District News - Portage Public Schools

District News
District Welcomes New Staff
Portage Schools sends a warm welcome to its 24 replacement
staff for this school year.
Christopher Andrews earned his undergraduate and Master’s
degrees from Western Michigan University and will teach Health at
Northern High School.
Angelique Biehl returns to Northern High School to teach
Biology after moving away three years ago. She received her
Bachelor’s from Hope College and her Master’s at Western
Michigan University.
Jessica Bierlien has a Master’s in Counseling Education from
Western Michigan University and brings counseling experience to
her position at North Middle School.
Sarah Bird is a 2008 graduate of Spring Arbor College and
will serve as a Resource Room teacher at Lake Center Elementary.
Katie Brennan will teach Freshman Focus at Central High
School. She is a 2004 graduate of Western Michigan University.
Hannah Gagie earned her BA from Western Michigan
University and will serve as a guidance counselor at Angling Road
and Moorsbridge.
Kaleen Grand completed both undergrad and graduate studies
at Michigan State University. She will teach Social Studies at
Central High School.
Gwen Harkins, a graduate of Michigan State University, will
teach English at West Middle School.
Trisha Howrigon is an experienced math teacher who earned
her undergraduate degree from Central Michigan University. She
will join the staff at North Middle School.
Joann Hurst, an experienced Special Education teacher,
received her Bachelor’s from Illinois Benedictine University and
Master’s from Oakland University. She will be a Resource Room
teacher at Northern High School.
Kylie Johnson is a 2009 graduate of Spring Arbor College and
will be an Early Childhood Development teacher at Woodland
Elementary.
Tanya Lasley is a Hope College alum and will teach Spanish at
Central Middle School and West Middle School.
Colin Killmer earned his BA from Coe College, Iowa, and will
teach chemistry and physics at Northern.
Christine Pratt completed her undergrad studies at Eastern
Michigan University and her Master’s at Oakland University. She
will serve at Woodland Elementary as a Resource Room teacher.
Kristen Shook is the new Media Specialist at 12th Street
Elementary. She earned her Master’s of Library and Information
Services from University of Michigan.
Kristin Tuinier, a graduate of Western Michigan University,
will teach Spanish at Northern High School and North Middle
School.
Sarah Zygadlo is a Western Michigan University graduate and
will teach English at North Middle School.
SECRETARIES
Secretary replacements include Janet Johnston at North
Middle, Kelly Kolassa at West Middle, JoAnne Beverage at
Haverhill, and Tamela Campbell at 12th Street
Elementary.
ADMINISTRATORS
Administrator replacements include:
Mike Huber is a new assistant principal
at Northern High School, having taught
Chemistry there since 2001.
Gail Van Daff is the new Director of
Special Education, previously serving as
Supervisor of Special Education for Calhoun
Intermediate School District.
Tom Zahrt is the new Director of
Human Resources, coming to the District
from corporate positions, most recently as
Manager of Environmental, Health, Safety &
Human Resources for the U.S. and Mexico
with Alcoa’s Electrical Division in Mattawan.
• Inside PPS is published monthly during the school year as an insert to the Portage Gazette.
Contact Community Relations Manager Tom Vance at 323-5167 or tvance@portageps.org.
• On the Cover: New faculty members for this school year, gathered during their August orientation session,
include (front row from the left) Katie Brennan, Trisha Howrigon, Christine Pratt, Kristin Tuinier,
Sarah Bird, and (back row) Jessica Bierlien, Kristen Shook, Joann Hurst, Tanya Lasley,
Chris Andrews, and Kaleen Grand. See article above for more information.
Next Month:
• Focus on Student Achievement
• Community Input on Budget
Page 2 www.portageps.org 323-5000

District News
H1N1 Flu Advice for Families
How it Spreads
According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
flu viruses are thought to spread from person to person in respiratory droplets
of coughs and sneezes to someone’s mouth or nose. Flu viruses can also be
spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an
object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth
or nose) before washing their hands.
Symptoms
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body
aches, headache, chills and fatigue, says the CDC. Some people also experience
diarrhea and vomiting. The CDC encourages those with severe illness
or who are at risk for complications to seek medical care.
Prevention & Care
The CDC offers advice for parents on prevention and on caring for a
sick child at home at www.cdc.gov/h1n1/parents. Highlights include:
• Frequent hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds (long
enough to sing “Happy Birthday” twice).
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue and throw the tissue away
immediately.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are sick.
• Those who are sick should stay home from school and work for at
least 24 hours after the fever is gone.
Portage Schools Response
Portage Schools wants students to be vigilant with hand-washing, asks
parents to kept sick children at home, and will monitor the health status of
both students and staff as the District works to minimize the impact of the
pending H1N1 flu virus.
Meanwhile, the District has sent
information home to its families and will
continue posting parent information online
at www.portageps.org.
Health officials are not advising that
schools close when some students at a particular
building may come down with the
virus. The District will closely monitor the
status of any students and staff who may be
absent from school due to this flu.
“We want to do
everything we can
to take precautionary
measures at school
and help our families
do likewise at home.”
Superintendent Marsha Wells
When reporting student absences to their school offices, parents will be
asked if the student has flu symptoms. For students who arrive at school with
symptoms, the school office will call their parents to come pick them up.
Portage Schools has been an active participant on Kalamazoo County’s
pandemic planning team and involved with Kalamazoo Regional
Educational Service Agency’s emergency management training. Portage
Schools has been monitoring the H1N1 flu threat throughout the summer
and continues to coordinate with area health agencies, Kalamazoo RESA,
and other school districts.
2009 - 2010
CALENDAR
Tuesday, Sept. 8: 1st Semester begins, ½ day
Thursday, Sept. 17: Elementary Open Houses
Tuesday, Sept. 22: Middle School Open Houses
Wednesday, Sept. 23: High School Open Houses
Friday, Nov. 6:
No Classes (Records/Prof.
Development)
Wednesday, Nov. 18: Evening Conferences*
Thursday, Nov. 19: Evening Conferences*
Wednesday, Nov. 25: No Classes
Thurs.-Fri., Nov. 26 - 27: Thanksgiving Recess
Dec. 21-Jan. 1: Winter Recess
Monday, Jan. 4: School Resumes
Mon.-Thurs., Jan. 25-28: High School Exams
Friday, Jan. 29: No Classes, End 1st Semester
Monday, Feb. 1: 2nd Semester begins
Wednesday, Feb. 24: Evening Conferences*
Thursday, Feb. 25: Evening Conferences*
Friday, Feb. 26: Mid-Winter Break**
Friday, March 26: No Classes (Spring Friday)
March 29-April 2: Spring Recess
Monday, April 5: Classes Resume
Friday, April 16: No Classes (Records/Prof.
Development)
Monday, May 31: No Classes (Memorial Day)
Wed.-Fri., June 2 - 4: High School Graduations
Mon.-Thurs., June 7 - 10: High School Exams
Thursday, June 10: ½ Day - End 2nd Semester**
*Evening conferences: At the discretion of each school, evening conferences
may be held within a week before or after the suggested date.
**Cancellations beyond what the law allows will extend the final day of
school beyond Thursday, June 10, 2010.
323-5000
www.portageps.org Page 3

Completed Projects
12th Street Elementary
12th Street Elementary, located on the east side of
the street between Centre Avenue and Milham
Avenue, opened last month. The same design is
being used for the new Lake Center Elementary.
Not only are the school projects on schedule, but they are at or below budget too. The community is now seeing the fruits
of its approval of the November 2007 bond for $119 million for two elementary schools and both high schools. 12th Street Elementary was
the first school to be completed, Lake Center follows next fall, and both high schools will be completed by fall 2011. For updates on the
projects visit www.portageps.org and see the Construction Project update box in the lower right-hand side of the homepage.
Bus &
Maintenance
The new
Transportation &
Maintenance Facility
on Zylman Avenue
(off Portage Road)
replaces the former
facility which had to
make way for the new
Central High School.
This building, which
opened this summer,
has bus bays behind
the building, covering
the front portion of
the buses.
Lake Center
Lake Center, the same design as 12th Street Elementary which opened
this year, is now having brick and roof work done. The school is being built
behind the current Lake Center, which is our oldest school dating from 1928.
When completed, the existing school will be torn down and used for parking
and transportation drop-off. The new Lake Center opens next fall.
Northern High School
A Science Wing and Student Commons are going up at Northern High
School, in addition to major renovations, including the media center
which was completed this summer. There have also been improvements
to the traffic flow and transportation drop-off in front of the school.
Work will be completed by fall 2011.
Central High School
Students are seen walking back to Central from the old Waylee Elementary
School, since some classroom space at Central has already been lost to
construction. A new Central High is being built behind and to the north of the
existing school. The new school will face Centre Avenue and parking will be
where the school currently stands (eliminating the need for students to cross South
Westnedge to park). The new school opens in fall 2011.

District News
Central Middle School Earns
National Character Education Award
CMS faculty showing off the pillars of character education are (from the left)
Amy Franks, Mary Ann Goetz, Cheryl Benko, Katie Overheul, Mike Champion,
and Shawn Molitor.
Central Middle School faculty members are seen here
displaying the character traits that the school has been stressing
with students for several years now.
The school has been recognized at the state and national level
for its character education program, and last school year completed
its fourth year of a focused, comprehensive, and continually
developing Character Education effort, according to Assistant
Principal Bonnie Neal.
The school received an Honorable Mention for last year’s
efforts from the Michigan State Schools Character competition and
two Promising Practices Awards from the National Character
Education Partnership.
Central Middle was recognized over the summer during the
first annual Embedding Character Education into the 21st Century
School conference and will be recognized in October at the National
Forum for Education.
Parents Dedicate Time and Talents Through PTO Leadership Positions
The District thanks this year’s Parent-
Teacher Organization leadership teams. Parents
at each school will be provided contact information
for their PTO leadership; however, listed
here are the main school phone numbers.
ELEMENTARY
12th Street: President, VP, Treasurer, and
Secretary posts for this newly created PTO are
expected to be filled this month. 323-6900.
Amberly: President Heather Beering,
President-Elect Jeslyn Gordon, Secretary Diane
Hamlin, and Treasurer Julie Lawford. 323-5900.
Angling Road: President Lisa Nagy, VP
Janet Ingersoll, Co-Treasurers Anne Marie
Fleming and Wendy Hyames, and Secretary
Jodi Hoag. 323-6000.
Central Elementary: President Linda
Deniston and Treasurer Gayla Sibley
(VP Julie Clark and Secretary Sandy Jenkins.
323-6100.
Haverhill: President Becky Siwik, VP
Heidi Traver, Secretary Barb Marquis, and Co-
Treasurers Heather Long and Renee Smith. 323-
6200.
Lake Center: President Kevin VarnHagen,
VP Sharon Longman, Secretary Barb Poliak,
and Treasurer Laurie Neeb. 323-6300.
Moorsbridge: Co-Presidents Gail Kristin
and Nicole Colosky, Treasurer Sarah Kominek,
and Secretary Deb Hemenway. 323-6400.
Woodland: President Faith Plew, VP Shana
Brown, and Treasurer Joni Shore (Secretary post
was open as of this press deadline). 323-6600.
MIDDLE
Central Middle: President Susan Fulling,
VP Debbie Malloy, Secretary Dana Pope, and
Treasurer Kim Cornue. 323-5600.
North Middle: President Carrie Johnson,
Secretary Kim Melvin, and Treasurer Tracey
Arnold (VP post was open as of this press deadline).
323-5700.
West Middle: Treasurer Lenore Bishop.
President, President-Elect, and Co-Secretaries
are expected to be filled this month. 323-5800.
HIGH
Central High: President Tammy Ridenour,
VP Kim Stewart, Treasurer Dawn Wagner, and
Secretary Brenda Yonke. 323-5200.
Northern High: President Terri Novaria,
VP Connie Livingston, Co-Secretaries Nancy
Sawyer and Jeanne Trompeter, Treasurer Tish
Boerigter, and Membership Chair Brenda
Marsh. 323-5400.
Join the more than 300 people who are following the District on Twitter. Receive regular updates
from the District on a variety of news and information items. Sign up at
http://twitter.com/portageschools.
We also invite you to sign up for our List Service news messages for District information, messages
from our two foundations, and from our individual schools. It’s easy to sign up for as many lists
as you want; just visit our homepage (www.portageps.org) and look for the List Service information
under the “Links” at the bottom center of the page, below the news and information stories.
Page 6 www.portageps.org 323-5000

Board of Education
Meet Your Elected
Representatives
The Board of Education typically meets twice a month, once for a
regular business meeting held in the Community Room and broadcast live
on Portage Cable Access Channel 20 and once for a work session held in
the Professional Development Center.
Both meetings are held at 6:30 p.m., are open to the public, and are
held in the Administration Building at 8111 S. Westnedge (just south of
Centre Avenue, with parking behind the Administration Building).
For information about upcoming
Board meetings, visit the Board’s web BOARD MEETINGS
pages (portageps.org, see
October 12, 2009 - PDC
“Administration” link on left-hand October 26, 2009 - CR
side of the homepage) to view meeting
agendas posted the Friday prior to November 23, 2009 - CR
November 9, 2009 - PDC
the meeting, Action Briefs posted the
December 14, 2009 - CR
day following a meeting, and meeting
minutes (posted upon Board approval January 11, 2010 - PDC
at later meetings). The web site also January 25, 2010 - CR
has contact information for trustees.
February 8, 2010 - PDC
The following meetings are scheduled
(CR is Community Room and
February 22, 2010 - CR
March 8, 2010 - PDC
PDC is Professional Development
March 22, 2010 - CR
Center). Any changes to this schedule
will be posted online and published in April 19, 2010 - CR
future issues of this publication.
May 10, 2010 - PDC
May 17, 2010 - CR
June 7, 2010 - PDC
June 21, 2010 - CR
Dale Posthumus
VICE PRESIDENT
Board term expires 2011
dposthumus@portageps.org
323-2380
Melanie Kurdys
TRUSTEE
Board term expires 2011
melaniekurdys@gmail.com
345-0112
Randy Van Antwerp
TRUSTEE
Board term expires 2013
rvanantwerp@portageps.org
327-5742
Jennifer Whistler
PRESIDENT
Board term expires 2012
jenniferjwhistler@yahoo.com
324-1440
Deb Polderman
SECRETARY
Board term expires 2010
dpolderman@portageps.org
327-5178
Rusty Rathburn
TRUSTEE
Board term expires 2012
rrathburn@portageps.org
385-4178
John Whyte
TRUSTEE
Board term expires 2010
johnwhyte@ameritech.net
375-3561
323-5000
www.portageps.org Page 7

Points of Pride
Serving the Community for 87 Years
Portage Schools enjoys an
extraordinary reputation as a place
for outstanding teachers and involved
parents to help their students discover
the magic of learning and graduate
with the education necessary for
happy and productive lives and
successful careers. The District’s
vision statement is “Portage Public
Schools will shape the future by
empowering every student to contribute
intelligently and ethically in
an information rich, global society.”
2008-09 Honors
▪ Seven National Merit Finalist recipients.
▪ Two state championships bringing the District’s total to 47.
‰Forensics (Northern High).
‰Women’s Soccer (Central High).
▪ Top 5%: Central and Northern High Schools made the 2009
Newsweek “Best High Schools” national ranking. The Huskies
and Mustangs are the only schools in the area to make the list, joining
the ranks of 37 other Michigan high schools in the listing of the
top 1,500 nationwide. All of the high schools making the list are in
the top 5% of high schools in the country, according to the criteria
based on Advanced Placement, IB, and/or Cambridge tests.
▪ Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting,
Association of School Business Officials (4th year in a row).
▪ Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial
Reporting, Government Finance Officers Association for the
Business Office (3rd year in a row).
Past Honors
▪ Our faculty members have won several state and national
“Teacher of the Year” awards, including the “2008 Award for
Excellence in Teaching History” to Kent Baker by the Michigan
Council for History Education and “2008 Michigan Chemistry
Teacher of the Year” by the SW section/Michigan American
Chemical Society to Jon Taylor.
▪ First school district in Michigan to have its high schools
accredited with International Baccalaureate programs, the first area
district to offer online education, the first area district with Parent
Internet Viewer, and the first area district to have all schools wireless.
▪ Perfect Bus Inspection by the Michigan State Police six
years running, and a former Transportation Manager of the Year
by the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation.
▪ Community High, one of the few Michigan high schools
using Positive Behavior Support at all levels, is a two-time winner
of District of the Year by the Michigan Alternative and Adult
Education Association.
Shaping the Future. . .
Our students, grades 3-12, continue to score in the 90th percentile, rating above
state and national averages at each grade level and in each subject area. We’re proud that
from 90-93% of our seniors pursue college immediately following graduation. Faculty
members have earned national certification, presented at state and national conferences,
published articles in professional publications, and have won a variety of grants.
Page 8 www.portageps.org 323-5000