April 3, 2026

Inside our newsletter this month:

School Board and State Policy Updates

District News

Student & School Highlights

Recognitions

Events & Opportunities

In Memoriam

Remembering Stephen Dyro

FY27 Budget Public Hearing and Vote Set for April 14

On Tuesday, March 31, the Board of Public Education held a first reading and a public hearing on the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year. The fiscal year 2027 (FY27) 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. The Board will hold a second reading and public hearing on the budget on April 14 and vote that day to recommend a school budget to the City Council for bottom line approval. Learn more about the FY27 budget or watch our Budget in Brief video series to better understand how the school funding formula works.

Board OKs Revised Middle School Resolution

The Board of Public Education on March 24 approved a resolution directing the superintendent to develop by October 2026 comprehensive recommendations to reorganize the district’s middle schools. The Board’s vote was a revision of a resolution that it first proposed in February to consolidate the district’s three middle schools into two no later than the 2027-28 school year. Factors influencing the proposal include opportunities to support academic achievement, declining enrollment, low utilization of classroom space, significant repair needs, and fiscal pressures. The final resolution that the Board approved was a revised proposal removing the specific direction to consolidate the schools, although not ruling that option out.

District Calendar for 2026-2027

The Board of Public Education at its March 31 business meeting approved the district calendar for the 2026-2027 school year. Over the past few weeks, the calendar underwent revisions based on feedback from staff, families and the community before the final version was approved. Labor Day is late in 2026—it not until Monday, September 7—so students and staff will begin the school year before that date. However, there will be no school on Friday, September 4, enabling everyone to have a long holiday weekend. View the calendar and learn more details.

Public Comment Policy Updated

The Portland Board of Public Education highly values the participation of PPS students, staff, families, and the broader community in its decision making and oversight of the school district. At its March 31 business meeting, the Board updated its policy on Public Participation at Board meetings. The policy, first adopted 20 years ago, was last revised in 2023. The new revisions include clarifying the three ways to provide public comment at Board and also Board committee meetings. It also sets limits on the duration of public comment and gives details on how to submit written comments outside of Board meetings. View policy BEDH.

School Construction Legislation

A bill advancing in the state Legislature calls for significant changes to the way Maine funds school construction projects, potentially impacting PPS. Key aspects of LD 1892, which has been amended and passed by the Education Committee, include $50 million in general fund surplus for the revolving renovation fund, raising the loan cap from $2 million to $8 million, and creating a new Accelerator Fund for urgent heat, air conditioning, or roof repair. The bill directs the Department of Education to adopt a cost-sharing model for major capital projects, moving away from the current all-or-nothing approach. That could help Portland receive funding for a new consolidated high school but would mean a higher local share.

Last Day of School Reminder

The Portland Public Schools closed schools due to bad weather three days this school year — on Dec. 2, Jan. 7 and Jan. 26. These three days were traditional “snow days,” when students didn’t go to school in person or learn remotely. These days need to be made up at the end of the school year, which means that the last day of school for students will be on June 18, a half day, with June 22 as the last day for teachers. In accordance with the district’s weather policy, if we need to close schools again this school year due to inclement weather, we will have remote learning days instead of a snow day. On remote learning days, students will stay home and will be expected to complete academic assignments.

Ruling Favors MPA, PPS Position

A federal judge has ruled the Maine Principals Association can supply the rosters of school athletic teams to the Department of Justice but not information identifying transgender athletes statewide. Superintendent Ryan Scallon said the district is "overall very pleased" with the decision. PPS intervened in the lawsuit to protect student privacy and the ruling does that, because the rosters are already public but the other information the DOJ sought is private, protected by federal law and not necessary to the lawsuit's claims, he said. DOJ filed the lawsuit against Maine contending the state is violating Title IX and subpoenaed the MPA for team rosters but also other documents with personal and medical information on some students. The MPA and the district opposed the requests.

2026-2027 Enrollment Now Open

Families that are enrolling a new student or have a student moving between schools: Enrollment at the Portland Public Schools is open for the 2026-2027 school year and students also can still enroll for the current 2025-2026 school year. Registrations for the 2026-2027 school year opened on February 23, 2026 for kindergarten and on April 1, 2026 for grades 1-12. Ready to get started? Go to the Enrollment and Registration page on our website.

March 19 PD Day Highlights

On March 19, high school, middle school and elementary school staff engaged in a full day of meaningful professional development (PD). At the middle and high school levels, the PD focused on collaboration, reflection, and strengthening student support systems. The day was spent in both school-based growth and cross-school alignment, with a focus on strengthening student support systems across schools. The PD day wasn’t just for educators—a variety of staff were involved in such activities as learning proactive strategies to de-escalate a crisis.

April Tech Tip: Digital Footprint

Today, much of our lives happen online. Helping our children make intentional choices about what they post—and why being their authentic selves matters—can feel tricky. After all, most of us didn't have to manage a "digital footprint" when we were their age!

Understanding how online tracks shape our identity is a vital modern skill. Here are a few ways to start the conversation at home.

Photo of LMS students at leadership conference

Students Lead at Conference

Lincoln Middle School educator Maggie Garrity shared the following account of how attending a leadership conference empowered a group of Lincoln Middle School students: Lincoln Middle School, in collaboration with the Make It Happen (MIH) program, proudly brought 15 students to the Maine Youth Leadership Conference at Central Maine Community College in Auburn on March 19–20. With 11 of the 15 students actively involved in the MIH program, the trip highlighted the powerful impact of leadership development opportunities and support for multilingual learners.

PHS Grant Fosters Community

Portland High School Asian Student Union members have won a $1,000 Painting for a Purpose Student Empowerment Grant for their “Cultural Awareness and Community Building” project. The project involves creating a mural at PHS and hosting community events. The mural will serve as a permanent symbol of representation and inclusion, reflecting the diversity within the school. The PHS students say they hope that their project will “promote cultural awareness and build a stronger sense of community, almost like creating a city within a city where everyone feels seen and welcomed.”

Students Study Flood Resilience

King Middle School is an EL Education school where students engage in expeditionary learning and investigate their community with fieldwork, community experts, and authentic final products. This year, 88 sixth graders learned about flood resistant cities by collecting data about flooding in Portland. Teacher Katelyn Virmalo shared this account of the project: “Students designed and built 3D models for the empty lots on Somerset Street. Students presented Bayside flooding data and a newsletter to communicate their findings. They made choices about neighborhood design and flood resilience.

Photo of painting for purpose check for CBHS student

CBHS Senior Explores Solution

A $100 Student Empowerment Grant from Painting for a Purpose will help Casco Bay High School senior Brielle Erskine come up with a ‘Slice of a Solution” to address increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. As seniors, CBHS students undertake the Senior Expedition, a time to conduct research on a topic they care deeply about, one that calls for action and advocacy. They use that research to write an expert paper and to present a Casco Talk to the Casco community— and develop a "Slice of Solution" that addresses the problem at the heart of their topic. Erskine’s topic is about increasing CO2 levels and the importance of planting native trees and plants.

Enrichment Benefits Students

Make It Happen middle school students have been engaged and are thriving! Make It Happen (MIH) is an academic-success initiative for multilingual students. Beyond the classroom and afterschool homework help, MIH offers several exciting enrichment opportunities. For the third year, MIH partnered with Portland Youth Dance to offer AfroBeats and hip hop-style dance forms. Lyman Moore and Lincoln middle schools each celebrated with a culminating performance: Lyman Moore at The Exchange, an annual hip hop jam, and Lincoln at their Culture Day school event.

Cozy Chair, Engaging Books

Some fourth- and fifth-graders at Longfellow Elementary School have won a $400 Painting for a Purpose grant for their “Cozy Chair Project.” "The purpose of the grant is to purchase new books which will be more engaging for students in the upper elementary grades who may be reluctant readers,” said Longfellow educational technician Mary Jane Perry. In addition, she said, the grant will be used to purchase some comfortable seating for a "Calming Corner” in the classroom, a respite spot for students when they need a place to regulate themselves in the course of their day.

Students Learn Maple Sugaring

All PPS kindergarteners participate in maple sugaring as part of the district's Wabanaki Studies curriculum. The culminating event is at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) Sugar House. Students bring the sap they've collected from trees on their school campuses to PATHS. Horticulture program students process it into maple syrup in their Sugar House. Kindergarteners visit, watch the process, learn about maple identification with a Maine Audubon team, create a maple leaf ornament, listen to a Passamaquoddy storyteller share a Wabanaki story about maple sugaring, and, finally, enjoy maple syrup on ice cream!

PATHS Dancers Win Grant

Two seniors in the Dance program at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) have won a $1,000 Painting for a Purpose Student Empowerment Grant for their "Hip Hop and Afrobeat Classes” project that aims to share the power of dance with younger students. The PATHS students will teach hip-hop and Afrobeat style classes and create a dance for elementary and middle school students. “We will be elevating the importance of these styles and offering an opportunity for students to express themselves through these dance forms,” the PATHS dancers said.

Read More about PATHS Dancers Win Grant

Rachel Talbot Ross and Bulldogs boys basketball team

Bulldogs Honored by State Senator

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 Window artwork by Penelope Schofield

PPS Students’ Work in Art Show

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.

PATHS Medal Winners at SkillsUSA competition March 2026

Students Medal at SkillsUSA

Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) students recently had an outstanding showing at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference held in March in Bangor. Representing PATHS' programs with professionalism and skill, students competed across a variety of areas including Automotive, Collision Repair, Early Childhood Education, Food Service, and Commercial Art. PATHS is proud to announce an impressive medal count this year.

Literary Magazine Is 'First Class'

"The Blue Heron," Casco Bay High School’s literary magazine, has been recognized as a REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). In 2025, 456 student magazines from middle school, high school and higher education were nominated. 135 magazines won the contest’s highest distinction, REALM First Class. The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with teacher support. At CBHS, teachers Leslie Appelbaum and Rebecca Turkewitz are the magazine's advisors. Learn more.

PHS librarian Susie Nicks at a Board meeting

Board Honors PHS Librarian

The Board of Public Education at its March 31 meeting 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.

My Blue Monday, 80s cover band with PPS teachers

Teacher Band to Perform April 3

Three Portland Public Schools educators, part of an 80's cover band called My Blue Monday, will perform at a King Middle School drama department fundraiser on Friday, April 3, from 7-11 p.m. at The Eagles Club in Portland. The cover charge is: Donate what you can! The educators are Christian Perry of King Middle School; Bobby Shaddox, formerly of Rowe Elementary School; and Annemarie Orth of Casco Bay High School. Come dressed in your 80s outfits and get ready to dance and sing along! (No kids please.)

April 3 is Student Art Show

The public is invited to the 4th Annual Make It Happen Middle School Art Exhibit on April 3 at the PPS Multilingual Center, located in Central Office at 353 Cumberland Avenue. This 4-7 p.m. event coincides with Portland’s Friday Art Walk. Make It Happen is an academic success initiative for multilingual students. Students have created artwork centered around the theme of Belonging: Identity, Community and Acceptance. Please come and appreciate our budding artists.

Conference with A.J. Juliani

The Southern Maine Partnership's Spring Conference, on April 10, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at USM's Hannaford Hall, will feature educator and author A.J. Juliani. His talk, titled, "Leading Learning in an Age of A.I. and Distraction,” will help educators navigate the digital world's impact on student focus and engagement. Also featured at the conference will be former Casco Bay High School Principal Derek Pierce and his "Learning from Maine" series. PPS employees receive $25 off the full registration price.

PATHS Art Program at CAMP

The Commercial Art program at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) has been hard at work creating original comics and zines to sell at CAMP—Comic Arts Maine Portland—on Saturday, April 11 from 10am-4:30pm. This is a free event happening at the Portland Public library with over 90 exhibiting comic artists. With the help of a Foundation for Portland Public Schools grant, our program is also sponsoring and volunteering at CAMP. They'd love to see members of the Portland Public Schools community there! Learn more.

Parent U: Specialized Programs

The third session in the Portland Public Schools' special education Parent University series will take place on Tuesday, April 28, at King Middle School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This session will go into detail about the range of special education programming available at PPS. We will talk about what our settings and programs look like, what needs they serve, and the ways that students might access them. We will also discuss the related services, such as speech, that some students receive through their individualized education programs (IEPs).

Maine Startup Challenge Open

The Maine Startup Challenge (“MSC”) is a statewide competition where students and aspiring entrepreneurs turn an idea (app, business or side hustle) into a one-page business plan and compete for cash prizes. Ideas and early-stage concepts are welcome. No experience is required. Applications are open for the month of April—apply by May 1, 2026. Since launching in 2022, MSC has worked to inspire entrepreneurial thinking at every age. Learn more and apply.

Stephen Dyro, former PHS educator, revised photo

Remembering Stephen Dyro, Longtime ELL Teacher

The Portland Public Schools family mourns the loss of Stephen Dyro, a former longtime ELL teacher at Portland High School. Mr. Dyro, 79, passed away on March 23, 2026. He not only graduated from Portland High School, but—as part of his lifelong vocation and a lifelong love of the world’s cultures—would go on to devote more than two decades to teaching English to immigrants and refugees at his alma mater. We extend deepest condolences to Mr. Dyro's family, friends and former colleagues. Services for Mr. Dyro took place in late March. Read his obituary.

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April 3, 2026

Inside our newsletter this month: