If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis, click for crisis resources

Student Health & Well-being

students clapping hands

Student Support

Portage Public Schools is proud to provide social, emotional learning and mental health supports to our students. Please click the button to the right to browse local and state resources for mental health, food pantries and social and emotional learning.

Student and Family Resources

OK2SAY - Michigan  Student Safety Program

Portage Public Schools encourages our students to stay safe and report anything that threatens student or school safety.
Visit OK2SAY to report.


OK2SAY Stop the Silence. Help End the Violence

Our staff are here to help

The following staff are critical to helping our students succeed in and out of the classroom. They are housed within the Educational Supports and Intervention Department. Browse below to read more about the types of support available to students.

To learn more about Individual Education Plans (IEP) or the services of the Education Supports and Intervention Department, visit the ESI Department website

Elementary Engagement Specialists

Engagement Specialists work at each of our eight elementary schools. Each ES serves as the school multi-tiered systems of support coordinator for Social Emotional Learning and school-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.

The team is also responsible to coordinate, plan, and implement support programs and services within the District and the community to ensure the academic and social/emotional success of students.

ES: Click here to learn more

School Nurses

School nurses provide health services to students when they are at school. Portage has three nurses supporting our 14 schools.

Please take notice that any medication kept at the school, whether prescription or non-prescription (over-the-Counter medication, ointments, medical creams, etc.), will require a medication consent form filled out and signed by a parent/guardian.

Student Medication

Meet our Emotional Comfort Dogs

PPS enjoys the company of nine specially trained comfort dogs. Each dog is assigned to a specific building where he/she can support students' emotional and mental well being. Most of our dogs are trained by Interquest CARES - Michigan, School Counseling Assistance and Comfort Dogs. 

Contact the school's principal or click on the dog's photo to learn more and find out where you can donate.

Watch a video below to learn about how Mazie, like the other dogs, help our students and staff.

Toby the comfort dog sits

Toby at Central High

Rio the comfort dog sits in the grass

Rio at Community High

Heath a dog

Heath at North Middle

Milton a dog

Milton at Central Middle

Winston the comfort dog

Winston at West Middle

Mazie a dog

Mazie at Central Elementary

Olive a dog

Olive at Angling Road Elementary

Diego the comfort dog

Diego at Moorsbridge Elementary

Orville a dog

Orville at Lake Center Elementary

COVID-19

Portage Public Schools is following the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services. Please click here to read the recommendations.