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Welcome!

We are so grateful you are here…

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… We build Community.

Together…

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And it starts…

… with Us.

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But before we get started…

If you are an experienced hand around here…

If you are looking at this place and thinking, “Wow… this is a lot…”

Now, look around.

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And it starts now.

Veterans, find a new parent.
New parent, share one apprehension.
Veteran, offer one piece of advice.
Both, of you give at least one thing you are excited about with the year ahead.

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Tama Salisbury

Principal, students L-Z

(269) 323-5281

tsalisbury@portageps.org

Mom of two PPS students
20 years serving PC students and families

Teaching history and social studies

MSU alum, Go Green!
Likes: books, music, movies, sports, traveling, Walt Disney World, cars, and the great outdoors—especially exploring National Parks!

I would like to introduce you to some

Incredible Friends

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Even more

Incredible Friends

Aja Kaylor

Principal, students A-K

(269)323-5257

akaylor1@portageps.org

Mom of two PPS students
23 years serving PC students

Teaching Biology

WMU & GVSU alum
Likes: live music, reality crime shows, all things Lake Michigan and Chicago, paddleboarding and spending time with friends and family.

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Even more

Incredible Friends

Jim Schafer

Athletic Director

(269)323-5361

jschafer@portageps.org

Dad of two PC grads
PC teacher, and swimming and waterpolo coach for 34 years
Taught computer science, health, PE and IB Sports Science
Likes: Surfing, hiking, reading, playing pickleball (sadly), baseball, watching a good musical, and enjoying a great meal with his wife.

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Even more

Incredible Friends

Jason Frink

IB Coordinator

(269)323-5262

jfrink@portageps.org

Chemistry Teacher
Former Assistant Principal (for 15 years!)
33 years at PC
Lighting Designer for PC shows and Farmer’s Alley Theatre
Scoutmaster
Has backpacked more than 1800 miles of the AT

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Even more

Incredible Friends

Nikki Smith

Activities Director

(269)323-5265

nsmith@portageps.org

Canadian!
Mom of 4 -- and 3 grandkids! I’m in the center in pink (silver hair should give it away).
Eight years serving PC students
46-year cancer survivor
English teacher
The most positive person I have ever met

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Even more

Incredible Friends

James Phillips

Student Support Specialist

(269)323-5307

jphillips@portageps.org

PCHS grad, Class of 2009
Ten years serving PC students
English teacher!
Ten-year National Guard veteran
Huge video game enthusiast

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Even more

Incredible Friends

Henry Kite

School Resource Officer

(269)323-5340

hkite@portageps.org

He built all of his own houses, and many others!
Dad of 2 kids and 2 dogs
14 years in law enforcement and 5 years as SRO
Drag races at US 131 Dragway, certified scuba diver, and works on cars in his spare time
Another Disney fan!
Former PC student

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And me.

Eric Alburtus

Principal

(269)323-5255

ealburtus@portageps.org

Dad of 3 PC grads
31st season
Very happily married to a PC English teacher
Hike to keep my head on straight[er]

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And our counseling team…

Todd Tarnutzer, students with last names A-E
Lisa Jepson, director, students with last names M-R
Shannon Schippers, students with last names F-I, K, L
Karen Kreis, students with last names J, S-Z
Nicole Gutshall, registrar, who enrolls students and manages our records
Jodi Drews, counseling secretary and receptionist

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Learning.

Encouraging our kids to excel

We want to challenge our students to reach their best academically and to support them in that most important work.
And, we want to engage our kids in their interests outside the classroom, so they find a place where they can be a part of something bigger than themselves.

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Leading.

We want our kids to be in the most rigorous academic program, where they can push themselves to succeed

From the beginning our kids have exceeded our expectations…

We also have a system in place to give all our kids extra time and support they need to reach their success. (Teachers, the Learning Center, the Study Lab…)

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Teaching.

Building a Home for themselves, others…

Extracurricular programs that allow our kids to find their home, their passion – because of you, other volunteers and this community

Please, please, please come to our Open House on

Wednesday, August 21 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.!

And all our kids give back, through community service here, in our state, nation and world

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Caring.

Watching out for all our kids…

Our Number-One Goal: To make sure all our kids are safe and feel safe and belong.

Fighting
Harassment and bullying
Drugs and alcohol
Theft
Weapons

As always, we need help from all of us.

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Committing.

There is no substitute for communicating…

Keep communication open always – and especially when life and work get hard

With teachers, first and foremost
Mustang Minutes, the GLIC (don’t forget your magnet!), parent-teacher conferences, the Skyward grade viewer, and simply talking

Please keep information updated in Skyward

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Thank you!

The Code-of-Conduct meeting will begin at 11:30, right here in the auditorium.
A high school policies Q & A with our principals will begin in the Community Room, in 5 minutes.

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Policy Q & A

To discuss major differences from middle school to high school and notable differences from last school year.

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Onward.

Some notable differences from middle school to high school…

Attendance

Call – (269)323-5259 – or email to report any absence or early dismissal as soon as you know they’ll be absent

Students must check in/out with the attendance office

15th absence policy

Academic class vs. non-academic class (e.g. seminar)

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Onward.

Some notable differences from middle school to high school…

Two different types of absences

Totaling	Non-totaling
May impact a student’s ability to earn credit for a class	Do not impact a student’s ability to earn credit for a class
Unexcused absences (A) Excused absences (E)	Administrative absences (D) Medically-waived absences (W)

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Onward.

A notable difference from middle school

to high school relates to cell phones and headphones

Cell phones & personal electronics

“Bell-to-Bell, No Cell”
Passing periods and lunch = OK
Our policy aims to help students keep their focus on instruction and

to encourage them to be present and engage with one another

Personal electronics include ear buds
The vast majority of our teachers have a policy of “silent and out-of-sight” unless given explicit permission for academic use, so this should be the rule of thumb they live by.
Taking photos and recording video of others without their consent is always prohibited.
Please talk as a family about the differences in the environments where you spend their time – like the differences that may exist between home and school or between home and work. Another topic to discuss would be the benefits–and drawbacks–of text and online communication is also an important one this year. The transition between middle and high school is a great time to remind them about school as an academic environment and one that prepares them for the world of work. Physicality and language are the two big areas where these environments may differ.

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Onward.

A similarity between middle school and high school…

Words and actions

“Risky Words and Actions”
All of us should feel safe and belonging here
We will address horseplay, bullying, intimidation, harassment, and vaping during freshman class visits
Please talk with your freshman at home, too

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Onward.

Another notable difference between middle school and high school…

Lunch

Off-campus lunch passes

Eligibility for the pass is earned through good attendance
Open to all eligible students who have family permission

Places to eat for those without a lunch pass

The Commons, The Quiet Place, The Patio

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Onward.

Another similarity between middle school and high school…

Hall and bathroom passes

Sign in/out using teacher’s pass system
Five-minute guideline
Halls and bathrooms are monitored

There are consequences for loitering
One student per stall– always.

We want students to be in their classes as much as possible, and sometimes, there is a need to use the bathroom or to grab something from a locker. With teacher permission, students sign out on their teacher’s pass log, take care of their needs, and sign back in when they return to the classroom. The reasonable amount of time for hall and bathroom passes is five minutes.
We love to see the networking our students take part in and the emerging friendships that make high school fun. And sometimes, we notice groups of students meeting up to socialize inside the bathrooms, either during class or during a passing period. We could really use your help to reinforce the message that bathrooms are not acceptable places to socialize and that it is never, ever (ever, ever) appropriate for more than one student to occupy the same bathroom stall, even if the door is open. Not even to blow their noses together. Consequences are assigned to all students observed in the same bathroom stall.

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Onward.

One of the biggest differences between middle school and high school…

Earning credits to graduate

Must earn D- at the end of the semester and pass 2 out of 3 components of the semester (two quarters and a final exam)
Teachers are your first point of contact
Our academic intervention team routinely monitors progress
Your student’s counselor can answer your questions

about scheduling and the path to graduation

Earning credits can be a concept that is confusing for our 9th grade students. It is how students earn their diploma. In high school, a student must earn a D- or better at the end of a semester AND pass 2 out of 3 components (quarter, quarter, final exam) to earn credit for a class.
It is helpful to establish a routine with your kiddo to monitor their grades. If you have questions they cannot answer (or maybe you aren’t satisfied with their answer), please reach out to their teacher for clarification.
At PC, we have an academic intervention team that routinely monitors student progress throughout the school year and connects students with additional supports if they are struggling. We look forward to partnering with you over the next four years and celebrating their graduation in 2027 (that doesn’t seem so far away anymore, does it?)
If you have additional questions that pop up along the way about scheduling or about the path to graduation, please reach out to your student’s counselor.

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We are so happy that you are a part of Us.

Thank you for being here with us today.