For Thursday, January 9, 2025
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
8th Grade Family Night coming Wednesday, February 12 at 6:30 p.m.
It might seem like next August and the start of high school are a long way off, but it will be here sooner than we realize. Plus, there are a lot of important decisions that families need to make to prepare their 8th-grade kids so they are ready to make the jump to high school. This event starts all of those conversations. More information will go out in Mustang Minutes about this and other events in the weeks ahead. For now, we would ask that you get this date and time on your calendar so you will be ready! Thanks for that -- and we can't wait to meet you!
Our Debate Team is alive and excelling again!
On December 14 the Debate Team concluded an amazing season after a ten-year hiatus. The team has been very successful all season: winning numerous speaker awards, and taking either 1st or 2nd place every tournament. These students put in so much time and effort, beginning in August, to generate this sort of success.
As a team, they competed in Public Forum all season. In this category of debate, a topic is given, and students must either argue “pro” or “con.” The team does not know which side they are arguing until they walk in the room. A judge decides who wins based on argumentation, analysis, impacts, and speaking skills. At the State Tournament the team was awarded the following awards:
Speaker Awards
12th- Isabella Greene & Hameed Daranijoh
8th- Victoria Fong & Ningzhi Lou-Li
6th- Luke Schultz
4th- Astha Patel
2nd- Ell Johnson
And Astha & Khushi Patel finished in 2nd place as the state runner-ups.
Portage Central is elated to have the Debate Program back! Congrats, Mustangs!
Exam week will be here next week!
And we need everyone’s help so that all our kids feel prepared – both academically, and with good breakfasts so they are ready to do their best! Hit this link to take a look at the exam schedule and to see how buses will run that week too.
Lunches will be available during exam week
The Mustang Café will be open for breakfasts daily (at the normal time) and for grab and go lunches during exams Monday through Wednesday during exam week. Lunch will be at no charge and we will have some a’la carte items available too! We will be open for breakfast at the regular time Monday – Thursday.
Thanks for your help!
Exam week attendance
Just like any other school day, students are expected to be in attendance for their scheduled classes each exam day. And, to support a quiet, distraction-free testing environment in our classes, students should either be present during an entire exam period, or, they must have an excused absence for the entire period if the absence cannot be avoided. To minimize distractions, early dismissals to leave the building are not processed or delivered while exams are in progress. If a student has an appointment during part of an exam period that can’t be changed, or if they end up missing an exam period due to illness or because of an appointment, they should plan to make up the missed exam during the makeup exam session on Thursday, January 16th. In classes without exams, like seminar, we ask that any absences be excused in advance of the exam period, for the same reason of keeping our classrooms and halls optimal for test administration. Reach out to your teachers if you miss an exam for any reason, and thanks for your help!
Link Crew Cocoa and Cram on Saturday, January 11 in the Commons
This will be held in the Commons at Portage Central from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is open for any student that needs assistance preparing for exams, 9th through 12th. There will be coffee, hot cocoa and donuts. Tutors will be available to work with students. Students do not need to schedule a time to come; they just drop in with their materials, and we will find someone to work with them. Also, if students want to work with a group of peers on preparing for exams, they can work here quietly together. Please encourage your students to attend or to sign up to tutor other students during this time. They will receive service hours and also truly help others. 2025 Cocoa & Cram Tutors
And, if you are trying to get a student tutor for your child, we have closed the link for this semester because our tutors are now studying for their exams. We will reopen the link at the beginning of the 2nd semester. Thanks!!!
One more example of how we work with incredible students
On Monday, December 16, three of our juniors – Aanya Goel, Brianna Zhang and Janelle Yao – worked with PE teacher Alan Colgren and traveled to Lawrence Elementary School and handed out personalized sports kits to all 4th and 5th graders. The goal was to encourage a healthy lifestyle by providing fun sports equipment! This initiative was conducted through our DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) Club and in conjunction with a non-profit organization called Leaders for Youth Sports. Aanya, Brianna and Janelle have been working on this project for the past two years and have hosted several other events, such as 5Ks and equipment drives, to raise awareness for their cause and to fund future activities. Additionally, they received the 2024 Aspen Institute Project Play Service Learning Through Sports Grant, which provided them with financial support.
Save the date!
Do you want to learn more about the International Baccalaureate program?
If you are an interested 9th or 10th grade student or family, IB Coordinator Jason Frink and I will be hosting an IB Information Meeting on Tuesday, January 21st at 7:00 p.m in the Community Room We will present information on what the IB Program is, what the program looks like here at Portage Central High School, and what the benefits are to this great program.
You can find more information on the Portage Central International Baccalaureate Program here: https://portageps.org/chs/ib/
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Speaking of the IB Program…
Putts for a Purpose – An IB CAS Project
As part of our IB Program, every full IB Diploma student needs to take on a “project manager” role for a significant project. Two of our current Seniors Alex Moon and Andrew Sackett have created the Putts for a Purpose golf outing with a goal of raising $5000 for the Bronson Health Foundation. You can check out their website here: https://www.puttsforapurpose.org/ And if you are a golfer and would like to support our students’ efforts, join them on April 27th!
Just a reminder from the Activities Office…
Prom date and location
I just wanted to let all families and students know that Prom 2025 will be Saturday, May 3rd, from 8:30-11 pm at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. It is for Juniors and Seniors. More information will be forthcoming in the months ahead, but I wanted to be sure that folks had that date and location on their calendars. Thanks!
Help us remind our students…
Go to enrollment room at the start of the day on Monday, January 20
On the first day of each semester, students go directly to an "enrollment room" at the start of the school day. Important announcements are shared, policies are reviewed, and students will receive a printed copy of their second semester schedule. For more information about what we share in enrollment room, check out this page of the GLIC.
Thank you for helping us recover outstanding materials
In enrollment rooms on Monday, students with outstanding textbooks will receive a notification and we will be working with them to get those materials returned. If you see any books laying around – in a car, under a bed, or elsewhere – ask whether that book needs to be returned to school. In the coming weeks, we will notify families if we are unsuccessful in recovering outstanding materials from students. Thanks for your help!
Winter Homecoming
Winter Homecoming will be held the week of February 10 through February 14. There will be a Pep Assembly on Friday, the 14th, as well as the presentation of the Court at the Home Basketball Game that night. And, the Homecoming Dance will be on February 15th from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The theme is Casino Night. Watch the next few Mustang Minutes for more details!!!
From our student-leaders celebrating MLK Jr. Day
In honor and celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a variety of our clubs will be working together on different service projects while they are viewing the movie, Selma. This award-winning movie is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches.
Interact Club is making care packages for the Kalamazoo homeless shelter
Project Linus is making tie blankets for the children's hospital
Little Dresses for Africa is making dresses
Others will be writing staff appreciation cards and cards to retirement homes and the senior center
This event will take place this Monday, January 20, 2024 from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Portage Central Media Center. All students are welcome to participate and be a part of helping others.
Are you seeking scholarships for next year? Remember that the Portage Education Foundation (PEF) offers several scholarships for PPS students. There are scholarships taking into account your future plans, your high school activities, your ability to overcome, or your financial need! Learn more and apply online HERE.
PEF Scholarship applications and any supporting documents are due by February 14, so don't wait! Instructions are specific to each scholarship, so be sure to read carefully and complete them thoroughly.
Thank you to our local businesses who support us in so many ways!
They help us accomplish tasks as varied as replacing our 19-year-old golf cart that shuttled community members to athletic events for years (Have you seen the new golf cart?! It is ridiculously gaudy – and it was half price!), to making sure that we can get our kids what they need during their most difficult days. And Paul Carlson has been helping us for years and years – and we are so grateful.
So over the next few weeks we will continue to publicly thank these businesses here in Mustang Minutes and elsewhere on campus. And if there is any way you can show your thanks as well, we would appreciate it!
Well rested after spending a lot of time with family,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…