What Fans Need to Know Before Heading to “Backyard Brawl”
Friday Night, August 25, 2023 marks the return of the storied rivalry between the Mishawaka Cavemen and Penn High School. The “Backyard Brawl” was last played at Mishawaka on Oct. 18, 2019. This time around Penn is hosting. We’re expecting a large crowd for this big game, which is also Penn’s home opener, and we want everyone to have a good time.
Here are some things that will be helpful for all fans as they head to Everwise Freed Field.
Parking:
- Paid Parking ($2 cash) at these lots:
- Penn High School (Front Lot & Jefferson Rd. Lot)
- Softball/Tennis Lot
- Bittersweet School Lot
- Free Parking at these lots:
- Soccer Lot (Bank Lot)
- Pennway Lot
- Schmucker Lot (front, Sides & in Back of School)
Gate & Ticket Info:
- Gates open at 5:00 p.m. (Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m.)
- Tickets are available online for presale for $6 (PreK & younger are FREE; students & all other age groups same price)
- Tickets on August 25 (at the gate or online) are $7
- PHM Employees plus one guest get in FREE, but you must have ID badge & the guest must be with the employee
- Please remember middle schoolers cannot be dropped off unsupervised. Once in the game, the students are free to walk around. At least one responsible adult must be onsite.
- Tickets are sold at the North & South gates only!
- Penn All Sports Passes and tickets (hard & online) are accepted at all gates
- The Center Gate is reserved for Penn All Sports Passes and online ticket holders only
- No Reentry!
Community Tailgate
- All fans are welcome; it is a Community Tailgate!
- You must purchase a football ticket to attend the Community Tailgate. You will not be able to enter the stadium at 5:00 unless you have a ticket to the game!
- Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the South End Zone, near the Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care South Concession Stand.
Fan Safety:
- Extra police officers will be on hand for traffic direction & crowd control
- There will be an extra outdoor concession stand just selling drinks and water
- STAY HYDRATED! It will be a hot day/early evening.
- Fire & EMS will be on site
- Contact a medic if you or anyone near you is experiencing a heat related illness
- Please utilize crosswalks when crossing Bittersweet Road
Rules to Remember:
- No Reentry
- No outside food or beverages, no insulated cups
- No backpacks
- Diaper bags & large women’s purses are allowed
- Penn does not have a clear bag policy
- No electronic noise makers
- No Footballs or Beach Balls
- No weapons of any kind
- No alcohol
- No Smoking/Vaping products of any kind. All PHM school property is smoke free.
- No open flames at private tailgating
Assistant Principal Mr. Parker “Jumps” into the New School Year
Our educators will go to new heights to show students the unlimited possibilities and limitless opportunities available to them!
The U.S. Army’s Golden Knights Parachute Team invited Assistant Principal Mr. Josiah Parker to go skydiving with them. The goal of the program was to highlight and show all the different types of jobs available in the Army. Mr. Parker was among 30 educators and community representatives selected to participate.
Take a look at the video of the jump and the photo gallery below
Last spring, Mr. Parker also visited Fort Sam Huston to learn more about medical related jobs/training available in the Army to come back and share with students.
2023 Community Tailgate
This year’s annual Community Tailgate will be a great way to kick off the return of the Backyard Brawl between the Kingsmen and the Mishawaka Cavemen.
All fans are welcome, Cavemen and Kingsmen! There’s plenty of food for fans on both sides.
Gates open at 5:00 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. Once inside the stadium head down to the white tents in the South End Zone, near the Zolman’s Tire & Auto Care South Concession Stand.
For $6 you get your choice of hot dog, hamburger or brat served with a bag of chips, choice of drink, and a cookie. Food tickets for the Tailgate are purchased at the Tailgate.
Back to School Information
We’re thrilled to welcome back all of our 11,000+ students and are excited to help all our students achieve Excellence.
The first day of school will be Wednesday, August 20, 2025 for grades 1 – 12.
- All students in 1st through 12th grades will report to their school buildings that day, and all those who are signed up for transportation services may ride the bus that day.
- Kindergarten orientation takes place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 with the first full day of kindergarten being Thursday, August 21st.
BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS. MARK CALENDAR & ATTEND!
- Our elementary schools are hosting many fun Back to School family events starting the week of August 11. Be on the lookout from communication directly from your school principal.
- All three Middle Schools are also planning a Walk-Around on Thursday, August 14th. Be on the lookout from communication directly from your school principal. Make sure you mark your calendar and plan to attend!
- Penn is hosting a “Walk Around” to help parents and students get familiar with the school:
- Penn High School’s “WALK AROUND” on Saturday, August 16, from 9 a.m. – Noon gives students a chance to familiarize themselves with the school and find where their classes and activities are located.
The BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION listed below will help P-H-M parents and students get ready for the 2025-26 School Year!
CONTACTING SCHOOLS OVER THE SUMMER
- Elementary and Middle School Front Offices open Monday, August 4th.
- Penn is open every week day over the summer.
- All schools are open Monday – Friday during business hours. Those hours vary by school.
- Click here for the School Directory of all 15 schools
- Register a new elementary or middle school student by visiting the school after offices open August 4, 2025. Click here to know what documentation you need to bring with you for registration.
- Register a new Penn High School student by calling (574) 254-2851. We will help you schedule your registration appointment and advise you on what information to bring with you to the appointment.
BACK TO SCHOOL PACKETS & FORMS
- Back to School packet & information sheets
- Parent/guardians will sign these three forms in ParentSquare:
- Photo Consent
- Mandatory Curriculum Consent
- Handbook Certification
- These forms will be in Skyward Family Access:
- CHIRP Release
- Chromebook packet
- Authorization to administer non-prescription medication at school
- Back to School Info Sheets
Click here for more information on how to login into your Skyward Family Access account
- Here is the SY 2025-26 one-page calendar showing “at a glance” the start and end dates, as well as scheduled recess and vacation dates.
- All P-H-M families are mailed a District Activities Calendar early August. It lists key school and district events throughout the year.
- Our online (Google) calendars are the most up-to-date. You’ll find a link to the P-H-M Corporate Calendar posted on the home page of the District website. It’s a Google calendar that can be added to your personal calendar.
- Each school also maintains an online Google calendar on the home page of each school website that is updated frequently with the school’s scheduled activities and event details. You can also the school’s Google calendar to your personal calendar to remember important dates.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
- All P-H-M schools provide basic school supplies to our students, free of charge. Therefore, our schools do not issue supply lists. You will need to purchase a backpack, water bottle, lunch box, and other items you want your child to have at home or take with them to school. If other specific items need to be purchased for a class or lab, your child’s teacher will inform you after school starts.
IMMUNIZATIONS AND HEALTHCARE SERVICES
- Click here to make sure you child is up-to-date with all required immunizations.
- Proof of immunizations must be provided to the school office by the first day of school.
- Kindergarten parents, please click here to learn about important kindergarten health information and medical forms before your kindergartner’s first day of school.
- Click here for the forms administering medications at school
- Click here for more information on P-H-M Healthcare Services
- School bus route times and locations will be shared with parents in a Transportation letter to be emailed before school starts
- Parents can check EZRouting to see your child’s bus route information online
- Here Comes the Bus provides real time GPS bus location info so parents know when to send their students out to the bus stop
- Have more questions about Transportation? Visit their webpage for contact information.
- Visit our Food & Nutrition page to see monthly menus and find nutritional information
- See if you qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch and Textbook Assistance. Click here to apply online.
- Online payment for child’s meals
- Other Payment options
- Penn-Harris-Madison uses ParentSquare to send urgent alerts, such as school closings and delays.
- Principals and teachers also use it for noncurricular school and classroom communications.
- Penn High School coaches and teachers who sponsor clubs, academic teams or extracurricular activities use StudentSquare to safely communicate with students, without exchanging cell phone numbers. Click here for details on how students can sign up for StudentSquare.
- Click here for instructions on setting up your account.
- Once your account is set up, families can chose their preferred mode of communication for non-urgent notifications–app, text, email, phone. You can also chose to have all communications automatically translated to your preferred first language. Click here for details on how to personalize your account and check your notification settings.
- Make sure you sign up for ParentSquare to receive school closings/delays urgent alerts.
- Click to see how, when and what factors into P-H-M’s decision makings for 2-hour delays and closings.
Penn-Harris-Madison’s