If your child is going to be absent, please call the Lewiston Office before 7:55 AM. When leaving a message, be sure to provide your child's name, their teacher's name, and the reason for their absence.
Our doors open at 7:40 AM.
- Students arriving after 8:00 AM will be marked late.
- Students arriving after 8:00 AM must be brought in and signed in by an adult.
- Students arriving after 9:00 AM will be marked absent for the AM.
- Students leaving before 2:00 PM will be marked absent for the PM.
Please provide a doctor’s note for absences due to an appointment.
It is also important to inform the office before 2:00 PM if there are changes to how your child will be going home. The office is very busy at the end of the day, making it increasingly difficult to accommodate last-minute transportation changes after 2:00 PM. The earlier you communicate these changes, the better.
To ensure the safety of all PCSD students, parents/guardians must provide a note or call the office directly to communicate any changes to a child's end-of-day transportation arrangements.
Thank you!
Tammy Paulson
Email: paulsonta@portage.k12.wi.us
Phone: (608) 742-2524 Ext. 5001
Firearm Safety
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, and 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. More information on these concepts is available at the WDNR website. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/HuntingSafety
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). Consider this conversation for any aged child. Older
children may have the opportunity to be in a home without parental presence.
