Inside PPS - Portage Public Schools

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Inside PPS
August 2013
ISSUE
Secure Entrance Work at Moorsbridge Elementary
What’s Inside:
• News from Food Group
• Important Notices
• Writings from Rabat
• School Safety

District News
News from the Food Group
The Food Group and Chartwells School Dining
Services have exciting plans for your school meal
programs this year. Our mission is to serve nutritious,
well balanced meals that appeal to our students and
school community!
Meal prices and menus for this school year can be
found on the Portage Public Schools website at the Food
Group Department link. Breakfast service begins on
Tuesday, Sept. 3, at all Portage Public School buildings.
Free and Reduced Meal Benefits
In an effort to reduce administrative costs, the Food
Group Department will not be sending meal benefit
applications to each student household in the district this
year. We are asking families to apply for meal benefits at
www.lunchapp.com.
This website provides a step-by-step guide to
assist you with applying for meal benefits for your
family. Once you click on the submit button, your
completed application is forwarded to our application
processing software. The website is very user friendly
and accelerates the approval process for your children
by eliminating common errors such as incorrect Food
Stamp numbers, missing income and missing Social
Security numbers.
Paper applications will also be available on the PPS
website, at the Administration Building, and at the
school building offices. Remember, meal benefit levels
from the previous school year will carry over for the first
30 days of school unless a new application is processed
and your meal benefit level changes.
Pre-Payments
Pre-payments on student accounts can be made at
your child’s school beginning on Sept. 3. To ensure
proper credit to your child’s food service account, please
use the envelopes provided at the school cafés. If you
use your own envelope, include the student’s full name,
ID number, date and amount enclosed on the front of the
envelope.
If you are prepaying by check, please make sure to
include your student’s full name and ID number on the
face of the check in the memo line. All checks should be
made payable to Portage Public Schools. You may also
use a debit or credit card to place money on your child’s
food service account at www.sendmoneytoschool.com.
(Please note there is a $1 convenience fee charged to
your credit/debit card when placing money on
your child’s account.)
Please contact the Food
Group office with any
questions at 323-5155.
Complete free and reduced
meal benefit applications
online at
www.lunchapp.com
The Central Stampede
READ NOW
The Spitfire
READ NOW
The Northern Light
READ NOW
On the Cover
portageps.org
Secure Entrance work on Moorsbridge Elementary. Story on page 7.
• Inside PPS is published monthly and is edited by Information Coordinator Greg Hill: 269.323.5165 ghill@portageps.org

District News
School Year
Highlights
August 19: School offices open
September 3: 1st Semester begins, half-day
•Elementary School dismissal - 11:57 a.m.
•Middle/High School dismissal - 11 a.m.
Dec. 23 - Jan. 3: Winter Recess
April 3-11: Spring Recess
The full calendar is available at portageps.org
Citizens Always Welcome at
Board of Education Meetings
August 19*
September 9
September 23*
October 7
October 21*
November 4
November 18*
December 16*
January 13
January 20*
February 10
February 24*
March 10
March 24*
April 14*
May 5
May 19*
June 2
June 16*
All Board of Education Regular Meetings begin at
6:30 p.m. The meetings with an asterisk, the Board’s
business meetings, are covered by Public Media
Network on Channel 99. Please visit portageps.org/
administration/boardofeducation/meetings.aspx for
meeting locations.
For more information about the Board, please visit the
Board page at portageps.org (see Administration).
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District
Phone Contacts
District Offices
Community Relations...323-5162
Curious Kids…323-6780
Instructional Services…323-5140
Human Resources…323-5174
School-Closing Hotline…323-6800
Special Education…323-5017
Technology Systems…323-5100
Transportation…323-5151
Elementary Schools
12th Street…323-6900
Amberly…323-5900
Angling Road…323-6000
Central…323-6100
Haverhill…323-6200
Lake Center…323-6300
Moorsbridge…323-6400
Woodland…323-6600
Middle Schools
Central…323-5600
Guidance Office…323-5680
North…323-5700
Guidance Office…323-5777
West…323-5800
Guidance Office…323-5880
High Schools
Central…323-5200
Athletic Office…323-5361
Attendance Office…323-5259
Counseling Office…323-5282
IB Coordinator…323-5274
Community High…323-6769
Northern…323-5400
Athletic Office…323-5561
Auditorium Tickets…323-5470
Guidance Office…323-5475
Important Notice About Your Personal Information
Portage Schools Annual Notifications Disclosure to
Third Parties: Personally identifiable information from the
educational record of the student shall not be released without
the prior consent of the parent or eligible student. Information
may be released to certain individuals or agencies as permitted
by law.
Directory Information: The District provides directory
information which includes: name, address, and telephone.
Directory information may be released unless parent or eligible
student refuses such release. The refusal must be made to
the Principal’s Office of the school which the student attends
within 10 days of the publication of this notice.
Special Education and Section 504 Notifications:
It is the policy of the District to actively find and provide
services to students with disabilities. The District will provide
appropriate evaluations, identifications, and services for
all eligible students under Section 504 of the Vocational
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or current Special Education laws.
Civil Rights Legislation: For information about various
Congressional Acts and Titles impacting education, including
discrimination, please see the article online at portageps.org.
(Departments, then Community Relations).
portageps.org Page 3

District News
Writings from Rabat
Catherine Cartier, a junior at Portage Northern, has had a
dream of studying abroad ever since she was 12 years old.
This next year, that dream becomes a reality. Catherine is traveling
to Morocco as part of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange
and Study (YES) Abroad program. She will spend the next year
living with a host family and studying in Rabat, Morocco. “I am
determined to make the most out of my year in Morocco and
soak up as much language and culture as I possibly can.” Rabat, Morocco
The K-L YES program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, is an opportunity for American high school students
to study for a year in countries with significant Muslim populations through
full academic scholarships. According to the program’s website, YES Abroad
students will serve as ‘youth ambassadors’ of the United States, promoting mutual
understanding through the formation of lasting
relationships with their host families and
communities. To find out
more about the program,
visit yesprograms.org/
yesabroad.
Catherine will be
writing about her experiences
at writingsfromrabat.blogspot.com.
We
wish her a fantastic and
exciting year!
YES Abroad Morrocco Group
Catherine Cartier
News for New Families
Enrollment Continues -
It’s not too late to enroll your child in Portage Public Schools! For detailed instructions on how to enroll your students
and to obtain the necessary paperwork, go to www.portageps.org and click on, “Enroll Now.” You can also pick up an
enrollment packet from the Administration Building (8111 S. Westnege Ave.)
New Student Orientations -
For New Student Orientation information, check your school’s website.
Stay Connected -
Sign-up for the District’s informational emails sent directly to subscribers. Go to the News & Links webpage to register.
portageps.org Page 4

Attention Parents
of Bus Riders
Portage Schools will again make available for
purchase a voluntary student accident insurance
program for this new school year.
PPS offers this voluntary program because of trends
in family health and dental insurance. Decreasing
coverage levels with increasing deductibles and/or
percentages of co-payments are common trends that
families are facing today.
Furthermore, PPS does not provide any type of
health or accident insurance for injuries incurred
by students while in school, participating in schoolrelated
activities, interscholastic sports and intramural
sports.
The voluntary insurance program has a variety of
District News
Do you want your student to ride
the school bus next year? Do
you want to save time and money and
help the environment at the same too?
In order for Portage Public Schools to
provide a safe and orderly bus ride, we require all parents to register their students for bus service.
Portage students will not be scheduled for bus service unless the parents/guardians notify the transportation
department in writing. You may download the form at www.portageps.org/departments/transportation/requestform/transportation_requestform.pdf
and submit it to the transportation office via fax (269-323-5193), or by
mail. If you do not have internet access, you may obtain a transportation request form at any Portage school or
transportation office. Obtaining an accurate list of students who will actually be riding our buses is very important
for us to design efficient, low cost bus routes and to assure the safety of the students.
Voluntary Student Accident
Insurance Available for Purchase
Reminder: The Administration
Building has moved!
REMINDER; We’ve moved! The Portage Public
Schools Administration Building is now located at
8107 Mustang Dr. While our mailing address remains
the same at 8111 S. Westnedge, our physical location
has changed. You may find us in front of Central
High School, and across the parking lot from the old
Administration Building.
options available including a Football-Only Plan for
grades 9-12. Due to the risks associated with these
ages for this sport, there is an additional premium for
this coverage.
The comprehensive benefit option is described in
the brochure to be distributed at the start of the school
year. This option level was designed to respond to
diverse family insurance needs. Coverage provided
can help decrease the burden of unexpected medical
and dental expenses, including those left unpaid due to
family insurance deductibles and co-payments.
Enrollment forms are included with the brochures
and will be distributed at the start of the school year.
portageps.org Page 5

District News
PPS is proud to introduce...
J. Tyler Baas, English Teacher at Central High School
Samantha Bowditch, Spanish Teacher at Central Middle School
Kristine Briggs, District Behavior Specialist
Cassandra Corning, Kindergarten Teacher at Amberly Elementary
Martha Foster, Math Teacher at North Middle School
Casey Fry, Resource Room Teacher at Central High School
Christopher Furlong, Health Teacher at Northern High School
Megan Greenberg, Kindergarten Teacher at 12th Street Elementary
Melissa Holso, Band Instructor at North Middle School
Mae LaFave, 5th Grade Teacher at 12TH Street Elementary
Kyle Larner, Math Teacher at Central High School
Ryan Ledlow, Social Studies Teacher at Northern High School
Kristen Mulder, 3rd Grade Teacher at Moorsbridge Elementary
Emily Myers, Family and Consumer Science Teacher at Northern High School
Sarah Nott, Art Teacher at Northern High School
Michelle Olsen, 4th Grade Teacher at Angling Road Elementary
Benjamin Overbeek, 4th Grade Teacher at Amberly Elementary
Rachele Reidel, Spanish Teacher at Central High School
Elizabeth Shotwell, Physical Education at Angling Road
Sarah Smith, 1st Grade Teacher at Angling Road Elementary
Marna Stitt, Resource Teacher at Angling Road Elementary
Please help us welcome our
new staff and teachers!
*Additional new hires will be announced
as they become Board approved
Transportation
Schedules;
Safety Tips for
Drivers
The Transportation Department will be sending postcards in the coming
days with estimated bus assignments to all K-12 students eligible for
transportation services and who signed up for these services. Information
includes the bus number, the bus stop location, and the estimated times for
both pick-up and drop-off.
A Bus Safety Reminder
When you see our bus fleet on the road, please remember:
• When yellow lights are flashing, use caution and prepare to stop.
• When yellow hazard warning lights are flashing, proceed with caution.
• When red lights are flashing, stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus.
• When the red lights are turned off, you may proceed.
portageps.org Page 6

School Safety -
A Top District Priority
Every year, thousands of parents in the Portage community
entrust our teachers and administrators with their most
prized possessions. With that trust comes the expectation of
safety in our classrooms and schools. As the world around us
changes, that challenge is ever increasing. While statistically a
school classroom is the safest place for our children, it remains
our duty to be vigilant and ensure those statistics ring true at
Portage Public Schools.
Over the summer, PPS invested more than $600,000 in security
upgrades to several of our buildings. This included secure
entrance work at Angling Road, Central, Haverhill, Moorsbridge
and Woodland Elementary schools, North and West
Middle, and the Community Education Center. Some of this
work was quite extensive, involving the cutting of new entrances,
moving of offices, and installation of automatic door locking
controls that can be operated from within office areas.
The goal of these renovations is to allow the exterior doors
of each school to be locked down during school hours. Visitors
will enter the buildings via the main office, where office personnel
will have electronic controls to grant or deny access into the
school.
In addition to secure entrances, PPS has also taken steps to
improve safety on our grounds, as well as transient times before
and after school. One major project this summer has been the
clearing of undergrowth throughout the woods near Amberly
Elementary. The clean out is aimed to promote visibility in the
wooded areas increasing security, as well as to address loitering
problems.
Our teachers and staff are dedicated to the safety and growth
of our students. As a District we remain committed to giving
our children a safe and stimulating learning environment.
portageps.org
Cover Story
Moorsbridge Elementary
West Middle School
Haverhill Elementary
“We belive the secured entrances will provide another layer of safety for our students while at school. Another important
safey feature will be to create a culture among school visitors to make student safety their priority. Providing
current contact information or turning off a cell phone when in the drop-off lane to watch for pedestrians are two
examples of how we can keep children safe.”
~Sarah Baker
Community Relations Manager
Page 7

Upcoming Events
August 12 - PAF Golf Outing at The Moors Golf Club
More information / registration at www.portageathleticfoundation.org
August 19 - Board of Education meeting 6:30pm in the Council
Chambers at City Hall
August 26 - 6th Grade / New Middle School Student Orientation
(times vary by school - see your schools website)
August 27 - Freshman / New High School Student Orientation
(times vary by school - see your schools website)
September 3 - First Day of School (half day)
The Fall 2013 Enriched for Life
catalog is out in mailboxes soon!
The Fall 2013 Enriched For Life will be in mailboxes soon!
Click on the catalog image to get a preview of what courses are
available this Fall. There is something for children of ALL ages -
from children’s art classes, to adult Yoga-Pilates Synergy, to
estate planning. Space is limited - check out the catalog and register
before your desired class fills up!
Enriched for Life
Fall 2013
(269) 323-6700
www.ppscommed.org
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portageps.org Page 8