For Thursday, May 7
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
There’s still time to show your senior pride with a PC Senior Yard Sign!
Signs are available for purchase and pickup at the Senior Meeting on May 13th. Payment can be made at pickup by cash, check (payable to the PCHS PTO), or credit card.
To reserve your sign in advance, visit: https://class-of-2026-yard-signs-presale-31403.cheddarup.com
Questions? Please contact Angie at pchsptotreasurer@gmail.com
DECA Takes on Atlanta, Georgia at the 2026 International Career Development Conference!
From April 25-28, thirteen incredible students (Emma Leasure, Sana Gupta, Sophia Wanrooy, Ellie Roussin, Adelie Chen, Kate Elias, Samarth Singh, Adrian Dudek, Murron Wardrope, Kylie Budiwarman, Zafira Wafa, Lucas Ofstein, Devin Stotz-Ghosh), along with Advisor Irene Mayfield, represented Portage Central at the International DECA Career Development Conference in Atlanta, GA. Over 26,000 students, advisors, and business professionals from around the world attended the 2026 DECA ICDC, and this group of students represented the top <10% of DECA students worldwide who attend the conference.
At the conference, PC DECA had some major successes:
Kylie Budiwarman and Murron Wardrope are international finalists in Hospitality Services Team Decision Making (top 20 teams, and top 1% in the world!)
Brianna Zhang was named a recipient of the DECA Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers Scholarship
These successes would not have been possible without our incredible sponsors. Thank you to Bronson Healthcare, Beacon Health System, Pfizer, Kellogg Community Credit Union, Mulder's Landscape Supplies, and My Dr. Dennis for their support of our chapter and business education for young leaders.
Just a reminder…
Yearbook Distribution Day is Friday, May 15
The yearbook staff sold over 925 books this year, and books are scheduled to be passed out during seventh hour on this day. If a student is not going to be at school on May 15, the student may pick their book up from their first-hour teacher on Monday, May 18. The yearbook staff will deliver unclaimed books to first-hour teachers before Monday, May 18. There will be no early distribution of books before seventh hour on May 15. Got questions? Reach out to Ann Alburtus at aaburtus@portageps.org.
$5 Sale at the School Store!
Great news, Mustangs! For a limited time, purchase a clearance t-shirt for only $5 online or in person during lunches. This is a perfect opportunity to show your school spirit at a great price! Sizes and designs are limited, so make sure to check it out soon before it runs out. Grab a great deal and show off your Mustang pride!
Qdoba Night on Thursday, May 14th
Please come out and support the class of 2029 on Thursday, May 14th from 4 pm to 8 pm. The address is 6800 S. Westnedge. When you order, please let them know it is for Portage Central High School. Thanks!!!
Important enrollment information…
Do you know someone who wants to enroll at PC?
If so, awesome – we are excited to meet them. But can you share with them these important dates below?
Portage Public Schools will be upgrading its student information system, Skyward, this summer. As part of this transition, the district’s online enrollment application will be temporarily unavailable. Online enrollment will be closed from July 15 through August 4, and will reopen on Wednesday, August 5.
If you know any families who are new to the area and planning to enroll, please share this information with them so they can plan and do whatever is best for their family. Thanks for helping us spread the word!
Just a reminder…
Last Senior Meeting is on Wednesday, May 13 during 3rd hour in the Auditorium
We will touch on some of the important reminders that we have discussed before – but the focus will be on the Mustang RideOut and Graduation. These slides will help focus our conversation. Got questions? Let me know as soon as you can, so you have everything you need for our last days together!
Attention, 8th-grade girls interested in playing girls basketball next year!
Join us for an informational meeting on Monday, May 11, at 3:15 PM in room 1133 at Portage Central High School. We will discuss the summer schedule and details of the upcoming season. Please fill out this Google Form if you plan to play. You can also check our basketball website for the calendar. If you have questions or can't attend, email Coach Brown at rbrown@portageps.org
How about one more reminder?
Want to get community-service hours over the summer?
Cool! Let’s do them here at PC!
We have been blessed to have a lot of kids help out here over the summer for the past 20+ years, doing a wide variety of things, from watering trees to cleaning to creating cool projects that welcome our students back in August. If you are ever interested, drop me an email anytime – ealburtus@portageps.org – and we can get some fun work done together. Thanks for considering it!
The PTO would like to send a hearty THANK YOU…
… to PC families for all of your contributions this school year. We truly couldn't do it without your support!
Get outside, have some fun, AND get some volunteer work done!
Portage Central Elementary is hosting Family Fun Night on May 8th, and we need your help! Set up, monitor inflatables, clean up, pass out water to volunteers, etc. Come help, fulfill your volunteer hours, and maybe play a little too. Email Cassandra with questions: PortageCentralMustangs@gmail.com
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4BA8AB2BABFD0-63494946-2026
Make sure you clean out your lockers before summer
By Friday morning, June 5 at 10:15, all students must have everything taken out of the lockers. And I mean truly: everything must be taken home or thrown out. Because starting at 10:30 this morning, a group of wonderful students and I will be cleaning out lockers. We will send additional reminders in future issues of Mustang Minutes, and thanks in advance for helping to remind all our kids about this!
Seniors, are you ready to hand in your Chromebook?
Seniors, when you no longer need your Chromebook, you can stop into the Main Office and ask to see Mr. Marusek. You will need to meet with Mr. Marusek so he can inspect the device for damage and assess fines if warranted. Do not ask to leave the device and charger with staff.
Many of the returned devices will be passed on to the middle schools so be sure you have removed all stickers and decals from the Chromebook, along with any glue residue. Products like Goo Gone work well to complete this task. If the device is returned with stickers, decals or a sticky residue, there will be a $20 fine assessed. Also don't forget the power supply. If that is missing, it will cost you $10.
As we plan for Graduation…
Graduation and security
Graduation is an incredible experience. Our daughters and sons have worked countless hours over the past years to build their own success and the success of others. Moms and dads, colleagues and community members, friends and families have supported all our graduates so they could have the strength and commitment to arrive at Graduation Day on Friday, May 29 at 6:30 pm at the Wings Event Center. The folks at Wings are great hosts, and the place is huge so you can invite anyone you like! We are so grateful.
We are committed to making Graduation a special celebration. We are also committed to doing everything we can to ensure safety. When you arrive, you will notice that the Wings staff will be using metal detectors at the two entrances through which we will all enter: the main entrance for all guests, and the back entrance for our graduates. The Wings staff are well trained to help guests move through the process as thoughtfully and briskly as is appropriate. As you prepare to attend, we ask that you bring only necessary items, which include cell phones and cameras. We ask that the following items remain at home or in your car:
oversized bags or purses
selfie sticks, iPads, and laptops
laser-light pointers, noise makers (like air horns), and large signs
food or beverages, including any cans or bottles, and coolers
any type of weapon
illegal drugs or substances
Too, we would so appreciate it if you could share this information with any of your friends and family who are attending as well. Thanks!
From the Activities Office…
Just a reminder on upcoming events and dates for the arts
CHS Orchestra Concert: Thursday, May 14th at 7 pm is the final Orchestra concert of the year and on Tuesday, May 19th at 7 pm is the final CHS Choir Concert of the year. Both events will be held in the Auditorium. And, this will be it for our 2026 seniors, so come out and support them as they finish up high school.
Featured Summer Sports Camp of the week: Registration opens May 4!
Hey there, Mustang Families! Each summer, our amazing athletic programs host summer camp opportunities for our student-athletes to continue to develop and improve. Click right here to see all our summer camp options. And this week we are featuring our summer Football Camp!
And if you want to sign up, it’s easy!
Beginning May 4, families can register
Back by popular demand and a Graduation gift idea…
Buy a brick for McCamley-Knight or Mustang Field, or a tile for the new pool!
So many families and community members purchased bricks at the new McCamley-Knight and Mustang Fields and tiles at the new pool — to leave their mark in these spaces where so many great kids, parents, families, and community members celebrated and where so many more will celebrate decades into the future.
This sale continues until Graduation Day this spring. So if you are considering a brick at the new McCamley-Knight or Mustang Field, click here. If you would like a tile at the new pool, click here. Thank you — again and again — for all that you have done.
Almost able to smell Graduation,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…