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Learn about the latest news and events for the Portland Public Schools.
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One returning Board member, two new members and six student representatives were sworn in at the Portland Board of Public Education’s Dec. 5 Inauguration ceremony. The Board also voted for Sarah Lentz to serve for the second time in a row be the Board’s new chair for the coming year and for Abusana “Micky” Bondo to again be vice chair for a second year.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
On Friday, Dec. 15, Casco Bay High School seniors will participate in the school’s 11th annual “College March” – a public affirmation of students’ higher education goals. Seniors will march down Congress Street to the post office to either mail a college application or a letter to a significant adult in their life who has supported their achieving this milestone.
- Casco Bay High School
- Portland Public Schools
The district has begun hosting student art shows at Central Office, located at 353 Cumberland Avenue. The first show opened on Dec. 1, coinciding with the city’s First Friday Artwalk. The show features the work of talented students from Deering and Portland high schools as well as PATHS; King Middle School; and East End, Longfellow, Presumpscot, Reiche, Rowe and Talbot elementary schools. As with any of our student art shows, this exhibit also serves as a way to showcase the important teaching ongoing in PPS art classes by our amazing art teachers.
The Rising Tide Leadership program, which provides pre-college summer program experiences for Portland Public Schools students from immigrant families, is now in its sixth year and final year. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the program recently awarded five $5,000 scholarships to PPS high school students from immigrant families.
- Casco Bay High School
- Deering High School
- Portland Public Schools
It's the time of year in Maine to expect snow storms and other types of inclement weather events. In advance of the changes in the weather, Superintendent Ryan Scallon presented the Portland Public Schools' snow day plans for the 2023-2024 school year to the Board of Public Education meeting at its Nov. 14 meeting. Here are the details:
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
On Nov. 28, more than 80 students at King Middle School gathered outside the school carrying signs advocating for gun control. The student-led rally followed the Oct. 25 mass shooting in Lewiston. In a report by NewsCenter Channel 6, students said they felt that the shooting could have been prevented and they want to stop such a tragedy from happening again.
- King Middle School
- Portland Public Schools
An increasing number of Portland High School students are participating in the school’s internship program and additional businesses are partnering with PHS to offer internships. Nearly 50 students are participating in internships in many different fields this school year.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
Portland Police are warning citizens of a male approaching young women in the Stevens Avenue area on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. The first incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. near Evergreen Cemetery on Stevens Avenue and the second at approximately 6:30 p.m. near Deering High School. In both incidents, a male in his 20s approached female students and made inappropriate statements towards them. This is a good opportunity to remind students and families to use caution and always be aware of their surroundings. Report any instances to authorities. Investigators are urging anyone who has any information that might assist in this or any other case to call them at (207) 874-8575.
- Deering High School
- Lincoln Middle School
- Longfellow Elementary School
The Deering High School Players are set to stage an enthralling rendition of Reginald Rose's classic drama, "12 Angry Jurors." Under the guidance of Mr. Joshua Chard, 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year and Deering drama director, the Deering Players promise a compelling performance on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 PM, and Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3 PM and 7. Suggested donation is $5+, Free for Deering students.
- East End Community School
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
At its Nov. 14 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education held a caucus to take an informal vote to select new leaders for the coming year. The Board unanimously chose current Board Chair Sarah Lentz to lead the Board again and also unanimously endorsed current Vice Chair Micky Bondo to continue in that role for the next year.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools mourns the loss of Joshua Seal, a beloved member of the Portland Public Schools community, who died Oct. 25 as a result of the shootings in Lewiston. Joshua, 36, who was deaf and the father of four children also part of the PPS community, was director of interpreting services for the Pine Tree Society and a former educational technician at East End Community School. “Josh was a wonderful colleague and parent, but an even better person – smart, funny and kind,” East End Community School Principal Boyd Marley said. “He did work as an ed tech with the MECDHH [Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf] program at East End for a number of years and continues to have many friends here."
- East End Community School
- Portland Public Schools
The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) announced Oct. 31 that it is awarding $64,299 to Portland Public Schools staff members through the FPPS Equity and Innovation Grant program. Seventy-three teachers, ed techs, librarians, and other staff members will receive up to $1,250 each for classroom resources and experiences such as robotics clubs, purchasing math manipulatives, attending concerts, or bringing in guest lecturers. These grants will benefit thousands of students from preK through Portland Adult Education in 16 schools across the district. This year is the 15th year of the Equity and Innovation Grants Program.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals, who are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer five questions about themselves and their leadership role. We also asked what superpower they'd like to have to aid in their jobs. We're featuring each participating principal individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Principal Nicole Bradeen of Longfellow Elementary School.
- Longfellow Elementary School
- Portland Public Schools
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals, who are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer five questions about themselves and their leadership role. We also asked what superpower they'd like to have to aid in their jobs. We're featuring each principal individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Principal Beverly Stevens of Ocean Avenue Elementary School.
- Ocean Avenue School
- Portland Public Schools
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals, who are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer five questions about themselves and their leadership role. We also asked what superpower they'd like to have to aid in their jobs.
We're featuring each participating principal individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Principal Terry Young of Gerald E. Talbot Community School.
- Portland Public Schools
- Talbot Community School
All six candidates for mayor of Portland are expected to attend the student-run forum in Lyman Moore Middle School’s cafeteria on Friday, Nov. 3. Mayoral forums have become a Moore tradition. Candidates should expect challenging questions from the kids.
- Lyman Moore Middle School
- Portland Public Schools
Please see the letter from Superintendent Scallon detailing PPS' plan for schools to be open and return to regular schedules on Monday October 30.
Superintendent Scallon shares updates regarding plans for the possible reopening of our schools on Friday, October 27.
Superintendent Ryan Scallon has issued a letter to the PPS community regarding the tragic shootings in Lewiston on Oct. 25.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has launched a new podcast hosted by Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin featuring conversations with educators, school staff, and students. The podcast launched Oct. 19 with a conversation between Makin and two Portland Public Schools teachers who are Maine Teachers of the Year: Casco Bay High School social studies teacher Matt Bernstein, the 2023 Maine Teacher of the Year, and the newly named 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year Joshua Chard, a second- and third-grade looping teacher at East End Community School and Deering High School’s drama director.
- Deering High School
- East End Community School
- Portland Public Schools
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals, who are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer five questions about themselves and their leadership role. We also asked what superpower they'd like to have to aid in their jobs. We're featuring each principal individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Principal Angie Taylor of Presumpscot Elementary School.
- Portland Public Schools
- Presumpscot Elementary School
An update on the progress that the Portland Public Schools is making on developing and implementing a Wabanaki Studies curriculum and a Local Black History curriculum was presented at the Board of Public Education's Sept. 19 meeting. Both curricula are essential to help students gain an accurate, full and inclusive history of their state and nation. Both curricula also offer opportunities for interdisciplinary learning across all content areas, not just social studies.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals and also on our lead teachers at Reiche Elementary School, a teacher-led school. All of them are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer some questions about themselves and their leadership role.
We're featuring each principal and lead teacher individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Lead Teacher Anne Dalphin.
- Portland Public Schools
- Reiche Elementary School
October is National Principals Month and the Portland Public Schools is taking this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our principals and also on our lead teachers at Reiche Elementary School, a teacher-led school. All of them are super. We celebrate and appreciate them not only this month but always! To showcase them, we have asked our principals and lead teachers to answer five questions about themselves and their leadership role. We also asked what superpower they'd like to have to aid in their jobs.
We're featuring each principal and lead teacher individually during this month. Read on to learn more about Super Lead Teacher Charlie Marenghi of Reiche Elementary School.
- Portland Public Schools
- Reiche Elementary School
Testimonials
What our alumni have to say about Portland Public Schools.
All of my teachers went out of their way to make sure I had the resources I needed to achieve my goals. The extracurricular programs allowed me to find my passion in helping others.
- Alexandra Kiladjian
- Portland High
PHS provided me with a strong foundation of cultural understanding, willingness to lead, and intellectual curiosity that have allowed me to fulfill my ambitions.
- Aren Kiladjian
- Portland High
All of the teachers in the ELL department went out of their way to help me learn. I had the resources I needed in school and outside the school to achieve my goals.
- Zehra Abukar
- Portland High & PATHS
Portland Public Schools
Fast Facts About Our District
6632
Students
Our students come from a wide variety of culturally rich backgrounds. We believe that learning in diverse groups prepares students to thrive.
53
Languages Spoken
Top 10 most spoken languages in the district includes: English, Somali, Arabic, Lingala, Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Vietnamese and Kinyarwanda
88%
Graduation Rate
The Portland Public Schools’ goal is that every student will graduate prepared and empowered for college and career.
49%
Free and Reduced Lunch
Free-and-reduced lunch paperwork is low due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal and state funding has enabled every student to receive free meals without requiring income verification.
143.8M
2023-2024 Budget
The voter-approved budget of $133.1 million balances significant fiscal constraints with maintaining current programs and services and covers increased costs for salaries, benefits and debt service.
1425
Employees
We strive to attract and retain the most talented and diverse staff and are committed to ensuring that our staff members have the skills and support that they need to realize expectations.