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Ellis Wood, valedictorian of the Deering High School Class of 2026, is a college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winner, making him a National Merit Scholar. Wood is among just five Maine students recently announced as winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by the U.S. colleges and universities they plan to attend. Wood and the other Maine students are part of a select cohort of more than 2,500 National Merit Finalists nationwide to win the college-sponsored scholarships so far. In Wood’s case, he won a National Merit Tufts University Scholarship, which he'll attend this fall.

Casco Bay High School held its 18th graduation exercises on June 4, at Merrill Auditorium. While Casco’s graduates march to the stage to the traditional sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance,” what typically follows at Casco commencements is more unconventional. This year’s ceremony for the Class of 2026 was no exception, with good-natured jokes interspersing heartfelt personal testimonies and graduates jumping up from their seats to dance in the middle of the event.

Deering High School held its 152nd graduation exercises for the Class of 2026 on June 4, at Merrill Auditorium. Highlights of the student-centered morning ceremony included a “global welcome,” during which individual class members welcomed guests in 14 different languages, and heartfelt speeches by a total of five students. Also included were remarks from Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Deering Assistant Principal Carlie Frederick, as well as student musical performances and the presentation of diplomas.

Portland High School, one of the oldest operating public high schools in the United States, held its 205th graduation exercises on June 3 at Merrill Auditorium. The late morning ceremony included several moving tributes to Portland High Principal Sheila Jepson, who is retiring after leading the school for the past 10 years. The event also featured remarks by Superintendent Ryan Scallon, student speeches and musical performances and the presentation of awards and diplomas. 

Deering High School senior Alma Wallace has won a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship, making her a Merit Scholar. She is one of just eight Maine seniors to be awarded that scholarship and among 2,500 Merit Scholars chosen from a nationwide talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The Portland Public Schools is proud to share that we have been officially recognized as a Common Sense District, a national honor awarded to school systems that demonstrate a strong, community‑wide commitment to digital citizenship and helping students thrive in today’s technology‑rich world. This recognition—from Common Sense Education, a national nonprofit devoted to educating students and families on technology and its uses—reflects the work happening across our schools to ensure students learn how to use digital tools safely, responsibly, and creatively. From understanding online privacy to navigating media literacy and building healthy digital habits, PPS educators are helping students develop the skills they need to learn, connect, and participate confidently in a digital age.

Nludi Celestino, a senior at Casco Bay High School, was chosen May 6 as Boys & Girls Clubs of America 2026 Maine State Youth of the Year! He entered the state competition after being selected as Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine’s Youth of the Year from a pool of candidates across the Southern Maine clubs in April.  He’ll compete in the Youth of the Year regional competition in June.

The process to approve a budget for the 2026-2027 school year is nearing an end. On Monday, May 18, the Council will hold a second reading and take public comment on the budget before voting on sending the school budget to Portland voters for final approval on Tuesday, June 9.

The City’s Finance Committee on April 28 voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council the Board of Public Education’s recommended $179.3 million budget for fiscal year 2027 (FY27). The Council then held a public hearing and first read on the budget on Monday, May 4.

Rowe Elementary School second-graders got a firsthand demonstration of their classroom learning about ancient life forms when they visited the new fossil museum at Portland High School on April 14. PHS'  Rosenthal Museum of Natural History features an impressive collection of fossils, thanks to a generous donation from Sam Rosenthal, PHS Class of 1971. The fossils are Rosenthal’s own extensive collection and include ammonites, ancient alligator jaws, massive megalodon teeth and dinosaur bones. The museum is open to PPS educators and students, enhancing biology instruction and offering hands-on learning experiences. 

The Deering High School Science Olympiad Team took first place at the Maine State Science Olympiad Tournament, held April 11 at the University of Maine Orono. Deering’s student-scientists outperformed 16 teams from across the state, securing a spot to represent Maine at the National Tournament in Los Angeles on May 23. Now, to make this trip a reality, the team is working to raise $20,000 to cover airfare, transportation, lodging, food, and science equipment. The victory is a landmark achievement for Deering, coming just five years after the program’s inception. In addition to the team trophy, science teacher and advisor Cyle Davenport was honored with the Outstanding Coach Award for his role in steering the program to its first state title.

The public is invited to the forum to meet 10 candidates running to be Maine’s next governor and learn about their stance, priorities, and principles on issues impacting public education. Deering High School students will be moderating and posing tough questions.

The Board of Public Education recently recognized Portland High School librarian Susie Nick for winning the Walter J. Taranko School Librarian of the Year Award for 2026. Nick received the award March 25 at a surprise staff meeting in the PHS Library. Maine Association of School Librarians Past-President Heather Perkinson presented Nick with an award certificate and a check for $500 to spend on the PHS Library. Nick was selected for promoting student achievement and creating a welcoming library environment.

On April 28, the City’s Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council the Board of Public Education’s recommended $179.3 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year. The Council, which approves the bottom line of the school budget, will hold a public hearing and first reading of the school budget on Monday, May 4. On Monday, May 18, the Council will hold a second reading and again take public comment on the budget before voting to send a budget to Portland voters for a vote on Tuesday, June 9.

On Tuesday, April 14, the Board of Public Education voted to recommend a $179.3 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year to the City Council. “This important milestone reflects months of thoughtful collaboration, careful planning, and a shared commitment to supporting all of our students,” said Superintendent Ryan Scallon. “This budget represents a balanced approach—one that is fiscally responsible while ensuring we stay the course to success for every student, in alignment with our Strategic Plan.”

As the next step in the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget process, the Board of Public Education will hold a public hearing and vote on Tuesday, April 14, to recommend a FY27 budget to send to the City Council. Earlier, on March 31, the Board held a first reading and a public hearing on the proposed budget, which is for the 2026-2027 school year. The budget currently before the Board is the Board's Finance Committee Recommended Budget. The Finance Committee voted on March 23 to recommend to the Board a budget that made some adjustments to the Superintendent’s FY27 budget proposal. The committee voted to cut the budget by $1.1 million, which would lower its impact on the school portion of the tax rate from the 7.3 percent initially proposed to 6.43 percent. The Board will hold a second reading and public hearing on the budget on April 14 and vote that evening to recommend a school budget to the City Council for bottom line approval. The Board's hybrid meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Casco Bay High School and the public can attend in person or via Zoom at: https://tinyurl.com/3c3tayaj
Learn more about the FY27 budget and watch our Budget in Brief video series to better understand how the school funding formula works.

The artworks of Casco Bay High School student Penelope Schofield and Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) student Anna Maria Loboda are among more than 40 pieces selected by a jury of professional artists to be displayed at the Capitol Complex in the Maine Excellence in Arts Education Exhibition. The exhibition, which opened March 18 and runs until May 28, 2026, is on display in the Cross Office Building in Augusta.

State Senator Rachel Talbot Ross made a special appearance at the March 24 Board of Public Education meeting to recognize the Portland High School boys basketball team for recently winning the Class A boys basketball state championship. The PHS Bulldogs beat Camden Hills on Feb. 28 to claim the state title. It was an amazing run for the Bulldogs, who went from being the sixth seed in the South regional to state champions. The win also gave coach Joe Russo his sixth state title in a 36-year career with the program.

The Board of Public Education's Finance Committee on March 23 held a public hearing on the proposed school budget for the 2026-2027 school year (FY27). The Committee also voted to make adjustments to the FY27 budget that would lower its impact on the school portion of the tax rate from 7.3 percent to 6.43 percent and approved sending its recommended budget to the full Board. The Board is slated to hold a first reading and public hearing on the Finance Committee's recommended budget on March 31. Watch the Finance Committee's meeting on YouTube: https://youtu.be/T6h8qBUwn4s

On March 10, Superintendent Ryan Scallon presented the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year. He started his presentation of the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget with a report of the improved outcomes for students the district has seen over the past two years of implementation of its five-year Strategic Plan—particularly for economically disadvantaged students, multilingual students learning English, and students with IEPs in reading and in math. The proposed budget aims to build on that progress while confronting fiscal challenges.

Casco Bay High School freshman Albertina Dos Santos is the grand prize winner of The Telling Room's 19th Annual Statewide Writing Contest. Dos Santos’ winning poem, "To Love a Country," was recently selected as the winner by a panel of judges that included local authors, illustrators, editors, Telling Room alumni, and current Telling Room students. Dos Santos will be published in The Telling Room’s upcoming annual anthology of youth writing and will receive a cash prize of $250.