Penn-Harris-Madison votes unanimously for in-person learning

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – The Penn-Harris-Madison School Board of Trustees has held a special meeting to discuss their plans to reopen schools for the fall semester. In a unanimous vote Monday night, PHM schools will move forward with in-person learning.

PHM is recommending grades PreK through 3rd return to in-person classes on September 14th, with 4th and 5th grade returning September 21st.

Grades 6 through 12 will be on a hybrid model beginning September 21st.

“The research supported elementary school children returning first,” said Dr. Jerry Thacker, PHM Superintendent.

The proposed in-person learning is completely optional for families and if a parent changes their mind after trying it out, they may have their student return to virtual learning.

The hybrid schedule would follow a schedule where all students are virtual on Mondays, students with last names A through L would be in-person on Tuesday and Wednesday, and those with last names M through Z would be in-person Thursday and Friday. Students not in-person would be virtual.

The school system will work to accommodate families with children that have different last names so households can be both in-person and virtual on the same days.

All start times for in-person learning will be 30 minutes later than virtual learning.

The following are proposed for in-person start times, for students PreK through 12:

• Elementary: 8:25 – 2:20 (BITT, ELM, HOR, MADISON, MF, ME, NP, PV, and WD)
  • Elsie & Moran: 9:10 – 3:05
• Middle: 9:35 – 4:00
• Penn: 8:55 – 3:17