Horizon Elementary students continued their outstanding literacy performance on the 2026 IREAD assessment, achieving a 97.7% passing rate.

Horizon’s pass rate is 9 percentage points above Indiana’s statewide passing rate of 88.7% and is the second-highest among Penn-Harris-Madison’s 11 elementary schools.

The strong results continue Horizon’s tradition of exceptional IREAD performance. In 2025, Horizon achieved a 100% pass rate. This year, the school again ranked among five P-H-M elementary schools with pass rates of 95% or higher.

Across P-H-M, 94.7% of students passed IREAD in 2026, 6 percentage points higher than the state average. Five P-H-M schools achieved pass rates of 95% or higher, while 10 of the district’s 11 elementary schools performed above the state average.

“These results are a reflection of the incredible dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the partnership of our families,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short.

P-H-M continues to prioritize research-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading, providing educators with professional learning, instructional resources, and opportunities to collaborate around student data and effective instructional practices.

All P-H-M second grade students also participate in IREAD, providing educators and families with an early indicator of whether students are on track to read proficiently by the end of third grade. In 2026, an impressive 72.1% of P-H-M second graders passed IREAD a year early.

Horizon’s continued success reflects P-H-M’s commitment to building on a culture of academic excellence and ensuring students develop the foundational literacy skills necessary for continued academic growth.

By the Numbers

• 97.7% — Horizon 2026 IREAD pass rate
• 9 percentage points — Horizon performance above the state average
• #2 — Horizon’s 2026 IREAD performance among P-H-M elementary schools
• 94.7% — P-H-M corporation-wide pass rate
• 88.7% — Indiana statewide pass rate
• 72.1% — P-H-M second graders passing IREAD

Before the Penn football team kicked off their football season under the Friday Night Lights, another type of kickoff happened under the lights that brought both tears and cheers! Click here to see a full photo gallery.

On Friday, August 21, 2026 we held our first-ever Kindergarten Kickoff. It was a sight to behold and warmed our hearts–approximately 175 kindergartners and 100 seniors walking towards each other on the football field meeting at the 50 yard line. The goal was for the Class of 2027 students to welcome into the P-H-M Family the Class of 2039 students giving them gold and black pom-poms. To say the Future Kingsmen were excited was an understatement; and the seniors were pretty pumped to welcome them into the P-H-M Family. 

Click to watch the video below …

This new tradition will be added moving forward as part of the festivities of Penn High School’s Home Opener boy’s tackle football game and the Community Tailgate, which has been a longstanding tradition.

MISHAWAKA, IN —With the Indiana Department of Education’s release Tuesday, August 11 of 2026 IREAD-3 results, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Heather Short is proud to share that 94.7% of P-H-M students passed IREAD.

P-H-M’s corporation-wide pass rate increased over last school year (2025-2026) and is 6 percentage points higher than this year’s statewide overall passing rate of 88.7%.

Five P-H-M elementary schools achieved an outstanding 95% or higher passing rate, including one Title I school.

• Prairie Vista Elementary: 98.8% pass rate
• Horizon Elementary: 97.7% pass rate
• Northpoint Elementary: 96.9% pass rate
• Elsie Rogers Elementary: 96.4% pass rate (Title I school)
• Bittersweet Elementary: 95.9% pass rate

Statewide, results show that 88.7% of Indiana’s third grade students demonstrated proficient reading skills on the IREAD assessment. This is an improvement of nearly 1.5 percentage points over results for the 2024-2025 school year, the second-largest single-year increase since the assessment began (click here for more information on state results in today’s IDOE news release).

Five other P-H-M elementary schools had pass rates above the State average, with four of those scoring 90% or higher, including three of P-H-M’s Title I schools: 

• Moran Elementary: 94.8% pass rate (Title I school)
• Walt Disney: 94.4% pass rate (Title I school)
• Elm Road Elementary: 93.1% pass rate (Title I school)
• Madison Elementary: 90.5% pass rate
• Mary Frank: 88.9% pass rate

“These results are a reflection of the incredible dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the partnership of our families,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “I am especially proud of the growth we are seeing across our schools, including our Title I schools that have achieved a 90% or higher passing rate. These accomplishments demonstrate what is possible when we maintain high expectations and provide students with the support they need.”

P-H-M continues to prioritize research-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading, providing educators with professional learning, instructional resources, and opportunities to collaborate around student data and effective instructional practices.

The 2026 IREAD-3 results reflect the district’s ongoing commitment to building on a culture of academic excellence and ensuring every student develops the foundational literacy skills necessary for continued academic growth.

“We are proud of these results, but our work does not stop here,” Dr. Short added. “We will continue to use student data to identify opportunities for growth, strengthen instruction, and make sure every child has the opportunity to become a confident and capable reader.”

By the Numbers

• 94.7% — P-H-M corporation-wide IREAD-3 passing rate
• 6 percentage points — P-H-M performance above the state passing rate
• 5 schools — Achieved a 95% or higher passing rate
• 1 Title I school — Achieved a 95% or higher passing rate
• 3 schools — Increased their passing rates by 6–8 percentage points compared to 2025
• Year-over-year growth — P-H-M’s overall passing percentage has continued to increase since 2024

All second grade students participate in the IREAD assessment – a tactic that has already proven successful at providing educators and families an early indicator of whether a student is on-track to read by the end of third grade. 

P-H-M’s second grade results were an impressive 72.1% of students passing in 2026.

This school year Penn High School will launch a new tradition celebrating the connection between Penn’s incoming Senior Class of 2027 and the Kindergarten Class of 2039.

At Penn’s first home football game on Friday, August 21 after the Community Tailgate (click here for more details on this event) and before the Penn-Valpo game, incoming kindergartners will be welcomed to the P-H-M family during our inaugural Kindergarten Kickoff celebration.

As part of this special event, Penn seniors will meet the kindergartners at the 50-yard line and pass them black and gold pom-poms, symbolizing the beginning of their journey as future Kingsmen and Lady Kingsmen.

This simple but meaningful moment represents the tradition, pride, and community that make Penn High School and P-H-M special. 

Info for Kindergarten Families

Click here to register your kindergartner to participate.

Show your Penn Pride by ordering your student an official Future Kingsmen t-shirt by clicking this link.

Event Details:

• Gates open at 5:30 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. 
• Kindergarten and younger siblings are FREE and do NOT need a ticket!
  Purchase older student and adult tickets online for $7.00 ($8.00 at the gate) by clicking here.
  
• Community Tailgate is 5:30-7:00 p.m. You can feed each member of your family for just $6.00! 
• Check in for Kindergarten Kickoff at the PHM Education Foundation Table by 6:00 p.m.
• Pick up your child’s t-shirt (if purchased)
• Enjoy the festivities and connect with other P-H-M families
• One adult should stay with their child until they walk onto the field and will remain in the end zone to meet them afterwards
• Get your cell phones ready to take pictures of your student participating in the Kindergarten Kickoff!

Stay for the game:

After the Community Tailgate and the Kindergarten Kickoff event, families are encouraged to stay and cheer on the Kingsmen as they take on Valparaiso in their home opener.

Info for Penn Seniors Class of 2027

Seniors, click here to sign up.

Space may be limited, so we encourage you to register early.

• Gates open at 5:30 p.m. You must have a ticket to the football game to enter. 
• Make sure you purchase your football ticket online for $7.00 ($8.00 at the gate).
• Community Tailgate is 5:30-7:00 p.m. Hang out with your friends & eat for just $6.00! 
• Check in for Kindergarten Kickoff at the PHM Education Foundation Table by 6:00 p.m.
• Enjoy the festivities with your friends
• Have your friends ready to take pictures of you participating in the first-ever Kindergarten Kickoff!

At the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees meeting held Monday, June 22, 2026, Courtney Koszyk was approved as the new principal of Horizon Elementary School.

With Amy Fadorsen’s retirement at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, P-H-M Administration were in search of a principal who would uphold and expand Horizon’s commitment to academic excellence.

She is a proud Penn alumna and the mother of two Penn graduates. 

Race day for the annual Running is Elementary, sponsored by P-H-M’s Education Foundation, was a little windy, but gorgeous: just enough sunshine, just enough warmth, and the raindrops held off until all the races were over.

This year was one of the biggest yet with 700+ students from all 11 P-H-M elementary schools.

The one mile run is held at Penn’s Cross-country course, which is located behind Elm Road Elementary School. 

Fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to sign up for the free running club. Designated coaches at each school then train with the runners for the 6-week club culminating in the one mile race. More than 700 students participated this year!

This picture of two 4th grade runners exemplifies what RIE is all about. 

These two boys were running neck and neck all the way to the finish line vying for first place.

After the race, the Disney boy (dark navy t-shirt) went out of his way to find the Moran runner (pink shirt) so they could take a picture together.

The students being from two different schools had never met before, but in that moment, it didn’t matter.

Running is Elementary not only teaches students about fitness and wellness, it also teaches them sportsmanship, connection and the importance of supporting and celebrating each other!

Click to see the list below of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners only for the four races. The list shows finish times listed by bib number and school. Parents should contact their school coach for their child’s specific time.

What makes this event so special is that students are cheered on by their fellow students, families, teachers, running coaches, principals, PHM School Board members and administrators, principals, and other PHM staff members. A photo gallery sample is below, but click here to visit the full photo gallery in the Education Foundation’s Canto photo portal.

Race Results:

5^th Grade Girls Winners

1. 06:49.07, Bib # 244, Northpoint
2. 06:50.53, Bib # 235, Northpoint
3. 07:05.08, Bib # 187, Mary Frank

School Team Rankings:

1. Horizon
2. Mary Frank
3. Northpoint

5th Grade Boys Winners

1. 06:14.75, Bib # 597, Northpoint
2. 06:16.06, Bib # 650, Madison
3. 06:29.29, Bib # 590, Northpoint

School Team Rankings:

1. Northpoint
2. Horizon
3. Elm Road

4th Grade Girls Winners

1. 07:06.27, Bib # 62, Horizon
2. 07:30.09, Bib # 31, Elm Road
3. 07:31.47, Bib # 75, Mary Frank

School Team Rankings:

1. Prairie Vista
2. Northpoint
3. Bittersweet

4th Grade Boys Winners:

1. 06:34.34, Bib # 438, Walt Disney
2. 06:34.73, Bib # 392, Moran
3. 06:48.85, Bib # 402, Northpoint

School Team Rankings:

1. Northpoint
2. Bittersweet
3. Elm Road

Here’s a breakdown of the shirt colors:

Thank you to Cindy Batalis (physical education teacher at Mary Frank Elementary School) whose own love for running and her desire to pass that love on is the passion and brain child behind Running is Elementary. Thank you to all the PHM teachers, running coaches, school staff, and Penn Cross Country student-athletes who help out every year, along with P-H-M Education Foudation Board members and volunteers.

Thank you PHMEF and all their amazing sponsors that make this event possible for our students:

• Martin’s donated the post race snacks
• Royal Excursion donated transportation to auxiliary parking lots
• Benchmark Family Services helped PHMEF offset costs
• Culver’s provided gift baskets for a prize drawing
• Kona Ice and Tom’s Coffee did givebacks 
• Attorney Katy Wrona was also a sponsor

P-H-M Schools recognized Horizon Elementary first-grade teacher Natalie Hapke for outstanding student achievement with a P-H-M Teacher Impact Award surprise.

Mrs. Hapke’s students achieved 55% academic growth from the beginning of the year to the middle of the year, the highest growth percentage in Grade 1 across the P-H-M School Corporation. This achievement reflects the strength of early instruction and the foundational learning taking place in Horizon classrooms.

Superintendent Dr. Heather Short and Horizon Elementary Principal Amy Fadorsen joined school leaders in surprising Mrs. Hapke and her students to celebrate the milestone. Adding to the special moment, Mrs. Hapke’s husband, Matt Hapke, who serves as P-H-M’s Technology Director, was also on hand to help surprise her and presented her with flowers.

Thank you to the P-H-M Education Foundation for providing the beautiful engraved awards that the teachers keep in their classrooms as a reminder of what they and their students accomplished.

The P-H-M Teacher Impact Awards are presented each semester to highlight educators whose students demonstrate exceptional growth and progress.

Penn-Harris-Madison is pleased to be able to offer enrollment to non-resident students on a limited basis for the 2026-27 school year.

Families living in neighboring school districts interested in having their elementary children attend a P-H-M elementary school can apply for that opportunity.

The window to apply for available non-resident seats will open Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. and close on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. 

On March 2 at 8:30 a.m., P-H-M will post the schools, grades and number of seats available for the upcoming school year. Families must complete an online application between March 2 – 20.

The NRS application will be posted on www.phmschools.org/non-resident-student-enrollment/ on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.

There is no first-come, first-served advantage. 

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 13

Click to register:

bit.ly/BooksandBots2026

Saturday, March 7, 2026   

9:15 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. 

Penn High School

for P-H-M students K – 5th grade

FREE! There is no cost for this event, but registration is required and limited.

Click here to register online today!

OPTIONAL T-SHIRT PURCHASE: If you would like to order a t-shirt, CLICK HERE to be taken to Time for Tees website to place your order. Please note, this is an OPTION and not required. 

Sponsored by the P-H-M Education Foundation, Young Authors’ Conference is an opportunity for P-H-M students in Kindergarten – 5th grade to meet and hear from well-known children’s author and speaker Jill Esbaum, participate in a variety of robotic explorations and engage in a dinosaur exploration activity. This is a FREE event thanks to the Foundation!

Jill Esbaum is the award-winning author of more than 65 children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction. A few recent titles include It’s Corn Picking Time!, Polecat Has a Superpower, and Bird Girl – How Gene Stratton Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World. Back in 2012 National Geographic Kids asked Jill to write a book featuring the Angry Birds and dinosaurs titled Angry Birds Playground: Dinosaurs, which gave her Dino Fever. Her dinosaur books since then include If a T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party, How to Grow a Dinosaur, and a three-book graphic early reader series, Thunder & Cluck. Jill lives on a family farm near Davenport. 

As part of the morning activities, students will participate in three rotations: one session with author Jill Esbaum, one dinosaur exploration session thanks to the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, and one session where students will enjoy the hands-on exploration of technology with Sphero Bots, Dot and Dosh, Bee Bots, Ozobots and more! Our amazing P-H-M teachers and volunteers will guide students and their parents through the interactive session guiding them on how develop a character and create their own puppet.

At least one parent or guardian must accompany the student(s)!  If more than one child is registering for Books and Bots, the family will stay together so only one adult is needed. Siblings YOUNGER than kindergarten may not accompany adults. This experience is for your young author(s) and the parent/guardian.

CONFIRMATION: Participating students will receive additional information prior to the conference through their home school at the end of February.

COST: Free!

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please contact Candace Cussen at ccussen@phm.k12.in.us.

Click here to register online today!