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Discovery Middle students and Penn High ambassadors highlight arts, inclusion and academic wins at PHM board meeting
Summary
Students and staff from Discovery Middle School and Penn High School presented awards, music accomplishments and inclusive programs to the Penn-Harris-Madison board, while the board recognized teachers and support staff. Presentations emphasized student leadership, the Star Buddies inclusion program and state-level contest wins.
Penn-Harris-Madison Board President Riley and Superintendent Dr. Thacker heard student and staff presentations at Discovery Middle School on May 19 as the district showcased arts, inclusion and academic programs.
Principal Elizabeth Cuna told the board that Discovery’s Star Buddies program — a student-run coffee service launched in 2021 — gives students employability skills and “brings together students of all abilities” with local partners including Feed the Children, Martin’s Supermarket and the PHM Education Foundation, which provide resources to keep the program free. “It’s about more than coffee, it’s about inclusion, growth, and community,” Cuna said.
The board also heard musical and extracurricular highlights: the Discovery band earned an Indiana State School Music Association (ISMA) award and the orchestra and choir posted strong statewide results; Discovery MathCounts took seven of the top eight regional places; and eighth-grader Abhijay Masetti earned first place at the Indiana state level of National History Day and qualified for nationals in Washington, D.C. Abhijay told trustees he pursued his research paper independently and appreciated the support that enabled him to advance.
Penn High student board ambassador Noah Schafer (introduced during superintendent recognitions) updated the board on athletics and academics at the high school, noting team championships, individual honors and recent student awards. Schafer highlighted that Penn’s baseball and softball teams are ranked near the top of the state and that a Penn field was recently renamed for longtime coach Greg Dicus. “We’re Penn Kingsmen. We like to win,” Schafer said.
Trustees also recognized educators and staff: Rose Montgomery accepted the district’s elementary Teacher of the Year award and Whitney Hall accepted classified employee of the year. Montgomery reflected on 31 years in education and thanked colleagues and families for their support; Hall thanked coworkers and said the award was a nod to the team that supports students.
Why it matters: The presentations highlighted the district’s emphasis on inclusive programming, academic enrichment opportunities and co-curricular achievement — the kinds of activities that board members said link student engagement with strong academic outcomes.
The board moved from these presentations to its business agenda; multiple governance items were taken up later in the meeting, including handbook revisions and capital planning.
