The Penn High School Marching Kingsmen will perform at the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 27).

The parade, known as the nation’s first Thanksgiving Parade, is scheduled to start at 8:15 a.m.

The parade will be LiveStreamed on Hulu, Disney+ and 6abc.com

Penn’s marching band will perform “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.

The Penn Marching Kingsmen have placed in the Indiana State Finals Contest 21 times and have been a Bands of America Regional Finalist five times. The band has also performed in the Orange Bowl Parade, the Fiesta Bowl Parade, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade, in addition to the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Penn High School is putting its Project Lead The Way (PLTW) programs and robotics front and center at a local STEM showcase hosted at the South Bend Technology Resource Center in Ignition Park. The event shines a spotlight on how area schools are using PLTW and robotics to connect students with real-world opportunities and local industry leaders.

Throughout the day, Penn students shared their work from four key PLTW areas: Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Science, and Robotics. From coded robots and engineered prototypes to biomedical investigations, visitors can see how Penn students are using hands-on projects to solve problems, think critically, and collaborate like professionals.

The showcase is also about what happens beyond the classroom. Local companies, community partners, and education leaders are using the event to explore new ways to support work-based learning (WBL), internships, and career-connected experiences for Penn students. By building these relationships, Penn is working to ensure that what students learn in PLTW courses ties directly to the skills needed in today’s workforce.

After students presented their individual booths, they got the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session, followed by a networking lunch with local industry leaders. Students finished out the day getting a tour of local businesses in Ignition Park.

Penn High School is expanding its College & Career Readiness course offerings for the 2026-2027 school year. Starting next school year there will be several new full-year courses and capstone experiences designed to connect students with high-demand career pathways. Click here to read more about these future courses.

Click here to access the photo gallery from the showcase.

Penn High School is expanding its College & Career Readiness course offerings for the 2026-2027 school year. Starting next school year there will be several new full-year courses and capstone experiences designed to connect students with high-demand career pathways. The new courses are designed to provide students with hands-on, industry-aligned learning opportunities and the new graduation pathways to earn credentials before graduation (click here for more information on the graduation pathways starting with the class of 2029).

Below is a look at the new offerings coming for the 2026-2027 school year:

AP Business with Personal Finance

• Open to juniors and seniors
• Penn will offer AP Business with Personal Finance as a full-year option that fulfills Indiana’s required personal finance credit. Students will study financial literacy through the lens of business fundamentals, preparing them for life after high school while also experiencing the rigor of an AP course.

Principles of Real Estate

• Open to seniors only
• This full-year course prepares students for the Indiana Real Estate Broker’s licensing exam and introduces them to real estate and related careers. It will be offered through a partnership with Cressy & Everett Real Estate. 

Healthcare Specialist Apprenticeship

• Open to juniors and seniors
• Penn is partnering with Legacy Medical Academy to offer a double-block healthcare apprenticeship on campus. Students will complete at least 75 hours of clinical rotations in local medical facilities and prepare for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam. The course is designed for students interested in nursing, pre-med, therapy, medical technology, and other healthcare fields.

Financial Apprenticeship

• Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors with at least one business course
• Students will work directly at Korhorn Financial Group and complete two full CTE pathways simultaneously: Finance & Investment and Insurance. This paid apprenticeship requires three or more class blocks and includes preparation for the state insurance certification exam.

Education Professions Capstone

• Seniors only, prerequisites required
• As a capstone to the Education Professions pathway, this dual-credit course (IU & Ivy Tech) focuses on inclusive teaching strategies and real-world classroom experience. 

Architectural Design Capstone

• Seniors only, prerequisites required
• Students in the Architecture pathway can participate in a capstone centered on REVIT, the industry-standard design software. The course covers architectural, civil, and commercial design, and prepares students for the REVIT certification exam.

Startup Moxie Capstone

• Seniors who have completed the first level of Startup Moxie
• Students who completed the first year of Startup Moxie can apply for a second-level capstone where they will continue to build their existing business or develop a new one. The course deepens entrepreneurial thinking through mentorship, project development, and real-world application.

Enrollment for these new courses will open during 2026–2027 scheduling period. Click here to view the full Penn High School Program of Studies.

Penn Theatre presents the fall play production, “A Seussified Christmas Carol.”

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

Shows are Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. Performances are in the Studio Theater. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online at HomeTown Ticketing or at the door.

Written by Peter Bloedel, “A Seussified Christmas Carol” is the classic story of Scrooge meeting ghosts who show him the value of goodwill unto all and caring for his fellow man… all in the rhyming and silly language of Dr. Seuss!

Audience members are encouraged to get in the spirit and dress up in Seuss or Holiday wear.

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Penn High School celebrated 16 student-athletes who signed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.

Penn-Harris-Madison Supt. Dr. Heather Short, Penn Principal Dr. Sean Galiher and Athletic Director Jeff Hart honors the students and their families at a ceremony in Penn’s Main Arena.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

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Penn High School’s marching band, the Marching Kingsmen, placed ninth in the state at the ISSMA State Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025.

A Photo Gallery is posted below.

Avon placed first in the event.

Penn qualified for the State Finals for the first time since 2019.

Penn students and staff put in about 300 after-school rehearsal hours during the marching band season. Nearly100 parents volunteered in some capacity, often taking on large managerial roles.

The Marching Kingsmen also placed in the finals of the Bands of America Northwest Ohio Regional this season.

Penn’s performances this season have included:

• “Don’t Speak” by Gwen and Eric Stefani
• “Symphony no. 10” by Dmitri Shostakovich
• “Heart-Shaped Box” by Kurt Cobain
• “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky

D.J. Landoll serves as the Band Director, with Sabin Martinez and Aaron Griesser the assistant directors.

The Penn Marching Kingsmen have placed in the Indiana State Finals Contest 21 times and have been a Bands of America Regional Finalist five times.  The band has also performed in the Orange Bowl Parade, the Fiesta Bowl Parade, the Hollywood Christmas Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade, and the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, which they will attend once again this November.

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Penn Showcase has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Dec. 2 from 6-8 p.m.

Penn High School, one of Indiana’s premier high schools, will feature its outstanding learning opportunities and programs for prospective and current students at the 2025 Penn High School Showcase from 6-8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. The snow date is set for 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Click here for more detailed information about the Showcase and attending Penn High School.

The Showcase allows incoming Freshmen (current Eighth Graders) and prospective move-ins, along with their families, to have the opportunity to tour Penn, meet with staff and students, and hear about all the college and career readiness opportunities Penn offers through its eight Academies. There will also be opportunities to observe live classroom activities and get information on Penn’s student clubs.

All prospective Penn students and current Penn 9-11 graders and their families are welcome to join us to learn about classes and clubs they can look forward to as Penn students.

The Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees voted unanimously this morning to appoint Mrs. Jennifer (Jen) Smoker to fill the Penn Township Seat #1 vacancy created by the resignation of Matthew Chaffee in early October. 

A long-time resident and active community volunteer, Mrs. Smoker is a dedicated P-H-M parent of four children attending district schools. Her service and advocacy for students and staff have been felt across the district and throughout the greater community.

Mrs. Smoker currently serves on the P-H-M Education Foundation (PHMEF) Board of Directors, where she has chaired the Grants Committee since 2019. In that role, she helps oversee the process of awarding teacher and school grants that enhance learning, spark innovation, and promote excellence in all 15 P-H-M schools. She also supports PHMEF’s fundraising events and community partnerships that benefit students across the district.

Beyond her PHMEF service, Mrs. Smoker is deeply involved in several community organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors for Granger Community Church, where she helps guide strategic planning and budget oversight; chairs the Grissom Middle School PTO Scholarship Committee, which awards scholarships to Penn High School seniors; and previously served as Board Secretary for Jr. Irish Soccer Club and Development Chair for Girls on the Run Michiana. Through these roles, she has combined her love of youth development, leadership, and service—supporting programs that build character, confidence, and connection.

Professionally, Mrs. Smoker brings two decades of business leadership and creative experience. A graduate of Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, she began her career as an Account Executive for major advertising firms in Detroit and Chicago, managing national brands such as Lincoln/Mercury and Quaker Oats. In 2003, she founded and operated CardCare.com, an online greeting card company she successfully led for 20 years.

“Mrs. Smoker’s commitment to servant leadership and her deep connection to our schools make her an outstanding addition to the Board,” said Board President Christopher Riley. “She has demonstrated her heart for P-H-M through years of volunteerism and community involvement and will bring a strong parent perspective to the table.”

Superintendent Dr. Heather Short added, “Jen’s energy, insight, and collaborative leadership reflect the very best of P-H-M’s Triangle of Success—students, teachers, and parents working together. Her service to our schools and community exemplifies P-H-M Excellence.”

Arrangements will be made with the P-H-M Board Attorney for Mrs. Smoker to take her Oath of Office. She will serve through the remainder of the current term, which expires in 2026. She may choose to run for election to the ensuing four-year term in the November 2026 general election.

Mrs. Smoker was chosen from five applicants. The other four candidates were John “Todd” Douthit, Brandon M. Kastner, William “Matt” Ludwig, and Ryan C. Woodruff (click here for their resumes). Public interviews of these applicants took place during a special board meeting held Tuesday, October 28th. President Riley said the decision to fill the vacancy was a difficult one, as all five candidates would have been excellent choices.

Click here for the process the Board of School Trustees followed for filling the vacancies.

U.S. News and World Report released its “Best Schools” rankings for public K-8 and high schools.

They ranked the best public high schools by state. Out of Indiana’s 395 public high schools, Penn ranked #26.

Data is based on the 2021–2022, 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years.

They also examined Indiana’s 989 elementary schools and 483 middle schools.

All of P-H-M’s elementary schools are ranked among Indiana’s “Best Elementary Schools”:

• Northpoint #1
• Prairie Vista #2
• Horizon #37
• Mary Frank #39
• Bittersweet #94
• Elm Road #172
• Moran #175
• Elsie Rogers #297
• Madison #273
• Meadow’s Edge #370
• Walt Disney #385

Two of P-H-M’s middle schools were also recognized:

• Discovery #3
• Schmucker #53

The U.S. News & World Report analyzed 103,391 pre-K, elementary and middle schools nationwide for their rankings. The rankings use the same methodology for all included grade levels. For each state, schools were assessed on their shares of students who were proficient or above proficient in their mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments. Half of the formula assessed the scores themselves and the other half incorporated the test results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. In other words, the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students. Click here for more information on the methodology.

The highest ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions. They reviewed data on 17,901 public high schools. Click here for more background information on their ranking system.

Students in Zack Lopez and Michelle Miller’s Co-Taught 9th Grade Biology class recently explored real-world environmental science during a visit to the Richard Clay Bodine State Fish Hatchery in Mishawaka.

Operated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Bodine Hatchery has been raising fish for over four decades. Completed in 1983, the facility produces Skamania steelhead trout, Little Manistee steelhead trout, and Coho salmon, and also handles the early rearing of rainbow trout. The hatchery’s work is part of a cooperative fish management program between the Indiana and Michigan DNRs to support healthy fish populations in the St. Joseph River. These efforts—along with the construction of fish ladders that allow species to travel freely up to the Twin Branch Dam—have helped create a world-class trout and salmon fishery right here in northern Indiana.

During the field trip, DNR staff gave Penn students an inside look at how fish are raised from eggs to adulthood, explaining the science behind hatchery operations and the role of habitat management in sustaining aquatic ecosystems. Students were especially interested in learning about coho salmon, one of the hatchery’s signature species, and even had the opportunity to feed rainbow trout during their visit.

“We got to see and talk about the different stages of life for the fish and the importance of DNR staff stocking our local water systems. It’s very relevant information for our students on ecosystems, positive human interactions with the environment, and a potential career field that students may not have thought about,” Lopez said.

The trip connected perfectly with the class’s studies on ecosystems, food chains, and conservation, offering students a firsthand look at how science and stewardship work together to preserve Indiana’s natural resources.

Click here to see the full photo gallery from the class field trip.