Horizon Elementary’s Show Choir wrapped up the year with a high-energy performance inspired by classic country music!

Students took the stage dressed in western gear—cowboy boots, flannel shirts, denim, and hats—singing classic country songs and performing line dances that got the crowd clapping along. The set was decorated with wagon wheels and oversized guitar picks, creating a fun, country-style atmosphere.

The group performed for friends and family on the evening of Thursday, May 8, then put on an encore Friday morning for the entire school. It was a fun and memorable way to close out the Show Choir season.

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This afternoon Mrs. Rulli’s 4th grade students along with their “Kindergartener Buddies” from Mrs. Wallick’s and Ms. McCambridge’s classes took part in a meaningful service activity—packing duffle bags for local foster children.

The event was part of Project Purpose: One School, One Purpose, a schoolwide initiative focused on spreading kindness and giving back to the community. This year, Horizon partnered with SAFY Foster Care to assemble 300 duffle bags filled with essential items like hygiene kits, books, and blankets—items that can make a big difference for children entering foster care.

Throughout the year, Horizon families and staff donated supplies and funds to support the effort. The packing event was the culmination of that generosity, and a hands-on opportunity for students to learn about empathy and service.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making a positive impact, one duffle bag at a time.

To learn more about SAFY and their work supporting foster children, visit safy.org.

The “Project Purpose” initiative is building on Mrs. Rulli’s classroom theme last year, “You Are Loved.” Not only did she have this motivation printed on t-shirts for her students, they in turn spread the love throughout the school by sharing special Valentines with teachers and staff on February 14, 2024. Click here for that story.

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We’re happy to introduce P-H-M bus driver Marisa VanDeventer as the Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month for March 2025! 🚌🏅

Marisa has been a dedicated driver for Penn-Harris-Madison schools since 2010. Known for her reliability and strong work ethic, she rarely misses a day of work. Her calm, friendly demeanor and positive attitude make her well-liked by both students and parents.

As a P-H-M parent herself, Marisa understands the importance of creating a safe and welcoming environment for children. Her strong rapport with students and commitment to her role shine through in everything she does.

Thank you to Culver’s and the P-H-M Education Foundation for partnering to recognize outstanding staff like Marisa! 

Exciting news for Horizon Elementary students! Today, Mrs. Roberts’ 2nd-grade class had the special honor of unveiling Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machine—a brand-new addition to the school library that is designed to encourage a love of reading.

The book vending machine is part of an innovative literacy incentive program, where students earn special tokens that can be used to “purchase” a book from the machine. The best part? The books are theirs to keep, fostering a sense of ownership and excitement about reading. The exact details of how students will earn the tokens are still being worked out and will be communicated when it’s appropriate. 

Over the next couple of weeks, all Horizon students will have the chance to learn about and interact with the vending machine during their library specials.

The initiative was made possible through funding from the P-H-M Education Foundation, which awarded one to Horizon and is valued at up to $7,169.

With the tagline “Feeding Your Mind One Book at a Time,” this book vending machine is set to make reading more rewarding and accessible for our Horizon community!

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Due to the absence of local, state, or national elections on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, all P-H-M schools will be in session on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.  P-H-M will no longer have a Recess Day on this date.

As a result, the last day of school for students will now be Thursday, June 5, 2025. This is one day earlier than previously scheduled. P-H-M Teachers Association worked collaboratively with the District Administration to make these calendar changes.

Indiana law requires schools to be in session for 180 days each year. If necessary, P-H-M can utilize up to three weather-related eLearning days, as permitted under Indiana law (HB-1093). If additional makeup days are needed, they will be added to the end of the school year, following the new last student day, Thursday, June 5, 2025. Currently, no eLearning days have been called.

The new 2024-2025 school year calendar is posted on the P-H-M website, click here to view the updated calendar.

Horizon Elementary teachers and staff received exciting news today as Jennifer Turnblom, Executive Director of the PHM Education Foundation (PHMEF), visited classrooms to announce grant awards for two innovative projects.

The first stop was Ally Schmidt’s room, where Ms. Turnblom presented a check for $329.00 to support the creation of a Foreign Language Club. The grant will fund the purchase of the curriculum, designed for elementary students, that will help get them start with foreign languages. 

Next, Ms. Turnblom visited Sue Roberts and Emily Cornett to deliver a check for $7,169.00 to fund a book vending machine for the school! The vending machine will serve as part of an incentive program encouraging literacy. Students will earn tokens to use in selecting books, which they can keep as a reward for their efforts. The vending machine, featuring PHMEF branding, will be placed prominently in the school’s library or lobby, providing a fun and engaging way to promote reading.

Both grants highlight Horizon Elementary’s commitment to enhancing student learning and engagement through innovative programming, made possible with the support of PHMEF. Congratulations to the grant recipients!

Thank you to EVERYONE who came to the 2024 Homecoming Parade and Football game. It was a terrific time not only for the Penn students, but also for the entire community.

The Parade, Expo, Fun Zone, Food Trucks and Fireworks were all bigger and better than ever.

After the game was over, the fans in attendance were treated to a fireworks show set to music!

There are three photo galleries below, one of the parade floats and participants, one of the parade spectators and one of the fun zone and expo. Take a look and we’ll see you in 2025!

Parade Floats

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Parade Spectators

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Fun Zone & Expo

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Registration for the Girls Basketball Youth League will take place at Penn High School on Sunday, September 8th, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Please enter Door “D”.

This league is designed for girls in grades 3rd – 8th who live within the P-H-M District Boundaries.

Visit the PDFs posted below for information on how to register, dates/times/locations and cost.

CLICK HERE for complete league registration information.

CLICK HERE for important dates. 

Horizon Elementary rolled out the red carpet, complete with a “Big Top” for their circus theme to welcome students back for the new school year.

The reason for the circus welcome back is because the theme of this school year is “Reading is the ticket to the Greatest Show on Earth.” The idea is to show students that reading for fun can take students anywhere they want to go!

Students were greeted by a ringmaster, strongman and a stilt walker, all adding to the festive atmosphere. The highlight of the morning came when 4th Grade teacher Julia Rulli amazed her students with her incredible acrobatic skills, leaving students and staff in awe.

Horizon’s creative approach aims to make learning an exciting adventure from day one. Don’t miss the video of the event, especially Rulli’s performance! 🎪🤸‍♀️ #PHMExcellence

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