For Thursday, January 16
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
You don’t want to miss this!
Harry Potter on the PC stage!
Performances are Friday, February 7th and Friday, February 14th at 7:30 pm. Saturday, February 8th and February 15th at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. And, Sunday, February 9th and 16th at 2 pm. There is a student performance on Thursday, February 13th. Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for students. Here is the link to purchase tickets at the PCHS Box Office. Come out and enjoy the magic!!!
Join the JEDI Club on MLK Day
For Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this upcoming Monday, January 20th, the JEDI – that stands for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion – Club is hosting a showing of the film Selma from 3-5 p.m. in the Community Room. The movie is a biopic about the 1965 Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama led by Dr. King. During the movie, and in honor of the 20th being recognized as a Day of Service, students will work on small acts of service like writing letters to deployed military members and setting up for a toy/clothing drive for local charities such as Kalamazoo Ripple Effects Inclusion Center.
And, another date to put on your calendar…
Winter Homecoming is right around the corner
The Winter Homecoming Dance will now be on Saturday, February 22nd, from 8 pm to 11 pm. Tickets are $10.00 each. It is a semi-formal, and the theme is Casino night. More information on Homecoming Week, dress up days, etc. will be in next week’s Mustang Minutes. Stay tuned…
Just a reminder for next week
IB Parent Informational Night on Tuesday, January 21st
We are fortunate to have been an International Baccalaureate school for over 25 years now. This program focuses on critical thinking, research skills and service as a part of the learning process. We consistently hear back from our alumni that our IB Program provides outstanding preparation for college. Most colleges and universities also award credit and/or advanced placement based on how well a student does on their exams. We value the program, not just because it helps our kids get into the schools that they want, but it helps them be successful once they are there. If you have an 8th, 9th, or 10th grade student and are interested in finding out more, please join us at our IB Parent Informational Night, Tuesday, January 21st at 7 p.m. in the PC Community Room.
Speaking of the GLIC, check out the resource section for Mustang Families
This section is intended to share frequently-requested resources on topics like social media management, academic support, and substance-abuse prevention. Check it out here!
From the counseling office…
Seniors, do you need a mid-year transcript for your future college or university?
If so, please submit a 'Hold for Grades' request in Parchment BEFORE the end of the semester. All semester one transcripts will be processed and posted in early-February. Once posted all 'Hold for Grades' requests will be processed in Parchment. Also, please remember, if you originally applied to a college/university through the Common App, you will need to make your mid-year request to the Common App and NOT the college/university directly. If you have questions please contact your counselor or our registrar, Nicole Gutshall at ngutshall@portageps.org.
Other news for seniors…
Want more money for college?
Stop into the Counseling Office to pick up a copy of the 2025 Kalamazoo Community Foundation Scholarships Catalog. This is an all-access application where you could be matched with up to 60 different college scholarships in one place. There are also scholarships available for vocational training. There is no online version; it is only available in old-school paper. So swing into the Counseling Office before they are gone. Don't delay: the deadline to apply is March 1, 2025.
Seniors and families with seniors, save the date!
Senior cap-and-gown pictures will be Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23
To continue our tradition of taking class pictures since 1922, we will be taking pictures of each of our seniors Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23 up on the third-floor bridge, and these pictures will be used for our class composites that hang down near the Activities Office.
We will have our photographer at the 3rd-floor bridge taking pictures of our students wearing caps and gowns on
● Tuesday, hours 5-7
● Wednesday, hours 1-4
Seniors, you don’t need to bring your own caps and gowns; we will have some waiting for you. Wear a nice shirt; this picture of you will be hanging on our wall for at least the next 100 years. We will be calling seniors down alphabetically. If you have an off-campus class, stop up there when it works for you; we want to make sure that we don’t miss anyone. You might have to stand in line for a few minutes, so thanks in advance for your patience. Any questions? Drop me an email anytime – and thanks!
Looking for help, to help our kids access youth sports!
As part of their DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America, a competitive business and leadership club at PC) project, Aanya Goel, Janelle Yao, and Brianna Zhang created a non-profit called Leaders for Youth Sports (leadersforyouthsports.org). The organization's aim is to increase accessibility to youth sports despite financial constraints. To further their goal, they are hosting two Distribution Days at Kalamazoo Christian High School on January 18 from 4-6 p.m. and another at Loy Norrix High School on January 25 from 12-3 p.m. Families are invited to pick up whatever sports equipment they need, free of charge! They are also looking for high school volunteers and will be able to sign any necessary documentation. If you have any questions please reach out to aanya.goel@portageps.org!
Want to help give Central Elementary kids a fun event!
Family Glow Dance Event at Portage Central Elementary. Help decorate, pass out glow accessories, run the photo or snack station, and more! We need your help to make our event a success. Sign up right here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4BA8AB2BABFD0-54237727-glow
Thank you to our local businesses who support us in so many ways!
Being without our local businesses would be like doing without Toby: we could do it, but we would be much sadder and far less healthy.
So we are continuing to publicly show our gratitude for these businesses here in Mustang Minutes and elsewhere on campus. And if there is any way she can show your thanks as well, we would appreciate it!
A friend shared this with me, and I thought it might be helpful…
Supporting all our kids, at school and at home and everywhere in between
We work together to help our kids learn to identify and manage emotions, to set and achieve goals, to feel and show empathy, to establish and maintain positive relationships, and to make responsible decisions. Here are a few ideas or how to to support our kids:
Self-Management: Effectively regulating emotions, managing stress, and working toward goals
Engage in conversations about social problem-solving.
Help our kids identify their goals and encourage them to play an active role in meeting them.
Self-Awareness: Recognizing your own emotions, and accurately assessing your strengths and challenges
Offer encouragement and specific feedback.
Talk openly and describe your own as well as your child’s emotions.
Social Awareness: Understanding the perspective of and empathizing with others, including those who may be different from ourselves
Ask questions that encourage perspective-taking, such as “How do you think your friend is feeling? What do you think they need from you?”
Responsible Decision Making: Making respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions, and understanding the impact of those choices
Support and model for your student how to resolve conflict appropriately and brainstorm potential solutions or strategies. These include…
Listening for understanding
Keeping multiple and diverse perspectives in mind
Considering intent vs impact
Being aware of your thoughts and feelings
Identifying what you want your child to learn as a result of the experience
Relationship Skills: Creating healthy relationships, communicating clearly, cooperating with others, and peacefully negotiating conflict.
Provide your daughter or son with opportunities to practice being responsible by doing chores or helping around the home in other ways
Monitor access to social media and help them choose wisely, to support their learning, growth and connections.
Hoping all our kids did well on their exams,
Eric Alburtus
And if you want even more PC news…