For Thursday, March 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
Do it for Phoebe!
Join us for the Teacher Talent[less] Show on Monday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m.!
Phoebe has helped so many of our kids and others in the Mustang Community over the years. And sadly she cannot be here forever. So we need to prepare now, so that Phoebe can have a happy retirement when she is ready – and so that we can have a new therapy dog to help the next generation of Mustangs.
The Teacher Talent[less] Show will be a fun night with lots of laughs as colleagues continue their 20-year tradition of making fun of themselves and raising money for worthwhile causes! The cost to join us will be $5 or any donation you feel you as a family can give. All the proceeds will go toward a new therapy dog. (And a new therapy dog costs about $8,000.) So join us – and do it for you and for Phoebe!
Communiteen Read is here!
NY Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys, will be joining us in Portage on March 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Portage Zhang Senior Center. Her book, Salt to the Sea, was chosen as this year's Communteen Read selection and we are excited to talk with her. Ruta was born in Detroit to an American mother and Lithuanian father. She has numerous accolades and achievements including being awarded the Carnegie Medal, Rockefeller Bellagio Fellowship, the Knights Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania, as well as speaking at the European Parliament, NATO, and the Library of Congress. She is going to be incredibly interesting.
Salt to the Sea is a work of historical fiction and tells the little known story of the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff in 1945 and chronicles the refugee evacuation from East Prussia. We hope you can join us for the free event, open to the community. RSVPs are encouraged as space will be limited. Visit www.communiteenreadportage.com for more information, to secure your spot, and to support our mission of connecting teens to their community through a shared love of reading.
Congratulations to our PC Symphonic and Concert Band Students!
The PC Symphonic and Concert Bands had incredible performances at the MSBOA District 11 Festival on Thursday, February 28th at Three Rivers High School. Both Bands earned top ratings from every judge -- straight Division One "Superior" ratings in concert and sight reading.
There are four judges overall -- three that listen to the concert performance, and then another judge that evaluates the band in Sight Reading. We are so proud of the students for their hard work to prepare for Festival. Thanks to our parents and families who came to support us. It was a wonderful day for the PC Bands!!
Spring Testing is almost here!
Soon after we get back from Spring Break it will be time for spring SAT/PSAT/WorkKeys/M-STEP testing. Remember that these tests are required by the State of Michigan and are also a Portage Public Schools graduation requirement. Here is a quick summary of the schedule on those testing days:
Student Schedule | ||
Wednesday, April 10th | Thursday, April 11th | |
9th grade | PSAT for all 9th grade 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Students who need to use the morning bus for transportation will need to stay in the Commons prior to testing. Lunch available PPS Buses provide transportation home at Noon ONLY. | No school during morning testing. Students will work from home on an assignment for their 4th hour to be turned in between 7:40 AM and Midnight. |
10th grade | No school during morning testing. Students will work from home on an assignment for their 3rd hour to be turned in between 7:40 AM and Midnight. | PSAT for all 10th grade 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Students who need to use the morning bus for transportation will need to stay in the Commons prior to testing. Lunch Available Regular PPS Buses provide transportation home at 2:40 ONLY. |
11th grade | SAT with Essay for all 11th grade 7:40 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Lunch available PPS Buses provide transportation home at Noon ONLY. | ACT WorkKeys for all 11th grade 7:40 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Lunch Available Regular PPS Buses provide transportation home at 2:40 ONLY. |
12th grade | No school during morning testing. Students will work from home on an assignment for their 3rd hour to be turned in between 7:40 AM and Midnight. | No school during morning testing. Students will work from home on an assignment for their 4th hour to be turned in between 7:40 AM and Midnight. |
Students with extended-time testing accommodations will obviously be done later than the schedule listed above. On the work-from-home days for non-testing students it is important that students complete the work and turn it in during the assigned window in order to be marked “present” for that day. Teachers who are not involved with extended-time testing will be available to work virtually with students from 12:10 to 2:40. If your student needs to physically be in school on the work-from-home days in order to access the internet, in order to receive special supports, or for other reasons, please reach out to your student’s Assistant Principal. Remember that while we can provide students a place to work on those days, our entire teaching staff will be busy administering the state testing and won’t be available to work with non-testing students.
Big Band Bash is Friday, March 15
The Annual Big Band Bash is on Friday, March 15th from 7-8:30 pm in the PC Commons. This event features the PCHS Jazz Band and the Portage Middle School William Short Jazz/Rock Ensemble. Cost is $5/person and includes a drink and dessert. Bring the whole family – we hope to see a HUGE crowd to come and support these awesome musicians!
Are you interested in earning the Community Service Award? The deadline approaches…
All community service hours for the 2023-24 school year are due to Mr. Brown in room 1133 (or Main Office) before we all leave for spring break on March 22. Any hours completed over spring break can still be turned in – but no later than April 3. Only hours completed over spring break will be accepted on April 3 to count toward the 2023-24 Community Service Award. Any hours done after spring break, as well as this summer, will go toward the 2024-25 Community Service Award, so keep up the great work!
A note to Freshmen families from the counseling office
Ninth-grade transcripts update
After a run of 1st-semester grades, we discovered an error in some of the ninth-grade transcripts. We have corrected the error and transcripts in Skyward have been updated. Thanks for your patience!
Just a reminder…
Monday, March 11 at 6:30-7:15 in Coach Enders's Room, 1131
Please come help us plan the 2024 season and meet other football parents.
Are you interested in playing football at the next level? Join us to learn more about the recruitment process and the role that you play! There will be Recruiting Information Night, Monday, March 11 at 7:15 in Coach Enders Room, 1131. All grades of players and parents are welcome.
Grateful for the work of colleagues and kids and families – to do it for Phoebe,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…