For Thursday, September 11
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
Please join us for fun, food and football this Friday!
PC high school students, wear PC colors, bring your ID – and pay only $5 cash to get into the game!
We will have wonderful community food trucks coming in about 4:30 – so join us for dinner! Here is who is on tap:
We are inducting five PC graduates into the Athletics Hall of Fame prior to the game, starting about 6:50 p.m. The inductees are
Chris Middleton, class of 1995
Lea Foerster, class of 2014
Shannon Rietscha, class of 1992
Matt Johnson, class of 2007
Maddie Umberger, class of 2015
It will be so wonderful seeing all of you there! Thanks so much!
It’s good to have you back, Drax and Marvel!
We had our first visit from our drug-detection dogs and their handlers from Interquest, with whom we have been working for nearly 20 years! Back then we used to find a lot of stuff that never should be on a school campus; yes, those were hard years. But for the past 12-15 years, we find a lot of things – that are totally appropriate: from empty cans to be returned to Meijer to p
rescription medication in a closed bottle in a closed glove box in a car. All of this paid for my fundraising done by PC colleagues and students – and we are so grateful.
Turn in your summer community-service sheets tomorrow!
Summer Community Service hours are due by tomorrow, Friday, September 12, at 3:00 pm to be counted towards the Community Service Award for the 2025-2026 school year. Please submit them to Mr. Brown in the Study Lab (Room 1133) or the Main Office.
The school store is open for business!
The store will be open during A and B lunch; come grab your PC apparel as well as slushies. In addition, the school store will be open at all home football games, located near the front entrance of the football field, where you are able to purchase spirit wear! If you are unable to visit the store, all PC spirit wear is also available through our (Online Store). For updates on new merchandise and store information, please follow us on Instagram (@pchsschoolstore).
Just some reminders…
Want to order your student’s pictures?
Our students had their photos taken by Strawbridge Studios, our district’s photography service provider, during the first week of school. You can review your student’s image gallery by entering their last name and student ID number in Strawbridge’s code lookup tool.
Just hit this link for more information on ordering. Have questions? Contact Strawbridge at 1-866-624-6229 or customerservice@strawbridge.net.
Picture retakes coming on Monday, October 13
If our kids were not able to get their pictures taken the first week of school, they have one more chance! Too, if a student did not like their picture and would like to have a retake, they can do that on October 13 as well.
The GLIC is alive! But…
… one of the ways you can normally get to it – pcGLIC.com – has some grumpines and is not working at the moment. We are working with the folks at GoDaddy to fix it, but know too that you can always access the GLIC right on the front page of our website. Or just hit this link directly.
Seniors and your families, please don’t forget…
Jostens cap and gown orders
Cap and gown orders can still be placed online via the Jostens website. Please contact Josten’s representative Jim Ross at 269-217-6936 if you have any questions. Thanks!
Start your Holiday shopping with us!
PC Activities Craft Show: Saturday, November 1 from 9 am - 3 pm
The PCHS Activities Craft Show will be held on this day. Get your Holiday shopping done early!!! And, we still have availability for vendors, so if you are interested, please contact Nikki Smith, Activities Director, nsmith@portageps.org. Or, print and return the application 2025 Craft Show Information & Application. Thanks so much!
Parchment accounts for the Class of 2026
Seniors should have received an email, on their school email account, this week that contains important information on how to set up a Parchment account. Parchment accounts are used to send student transcripts to colleges, trade schools and universities. Many employers also use this service for education verifications. If your student has already set up their account, great! If not, please remind them to complete this important step. If you have questions regarding transcripts or Parchment please feel free to contact the PC registrar, Nicole Gutshall, at ngutshall@portageps.org
Tutoring information
We just wanted to make you aware that we have tutoring opportunities at Portage Central. If you are interested in being a tutor, which could be during your seminar or after school, here is the link: Tutoring Others for the 2025-2026 School Year. Students do receive service hours for tutoring. And, if a student needs a tutor, the link will be in next week’s Mustang Minutes. We are still trying to recruit tutors. Please remember to be talking with teachers and counselors if you are struggling in a class. Please know that we will do our best to provide tutors for students, but there are many variables involved, so we appreciate your patience with this process. If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Smith, Activities Director, at nsmith@portageps.org.
And join us for Homecoming on Friday, September 26!
The traditional Homecoming parade steps off on Marigold Street at 6 pm and proceeds down Westnedge. Community members and families line Westnedge Avenue all the way to McCamley-Knight Field before joining us for the game. Plus, join us for dinner – with food trucks owned by PC friends. More news to come in future Mustang Minutes. We all will have a great time, so please join us! And, students, the Homecoming Dance will be on Saturday, September 27th from 8 to 11 pm in the Commons. Make sure to have your ID and $10.00. The theme is Rio.
Just a reminder…
Our next Count Day for the district is coming up on Wednesday, October 1
This day is important because it determines our school's funding. We want every student to be counted! Having all of our students here on that day ensures that PC receives the needed state funding so that we all can do our important work, together. With that in mind, we ask that you please avoid scheduling any non-critical, out-of-school appointments for your student on Wednesday, October 1. In addition, please encourage students who drive to school to arrive on time that day. Thank you for your help with this!
Human Growth and Development information
The Portage Board of Education has established a health program for our students as provided by Public Act 335. Part of this program offers instruction related to Human Growth and Development (HGD) as designated by Public Act 226. The curriculum is very specific as to the content that is taught. Our teachers only teach the topics listed in the approved curriculum using the materials approved by the HGD Advisory Board.
The State laws governing Health Education require parent notification and the option to review the curriculum. Described below are the means provided by the Portage Public Schools to assist parents and/or legal guardians in exercising their parental options under the legislative guidelines.
If you hit this link, you will find a summary of what will be covered during the HGD Unit. Instruction relating to Reproductive Health is typically delivered towards the end of the academic quarter. For further information regarding the schedule of HGD instruction, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
If parents and/or legal guardians wish to review the materials/learning objectives, they may do so by visiting their child's school. Parents may also request to observe the instruction their child will receive. Parents may use the form below if they wish to have their child excused from any portion of the reproductive health curriculum. If you choose to opt your child out of HGD instruction, the exclusion form should be returned to your child’s building principal within one week of receiving this communication.
We intend to assist parents/guardians in every way possible in understanding their child’s education program. Please feel free to contact me or your child’s classroom teacher for any further information.
Sincerely,
Michael Pascoe
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
A reminder about eligibility for athletics and activities
We will begin running eligibility on the evening of Tuesday, September 16th, so we encourage all student athletes, actors, competitors, and parents/guardians to be checking skyward. Remember that communication is very important, so check with your teachers if you have a question about your grades. Also, remember that game and performance day attendance is taken, so a student must be at school all day on those days unless they have a pre-arranged absence. And on that note…
Code of Conduct Meetings
If you were unable to attend the Code of Conduct meetings we offered at the beginning of the school year, we have two more options for you: Thursday, September 18th, at 7:10 am in the PCHS Community Room or Thursday, September 18th, at 7:00 pm in the PCHS Community Room. Remember parents/guardians must attend with their student, and students need only attend one of these meetings in the entire high school career. If you have any questions about eligibility or the Code of Conduct, please contact the Activities Director, Nikki Smith, nsmith@portageps.org, or the Athletic Director, Jim Schafer, jschafer@portageps.org
Link Crew Meeting on Wednesday, September 17th, during 1st hour
The first official Link Crew meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 17th, during 1st hour. 9th graders should report to their first hour class and will be dismissed via the announcements to the Auditorium. They should leave their cell phones in their locker for the first hour, since they are not allowed at the meeting.. Freshmen will receive a reminder from their Link Crew Leader in the next few days of what group they are in. We had an amazing Freshman Orientation and are excited for this new school year. Thanks, Mrs. Smith :)
It's back with a best-selling flavor to fuel your day!
PC Bands Coffee Fundraiser with Celery City Coffee Roasters!
We are excited to bring our coffee fundraiser back again this year where you can purchase your Portage Central Bands Tanzania Peaberry coffee made by Celery City Coffee Roasters (Portage, MI). Coffee is available in medium or light roast, ground or whole bean. Free local pick up or can be shipped. PC Bands will receive a percentage of all sales of the Portage Central Bands Tanzania Peaberry coffee purchased through this link from September 8 - 26. https://tinyurl.com/PCBandsCoffee2025
Pick up will be at Portage Central HS on Sept 15, Sept 24, or Sept 29 between 4:30 pm-6:00 pm by the band tower in the East student lot.
Continue to be glad and grateful for a great start to the year,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…