U.S. News Ranks Horizon #11 Indiana Public Elementary School

U.S. News & World Report “Best Schools” Designations has recently expanded to include elementary and middle schools. With Penn High School earning a “Best High School” designation for several years, P-H-M now has several elementary and middle schools who also have earned this distinction! And our very own Horizon ranks #11 in Indiana for Public Elementary Schools (data is based on the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years). Click here to see why Horizon ranks so highly.

A total of 10 of P-H-M elementary schools earned the high ranking as a U.S. News “Best Public Elementary School.” Other than Horizon at #11, the other nine schools are ranked as follows:

1. Northpoint Elementary​
3. Prairie Vista Elementary
8. Mary Frank Elementary
93. Bittersweet Elementary
136. Meadow’s Edge Elementary
157. Elm Road Elementary
177. Moran Elementary
256. Walt Disney Elementary
299. Elsie Rogers Elementary 

Two of our middle schools, Discovery and Schmucker, are also named “Best Public Middle Schools.” Discovery is ranked #4 in Indiana and Schmucker is ranked #96.

Here’s how U.S. News calculated the rankings:

For each state, schools were assessed on their pupils’ proficiencies in mathematics and reading, as measured by state assessment tests. Half of the ranking formula was the results themselves; the other half was the results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. In other words, the top-ranked schools are high achieving ones that succeeded in educating all of their students. All data for the rankings are from third-party sources, including the U.S. Department of Education. 

U.S. News has published state rankings for more than 47,000 public elementary schools and more than 23,000 public middle schools. Most schools with an elementary school ranking offer grades K-5 or K-6, while most with a middle school ranking offer grades 6-8 or 7-8. Some schools with wider grade spans were ranked in both categories.

U.S. News has published an in-depth methodology article that provides more information about the rankings and how they were calculated.

Penn Robotics October & November Workshops

Penn High School Robotics Team 135 is pleased to once again offering Next Gen Camps this Fall to inspire elementary and middle school students pursue Robotics. The dates are October 29th & 30th, as well as three dates in November: Nov. 13th, 26th, and 27th.

Click the images of the flyers below to enroll your student today.

 

October Workshop    November Flyer

Meals for eLearning Day on Tues., March 30, 2021

With the announcement that Tuesday, March 30, 2021 will be an eLearning day, the meal plan for March 30th is as follows:

Elementary:

  • Every elementary student in school on Monday, March 29th will receive a meal for Tuesday, March 30th as they leave. 
  • Breakfast AND lunch will be included for students who attend Bittersweet, Elm Road, Elsie Rogers, Horizon, Mary Frank, Meadow’s Edge, Walt Disney, Moran & Madison.
  • Lunch only will be provided for students who attend Northpoint & Prairie Vista
  • Elementary School Menu

Middle:

  • When students leave school on Friday, March 26th, they will receive 2 days worth of meals. Those meals will cover Monday, March 29th and Tuesday March 30th.
  • Students at Grissom and Schmucker will receive pre-packaged breakfast and lunch.
  • Students at Discovery will receive pre-packaged lunches.
  • Middle School Menu

High School

  • When students leave school on Friday, March 26th, they will receive 2 days worth of meals. Those meals will cover Monday, March 29th and Tuesday March 30th.
  • High School Menu

Meals for 100% Virtual Learners:

  • Pick up meals at Door K at Penn High School
  • Day & Time: Monday, March 29, 1-3 p.m.
  • Students will receive a refrigerated box and a frozen bag with four (4) breakfasts and four (4) lunches since Friday, April 2nd is a recess day.

Additional Information

  • Students do not need to be present for the parent or guardian to pick up meals.
  • Student ID’s WILL NOT be required.

*Meals will not be provided on Recess Days.

 

Menus for all schools and virtual learners can be found here.

2nd Graders make Quilt Honoring Black History Month

There is a theory that quilts were utilized as signs and secret code as part of the Underground Railroad helping to guide runaway slaves to freedom. As part of her history lessons, Horizon 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Mary Dansky had students study historical African Americans and then make individual “quilt patches” with facts about their person. Ms. Dansky then put all the patches together to create her class quilt honoring Black History Month. Take a look …

 

Registration Opens for Spring Break 2021 Kids Club

Spring Break Kids Club

April 5 – 9, 2021

6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Northpoint Elementary School (Door E)

Cost is $35 per child, per day or $150 per child for the full week. If you are not currently enrolled in Kids Club, you must also pay the $25 registration fee per child. Registration and payment are due, and non refundable, by Tuesday, March 30, 2021. 

Click here for more details and online registration.

Registration Now Open for the 2021 Virtual Young Authors’ Conference, Sat., March 6

Calling all kindergarten through fifth grade students and their families…it’s time for the VIRTUAL Young Author’s Conference! 

Sponsored by the P-H-M Education Foundation, the Young Authors’ Conference is an opportunity to meet and hear from multi-talented children’s author and speaker, Matthew Gollub.  Mr. Gollub has written over 20 picture books and will share his experiences as a writer during his engaging, grade-level presentations.

Participants will also enjoy an interactive music and movement experience with Horizon Elementary School’s very own music teacher, Jon West. 

Mr. West is a seasoned Elementary music teacher in the P-H-M School Corporation in addition to being the Executive Director of a local nonprofit community theater company, The Main Stage Inc.

COST:

  • FREE for any K-5 P-H-M Student.

REGISTRATION:

  • Students MUST be registered and registration is limited!
  • Every student, including multiple students within the same family must have their own registration.
  • Register at YAC Virtual Registration.
  • Deadline for registration is Friday, February 19, 2021

VIRTUAL EVENT DETAILS:

Saturday, March 6, 2021       

9:00am – 10:30am

  • Prior to the conference at the beginning of March, participating students will receive the link for the virtual event and additional information.
  • This information will be sent to the email that was provided on the registration form.
  • If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Schirripa at lschirripa@phm.k12.in.us

Special thanks to our community partners who help make events like these possible: 

May Oberfell Lorber, Laidig Systems, Crowe Horwath, Gibson, Teachers Credit Union, Tuesley Hall Konopa, Lake CityBank,  Holiday Coral, EdwardJones – Joel Laidig & Barnes & Noble.

Student of the Month-January

Each month our teachers recognize one student in their class that exemplifies the Lifeline that we are focusing on for that month.  During the month of January, we focused on the lifeline of Effort. Effort can best be defined as participating, persevering, and taking the initiative in any given task. The following students were “all in” with everything they were asked to do. Join us in celebrating the following students: 

Students of the Month

Kindergarten:

  • Schieman – Mia McNulty
  • Curry – Elijah Beckham
  • McCambridge – Grace Henke
  • Van Duyn – Maddy Gorsuch

1st Grade:

  • Dussel – Colson Parker, Caleb Bohner
  • Hapke – Adalyn Post
  • Hartline – Andrew Preniczny
  • Hollinger – Emmett Sears

2nd Grade:

  • Dansky – Nathan Safeukui
  • Moore – Ali Trevino
  • Roberts – Kinley Rogers
  • Rice- Aubrey Wolfe
  • Martens – Bailey Castello

3rd Grade:

  • Pressler – Lea Tafelski
  • Cussen – Hunter Dorton 
  • Marks – Shelby Bohner
  • Messer – Libby Martin, Taylor Schramski
  • Zache – Aiden Bailey

4th Grade:

  • Briones – Kendal Summe
  • Pond – Jack Richmond
  • Rehlander – Drew Mack
  • Lira – Tyler Jacobsen
  • Budd – Elizabeth Holmes

5th Grade:

  • Coletti – Zoe Crawford
  • Nowak – Harper Rumble
  • Shenk – Lauren Pechous
  • Osbeck – Graham Fronek

Penn students offering free eLearning Lessons to P-H-M Children, ages 1-10

During a normal school year, Penn High School students enrolled in Childhood Development classes would be offering two unique programs for preschoolers in our community, Playschool and Toddler Time.

However due to COVID suspending these programs for the time being, Penn Child Development teachers Mrs. Kylee Wetzel and Ms. Rachael Meyers have created lessons that children can do in their own homes. 

The Penn High School Early Childhood Education Classes are offering free eLearning lessons to children in the P-H-M community within the age ranges of 1-10 years old.

Children can participate at home with a caregiver, or during the school day via Google Meet with the Penn student facilitating the lesson.

Please fill out the Enrollment Form by Friday, Jan. 15 in order to participate.

Please contact Kylee Wetzel at kwetzel@phm.k12.in.us for any further information.

COVID-19 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE QUICK REFERENCE

The Indiana State Department of Health last updated the COVID-19 School Attendance Quick Reference Guide for parents and schools on December 4, 2020.

PLEASE NOTE: For families who are not able to isolate from everyone else at home, the start date of quarantine is determined by last date of exposure to a positive or untested person; this may be after the ill person completes their 10 days of isolation.

Click the image below to download and print.

COVID-19 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE QUICK REFERENCE

 

This resource is also provided in the District Overview Return to Learn Fall 2020 document, under “Important Links at the end of the document. 

Student of the Month-October

Each month our teachers recognize one student in their class that exemplifies the Lifeline that we are focusing on for that month.  During the month of October,  we focused on the lifeline of Organization. Organization can best be defined as the ability to organize your resources to best accomplish whatever task you are asked to complete. These students, according to their classroom teachers, best exemplify this lifeline. Join us in congratulating these students. 

October Students of the Month-Organization

Kindergarten 

  • Schieman –Kori Rogers
  • McCambridge–Madison Szerszen 
  • VanDuyn–Harrison Smith
  • Curry—Izabela Stackowicz 

First Grade

  • Ayva VanOverberghe-Hartline
  • Greysen McCavitt-Hapke
  • Abby Kuelbs-Hollinger
  • Mathias Mendoza-Dussel

Second Grade

  • Krueger- Mariesa Nicely
  • Rice- Connor Post
  • Dansky -Mallory Folley
  • Roberts-Calder Demitruk
  • Moore- Brayden Werner

Third Grade

  • Ada Zeidenberg-Parkhill-Pressler
  • AJ Balthes-Messer
  • Shania Lee-Marks
  • Taggart Hurst-Cussen
  • Thomas Eubank-Martens/Zache

Fourth Grade

  • Emma Farrar-Pond
  • Briones – Higgins Haq
  • Budd – Lily Wozniak
  • Lira – Lena Carlson
  • Rehlander – Cruser Forsgren

Fifth Grade

  • Ariana Ealdama-Osbeck
  • Molly Breden-Nowak
  • Liam Fouts-Shenk
  • Danika Olesen-Coletti