Portage Northern High School • Jim French, Principal • nhs.portageps.org • 269.323.5400 • February 2018 SCHEDULING FOR 2018-2019 We get a lot of questions about how scheduling works here at Northern. Here is a timeline of the process: Mid-late January By the end of 1st semester, teachers will enter course recommendations into Skyward for core classes (English, math, science, social studies and world language). These cannot be viewed on the family portal. February 7+8+12 Counselors will visit all English classes for grades 9-11 and give each student their Scheduling Form showing the core recommendations from their teachers. Students will add their electives and alternates to this form and take home for parent discussion and signature. It is also the student’s responsibility to enter their electives and alternates into Skyward, thus building their schedule requests for 2018-19. Selected course values must total seven credits. We encourage students to talk with their parents, teachers and counselors regarding course selection for next year. It is imperative that all students and parents communicate well regarding course selection, as the opportunity to change classes in the fall will be extremely limited due to class sizes and teacher availability. If a student would like to go ‘off-recommendation’ for a given subject, they can pick up a form in the counseling office and take it to the teacher of that course for discussion. Parent, teacher and student must all sign an Off- Recommendation form and return it to the counseling office. Only a counselor can remove a pre-loaded ‘core recommended’ class from a teacher and replace with a requested course. Students have approximately two weeks to enter their requests into Skyward, thus completing their part in the scheduling process. February 13 IB informational meeting with Sophomores during hours 6-7. February 14+15 Education for Employment/Education for Arts presentations to Sophomores during their English classes. February 21, 22, 27, 28 and March 1 Each counselor will meet one-on-one with every student in their case load to finalize each student’s course requests. At that time, counselors will make necessary adjustments in Skyward and will review graduation requirements with students. These meetings will be in the auditorium and the students will be called down by last name on one of these five school days. They must bring their signed Scheduling Form, and EFE/EFA applications if applicable. Late August Final schedules are available on Skyward typically the week before school starts but the exact date and time will be announced as it gets closer. If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please contact our Counseling office at 323-5475.
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Huskie Tracks - February 2018 - Page
Portage Northern High School • Jim French, Principal • nhs.portageps.org • 269.323.5400 • February 2018
SCHEDULING FOR 2018-2019 We get a lot of questions about how scheduling works here at Northern. Here is a timeline of the process:
Mid-late January
By the end of 1st semester, teachers will enter course recommendations into Skyward for core classes (English, math, science, social studies and world language). These cannot be viewed on the family portal.
February 7+8+12
Counselors will visit all English classes for grades 9-11 and give each student their Scheduling Form showing the
core recommendations from their teachers. Students will add their electives and alternates to this form and take home for parent discussion and signature. It is also the student’s responsibility to enter their electives and
alternates into Skyward, thus building their schedule requests for 2018-19. Selected course values must total
seven credits.
We encourage students to talk with their parents, teachers and counselors regarding course selection for next
year. It is imperative that all students and parents communicate well regarding course selection, as the opportunity to change classes in the fall will be extremely limited due to class sizes and teacher availability.
If a student would like to go ‘off-recommendation’ for a given subject, they can pick up a form in the counseling
office and take it to the teacher of that course for discussion. Parent, teacher and student must all sign an Off-Recommendation form and return it to the counseling office. Only a counselor can remove a pre-loaded ‘core
recommended’ class from a teacher and replace with a requested course.
Students have approximately two weeks to enter their requests into Skyward, thus completing their part in the
scheduling process.
February 13
IB informational meeting with Sophomores during hours 6-7.
February 14+15
Education for Employment/Education for Arts presentations to Sophomores during their English classes.
February 21, 22, 27, 28 and March 1
Each counselor will meet one-on-one with every student in their case load to finalize each student’s course
requests. At that time, counselors will make necessary adjustments in Skyward and will review graduation
requirements with students. These meetings will be in the auditorium and the students will be called down by last name on one of these five school days. They must bring their signed Scheduling Form, and EFE/EFA
applications if applicable.
Late August
Final schedules are available on Skyward typically the week before school starts but the exact date and time will
be announced as it gets closer.
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please contact our Counseling office at 323-5475.
Huskie Tracks - February 2018 - Page 2
SADIE HAWKINS DETAILS To wrap up Winterfest Week, the annual Sadie Hawkins dance will be Saturday, February 10 from 8-11 pm in the Lower Level Commons. Attire is semi casual and all grade levels are welcome to attend. If students are bringing a
guest from another school, they must have a completed guest pass on file in their grade level office beforehand or
they will not be allowed entry. Tickets will be sold during both lunches on Thursday (2/8) and Friday (2/9) for $10 each. Students are encouraged to get tickets early, as ticket prices go up to $12 each at the door on Saturday.
SPRING CONFERENCES Spring Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday March 5 and Wednesday March 7 from 3:30pm-
7:15pm. If you are unable to attend Parent Teacher conferences in person, we recommend emailing your student’s teachers to conference via email.
FAFSA ASSISTANCE Are you a senior parent? Do you need help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid? This
document is required for all students interested in financial aid for fall 2018. Our Counseling department will have Financial Aid experts here Tuesday February 13 with appointment slots during the school day to meet with
parents/students individually to help get started completing the FAFSA online. Call our counseling office at 323-
5475 to make an appointment to meet with a representative. A list of required documents and information will be available when you schedule.
Huskie Tracks - February 2018 - Page 3
LUNCH AND LEARN We are excited to announce a new lunch series for our students, ‘Lunch and Learn’. Sponsored by our counseling
office and KRESA’s Education for Employment program, students will have the opportunity to join in on weekly
lunch presentations with area professionals to learn more about career options and career readiness. Over the upcoming weeks in February, March and April, we'll have career representatives from a variety of different fields
come share info about their profession, training, experience and day to day work.
Our first Lunch and Learn is Thursday February 8, where students can learn about a career in Robotic Design. A
Robotic Design Engineer from Stryker will be here to talk about his field, share hands on activities and answer questions.
Interested students can sign up in the counseling office the day before to reserve their seat, and they’ll attend the
presentation during their regularly scheduled lunch time. Free pizza will be served.
We hope many students sign up to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn practical knowledge about
career possibilities.
“SCREENAGERS” AND SOCIAL MEDIA PITFALLS Be an informed parent! The counseling departments from Portage Northern and Portage Central High Schools, as well as from North, Central and West Middle Schools are hosting a special viewing of “Screenagers: Growing Up in
the Digital Age”. This movie focuses on the
impact of screen time, finding balance, and navigating the digital world. This free
screening is Tuesday February 13 at 6:30pm in the Northern Auditorium. For more
information on the movie, check their website at screenagersmovie.com.
And then on Monday February 19, our School
Liaison Office Nate Slavin will give a special presentation on Social Media Pitfalls. He will
share the potential legal and disciplinary consequences of social media activity and the
pitfalls and dangers—both perceived and real—of social media in our culture at large
and in our school. He recently presented this
information to our staff and we learned very eye-opening ramifications of some seemingly
harmless online behaviors. Join us in the Community Rooms, February 19 at 7pm.
We encourage parents and students to attend
both of these events.
AP EXAM REGISTRATION AP Exam Registration will run from February 1-28. Exam registration will occur completely
electronically at www.pnexams.com AP Exams will cost $94 each this year. If your
student qualifies for free/reduced lunch, they may qualify for a reduced rate. Please contact
MENCHINGER FORENSICS TOURNAMENT Come see our award winning forensics team in action as Portage Northern proudly hosts the 43rd Menchinger
Invitational on Saturday March 3 throughout our building. Rounds start at 9am, 10:30am and noon, with semi-
finals staring around 1:30, finals at 3:00, and awards by approx 5pm. There will be volunteers on each floor to help you find an event to attend. We recommend you arrive 30 minutes before the start of a round so there is
time to locate an event and get settled. Come cheer on these hardworking Huskies at this free event!
YEARBOOK There is still time to get your 2018 yearbook on order for only $70 until February 4. After that date, the price will increase to $75. You can order online find information on our webpage to order online, or you can bring a check
to our main office made out to PN Yearbook (please include your student’s name and grade on the check!).
GRAD BASH UPDATES February is a fabulous month to get involved with Grad Bash 2018! Even non-Senior families can have fun and help with this amazing end of the year party for the PN Seniors, so please join us at one or more of our exciting
and worthwhile events!
Fundraisers
Play Euchre With Friends – Our Euchre Party and Silent Auction
is February 10 at 6:30pm at Main St. Pub on West Main. We have great silent auction items and packages. It will be a super fun night, please
join us! Here is a flyer with all the details including a SignUpGenius link
to save your spot and information on how to pay.
Pampered Chef Fundraising – who doesn’t need something new for their
kitchen?? Going on now through February 12, you can view the catalog and order right online. Items will be shipped direct to your home – super easy way to support Grad Bash!
Moe’s Fundraiser – “Welcome to Moe’s!” – March 2 from 7pm to 9pm, Westnedge location. $10 cash gets you all you want to eat (not including beverages). Grad Bash 2018 earns 50% of all receipts, so please join us
and bring your whole family. Put it on your calendar!
Spring Conferences Bake Sale – Bake 2 dozen goodies, individually wrap them and drop them off at the PN office anytime on March 5. We will sell them at conferences on March 5 and 7. Also, make sure to indulge
and be generous at the Grad Bash Bake Sale table during Conference time!
Please consider volunteering to chaperone Grad Bash 2018. We need parents willing to load kids onto the buses after the Graduation ceremony, ride the buses with them and attend as chaperones at the party venue (and we
promise – it’s NOT Craig’s Cruisers). This is a great way to really contribute and be a part of the last event for the Class of 2018. Contact Teresa Fernandez for volunteering details.
We are planning a fantastic party for the Class of 2018. Feel free to join our monthly meetings, we would love to
see you. We meet next on Monday February 12, at 7pm in the Media Center.
PN IGLOO PINK OUT! The PN Basketball programs will be hosting their 5th Annual PINK-OUT for Cancer Awareness on Friday, February 9 during the women's and men's basketball games. Would you like to help with monetary donations or event
sponsorships? Are you able to volunteer your time to help at the game or with t-shirt sales during that week? Contact Stephanie French at 269-506-0702 or via email [email protected] to find out how you can help the PN
Basketball Program raise over $1500 for this deserving cause!
This is also the Winterfest game, so the Winterfest Court will be crowned during halftime. Wear PINK!
BASKETBALL PLUS PEP BAND, DRUMLINE AND WINTERGUARD On Friday February 16, we invite you to come cheer on our varsity basketball teams as they take on our
crosstown rival Portage Central right here at home. As a bonus, not only will our super fun Pep Band be playing
throughout both games, but during half-time of the women’s game, our brand new WinterGuard will perform, and during the men’s game, our Winter Drumline will show their hard work with a fun performance.
The women’s game starts at 5:45pm, and the men’s game tips off at 7:15pm. Wear your orange and show your Huskie Spirit!! You can find our full athletics schedule at pnhshuskies.org.
PARKING LOT MANNERS Do you drop off your student in the morning or pick up in the afternoon? Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Be patient. Remember when your student was a toddler and you were careful what you said within earshot
because you knew there were watching and learning? That same student is still watching and learning.
Please model good parking lot etiquette and careful driving skills as they will likely be a driver very soon.
Watch for pedestrians. Both in our south and north lots, students and staff have to cross traffic to enter the
building. Please be very aware of people moving around the lots on foot—especially when it’s dark or the
weather is iffy.
Pull as far forward as you can. If your teenager is healthy, they are perfectly capable of walking an extra
distance in order to reduce congestion and increase safety for all.
Please do not drop your high school student at the hairpin turn in the middle school lot. That lot was not
designed for vehicles stopping at that point and it further clogs their traffic flow.
In the morning, try to arrive before 7:30 in lieu of 7:35 or 7:40. In the afternoon, trying arriving at 3:10 or
3:15 instead of 3:00. The different in the parking lot congestion with just that 10-15 minutes shift is remarkable.
When picking up a student athlete after practice, especially at the Doghouse, please park in an approved
parking spot. If your student is a participating athlete, we assume they are able to walk the extra steps
across the parking lot to get to your vehicle. The alternative is a dangerous row of cars along the curved drive down the hill as well as severe congestion in the small Doghouse parking lot, making for a very risky and
frustrating pickup time for everyone.
We appreciate your consideration and thoughtfulness in our student-focused environment.
NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL PRESENTS... With its poignant story and catchy Caribbean-flavored score, Once on This Island JR. is a highly original theatrical adaptation of Hans Christian
Andersen’s popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, and the Tony-nominated Broadway musical by the legendary writing team, Ahrens and
Flaherty. Through almost non-stop song and dance, this full-hearted musical tells the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who rescues and falls
in love with Daniel, a wealthy boy from the other side of her island.
When Daniel is returned to his people, the fantastical gods who rule the island guide Ti Moune on a quest that will test the strength of her love
against the powerful forces of prejudice and hatred.
If you’ve attended any North Middle productions in the past, you know
they are not to be missed! Watch for ticket announcements and details as the show’s opening gets closer, but save a date on your calendar
now. Performances will be March 17-18 and March 24-25, 2018.
Procedures for Placement and Transfer of Resident/In-District Students
Portage Public Schools and the district Board of Education have developed guidelines with the expectation that students
are to enroll in school based on the location of their permanent residence (i.e. where the child regularly resides and
spends the night under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian). The Board of Education approves attendance boundaries after considering recommendations made by the District’s administration. The District strives to provide a
consistent set of high quality programs and services at each school site so that every student’s academic needs can be appropriately addressed, under normal circumstances, at any school within the District’s boundaries.
Attendance at an assigned school will be considered automatic unless the legal parent or guardian requests, in writing,
that the District consider one (or more) special circumstance(s) that likely would impact the student’s educational experience. The recommended decision to allow a transfer to another District school site will be the responsibility
of the current school principal. That recommendation will be based on a discussion with the requested school prin-cipal and a review of information provided by the parent or legal guardian and any other pertinent information that
may be reasonably and legally obtained by the principal concerning the student’s needs. The final decision will be
made by the Instructional Services Office.
A request for another building can be made by families experiencing unusual circumstances or cases of extreme hard-ship and if approved will remain in effect unless it becomes necessary to reduce numbers in a building or to accom-
modate neighborhood enrollment.
Approved moves may be rescinded if attendance or behavior issues are apparent, and it is recommended by school per-sonnel that returning to the home school would best serve the needs of the child. The final decision would be made
by the Instructional Services Office.
Special Education programs and services for students with disabilities are regulated by legislation. Administrative rules determine maximum class size in these programs.
The 2018/19 In-District Transfer Application can be found on the district website at https://portageps.org/enrollment/
transfer/. Applications must be submitted by March 31, 2018 for consideration. Parents will be notified as to the sta-tus of their request no later than May.
Transportation will be the families’ responsibility.
Notes for current transfer families:
If you have a current in-district transfer student(s) that has previously been approved per district guidelines you do not need to reapply to continue to attend the same school.
If you have a current non-resident transfer student(s) you will need to contact your resident district to request a
release for the 2018-19 school year and submit a new application. This needs to be done by March 31 each year.
If you have a current non-resident 105c transfer student (still living at the same address) or a PA227 transfer student (and your employment status hasn’t changed), placement is considered permanent and you do not need to re-
apply to continue attending Portage Public Schools.
Questions may be directed the building principal or to the Instructional Services Office (323-5140).
