For Thursday, September 19
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
Just a reminder…
Please remember to drop off students in the drop-off areas, and not elsewhere
Between when we built the new PC in 2011 and 2019, the number of students who rode school buses before and after school declined by 50%. And bus ridership declined further through the pandemic.
So it is more important than ever to make sure we are all communicating to one another as we drive near and on campus. One way we do this well is by only dropping off our kids at the drop-off loops -- and nowhere else. We have had some really close calls, particularly when folks drop off or pick up students on the drive off Westnedge or in the roadways.
Too, parents of PC, please do not drop off students in the middle-school loop, unless of course you have a middle-school student too. They have many of their own families, and our presence makes their world more congested.
Thanks for helping keep our kids safe!
Our PCTV kids are amazing! Here is your chance to meet them
And they do so much around here, from broadcasting basketball games to making our awards presentations accessible around the world. And the overall program – led by colleague Ashley Bowen – only works because of talented and hard-working students. Hit this link to get to know them as they support our teams and students in the year ahead!
The 3rd Annual PC Marching Invitational is this Saturday!
Portage Central Bands is excited to host our 3rd Annual Scholastic Marching Band Invitational on Saturday, September 21st at McCamley-Knight Field from 3:05-9:20 p.m. 17 High School Marching Bands will be competing at this event plus an exhibition performance by our Portage Central Marching Band at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students and senior citizens, and children five and under are admitted for free. You can see our digital 2024 PCMI Event Program here.
Bring the whole family, enjoy as many bands as you’d like, and you’ll be supporting your Portage Central Band program with every ticket you purchase and every item you grab at the concessions stand!
More information about the PCMI - General Info can be found on the PC Bands Website. You can also view the 2024 Schedule of Performing Bands and see our event site map. We would LOVE to see you check out this event and watch local bands perform in competition. Our very own Portage Central Marching Band will perform at 8:45pm. We hope to see all of you on Saturday, September 21st!!
And join us for Homecoming on Friday, October 4!
The traditional Homecoming parade starts at South Westnedge Park at 5:45 p.m., and 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:
Plus the graduating class of 1999 will be holding their 25th-year reunion in Centennial Park. More news to come in future Mustang Minutes. We all will have a great time, so please join us
Just a reminder…
Our next Count Day for the district is coming up on Wednesday, October 2
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 2. In addition, please encourage students who drive to school to arrive on time that day. Thank you for your help with this!
Save the Date!
The PTO invites you to our Bright Lights, Neon Nights Semi-Formal Dance on November 9
Get ready for a dazzling evening filled with glowing décor, vibrant colors, and electrifying fun! This semi-formal event promises a night of music, dancing, and unforgettable memories. Mark your calendars and prepare to shine your brightest. Stay tuned for more details on ticket sales and event highlights. Don’t miss out on this exciting night under the neon lights!
October PSAT/NMSQT testing information - Late start on Wednesday, October 9
On October 9th, 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 |
Digital Readiness Check and Senior Meeting - Wednesday, October 2
This year the PSAT/NMSQT is all digital. To get students registered and to make sure that their Chromebook and all of the tech is working, we are going to have them go to their testing rooms and log in about a week ahead of time. Hopefully this will provide them with some familiarity with the program ahead of time and will give us time to track down any issues before test day.
That day, we will use the modified class schedule below, with shortened hours 1-4. Then during this Digital Readiness Check (DRC), juniors will meet with their test proctors – the same ones they will work with at the PSAT on October 9.
Seniors will meet with Mr. Alburtus in the Auditorium for a Senior Meeting. At this meeting, Seniors will get reminders about Graduation and other Senior information. Freshmen and Sophomores will have an extra Seminar Period that day during this period.
1st hour | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 0:40 |
2nd hour | 8:25 AM | 9:05 AM | 0:40 |
3rd hour | 9:10 AM | 9:50 AM | 0:40 |
4th hour | 9:55 AM | 10:35 AM | 0:40 |
DRC | 10:40 AM | 11:17 AM | 0:37 |
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 - which connects how well they 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/
Community-service hours update
The deadline for summer hours submission was September 13th. Additional summer service hours will not be considered for the PC community service award. Some other reminders:
all hours must be served in person with a non-profit organization
the authorizing person cannot be a relative.
9th graders cannot use their required Modern American History service hours towards the community service award.
Service forms must be submitted to Mr. Brown in room 1133 or the Main Office within four weeks from the service date. For example, a service date of September 1 must be turned in by September 29. Click here for more detailed guidelines and service form.
Want to help some of our kids and the City of Portage?
GrowTogether is an initiative started by Jun Hur and Rhea Sidhu, two seniors at the school who are working with the City of Portage to make a positive impact within the community. The whole initiative is run by generous donations from people in our community and sponsorships from local businesses. All of the proceeds will be going towards buying trees and materials for the day of tree planting which will happen sometime in late October or early November and will be made as a volunteer opportunity for the students at the school.If you would like to support their work, just hit this link!
IB and AP Test Sign Ups
Students sign up and make payments for any IB or AP tests that they intend to take in the spring October 1st through 31st. IB and AP Testing Information and Sign Ups (once open) can always be found at https://www.portagecentralexams.com/ For more information please reach out to our IB Coordinator Jason Frink at JFrink@PortagePS.org
Looking forward to dinner with you all at Homecoming,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…