Tuesday is ELECTION DAY! You'll see PPS on your ballot with a Bond proposal to Finish the Job! This Bond will have NO INCREASE on the current millage rate, but will allow the replacement of both Amberly & Angling Road Elementary schools, renovate Moorsbridge Elementary, and find a new home for both Community High School and Early Childhood Programming. Superintendent Edwards wants YOU to please VOTE: https://www.portageps.org/article/2517219
Polls open at 7 a.m.!
Thanks to parent Melanie Carlisle for sharing the great news.
Why do we need to replace the Portage Community Education Center?
PCEC is home to both Portage Community High School and the Early Childhood Education Center, formerly known as Curious Kids.
PCEC is more than 70 years old. We do our best to maintain it, but it’s very expensive to repair and operate. This year alone, the roof underwent a substantial repair and the boiler was replaced. The biggest driver, though, is that PCEC wasn’t built for, and can’t be adapted to, modern education. That leaves our Community High School students and Early Childhood Education pupils at a huge disadvantage.
The State of Michigan's movement toward PreK for all is helping us to identify the needs for Early Childhood Education. We need a facility that attracts young families to Portage.
Learn more about the 2025 bond at portageps.org/2025bond.
PPS is Committed to Finishing the Job! Learn more about the 2025 bond at portageps.org/2025bond.
"It was a really special opportunity to get young students involved in local government," teacher Ashley Vosburgh said.
How did the COVID pandemic impact our efforts to Build the Future of Elementary Learning?
The pandemic upended supply chains around the world, sparked high inflation (especially for building materials, equipment and labor) and prompted construction delays.
Obviously, no one expected or planned for such an event.
The 2021 bond vote happened a little over a year into the pandemic, when long-term economic effects weren’t clear yet. That timing allowed us to move quickly to do planning, secure contractors and minimize some delays, which almost certainly lessened the impact on costs. However, by 2023 we realized there wouldn’t be enough funds to finish the job.
Absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 election are now available. You can request an absentee ballot at mvic.sos.state.mi.us/AVApplication and learn more about the 2025 bond at portageps.org/2025bond.
Why didn't the 2021 Bond raise enough money?
The last bond request was based on careful estimates of the cost to finish all construction and upgrades, including inflation and potential overruns. That work was done before COVID-19 struck in 2020. The pandemic upended supply chains around the world, sparked high inflation (especially for building materials, equipment and labor) and prompted construction delays.
Obviously, no one expected or planned for such an event.
Absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 election are now available. You can request an absentee ballot at mvic.sos.state.mi.us/AVApplication and learn more about the 2025 bond at portageps.org/2025bond.
What is the financial impact of the 2025 Bond?
This Bond proposal does NOT project an increase in the 2024 millage rate. The District is asking for $132.4 million to Finish the Job at our elementary schools. We have the benefit of offering this bond proposal with NO INCREASE in the millage rate from the current level.
Absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be available beginning Sept. 25. In the meantime, you can request an absentee ballot at mvic.sos.state.mi.us/AVApplication and learn more about the 2025 bond at portageps.org/2025bond.
