Horizon Named Among U.S. News 2026 “Best Elementary Schools”

U.S. News and World Report released its “Best Schools” rankings for K-8 public schools by state and Horizon is #37 out of Indiana’s 989 public elementary schools!

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

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

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

Indiana’s 395 Indiana public high schools were also ranked, and Penn ranked #26.

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.

Get to Know Principal Amy Fadorsen

October is National Principals Month! To celebrate, we’re sharing short Q&As with each of our principals—giving you a glimpse into their leadership style, favorite parts of school life, and what drives their #PHMExcellence every day.

If you could swap places with a student for one day, what class or activity would you be most excited to participate in — and why?

I would spend the day in kindergarten because there is so much movement and activity.

What’s your go-to morning routine (or must-have snack/coffee order) that helps you tackle the day?

Fat Free Vanilla latte

What were you like as a middle or high school student — and what’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self not to worry so much.

Amy Fadorsen

If your job as a principal had a theme song, what song would be your walk up song–the one playing when you walked into school each day?

Roar

What was your favorite school lunch or snack when you were a student? What is your favorite school lunch now as a principal?

Hamburger gravy and mashed potatoes. Kids called it gravy train. But I loved it.

What’s one fun fact about you that most students or staff don’t know?

I ran a half marathon a couple weeks ago for the first time on my birthday.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies outside of school that might surprise people?

No

What’s one thing on your bucket list you still hope to do one day?

Visit Paris

What’s your favorite school tradition or event?

Welcome Back Night

If you could describe your school in one word, what would it be?

Welcoming

Horizon Suns Achieve Perfect IREAD Pass Rate, Top in the State

Horizon’s third graders achieved a perfect 100% IREAD pass rate in 2025, improving from 95.3% in 2024. With 115 students tested—the most of any Indiana school to achieve a perfect score—Horizon ranks as the state’s highest-performing school for both participation and success. Our Suns truly lived their motto: Going Above and Beyond.

“Our students put into practice the literacy foundations taught by P-H-M’s dedicated teachers, and their families reinforced that learning at home. I also thank our principals, administrators, and support staff who worked tirelessly to provide the best and safest learning environments so our students could excel.” — Superintendent Dr. Heather Short

Across P-H-M, 93.7% of third graders passed IREAD in 2025, a 6.9-point increase over last year and the largest in district history.

Click here for more information on P-H-M’s overall 2025 IREAD district success.

Our Suns are shining brighter than ever heading into the new school year.

Board Approves New Administrators at Dr. Short’s First Meeting

At Monday night’s P-H-M Board of School Trustees meeting Superintendent Dr. Heather Short, presented three current P-H-M administrators for promotion. This was Dr. Short’s first school board meeting as superintendent since she started in the role on July 1. The following administrative changes were approved at the meeting:

New Administrators Board Approved at Dr. Short’s First Meeting

Randy Williams was approved as the new Director of Academic and Student Support. Williams previously served in several administrative roles within PHM since 2008, including Principal of Madison and Walt Disney Elementary Schools, Dean of Students at Penn and Associate Principal of Penn. In 2018 he was honored as a member of the “Forty under 40” class. In 2023 He became the Director of Secondary Education and Student Services for the Middlebury Community School system. Williams now returns to Penn-Harris-Madison with a wealth of new professional experiences and an enhanced skill set.

New Administrators Board Approved at Dr. Short’s First Meeting

Maddie Schmidt was approved for the Assistant Principal position at Grissom Middle School. Schmidt is a former Kingsmen and a graduate of Judson University. She has a master’s degree in Educational and Business Administration from Bethel University. Schmidt began her career teaching language arts at Schmucker Middle School. During her time there, she also served as an Instructional Leader. She is an active member of PHM’s Excellence in Leadership initiative and has held multiple teacher leadership roles at SMS. Most recently, she served as a Dean at Schmucker. 

New Administrators Board Approved at Dr. Short’s First Meeting

Beth Stroven was approved for the Assistant Principal position at Schmucker Middle School. This past year, Stroven served as a math teacher at Grissom Middle School and is a member of PHM’s Excellence in Leadership initiative. Prior to joining P-H-M, she was a teacher in Elkhart Community Schools, where she was recognized as the 2019 District Elementary Teacher of the Year and received the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Grant where she earned a master’s degree in Educational and Business Administration from Indiana State University. She later served as the principal of Mary Daly Elementary School.