Homecoming 2025 Details

Attention P-H-M families and community members! Mark your calendars for the annual Homecoming Celebration on Friday, September 26, 2025. Penn High School students, don’t forget the Homecoming Dance is THE WEEK BEFORE on Saturday, September 20, 2025. Click HERE for dance tickets.
 
Saturday, September 20th, 2025 – Homecoming Dance for Penn Students

“Lights, Camera, HOCO!” Homecoming Dance For Penn Students only
•Time: 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
• Location: Everwise Freed Field & Yeoman Family Plaza
• Cost: $25 Per Ticket
Purchase Tickets Here
• What: A wonderful Evening for PHS students! Great music, games, and food! 


Friday, September 26, 2025

This event is ONLY possible through the generous support of the P-H-M Education Foundation, Presenting Sponsor “Drive and Shine” and our other incredible sponsors.

Family Fun Zone
• Time: 4-7 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Location: Jordan Automotive Group Baseball Stadium
• What:
Bounce Houses, Gaga Ball, Obstacle Courses, 22 ft slide and more!
• The Family Fun Zone is Free thanks to Fun Zone Sponsors Gary and Tammy Fox 

Vendor Expo
• Time: 4-7 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Location: First Base Side of the Jordan Automotive Group Baseball Stadium
• What: Tables with vendors sharing valuable information &
Free “Go Penn” temporary tattoos for all Kingsmen and future Kingsmen!

Food Trucks
• Time: 4-7 p.m.
• Cost: Varies
• Location: North End of Penn High School Parking Lots
• What: Get dinner or a snack from a variety of delicious local food trucks!

Homecoming Parade
• Time: 5:30 p.m.
• Cost: Free
• Location: Wraps around the rear of Schmucker Middle School, left turn onto Bittersweet Road, right turn past Penn Student Parking (see map below)
• What: Each P-H-M Elementary and Middle school will be marching as well as floats created by a variety of Penn High School sports, clubs and students groups.  Don’t forget to vote for your favorite float at the Expo!

Football Game
• What: Penn vs South Bend Adams
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Cost: $6 in advance when purchased at the Athletics Department office inside Penn High School or $7 at the gate when paying with cash. (We do have an online option for added convenience but please note, there is an online fee of $1 per ticket added by the online vendor.)
  Any elementary student or younger, who attends with a paying adult, is free! (Ex. 1 paying parent with 3 elementary children, all 3 children are free)  
• Location: Everwise Freed Field
Click for facility Rules to Remember

Parking
• Cost: $3 to park in lots around Penn High School (See Map)
  All money raised through parking supports the Penn High School Band Boosters 
• Cost: Free to park in Schmucker, Pennway, Baseball and softball lots (See Map). Please be respectful of our neighbors in the surrounding areas and do not park in yards or block driveways. Be mindful of neighborhood parking restrictions.
  Families are encouraged to arrive early to allow plenty of time to find parking and walk to the events

Fireworks
• Cost: Free!
• Special thanks to the Fireworks Sponsor Laidig Systems, Inc.!

Click Map to Expand
Homecoming 2024 Details


September 20th – 29th , 2025

Silent Auction
• Beginning September 20th, bid on a variety of items compliments of our community partners
Click Here for Silent Auction 
• All proceeds benefit the P-H-M Education Foundation

For sponsorship opportunities or other information, please reach out to Jen Turnblom jturnblom@phmef.org

Rules to Remember:

  • No reentry; once you leave, you are not allowed back in.
  • 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

This Friday, Aug. 29, 2025: P-H-M Community Tailgate Party

P-H-M’s Annual Community Tailgate is a long-standing tradition that brings families, students, staff, and community members together to show their Penn pride. The event is held before the Penn Football home opener and is a chance for everyone across the district to connect, celebrate, and support the Kingsmen.

This year’s home opener will be “The Backyard Brawl” against Mishawaka on Friday, August 29th, 2025. Click here for game ticket info.

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 at the Yeoman Family Plaza.

This Friday, Aug. 29, 2025: P-H-M Community Tailgate Party

Friday night marks the 67th meeting between Penn and Mishawaka. Penn leads the all-time series 49-16-1. 

Save the Date: Penn High School Homecoming 2025

Penn-Harris-Madison invites students, families, alumni, and community members to celebrate Homecoming 2025 on Friday, September 26, 2025 courtesy of the PHM Education Foundation.

The annual celebration includes the Homecoming Parade on Bittersweet Road in front of Penn High School, showcasing student groups, athletic teams, school clubs, and community organizations, followed by the Penn Kingsmen football game against South Bend Adams at Everwise Freed Field.

This is an event for the ENTIRE community and will have activities for people of all ages. Mark your calendars and plan to join in the fun! More details will be shared closer to the date.

Show Choir Delivers Rootin’-Tootin’ Country Performance

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

students perform 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.

Students Pack Duffle Bags for Foster Children through “Project Purpose”

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.

checklist
Students use a checklist to make sure each bag has everything that is needed.

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.

students with backpacks
Students go from station to station to fill their bags

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.

bags loaded
300 bags are loaded into a trailer to be delivered to children in foster care.

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.

 

Congratulations to Marisa VanDeventer, March’s Culver’s Bus Driver of the Month!

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! 

Horizon Unveils Book Vending Machine

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!

Change to 2024-25 School Year Calendar

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.

Change to 2024-25 School Year Calendar

PHM Education Foundation Awards Grants to Horizon!

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.

People posing with check

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. 

teachers surprised

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!

2024 Homecoming Recap

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

Parade Spectators

Fun Zone & Expo