For Thursday, October 2
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
We met with all seniors Wednesday…
…. And shared a lot of nuts-and–bolts information about graduation and some of the important steps along the way, like transcripts and college applications and more. Take a look right here to see the Slides we used for the conversation. Got any questions? Let me know anytime!
Know a PPS elementary student?
Bring them to the game next Friday for a reduced fee of $2!
Please join us at the PC tailgate from 5 - 6:30 p.m.at the grass field east of the softball field. This will be a walk-in event with the community. Please enjoy food, drinks, and yard games. Then we will meet inside the north gate at 6:35 p.m. Elementary students will then enter and walk down the home sidelines to set up the tunnel. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the pre-game National Anthem tunnel and high fives as the Mustangs come to the home sidelines.
And hit this link to get even more information about this fun, community event!
Hey, DECA Members and Parents!
Looking to grab some DECA merch for yourself or your student? Check out the brand-new PC DECA merch store before it closes this coming Monday!
→ https://www.pcdeca.ctoutfit.com/
Don’t forget this too!
Picture retakes coming on
Picture retake day will take place on the morning of Monday, October 13th. If your student would like their photo retaken, or taken for the first time, then please let them know to expect that opportunity on this day. PA announcements will call students down by grade level and last name. If your student has an off-campus class or is absent during part of this morning, please let them know to report to the auditorium lobby before leaving or as soon as they arrive. A password to review the proof of your student's photo will be shared with you via email within the following weeks. You should have received the proof for your student's first photo already. If you haven't, or if you have other questions, contact Strawbridge at 1-866-624-6229 or customerservice@strawbridge.net.
Final reminders, before the PSAT…
October PSAT/NMSQT testing information - Late start on Wednesday, October 8
On October 8th, PC will be administering the PSAT, which is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (thus the really long abbreviation). Juniors will test in the morning and other students will have a late start that day. Regular classes will start at 11:35 that day and run through all classes with shortened periods. Bus transportation times will be normal, so 9th, 10th, and 12th graders who rely on district transportation will be able to use the area in the Commons as a study hall for the morning. Other students may arrive between 11:00 and 11:30. Lunch will be served at 11:00 for all students here at that time. Here is the schedule for the day:
Testing - 7:40 to 11:00
Lunch - 11:00 to 11:30
1st hour | 11:35 AM | 11:58 AM | 0:23 |
2nd hour | 12:03 PM | 12:25 PM | 0:22 |
3rd hour | 12:30 PM | 12:52 PM | 0:22 |
4th hour | 12:57 PM | 1:19 PM | 0:22 |
5th hour | 1:24 PM | 1:46 PM | 0:22 |
6th hour | 1:51 PM | 2:13 PM | 0:22 |
7th hour | 2:18 PM | 2:40 PM | 0:22 |
College Board Student Search and BigFuture Services
College Board has traditionally offered a service called Student Search Service where they shared information about students with outside organizations. There are advantages to students from that service and also significant privacy concerns - so they have created a new system which addresses many of those issues. The new service is called BigFuture. Through BigFuture students can still opt in to the traditional Student Search Service. We will be directing students not to opt in to these services at school. We encourage you as a family to look into these services and make a decision about whether your student should sign up. Opting in connects how well your student did on their PSAT and SAT to other information that they input into the College Board system. More information and directions on how to opt in through your student’s College Board account can be found here: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
2026 Yearbook Senior Portrait information
December 2 - Senior portrait submission for the yearbook is due. If your son or daughter is not having his or her photo taken by a self-selected photographer and did not already have their school picture taken this fall by Strawbridge on School Picture Day in September, they can have a portrait taken here at PC for free on School Picture Retake Day on Monday, Oct. 13. Encourage your senior to dress up and get his/her photo taken on that Monday so that they can be included in the senior portraits section of the yearbook. Getting their school picture taken is free -- but you are welcome to order copies from Strawbridge as well.
Senior Portrait Requirements:
- Digital submission only
- Vertical orientation; head and torso photos work best.
- Full color
- File naming convention: Last name, First name.jpg
- Background: Seniors can choose any background or style for the yearbook.
- Hats and head coverings are acceptable, though they cannot cover or create shadows over your eyes or face; your face and eyes must be clearly visible
- No props of any kind, including pets, flags, flowers in hand, musical instruments, etc.
- No hand gestures or promotion of drugs, alcohol, or profanity
How To Submit Your Photo
Portraits must be submitted electronically, either by the photographer or by the senior/family. Go to www.hjeshare.com and use school code 3604. Select “Upload Your Portrait” and proceed through the steps.
Parents of seniors: Design and purchase a Yearbook Senior Memory Ad by Dec. 21
A Senior Memory Ad is a wonderful way to celebrate your Class of 2026 graduate. It’s easy to design and order your ad. You can do it on your phone or computer! All ads must be purchased and designed by December 21. Just go to www.yearbookordercenter.com, use school code 3604, and click on “Start Your Ad.” Prices for senior memory ads are as follows:
~Full-page color ad - $300
~Half-page color ad - $180
~Quarter-page color ad - $125
~Eighth-page color ad - $75
Parents: Order Your Senior's 2026 Yearbook and a Class of 2026 Senior Book
Ordering a 2026 Roundup yearbook and a Class of 2026 Senior Book online is easy! Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and use school code 3604. Our main Roundup yearbook is a 232-page full-color publication with a 24-page spring supplement included. Oct. 2 (TODAY!) is the last day to purchase at the lowest price of $70, and then the price is $80 through January 1, 2026. After that, the price increases to $85 until all available copies sell or until final orders have been taken in March.
The Class of 2026 Senior Book is a separate 24-page softcover supplemental yearbook available for $15. This can be purchased on the same website as the main yearbook. This book will feature all things seniors as well as moments from the spring that we are unable to include in the main book -- from prom and our RideOut senior awards ceremony, to the Senior Breakfast and Graduation. Got questions? Email Roundup Yearbook Business Manager Sophia McKinnon at PCYearbook@portageps.org.
The Corral is Online!
The PC School Store’s apparel is now available for purchase online. Please visit the following link to purchase using your credit or debit card: https://pcschoolstore.ludus.com. Pick-up can be arranged during lunch by your PCHS student or during school hours at the Welcome Center. If you have questions, reach out to Irene Mayfield (imayfield@portageps.org).
Securing firearms
I grew up as a hunter, in a hunting family. So proper care and safety for firearms was something that was drilled into as a child, very much the same way as I heard it again in Basic Training. I also recognize that some of that training has not made it to all homes.
So a new Michigan law requires schools to provide families with information about the importance of safe firearm storage. This notification is part of a statewide effort to promote student safety and comply with MCL 28.435 (Public Act 17 of 2023). When you have a moment, I would be grateful if you review the resources provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS):
Safe Storage Resources for Families
These materials explain safe storage practices and provide guidance to help ensure firearms are secured properly, reducing the risk of accidental injury. Thank you so much for this; ensuring the safety of our students and community is a shared responsibility.
Already thinking about the Holidays…
Can you donate food to the Portage Community Center for families in our community?
Here is their Holiday Food Donation Wish List:
Fruit juice | Canned potatoes |
Cans of cream of mushroom soup | Laundry detergent |
Cans/boxes of French-fried onions (approx. 6 oz) | Ketchup & mustard |
Cans of corn, carrots, mixed vegetables, green | Dish soap |
beans or peas | peanut butter |
Boxes of stuffing (approx. 6 oz) | Jelly |
Boxes or packets of instant mashed potatoes (approx. 4 oz or larger) | cooking oil |
Cans of sweet potatoes or yams (approx. 29 oz) | boxed breakfast cereals (child-friendly) |
Cans of pears, peaches, or fruit cocktail | goldfish crackers |
Cans of cranberry sauce | Rice |
Cans of broth | Boxed dinners (Hamburger Helper style) |
Boxes of Bisquick Biscuit Mix or similar (20 oz) | Canned chicken |
Boxes of Bisquick Biscuit Mix or similar (20 oz) | Pasta Sauce |
Boxes of cake mix with frosting or box brownie mix |
Excited by, and recovering from, Homecoming,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…