Indiana Department of Education Superintendent Glenda Ritz dropped in for a visit of P-H-M schools this week (Wednesday, October 26). Superintendent Ritz got a whirlwind tour of Bittersweet, Penn and Schmucker seeing everything from the DVT to a robotics class.  P-H-M’s own Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker shined the spotlight on our STEM programs and safety initiatives at all three schools with the help of principals, teachers and students.

The P-H-M visit started at Bittersweet Elementary School with a short demonstration at the DVT and a visit to a fourth grade Project Lead the Way class before moving on to Penn High School.

At Penn, Early Learning and STEM Academy students served as tour guides. Supt. Ritz was able to observe Early College Academy Spanish and English classes. In the STEM Academy, she learned about students CSI work repairing Chromebooks as part of the Chromebook Support Internship and observe the hands-on projects taking place in the Principals of Engineering and Robotics classes.  Penn was named full STEM-certified program in June 2016, making it the first large, comprehensive public high school in Indiana to achieve the elite status. She even donned safety glasses to see what students were constructing in Buildings Trades shop class. At each stop, Supt. Ritz was able to interact with the students and see things up close and personal. The tour was more than just a learning experience for Supt. Ritz; for PNN students, the visit was turned into an opportunity to cover the event and interview Ritz for real world journalism experience.

From Penn, Supt. Ritz went to Schmucker Middle School and observed another Project Lead the Way class.

Penn High School’s Environmental & Natural Resources Management team placed 22nd out of 50 state teams in the national contest held near Indianapolis on Oct. 19-21.

The team was lead by Individual Gold Medalists Kyle Burke and Isaac Loutzenhiser and supported by Individual Bronze Medalists Sam Goetz and Elena Effertz.  

The individual medalists placed 1st (Gold Medal) or 3rd (Bronze Medal) in one or more of the Environmental & Natural Resource Management Career Contest categories such as soil analysis, water analysis, GPS problem solving, wildlife identification (by pic, pelt, skeleton, or track).

Penn High School students Riley Ness, Abby Krug, Andi Henry, Katelynn De LaFuente and Evan Locke participated in the Indiana FFA Seeking Opportunities and Achieving Results (SOAR) Leadership Conference on Saturday, Oct. 8. 

The group was recognized for its leadership potential and Andi Henry was elected President of her Conference Group. Henry led the group to the conference championship in the Parlieamentary Procedure Contest.

More than 200 outstanding students from across Indiana met for the event in the Indiana FFA Leadership Center near Trafalgar, Ind., to explore the FFA's State and National leadership programs.  

Next up for Penn’s FFA representatives will be the Foundations In Reaching Excellence (FIRE) Individual Leadership Skills Enhancement Conference will be November 18-20 the at the Indiana FFA Leadership Center.

Local schools and businesses celebrated Manufacturing Day 2016 on Friday, October 7. Penn High students were among the 600 or more invited into local manufacturing sites that day to explore the education and career opportunities available in our community.

Students from Penn’s STEM Academy plan to visit B&B Molders, Nyloncraft, and Daman Products—three long-standing successful enterprises in Mishawaka.

Our students learned about real career opportunities, training, and resources available locally. They observed that manufacturing is technologically advanced—with ample use of automation, 3-D printing, robots and screen technology—and found out that there are many career opportunities within manufacturing, including human resources, accounting, purchasing, logistics, and more.

The Academies at Penn High School are committed to providing Penn graduates College and Career Readiness. That focus helps students see more clearly how their classroom learning today is building a foundation for their future success—and Manufacturing Day 2016 is just one example of that.  

While Manufacturing Day is recognized across the nation, the Oct. 7 event was the third annual event for the Michiana area.

Josiah Parker, Penn teacher and STEM Academy leader, has been working alongside St. Joe County Chamber of Commerce staff to arrange and promote the day’s activities. 

You can also get Parker’s take on education and manufacturing by watching the WNIT broadcast “Economic Outlook,” which aired Friday Oct. 7.

Other local partners, in addition to Penn High School and SJCOC:

• National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) Michiana Chapter

• Ivy Tech Community College

• Purdue Polytechnic South Bend

• South Bend Community School Corporation Career & Technical Education Career Academy

• Mishawaka High School

Jeff Rea, Chamber CEO: "We are excited by the collaboration between business and education that has driven the local growth of this event and believe in the powerful impact on students when they can SEE the opportunities in our region. Connecting what they're learning in the classroom to a future career can positively influence their education and personal choices and provide focus and inspiration as they envision their future.”

Because the manufacturing sector often experiences a shortage of skilled workers, they look forward to this opportunity to meet and interact with the “next generation” talent.

These businesses and supporting organizations hosted the tours, or were on site at Ivy Tech to share their story with students:

• AAA Tool & Die Company, Inc.

• Allied Specialty Precision. Inc.

• AM General

• Molders

• Bamar Plastics, Inc.

• Bertrand Products  

• Daman Products

• Gates Automotive

• General Stamping and Metalworks, Inc.

• The Lebermuth Company

• Mack Tool & Engineering

• Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MT l) Mossberg & Company Inc.

• North American Signs

• Nyloncraft

• Polygon Company

• RACO

• Rieth Riley

• Schafer Industries, Inc.

• South Bend Electrical JATC Apprenticeship Hall

• South Bend Modern Molding

• Steel Warehouse

• Steel Warehouse Profiling

• Tire Rack

Check out the MFG Day event page on the Chamber website! 

Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Penn High School principal Steve Hope announced that Penn has 13 National Merit Semi-Finalists: Grant Brenner, Muqsit Buchh, Balajimonesh Devireddy, Jonathan Harley, Sanjana Kulkarni, Julia Kwak, Mason Lee, Hannah McGinness, Baker Nasser, Peter Rutkowski, Emma Schultz, Matthew Shan and Michelle Tapp.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring.

About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. 

By COLE POLLYEA

Student reporter

​As of the 2016-17 school year, a new class has been added to the Penn High School program of studies. It is entitled “SAT/ACT Course” and is designed to give students―primarily sophomores and juniors―an unprecedented opportunity to prepare for the important standardized tests that are administered to high schoolers on a national level.

The “SAT/ACT Course” is a year-long class because, as its instructor, English teacher Mr. De Kever stated, “there is so much that we can review, so many skills that we can practice, that it truly requires a full year. Plus, we’ve got juniors who are maybe taking it in the fall, but also probably taking it again in the spring. This way, they’ve got a full year of preparation.”

But unlike other year-long classes, it is an unweighted course, which means that one does not receive any credit for their completion of it. And unlike other classes, it is a substitute for a study hall, as opposed to an elective.

    Brilliant an idea as it was to begin offering this course, many have asked why this is just now happening. In the eyes of Mr. De Kever, the class has come at an essential time because of some changes made to the tests in the past year.

“My understanding is that the class was created to fill the need that students have for additional preparation … particularly (for) the SAT because it’s been redesigned as of last March,” Mr. De Kever said. “It’s really a much better test but a more difficult test than it was before.”

    This helpful and engaging course is considered by its teacher and students to be an appropriate substitute for the expensive and often unaffordable services of Sylvan and other similar extracurricular programs that offer test preparation of this nature. When asked about its ability to compare, Mr. De Kever responded, “I would ask, why spend money on some kind of SAT prep class outside of school when you can get it for free here?” Well said.

    Mr. De Kever, however, is not the only one excited about what this course can offer to the achievement of students at Penn. A.J. Antonelli, a current junior enrolled in the class, offered insight regarding his decision to take this course.

“I signed up (for the SAT/ACT Course) because I’m looking to improve on my SAT scores, based on how I did on the PSAT…. On the PSAT, I didn’t really know what to expect. But now, taking the SAT, I’ll have help. I’ll have a better awareness of what I’m expected to do.”

    For students who are interested in signing up for this class, it’s not too late. Counselor John Westra commented on the class roster, “There is definitely space. It’s available G1, G2, G4, B1, B2, and B4, and there is moderate space available in each class.” And if a student is interested in signing up, this should take place by meeting with their counselors.

But if a student should realize only halfway through the year that they are interested in signing up, second semester enrollment is allowed and encouraged.

The Indiana State Department of Education just announced that Penn Biology teacher John Gensic has been chosen as one of top 10 finalists for the 2017 Indiana Teacher of the Year. 

Mr. Gensic an 11-year teaching veteran began at Penn High School in 2013. He was chosen as P-H-M’s Teacher of the Year back in April because of his interactive, engaging teaching style. Project-based learning, growth mindset and student-centered instruction are at the center of Mr. Gensic’s teaching philosophy.

“John’s passion for science in and out of the classroom has made him an exemplary teacher providing the best education possible to our students,” said Dr. Thacker. “John’s passion for teaching exemplifies not only the best of P-H-M teachers, but also makes him a top choice for Indiana Teacher of the year.”

Last spring, Mr. Gensic began his latest project-based learning activity, called “Giving Trees.”  Penn students are working with Horizon Elementary School students to plant 25-30 dwarf fruit trees in the elementary school’s garden. The project will continue over multiple school years, ultimately involving hundreds of P-H-M students in grades K-5 and 9-12.

“John always goes above and beyond to arrange authentic and eye-opening experiences for his students to interact with biology outside the school walls,” said Penn Principal Steve Hope. 

As a lifelong learner himself, Mr. Gensic believes strongly that teachers lead by example, “In doing this, we help create experiences for students that they wouldn’t otherwise experience and give students the inner motivation to pursue tasks that will improve our humanity and earth,” said Mr. Gensic.

Summer is not a time of vacationing for Mr. Gensic … it’s a time for continuing education! Mr. Gensic spent the first half of his summer participating in Purdue University’s Research Experience for Teachers in Sustainable Electronics. There, he researched alternative, more eco-friendly flame retardants, especially as they relate to use in electronics. Along with conducting research, he also wrote lesson plans integrating these scientific concepts into the high school science curriculum.   

In mid-July (and continuing through the 2016-2017 school year), Mr. Gensic began working as an Instructional coach for Trustey Family STEM Fellows. He will work as an instructional coach for STEM teachers in Washington, Texas, California, New Jersey and Arizona through the Center for STEM Education at the University of Notre Dame. 

The summer of 2015, Mr. Gensic worked with the Environmental Protection Agency on the “Lake Michigan Shipboard Science Workshop.” He was one of just 15 educators to work alongside the EPA scientists evaluating the presence of microplastics and assessing the impact of aquatic invasive species—particularly zebra and quagga mussels—on Lake Michigan’s ecosystem. The goal … to bring his experiences back to the classroom.

A leader in his field, Mr. Gensic has presented at a number of state and national education conferences. He presented at the National Science Teachers Association on the topics of socio-scientific inquiry, biology modeling and free technology; TED, the University of Notre Dame, and Purdue University just to name a few.

 In April 2016, Mr. Gensic was also selected as an Indiana science teaching finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This is the state and nation’s highest honor for math, science and computer science teachers.

The final announcement on Indiana Teacher of the Year is expected later this month or in October. The 2017 winner will represent Indiana teachers at the national level in accordance with National Teacher of the Year guidelines, with that selection process taking place in January-April 2017.

Safety is a number one priority for Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. But safety no longer just refers to students’ physical safety; we also need to make sure students feel emotionally and psychologically safe.

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Administration has been working with Ms. Alice Jordan-Miles, Director of the Behavioral Health and Family Studies Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, to identify a suicide prevention and mental wellness program for P-H-M students in grades 7-12.

On Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m., parents will have the opportunity to learn about the Lifelines Program and the implementation of P-H-M’s new student wellness curriculum. Information about the program and resources for families who may have a vulnerable child in need of help, can also visit the Lifelines section of the District website.

The parent workshop will be held in Penn High School’s CPA. Parents can enter through Door C.

This is a parent meeting, so we respectfully ask that parents not bring their students of any age.

*For those adult family members who cannot attend the workshop, it will be streamed live on the PNN website at this link http://pnn.phmschools.org/live-events starting at 7:00 p.m. A recording will be available later on the District website at www.phmschools.org.