Penn Orchestra Hosts Elementary Pops Concert
Fifth graders from across the district visited Penn High School this week for the annual Elementary Pops Concert, an energetic introduction to available instrument options ahead of Instrument Selection Night.
Members of the Penn Orchestra took the stage to perform well-known, crowd-pleasing songs. The performance was designed to spark excitement about music and give students a firsthand look at the kinds of ensembles they could join in middle school and beyond.
At one point, Penn musicians lined the front of the stage to demonstrate the various instruments available to beginning students in sixth grade, including strings, woodwinds, and brass. Students were able to see, hear, and compare each instrument as they consider both orchestra and band options in middle school.
The concert also featured two memorable special moments. Assistant Orchestra Director Ashlyn Graham surprised the audience by dressing as Mira from K-Pop Demon Hunter while the orchestra performed the fan-favorite song “Golden.”
Later, Director of Orchestras Zac Coudret conducted the How to Train Your Dragon theme while dressed as Toothless, delighting students with both the music and the dramatic flair.
The Elementary Pops Concert serves as an exciting kickoff to instrument selection season and helps students envision themselves as future Penn musicians—whether they choose band, orchestra, or both.
Penn Science Olympiad enjoys success at Notre Dame Invitational
Penn’s Science Olympiad teams enjoy exceptional success at the 2nd annual Notre Dame Invitational, competing against 20 teams.
🥇1st Place
Chem Lab – Toby Prince & Ishita Masetty
Designer Genes – Sadie Charbonneau & Shyla Douglas
🥈2nd Place
Astronomy – Allie Tessier & Katie Kuzmic
Disease Detectives – Iniya Christopher & Kathy Lee
Machines – Kelsey Meyer & Maddie Kuzmic
🥉3rd Place
Dynamic Planet – Jayden Hoffman & Caleb Tyler
Botany – Jayden Hoffman & Caleb Tyler
Water Quality – Ishita Masetty & Abhijay Masetty
Winter Dance ‘Boots & Bling’ scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 15
EVENT INFO:
Sunday, Feb. 15
8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Penn High School Main Arena
Entry through Door A
Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Door A will be open from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Students arriving after 9:30 p.m. must report to Door C. No admission after 10 p.m. Students will Exit from Door C.
- Tickets will be for sale online until 8 p.m. on the day of the dance (or until the event is sold out). No ticket sales at the door on the evening of the dance.
- Your ticket includes dancing, unlimited smoothies, coffees, lattes, Italian sodas, etc., bottled water, assorted desserts, and photo booth fun.
- You (and your guest) must have your ticket (printed or digital) and school ID to enter.
- Your confirmation e-mail will include instructions about policies, door entry, music requests, etc.
- Students Choose the Music again this year. A special link to a Google Form will be included in the ticket confirmation e-mail.
- Music Requests can be made until Friday, Feb. 13, at 11:59 p.m. Get your requests in. NO requests are taken the night of the dance.
- Dress to impress, but formal attire is not required.
- Guests from other schools are welcome to attend with you, but they must be 20 years old or younger, not in middle school, and they must have their school ID or state issued license to enter.
- Once you leave the dance re-admittance will not be permitted.
- Students may bring a small purse or clear bag, but these bags must be checked in the coat-check and will not be permitted in the main arena.
- Shoes can be worn and there will also be a coat check (We are not responsible for lost/stolen items, so don’t leave valuables in the coat check).
- This is a school event and students are expected to follow the same code of conduct as during the school day. Security and administration will be onsite for the event, which includes security patrolling the parking lot areas.
- Your ticket includes unlimited drinks from American Espresso (Lattes, Frappes, Italian Sodas, etc.), Bottled Water, Assorted Desserts, Ritters and photo booth fun are all part of ticket price.
For any questions, please contact pennhspto@gmail.com
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
People of Penn Gets “Facelift”
Have you ever noticed the large scale (12.5 feet tall by 8.5 feet wide) “People of Penn” graphic in the sunshine hallway? It was installed in 2011.
Last year, then Penn Principal Dr. Sean Galiher reached out to the graphic design program about making a second iteration. Graphic design student Morgan Kukla (now a senior) was handpicked for this project due to her outstanding talent, creativity, and artistic ability along with her level of responsibility and attention to detail.
And she absolutely nailed it.
The graphic was installed on Monday, January 19th, 2026 and it looks awesome!
The installation was overseen by former Penn student Steven Tucker (class of ’09) who now works as a sales project manager at US Signcrafters.
About the Artist:
Most challenging part of creating the graphic: Finding people willing to participate knowing their face would be on it and then being able to get a good shot of them. Also making sure I got a good representation of all grades and all different types of people.
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
Ribbon Cutting for Penn High School’s Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse
On Wednesday, January 14, members of the P-H-M Board of School Trustees, P-H-M and Penn High School administrators and coaches, P-H-M Education Foundation Board Members, community partners, student-athletes, guests and members of the media gathered to officially open the 80,000-square-foot multi-use student facility (click here to see a brochure with specs & details). It was also a time to honor retired, long-serving Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and his wife Donna Thacker.
Click to see a full photo gallery of all the pictures from the event.
Built for P-H-M Students
The Fieldhouse will serve Penn High School students across athletic programs, academic, and extracurricular programs, including marching band, color guard, and robotics events (elementary, middle and high school). Academic use of the facility will include physical education classes and secure large-scale assessments, for example PSAT, SAT, and AP testing.
In addition, the Fieldhouse will support P-H-M middle school students through Future Kingsmen Athletics and Marching Band, helping students build both athletic and fine arts skills while safely preparing for the next level at Penn High School.
“The Fieldhouse is about investing in students and the experiences that help them grow,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “From academics to athletics and the arts, it will support learning and opportunity across our district for generations.”
The Fieldhouse will be open for student use beginning Tuesday, January 20th.
A Community Investment—Without Raising Tax Rate
The Fieldhouse project was identified as a priority in P-H-M’s 2022 District Master Facilities Plan and was completed without raising tax rates for residents of Penn, Harris, and Madison Townships. P-H-M continues to maintain one of the lowest tax rates in St. Joseph County while delivering strong academic outcomes. The groundbreaking for the project was May 2024 (click here for those details).
Click to watch the video below that includes time lapse video of the project–start to finish–and highlights from the ceremony.
The total project cost is $18 million, reflecting the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and long-range planning.
“This Fieldhouse is the result of years of thoughtful, long-range planning and sound fiscal stewardship by the Board,” said P-H-M Board of School Trustees President Chris Riley. “By following our District Master Facilities Plan, we were able to make a meaningful investment in students while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in St. Joseph County and without increasing the tax burden on our community.”
Designed for Versatility and Excellence
Located just off McKinley Highway, the 80,000-square-foot Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker Fieldhouse expands Penn’s campus and provides much-needed indoor space to support year-round student programming across academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
“The design of this Fieldhouse reflects thoughtful planning around flexibility, safety, and long-term use,” said P-H-M Chief Operating Officer Dr. Sean Galiher. “Every element, from academic and training spaces to event amenities, was intentionally designed to support students, staff, and large-scale programming.”
The multi-use facility includes indoor space for these athletic teams:
*Track and Field: six-lane, 200-meter indoor track, pole vault, long jump, high jump, and shot put areas
*Indoor Hitting: Drop-down batting nets for baseball and softball indoor hitting practices
*Wood courts: two multi-purpose courts for basketball, volleyball
“The Fieldhouse gives Penn student-athletes a first-class, year-round training environment,” said Jeff Hart, Penn Athletic Director. “From indoor track and field to court sports and speed and agility training, this facility allows our programs to practice, compete, and prepare regardless of weather—supporting performance, safety, and student development.”
Beyond athletics, the Fieldhouse will accommodate marching band rehearsals, smaller scale robotics events, school dances, and other large student gatherings, further expanding opportunities for student engagement and districtwide events.
Additional amenities include four locker rooms, two classroom/conference spaces, a student commons area, a physical trainer and rehabilitation space, equipment storage, an observation hallway serving the second floor, a concession stand, security office, event parking, and future bleacher seating for more than 800 spectators.
“This Fieldhouse is truly a space for all Penn students, expanding opportunities for connection, creativity, and school pride,” commented Penn High School Principal Rachel Fry.
Honoring a Legacy of Leadership and Giving
The Ribbon Cutting will commemorate that the Fieldhouse has been named in honor of retired P-H-M Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and his wife Donna Thacker, recognizing their decades of leadership, service, and philanthropic support of Penn-Harris-Madison schools and the P-H-M Education Foundation (PHMEF).
Dr. Thacker served as P-H-M’s Superintendent from 2006 to 2025. Under Dr. Thacker’s leadership, P-H-M became one of Indiana’s top school districts with the schools, students, teachers, and staff achieving countless recognitions, at the state, national and international level (click here for more background information on Dr. Thacker’s tenure).
“This Fieldhouse is an investment in students today and in the future of our district,” said Jennifer Turnblom, PHMEF Executive Director. “The Naming Rights Campaign directly benefits the Foundation’s endowment which in turn provides classroom grants for P-H-M teachers benefiting generations of students for years to come.”
Under the PHMEF Naming Rights Campaign structure, 80 percent of naming rights donations are placed into the Foundation’s endowment to support long-term student programs, while 20 percent directly funds professional development for P-H-M teachers.
Longtime PHMEF donors and supporters Gary and Tammy Fox donated $10,000 to the PHMEF Naming Rights Campaign to have the fieldhouse honor Dr. Jerry and Donna Thacker. Gary Fox served on the P-H-M Board of School Trustees with Dr. Thacker as the Superintendent from 2001-2020 before stepping down. He was re-elected to Harris Township, Seat 4 in November 2024.
“Dr. Thacker’s leadership helped shape P-H-M into one of Indiana’s premier school districts,” said Gary Fox. “Naming the Fieldhouse in honor of Jerry and Donna Thacker recognizes a legacy rooted in student success, community partnership, and long-term vision.”
During his time as Superintendent, Dr. Thacker and his wife contributed $300,000 in lifetime donations to the Foundation.
“It has been our greatest joy to watch generations of P-H-M students learn, grow, and benefit from the opportunities a quality education provides,” said Jerry Thacker and Donna Thacker. “We are deeply honored to have the Fieldhouse named in our honor, and we hope it becomes a place where students continue to discover their potential for generations to come.”
Project Partners
Construction of the Fieldhouse was completed by R. Yoder Construction Inc., with architectural design by Fanning Howey, a longtime P-H-M partner with more than 40 years of service to the district. Structural engineering was done by Magnus Engineering. Civil Engineering by Danch, Harner & Associates Inc.
“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.
P-H-M Education Foundation and Everwise Renew Naming Rights for Freed Field
The P-H-M Education Foundation and Everwise Credit Union have renewed their naming rights agreement for Everwise Freed Field at Penn High School, extending a partnership that has supported educational innovation and community engagement for more than a decade.
Approved at the January 12, 2026, Board of School Trustees meeting, the new 10-year agreement reflects a continued commitment to advancing educational excellence and community engagement across the district. Everwise Credit Union first partnered with PHMEF in 2015, when the naming rights for Penn’s iconic football stadium were first established.
“Community partnerships like this one are essential to our mission,” said Jennifer Turnblom, Executive Director of the PHM Education Foundation. “Everwise Credit Union’s continued investment in Everwise Freed Field is about much more than a name. It represents a belief in our students, our schools, and the power of strong community relationships to support excellence in education across the P-H-M district.”
Everwise Freed Field continues to be a central gathering place for Penn students, families, and community members, hosting athletic events, celebrations, and school-wide traditions that bring people together. Through this renewed partnership, Everwise Credit Union helps ensure ongoing support for PHMEF programs, classroom grants, and district-wide initiatives that enhance learning opportunities for all students.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the PHM Education Foundation and the P-H-M School Corporation,” said Randy Lemert, School and Business Relationship Representative for Everwise Credit Union. “This renewal reflects our belief in the importance of education and our commitment to investing in the communities we serve. Supporting Everwise Freed Field allows us to be part of experiences that matter to students and families, both on and off the field.”
Under the agreement, 80% of funds generated from naming rights go directly into the PHMEF Endowment, which funds classroom innovation, creative learning projects, and strategic partnerships districtwide. The remaining 20% supports professional development opportunities for P-H-M teachers, ensuring educators continue to grow and inspire excellence in their classrooms.
“This partnership demonstrates the power of investing in both students and educators,” said Dr. Heather Short, Superintendent of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. “Supporting the PHM Education Foundation’s Endowment while also funding teacher professional development strengthens learning today and builds a strong foundation for the future.”
Freed Field was constructed in 1958 and was named for former Penn Twp. Trustee Vernon Freed. Starting with the 2015 season, community partner Everwise obtained naming rights to Penn’s home football field. This naming rights renewal marks one of 36 active naming rights partnerships that PHMEF maintains with local businesses and organizations, each helping to advance the foundation’s mission of enriching educational opportunities for P-H-M students.