Our School

Who We Are:

Walt Disney Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Mishawaka, Indiana, serving grades K–5 as part of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, one of northern Indiana’s top-ranked school districts.

P-H-M ranks in the Top 4% of ILEARN student performance, and Penn High School’s graduation rate is 97.3%.

Walt Disney Elementary is celebrating a remarkable achievement: 86.2% of third graders passed IREAD, up from 73.6% in 2024—a 12.6-point increase!

Walt Disney has also earned the distinction of being ranked Indiana’s #385 for Public Elementary Schools by U.S. News & World Report (Data is based on the 2021–2022, 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years) Click here to learn more.

We are the Dolphins and our school colors are blue and white.  Our school motto is “Be Respectful. Be a Peacemaker. Be Prepared. Be Safe. Be Your Best.” Walking the halls of our school, it’s not uncommon to hear it said, “It’s a great day to be a Dolphin!”

We value and celebrate diversity. More than 30 different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. Which is why one of our annual traditions that we love to celebrate is Cultural Night.

Click to watch the video below produced by Walt Disney staff and learn more about our school’s diverse community.

The Walt Disney School community commits to working together to meet the needs of the whole child. All children will be encouraged to become life-long learners and productive members of society through meaningful learning experiences in a safe, caring environment.

Our compassionate and engaged teachers participate in ongoing professional development to continually strengthen their instructional practices. This commitment ensures students receive high-quality instruction in a supportive and responsive learning environment.

We are a 1:1 Technology district, which means that every student at Walt Disney, as well as every student in the P-H-M school district, has access to their own Chromebook that they use every day in the classroom (kindergartners use iPads). 

History

Walt Disney Elementary School opened in 1972 to serve the western sector of the corporation.  The school was one of the first open-space elementaries in the area and has since been remodeled to provide a more enclosed environment. The grounds feature soccer fields, basketball courts, and several playgrounds. 

Grades: K-5

Click for most recent school performance report.

Walt Disney is a Title I school. Click to read the Parents Right to Know letter.

Walt Disney students will attend Schmucker Middle School and Penn High School.

Special Facilities/Resources:                           

• Kids Club (before and after school care)
• Instructional Materials Center 
• Gymnasium with stage
• Chromebook carts providing 1:1 Technology for every student
• Television broadcast studio

School Activities:

• Academic Competitions
• Art Smart
• Page to Stage
• Rock Your School
• Basketball  
• Book Fairs
• Circle The State with Song 
• Cultural Night
• D.A.R.E. Program  
• FIRST Robotics/Lego League
• Girls On The Run
• Holiday Food Drive
• Kids Club
• Project Lead The Way
• Running Club
• Student Council
• Variety Show