Seven elementary schools
serve students in grades K-6 and an outstanding junior
high school emphasizes a progressive core curriculum accentuated
by advanced classes for seventh and eighth graders.
Two elementary level
parochial K-8 schools, St. Mary’s Catholic School and St. John’s
Lutheran School provide an excellent educational alternative
for students as well. Working parents with busy schedules
have access to many licensed and/or certified day care
providers. A before and after school program provides supervised
activities for pre-school children.
Portage was one of the
first communities in the state to establish a non-profit
educational foundation not supported by tax dollars and,
in 1996, raised nearly $1 million for the special programs
to complement the new high school, including the furnishings
and technology in the auditorium. The new high school,
completed in 1997, has a varied curriculum that caters
to student interests. Many advanced placement and honors
classes challenge students to prepare them for college.
Students who desire to enter the workplace directly take
advantage of the school-to-work program that gives them
an opportunity to gain experience in the workforce while
still attending school.
A
wealth of indoor and outdoor athletic programs give students
at all levels an opportunity to participate in competitive
events around the state. Portage High School also
has excellent music, drama, and fine arts programs. The
650 seat auditorium, with its state-of-the-art technology,
provides an extraordinary facility for performing arts.
The University of Wisconsin Center campus
in Baraboo, just 20 minutes from Portage,
provides academic courses in a rural campus setting. The University
of Wisconsin at Madison is only 35 minutes away, making it
ideal for commuters. UW-Madison is the cornerstone of the
statewide University of Wisconsin system, a proud member of
the Big Ten, and is recognized worldwide for its teaching
and research facilities. Madison is also the home of the main
campus for MATC with cutting edge technology training. For
those who would like post-secondary education with a more
personal touch, there is Edgewood College.
Madison Area Technical College-Portage is a
community based post-secondary institution serving the educational
and training needs of Columbia and Marquette counties. Associate
degree level programs available at MATC-Portage include Business
Management, Administrative Assistant, Accounting, Finance
and Marketing. You can also take courses toward completion
of the Criminal Justice-Law Enforcement or Nursing programs.
Certificates are available in Microsoft® software applications
and Nursing Assistant. Classes are held day and evening during
the summer, fall and spring semesters.
Businesses contract
with MATC to provide customized training to their employees in
areas such as Supervision, Maintenance, OSHA, ISO 9002,
as well as topics specific to your company. Training can
occur at any time of the day at MATC or at the business
site.
MATC-Portage also provides
Adult Continuing Education and Adult Basic Education. ACE
courses occur throughout the year in community centers,
schools and churches based upon local requests. ACE courses
include classes on topics like Beginners Golf, Dog Training,
Acrylic Painting, Yoga and many other interesting subjects.
Adult Basic Education provides instruction to individuals
18 ½ years old
and older to prepare them for completion of the GED or HSED.
ABE is located at the MATC-Portage campus and the Job Centers
in Marquette and Columbia Counties.
For more information, please
contact (608) 745-3100 or view www.matcmadison.edu.
