The Annual Penn High School Walk-Around will be held from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Aug. 14.

Students and parents are welcome to come and find their classrooms, check out extra-curricular opportunities, and learn their way around the building. Enter at Doors A, B, C, D, E, L or M.

Click here for a map of Penn High School.

Check your school e-mail or Penn High School social media (Twitter: @PennPride365 and Facebook: @PennHighSchool) for updates.

Lockers will not be assigned for the 2021-2022 school year. 

If you would like to request a locker, click here and fill out the form.

The message below was shared with P-H-M Families and Staff via email July 23rd, 2021.

P-H-M Administration has received a number of questions from families regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT), and if the ideologies/tenets are included in our Social Emotional Learning, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion student lessons and staff training.

We recognize the need for our parents/guardians to understand our curriculum. So in an effort to help clear up any misinformation, we will be holding workshops for P-H-M families to explain our programs and goals.

P-H-M Administrators and parents/guardians will be discussing curriculum and we would like for our families to feel free to share their questions and concerns. Priority will be given to current P-H-M Families. If we’re oversubscribed, we will provide other opportunities to inform other members of the P-H-M community.

The workshop times are as follows:

• Monday, August 2nd @ 1:00 P.M.
• Tuesday, August 3rd @ 8:30 A.M.
• Tuesday, August 3rd @ 7:00 P.M.

We ask that people respectfully follow these registration guidelines:

• Only register to attend one session, not multiple ones.
• Each person planning to attend a workshop should each fill out a form.
• To allow us sufficient planning time, we will close the registration form on Wednesday, July 28th at 4:30p.m.
• You will receive an email regarding session assignments by Friday, July 30th.
• Click here to register.

The workshops will be held at Penn High School, PLEASE ENTER DOOR D. Please park in the front parking lot of Penn High School.

We approximate that these sessions will last about two (2) hours. All the material shared at the three workshops will be the same (these are not sequential meetings). The format of the sessions will be as follows:

• Doors open. Parents/guardians will check in and receive name tags with their assigned group number.
• Welcome and presentations by P-H-M Administrators: Superintendent, Asst. Superintendent for Instruction, Director of Social Emotional Learning, Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Principals at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
• Break-out groups
  • Break-out group protocols are as follows:
    • Be respectful
    • Take turns
    • Be concise
    • Listen

Please register for a workshop time, at the link noted above, and provide us your questions about P-H-M’s SEL & DEI curriculum that you would like to learn more about.

We look forward to sharing this valuable and important information with our P-H-M families.

Dr. Jerry Thacker

Tokyo 2020 is officially underway and we are PROUD to have not one but two graduates representing Team USA. Annie Drews (‘12) will be competing in volleyball and Sarah Hildebrandt (‘11) will be competing in freestyle wrestling. Also in Tokyo is Wrestling Head Coach Brad Harper. Brad is working with Sarah as her personal coach. Learn more about Annie and Sarah below!

Annie Drews, a 2012 graduate of Penn High School, will be playing volleyball as an opposite hitter, representing Team USA with the perfect balance of offense and defense.

Before earning her spot on the world stage, Annie won two 4A volleyball state championships at Penn High School in 2010 and 2011. Annie was also a member of the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program while studying at Purdue University.

She is also the first in program history to represent Purdue on the Olympic Volleyball Team. U.S. Women’s Volleyball is currently ranked No. 1 in the world, and I can’t wait to see how far they’ll go!

Sarah Hildebrandt, a 2011 graduate of Penn High School, will represent Team USA as a wrestler in the 50KG weight class.

While at Penn High School, Sarah became the first female to qualify for the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Wrestling Semi-State competition and led Penn High School to the IHSAA Team Championship. Since graduating from high school, Sarah has earned four gold medals competing in the Pan American Games, as well as a silver medal in the World Championship.

Sarah brought Penn High School Wrestling Head Coach Brad Harper with her as her personal coach. Sarah’s continues involvement in Penn Wrestling is an inspiration to the next generation of girls and has helped grow the girls wrestling program to the best in the area!

These are just two of more than 30 American Olympians who have connections to Indiana high schools, colleges, or universities.

To learn more about our Olympians with Hoosier roots, click here.

Penn High School is in need of a Volunteer Coordinator for the fourth Annual FIRST Robotics Competition in March of 2022.

The Volunteer Coordinator finds volunteers from the St Joe County and surrounding areas, as well as the FIRST Robotics community, places volunteers into positions, connects volunteers to any training required, schedules and coordinates the volunteers for the three-day event (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) in March of 2022.

The FIRST Robotics Michiana District Event hosted by Penn High School is fun, high-tempo, exciting high school competition for robotics teams across the state and the greater region. With more 5,000 participants, spectators, coaches, and mentors it will showcase some of the most dedicated, smartest, passionate, and innovative high school students.

• The Volunteer Coordinator duties will star in November/December and run through March
• The Volunteer Coordinator must be willing to communicate with local agencies, businesses, volunteer groups, and other stakeholders to sign-up volunteers
• The Volunteer Coordinator will work within Indiana FIRST Robotics volunteer system
• The Volunteer Coordinator will conduct 1-2 meetings per month to begin and then weekly meetings (virtual/phone)
• This is a volunteer position. It is a great way to network and do some event planning
• Co-Volunteer Coordinators or Volunteer Coordinator Assistant are also options

The Indiana Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) is the state affiliate for the National Council of Teachers of English.

According to their website their “focus is to support the professional growth and work of all English teachers at all levels in Indiana.”

Our very own Mary Nicolini was honored with the NCTE 2021 High School Teacher of Excellence Award! 

The following is an excerpt from the press release announcing the good news!

“Established in 2001 by the NCTE Secondary Section, this award recognizes and celebrates high school classroom teachers who demonstrate excellent practices and contributions in the classroom. Nicolini stood out as a strong candidate for her many positive contributions made to Penn High School, not just for her students but also for her colleagues.
 

Nicolini will be recognized by NCTE at the Secondary Section Luncheon at the 2021 NCTE Annual Convention.

In the words of one of her recommenders, “She is full of thoughtful pauses that communicate an ability to listen that invites students and colleagues in. Her charisma makes those around her want to be part of her endeavors. We are all her students.”

Within her school community, Nicolini has taken on many leadership roles. These roles include teacher training, designing and implementing a writing center in PHS, curriculum development, and co-founding a Virtual Arts Summer Academy. Nicolini is a leader and founder of PHS Early College Academy that focuses on providing students with access to college courses during high school. In her classroom she provides her students with materials that challenge their thinking and allows them to express themselves in ways they don’t always get to throughout their teenage years. As one of her recommenders noted, “In a world that is experiencing tremendous change and turmoil, students need teachers like Ms. Nicolini more than ever before.””

Congratulations Mary, this is an outstanding example of PHMExcellence and we are so proud that you’re a Kingsmen!

Penn-Harris-Madison continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19. With more than 13,000 students and employees, we all play an important role in minimizing the risk and impact on each other and our operations. The health and safety of students and staff is our top priority. As a result, P-H-M Schools will implement various measures to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

Please click here to read an overview of the district’s plan for a safe and healthy learning environment for Summer 2021 In-Person Instruction.

Throughout Summer 2021, P-H-M will continue to track COVID cases of students and staff that are made known to district and school personnel. Click here to view the P-H-M Positive COVID Dashboard.

To read documents related to P-H-M’s Return to Learn Plan for the 2020-2021 school year, please click here.

Tee off to benefit @PennPride365 Academics & Athletics !!!!

The Penn Boosters Annual Golf Outing is Sat., July 17, at Juday Creek Golf Course. There will be an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

Click the link to register or sponsor a hole: https://tinyurl.com/2e3kjjp7

Click the link for details: https://tinyurl.com/4uney2b5
 

Last night, Wednesday, June 9, 2021 was Pennway Night School Class of 2021’s turn to be recognized!

​Pennway Night School offers a path for alternative education students who are beyond their expected graduation year to earn a full Penn High School Diploma.

It was an emotional evening as each name was called and the graduates came forward to receive their diploma covers.

Each graduate has their own unique story, but from now on they are united with the title of “Penn High School Graduate,” great job Kingsmen!

To download high-resolution jpg files from the photo gallery below, just simply click the “DOWNLOAD” button on the bottom right-hand corner of the photo while viewing it in the Photo Gallery function. We are happy to provide this service to you, free of charge!

Annie Drews, who helped lead Penn to Volleyball State Championships in 2010 and 2011, has been selected to play for Team USA Volleyball.

Drews will compete in the Tokyo Olympics in July-August.

Drews won a state title in 2010 with Lisa Pawlik as the head coach, and in 2011 with Sarah Hendricks as the head coach.

Penn Volleyball Head Coach Lisa Pawlik quote: “Something truly special happened today.  One of our Sisterhood earned the most amazing honor.  We are so proud of Annie and so happy for her that all of her dreams came true because of her hard work, perseverance, and dedication.  If you ever wondered if you should set your goals high and fight to achieve them  – WOW this is it.”  

After playing at Penn, Drews competed for Purdue University.

Click here for an Annie Drews highlight video.