PHS NEWSLETTER

November 2024

The Principal's Letter

As we welcome November, we look back on our progress this year and eagerly anticipate the growth ahead. This month is filled with important academic and extracurricular milestones, and we are grateful for your partnership in supporting our students’ success.

Thank You for Attending Conferences

We appreciate everyone who attended October's parent-teacher conferences. Family engagement is crucial in supporting student growth. For those unable to attend, please check Infinite Campus for grade and assignment updates. Your support at home makes a positive difference.

Grading Period Reminder

The first trimester ends on November 26, 2024. Final grades in Infinite Campus will be available on December 3. Please review your student’s progress and contact teachers with any questions.

Important: Update Infinite Campus Information

Accurate information is vital for effective communication. Please log in to your Infinite Campus Portal to verify your details. For assistance, contact Teresa Paulson, District Registrar, at 608-742-8545 Ext 1015.

Is your address up to date?
Are email and phone numbers correct?
Have you updated emergency contacts?

Also, please check that your voicemail is set up and that our number is not blocked, ensuring we can reach you during the school day.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our school. November is a time of gratitude, and we are grateful for our community of dedicated students, families, and staff.

Jennifer Jones Garrigan Ed.D.

Principal Portage High School

Portage Community School District

(608)742-8545 ext. 1001

garriganj@portage.k12.wi.us

District Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year

Monthly Calendar of Events

Dates to Remember

Friday, November 1

7:00 pm Cabaret

Sunday, November 3

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Tuesday, November 5

Election Day

Saturday, November 9

9:00 am - 2:00 pm IDS Holiday Craft Fair

Monday, November 11

2:00 pm Veterans Day Program
4:30 pm Veteran Dinner
5:30 pm "Honor in the Air" Showing

6:30 pm Board of Education Meeting

Friday, November 15

HOSA Blood Drive

Tuesday, November 26

End of Trimester 1

Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29

NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, November 28

8:00 am Turkey Trot

Friday, November 29

6:00 pm PHS Band in the Portage Holiday Parade

November Early Release Fridays- 1, 8, 15, 22

Academic Students of the Week

Trimester 2 Kiel Applications

Students interested in attending Kiel Virtual School trimester 2 should talk to their counselors by Monday, November 11.

Senior Class Information

Linked is the timeline provided by the counseling office ~ Senior Year Timeline.

Caps and Gowns

Orders can be placed directly through the Jostens Website. A variety of packages and products are available but only caps and gowns are needed to walk in the ceremony. If you do not plan to order a cap and gown, please let Mrs. Cohee know if you have one to use or if you would like to borrow one from the school.

Senior Portraits for the yearbook must be submitted no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Please click here for details or contact yearbook advisor Tammy Chase for additional information at chaset@portage.k12.wi.us.

The 2025 Graduation Ceremony is Friday, May 30, 2025 at 7:30 pm.

From the District Nurse

Firearm Safety

In children ages 1 to 17 years, guns are a leading cause of injury (Wilson, et al, 2023). Knowing your child and those visiting your home will be safe, should include some basic considerations. Keep firearms locked and unloaded. Teach children about firearm safety starting at an early age. Think of your child’s safety when away at another home and whether there are firearms present and stored safely versus accessible in a nightstand or drawer. A simple conversation can help bridge your concern for safety wherever your child is with how others approach safe firearm storage.

Unintentional and intentional firearm injuries to children are preventable. Secure firearm storage practices are the cornerstone. Lock firearms unloaded and store away from ammunition (Wilson, et al, 2023). To support the locking of firearms, Portage Community School District has partnered with Columbia County Health and Human Services to offer gun locks at no charge. Anyone interested in a gun lock may reach out to their school’s nurse or stop by the health department at 111 E. Mullett Street, Portage.

As we approach the fall hunting season, have a conversation with your child about firearm safety. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources references 4 rules of firearm safety.

T = Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. A = Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. B = Be certain of your target, what is before and beyond it. K = Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot. (https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/HuntingSafety). More information on these concepts is available at the WDNR website.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a comprehensive parent website about firearm injury prevention and offers this resource for having a conversation with others about the presence or absence of firearms in the home (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Handguns-in-the-Home.aspx). And consider this conversation for any aged child. Older children may have the opportunity to be in a home without parental presence.

Forensics

The PHS Forensics Team is beginning this winter and is open to all students. Forensics is a public speaking program where students develop their communication skills for school, college, employment, and overall enjoyment. Students are able to select a category they would like to compete in--such as poetry reading, solo acting, demonstration speech, and many more found here. They then practice their skills for competitions, where, if they score high enough, they are able to move onto the next competition. There are three competitions: one in February, one in March, and the state competition in April. If students are interested in joining or learning more, please contact Mr. Mulrooney at mulrooneyr@portage.k12.wi.us.

German Club

German Club's October meeting had students preparing for the 35th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Officers introduced a bit of history, handed out "bricks" of the wall, students designed them with "graffiti," and then created a mosaik with their pieces representing an East German car breaking through the Berlin Wall. The final products are hanging outside the German classroom until our November meeting, when we will (as former president Ronald Reagan proclaimed) "tear down that wall"!