For Thursday, August 21
Hit the GLIC!
The Grade-Level Information Center has information that is relevant for each class.
An index and archive for this year’s weekly Mustang Minutes
Our Daily Announcements to our students
Thank you for coming to Freshmen Orientation, New Student Orientation and Open House!
Our 375+ freshmen were awesome at Orientation on Monday! They were engaged and excited and respectful as they worked with 85 committed Link Leaders who gave so much of their time to help make the transition to high school friendlier and easier. Student leadership has always been a key to our health and success at PC.
We shared a number of resources, but in case you missed anything, take a look:
And seniors and senior families, we will talk about the Senior Guide next week!
Our community-service awards
Every spring, Portage Central recognizes students who consistently commit their time and energy to community service. You can visit the Community Service page for more information and get a copy of the Service form. Any hours served throughout the school year that you want to count toward the award must be turned in to Mr. Brown in the Study Lab or main office within four weeks of the service date, even if the hours are part of an ongoing activity. Any hours completed over the summer must be turned in by Friday, September 12. No summer hours will be accepted after this date. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Brown in the Study Lab (Room 1133) or email rbrown@portageps.org
Just a quick reminder…
Did you miss Freshman or New Student Orientation?
If your 9th grader or new-to-PPS student was not able to attend Orientation on Monday, please reach out to Nikki Smith, Activities Director, (nsmith@portageps.org) and she will make sure they make a connection with their Link Crew Leader and have all the information they need. Plus, if you have any questions about the school-issued Chromebooks, take a look right here first. Thanks!
And, if you weren’t able to make it to the Code of Conduct meeting on that day, we will have two more opportunities next week; one at 7:10 a.m. and one at 7 p.m. both on Wednesday, August 27th in the Community Room at Portage Central High School. High schoolers; you only have to attend one Code of Conduct meeting with a parent/guardian for your entire high school career.
PC Yearbook wants your summer photos for the 2026 yearbook!
Did you travel? Hang out by your pool or on the lake? Volunteer? Condition for sports? Chill with friends and family? Work a summer job? We'd love to see what you did after school got out in June! Students can click on this Summer Fun Photos link to share their summer photos and stories! (Students must be logged into their Portageps accounts to upload content to this form.) Got questions? Email yearbook adviser Ann Alburtus at aalburtus@portageps.org.
Please review our schedule for…
Monday, August 25, our first day of school
On our first half-day of school, all students will get information about school policies and upcoming events in their Enrollment Rooms. Students report to these Enrollment Rooms at the start of the school day. Enrollment Room classroom numbers and teachers for each PC student will be posted around the Welcome Center and Main Lobby area. Students who choose to attend their PC classes instead of their off-campus class(es) will go to the Commons on August 25 during that off-campus class period(s).
Enrollment Room: 7:40- 8:35
The information distributed in Enrollment Rooms can also be found on the GLIC. Here are the quick links to those pages:
Important information from the Transportation Department for this school year
We are pleased to be introducing “My Ride K-12,” a new app that will provide you with real-time updates and notifications when bus routes and/or times change. My Ride K-12 is free, secure, and available from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Our bus routes will be available in the app very soon. My Ride K-12 will give you access to your student’s:
Bus number
Bus stop location
Estimated pick-up and drop-off times
Real-time notifications for bus delays and changes to bus stop locations, routes, or pick-up/drop-off times. (Families will continue to receive District-wide information on school closings through traditional channels.)
Each student’s transportation information can be linked to two parent or guardian accounts. To connect your account, you will need your child’s Student ID number (available in Skyward under “Other ID”) and their date of birth.
Important Reminders
Families must download the My Ride K-12 app to receive transportation updates.
Please verify your student’s bus stop location, time, and bus number in the app before the first day of school.
If your student requires transportation but does not appear in the app, contact the Transportation Office immediately.
Bus Schedule Notes
The posted times are estimates and may vary, especially during the first few weeks of school.
Students should be at their bus stop 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time during the first three weeks of school. After that, students should arrive 5 minutes early.
Expect some delays, especially during the first few days, as students become familiar with their assigned buses.
On half-days, such as the first day of school on August 25, buses will drop students off approximately 4 hours earlier than the regular time.
Transportation Policy Reminders
Please notify the Transportation Office if your student will not be riding the bus for three consecutive days or if they regularly participate in an after-school program. Otherwise, they may be removed from the route.
To avoid removal, please call the Transportation Office in advance.
Please remind your student that the use of electronic devices that distract the driver or disrupts bus safety will result in the device being prohibited on the bus and may lead to a student conduct report.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us provide safe and efficient transportation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Transportation Office at 269-323-5151.
Thinking about college? Some of our grads would like to help!
After going through senior year and the college application process, Jason Shaye and his friends came to understand the stress, uncertainty, and pressure students face during that time. So now they would like to give back to our community and support future students so they don’t have to go through the process feeling overwhelmed or alone. Their website is https://proj-you.vercel.app/ and they actually just finished their first free college app webinar. (The link to the recording is available on the website.) They currently have an interest form available here: https://forms.gle/VPT1S3pGmybzkjBJ6.
Just a reminder…
Come See What The PTO Is All About!
Mark your calendar for the first meeting of the school year - Monday, September 8 at 5:30 PM (PCHS, main office – staff kitchen)
All are welcome! This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and hear updates on school happenings.
Meetings are held during the school year on the 2nd Monday of the month at 5:30 PM (location: staff kitchen in the main office). We are typically done in under an hour!
The PTO is a laid-back, fun group
The PTO would love your input on events and organizing staff appreciation activities, semi-formal dance, conference dinners, etc.
Flexible Involvement - help as little or as much as you are able
We are looking for volunteers willing to assist with staff appreciation events for the school year. Interested? Email pchsptopresident@gmail.com for more information
Not able to volunteer? Donate here: https://shorturl.at/UD88y Supporting the PTO helps fund amazing events, classroom supplies, teacher appreciation, and more. If your schedule is packed but your heart is all in, consider a quick and easy donation instead. Every dollar makes a difference.
Keep in the loop through our Portage Central High School PTO Facebook page!
Just one more reminder…
PC Yearbook wants your summer photos for the 2026 yearbook!
Did you travel? Hang out by your pool or on the lake? Volunteer? Condition for sports? Chill with friends and family? Work a summer job? We'd love to see what you did after school got out in June! Students can click on this Summer Fun Photos link to share their summer photos and stories! (Students must be logged into their Portageps accounts to upload content to this form.) Got questions? Email yearbook adviser Ann Alburtus at aalburtus@portageps.org.
Some more useful instructional videos for our freshmen!
Last week we shared these:
How to navigate the lunch line? Easy – hit this link!
And keeping this place clean is important; click here.
And how about a new one: Lunch passes and parking passes: The Why, and where the money goes
All these instructional videos were made by our amazing PCTV students, and you will see more in the weeks to come!
Off-Campus lunch passes
All students in grades 9 through 12 with parent/guardian permission are eligible to apply for a lunch pass for $2 per month. Lunch passes are an earned privilege for students with good attendance. Students may have no more than 1 unexcused absence and no more than 3 excused absences in the previous month in order to be eligible. A student's lunch pass can be revoked at any time by school administration for academic or disciplinary reasons. Students with unserved detentions will not be eligible to purchase a lunch pass, for example. Planning a family vacation? See the GLIC for more information about the different types of absences and how they impact lunch pass eligibility. Students must reapply for lunch privileges at the beginning of each month (Aug./Sept. and May/June are considered one month). The electronic permission form was emailed to parent and guardian email addresses listed in Skyward on Aug. 18 and 19. Direct any questions to your assistant principal. Thanks!
Getting even more excited about Monday,
Eric
And if you want even more PC news…