, paired with Penn’s use of evidence-based practices, progress monitoring systems, and inclusive course design, has positioned Penn as a model of data-driven support where equity and achievement go hand in hand. As a result, in September of that school year, Penn was named a Cognia School of Distinction. Cognia is a global nonprofit school improvement organization accrediting 40,000 schools across 90 countries, yet only 96 schools worldwide received this distinction and Penn High School was one of them, the only high school in Indiana to earn this prestigious recognition that year.