The Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) has named Larry Beehler, a member of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Board of School Trustees, as the recipient of the 2026 Indiana Outstanding Board Service Award.

A longtime advocate for public education, Larry Beehler has dedicated 40 years of service to the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees, helping guide one of Indiana’s highest-performing school corporations through decades of growth, innovation, and student success. 

“Larry Beehler has set an extraordinary example of what it means to be a dedicated public servant. For 40 years, he has led with integrity, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for students,” said P-H-M School Board President Chris Riley who has served alongside Mr. Beehler for nearly 16 years. “His thoughtful approach to governance and his ability to keep student success at the center of every decision have helped shape the Board’s culture of collaboration and accountability. This statewide recognition is a fitting tribute to Larry’s remarkable legacy of leadership and service.”

During School Board Trustee Beehler’s tenure, including 22 years in board leadership positions, Mr. Beehler has championed the School Board’s governance model, strategic planning, and initiatives that have helped generations of students thrive.

The ISBA recognized Mr. Beehler at the annual ISBA/IAPSS Fall Conference held October 5th and 6th in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, Mr. Beehler was unable to attend this year’s conference. 

“What truly distinguishes Larry most is not simply the extraordinary length of service, but his integrity, humility, thoughtful judgment, and genuine care,” said fellow Penn-Harris-Madison School Board member Gary Fox accepting the award on Trustee Beehler’s behalf. 

Mr. Beehler has played a key role in shaping the district’s governance practices, helping develop Penn-Harris-Madison’s School Board compact based on the John Carver Board Governance Model. He has served on the Board’s negotiation team, the district’s Wellness Committee, and as the corporation’s representative on the local Redevelopment Commission. Mr. Beehler has also helped oversee major construction projects and capital improvements, while supporting innovative initiatives such as naming-rights partnerships that generate additional revenue for the district.

Student success is at the heart of his service. Mr. Beehler served on the Smaller Learning Communities Achievement Design Committee for Penn High School, which helped establish smaller learning communities and achievement academies at the high school. This approach has  personalized instruction and improved student outcomes. Over the years, Penn High School’s graduation rate has risen from 79 percent to 98 percent.

“Generations of P-H-M students have benefited from Larry Beehler’s vision, dedication, and steadfast belief in the power of public education,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short. “Larry understands that academic excellence doesn’t happen by chance. It requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and a long-term commitment to providing students with exceptional educational opportunities. His 40 years of service have helped build the foundation for P-H-M’s continued success, and we are incredibly proud to see him receive this well-deserved statewide honor.”

Beyond policy and planning, School Board Member Beehler has maintained a personal connection to the schools he serves. Each year during the first week of school, he joins the Superintendent on building visits. He loves catching up with teachers and staff members and meeting new students. He especially enjoys visiting Madison Elementary School, located in Madison Township, the community he represents on the School Board.

Trustee Beehler is a graduate and valedictorian of former Madison Township High School (the building now serves as P-H-M’s Madison Elementary School). He has remained deeply committed to the school community that helped shape his life, establishing the “Larry Beehler Scholarship” which is awarded annually to a graduating senior who attended Madison Elementary School. For his decades of service and leadership, the P-H-M board room is being renamed the Larry and Judy Beehler School Board Room in honor of Larry and his wife. In 2017, the ticket center at Penn High School’s football stadium was named after Larry Beehler. Both were done through the PHM Education Foundation naming rights campaign.

The Indiana Outstanding Board Service Award is conferred annually by the ISBA to one school board member out of the 1,686 school board members in Indiana. The award honors exceptional school board service, leadership, and dedication to public education and is chosen by fellow school board members.

“Larry Beehler exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated School Board member,” said ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin. “Larry’s service stands as a remarkable example of the difference thoughtful, servant-minded leadership can make in a community.” 

Larry Beehler officially received his awards at the October 12 P-H-M Board of School Trustees Meeting presenting him with the ISBA 2026 Indiana Outstanding Board Service Award.

Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, P-H-M students learned about the events of that day, honoring the lives lost and reflecting on the heroes who stepped forward to help.

Across the district, elementary, middle and high school teachers led age-appropriate lessons to help students understand the significance of 9/11 and why it remains important to remember.

At the elementary level, students are learning about September 11 through the stories of the heroes and helpers who emerged that day. One class used a student-friendly presentation to learn about the events before creating books highlighting several of the heroes of 9/11. Students discussed the people they helped and connected those stories to the heroes and helpers in their own lives.

P-H-M middle school students learned not only what happened on September 11, but also how the events continue to have an impact on our country and world 25 years later.

At Penn High School, students in an AP English and U.S. History Seminar course took a deeper look at the historical significance of the attacks. Lessons included watching historical video footage, hearing eye witness and first responders first hand accounts of that tragic day. Teachers shared their own memories of that day. Students had the opportunity to reflect and share their thoughts with the class. 

Penn students also had a role in helping our community commemorate the anniversary. Penn High School’s student media program, Penn News Network (PNN), produced a special livestream of St. Joseph County Police Department’s annual 9/11 Stair Climb at Everwise Freed Field to honor and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001. 

Watch an archived video of the PNN livestream:
https://youtube.com/live/ek83TMa3ndA?feature=share

Through classroom lessons, conversations, reflection and remembrance, P-H-M educators and students helped ensure that the lessons and stories of September 11 are never forgotten.

Eleven Penn-Harris-Madison third grade students have been recognized as National Math Stars nominees through a partnership with the Indiana Department of Education.

The students earned the distinction by scoring in the top 2% of all third grade students in Indiana on the mathematics portion of ILEARN.

The National Math Stars Program is a nationwide initiative that recognizes and supports exceptional young mathematicians through academic enrichment, mentorship and advanced learning opportunities.

P-H-M is proud to celebrate the following students:

Bittersweet Elementary: Niko Hernandez
Elm Road Elementary: Daniel Ashdown
Elsie Rogers Elementary: Zeke Lannan
Horizon Elementary: Booker Kieser, Claire Stewart and Rowan Aland
Meadow’s Edge Elementary: August Kelver
Northpoint Elementary: Alan Jiang, Mason Ye and Frank Li
Prairie Vista Elementary: Emily Wojcik

This recognition reflects the hard work, curiosity and perseverance of these students, as well as the support they receive from their families, teachers and school communities. P-H-M proudly celebrates this outstanding achievement and congratulates each student on this honor.

The Penn-Harris-Madison Education Foundation (PHMEF) continues its mission of supporting excellence in education by awarding $73,715.48 in classroom innovation grants for the 2025-2026 school year, marking one of the largest funding years in foundation history! And Elm Road was fortunate to receive $2,837.99 in grant dollars!

Each year, PHMEF’s Annual Grant Cycle provides teachers across the district with opportunities to bring creative, hands-on learning projects to life, projects that go beyond traditional classroom resources. The grants are made possible through the generosity of community donors, local businesses, and district supporters.

During the first couple of weeks of December, PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom surprised grant recipients. Click here to see the full photo gallery.

Elm Road was awarded six EZ grants (under $750). The descriptions are listed below:

1. Elm Road Art Club
Aubrey Hittle • $750.00
After School Art Club

2. Hand2Mind Science of Reading Toolkit
Julie Mattison • $144.99
Language Arts Manipulatives/Kit for Kindergarten

3. Literacy Unit Secondary Tests
Julie Mattison • $744.16
Secondary Books for Kindergarten

4. Learning Wrap-Ups
Jen Napolitan • $499.67
Hands On Learning Tool for Multiplication/Division

5. Light Up Their Minds
Sarah Burdue • $523.18
Light-Up Table and Manipulates for Preschool Students

6. Play, Learn, Grow: Refreshing our Learning Centers
Sarah Burdue • $175.99
Replacement of Preschool Toys

“On behalf of the entire PHM Education Foundation Board I want you to know how deeply we believe in our teachers and staff,” said PHMEF Executive Director Jennifer Turnblom. “Your dedication, and passion for making a positive impact are what make our schools truly exceptional. We are committed to funding your innovative ideas because you are the heart of excellence in PHM, and we are proud to support the remarkable work you do every day.”

For more on the P-H-M Education Foundation’s 2025-26 grant awards, click here.

Elm Road Elementary’s kindergarteners got an early start on the Thanksgiving celebrations with a special classroom feast.

Students enjoyed a homemade meal that included noodles, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and mini pumpkin pies complete with whipped cream.

In the days prior to the feast, the kindergarteners helped prepare for the event, even making the noodles themselves!

The students started off the meal thinking of one thing they were thankful for before eating.

The festive feast was made possible thanks to the support of dedicated parent volunteers, who helped prepare and serve the meal.

Click here to view the full photo gallery.

U.S. News and World Report released its “Best Schools” rankings for K-8 public schools by state and Elm Road is #172 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”:

• Northpoint #1  
• Prairie Vista #2 
• Horizon #37
• Mary Frank #39
• Bittersweet #94
• Elm Road #172
• Moran #175
• Elsie Rogers #297
• Madison #273
• Meadow’s Edge #370
• Walt Disney #385

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

• Discovery #3
• Schmucker #53

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.

As part of Elm Road Elementary’s ongoing STEM Community Partners Program, kindergarten students recently participated in “The Wiggling Worms” presentation—an engaging, hands-on lesson all about soil health and decomposers.

A representative from the St. Joseph County Soil & Water Conservation District led the session, helping students discover the important role that earthworms play in keeping our soil healthy. Students observed live worms up close and even conducted simple “worm experiments” to see how these tiny creatures move and interact with their environment.

Through fun and interactive learning, students gained a better understanding of how decomposers contribute to a thriving ecosystem—one wiggle at a time!

Elm Road’s STEM Community Partners Program connects classrooms with local experts and organizations to bring real-world science, technology, engineering, and math experiences to students. To learn more about the program and other STEM learning at Elm Road, visit Elm Road’s STEM Certified School page.

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 love to join our STEM Lab for the day! Our kids get to do fun Project Lead the Way and Picture Perfect projects that look like so much fun to be a part of.

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

I have to have coffee to get going each day! I will drink most any coffee, as long as it is sweet and has caffeine, I will drink it! In the morning I listen to music and sing along with my daughter on the car ride to daycare.

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

When I was in high school I was a very conscientious and studious student. I would tell myself to lighten up a bit and remember to have fun!

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?

Can’t Stop the Feeling- Justin Timberlake

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

I would pack my lunch and the thing I remember the most was the Hostess fudge bar I got to eat for dessert!
My favorite school lunch now is mini corn dogs

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

I still have one of my baby teeth! I don’t have an adult tooth, so I never lost my baby tooth.

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

I love to bake! I like making new kinds of cookies.

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

Visit all 7 continents! I am over half way there!

What’s your favorite school tradition or event?

Homecoming

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

Community

Elm Road’s third graders posted an 84.4% IREAD pass rate in 2025, rising from 77.3% in 2024. This steady 7.1-point gain reflects the hard work of our students, the dedication of our staff, and strong family support.

“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

P-H-M as a whole achieved 93.7% IREAD proficiency, up from 86.8% last year—the district’s largest gain ever.

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

Our Eagles are ready to soar to even greater heights this year.