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 | PPS Students Write to Kids in Ukraine Posted on 05/24/2022 Letters of hope to the children of Ukraine, penned by Lincoln Middle School students, took flight on a plane last week for delivery to children in the war zone. The student missives were part of a letter-writing campaign called Operation Hope, whose organizers are now inviting students from other schools in Portland and beyond to write inspiring messages to be delivered to their counterparts in Ukraine.
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 | PHS Student Receives Step Up Award Posted on 05/20/2022 Luzia Vumpa is the 2022 recipient of the Portland High School Step Up Award, now in its 5th year. The Step Up Award provides funding for students in the Make It Happen! program who would otherwise have to forego school-year extracurricular opportunities in order to work after school and/or on weekends. Luzia, a rising junior at Portland High School, will receive $1,250 per semester until graduation for her last two years of high school.
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 | CBHS Teacher 2022 County Teacher of Year! Posted on 05/12/2022 |
 | Moore To Host Model U.N. Conference May 14 Posted on 05/11/2022 |
 | Spring for Teachers Tickets Available! Posted on 05/06/2022 The public is invited to Spring for Teachers, a fundraiser to benefit Portland Public Schools teachers. Tickets are still available for the May 11 event, which will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Bunker Brewing Company. Attendees can enjoy great food and live music and participate in a raffle for an L.L. Bean camping package – all while supporting education innovation in the Portland Public Schools.
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 | Lyseth Educator Is Spanish Teacher of Year Posted on 05/03/2022 Maria Eugenia Fernández Iglesias, a second-grade teacher in Lyseth Elementary School’s Spanish Immersion program, has been selected as Teacher of the Year 2022 by the Ministry of Education, Embassy of Spain. In recognizing Ms. Fernández, the Ministry of Education cited the “Minichefs” project she created for her students.
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 | Students To Celebrate Better World Day 2022 Posted on 04/29/2022 On Friday, May 6, three of Portland’s public schools that are part of the EL Education network – Casco Bay High School, King Middle School and Presumpscot Elementary School – will team up to participate in Better World Day. Small groups of students from the three schools will work with Pamela Moulton, a Maine-based environmental artist, assisting her in creating the giant immersive sculptures that will be a part of her "Every Tree Tells a Story," a public art installation commissioned by TEMPOart and planned for Payson Park this summer.
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 | Kudos to PPS Winter Athletes! Posted on 04/29/2022 Portland Public Schools student athletes distinguished themselves during the winter athletics season. Read on for summaries of student accomplishments in a wide variety of sports, compiled by Athletic Administrator/Co-curricular Director Lance Johnson at Portland High School and Athletic Administrator/Co-curricular Director Michael Daly at Deering High School:
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 | Principals Select Standout Students for Awards Posted on 04/27/2022 The 2022 MPA Principal’s Award winners from the Portland Public Schools’ three high schools are: Ashleigh Danielson, Portland High School, selected by Principal Sheila Jepson; Emily Cheong, Deering High School, selected by Co-Principals Abdullahi Ahmed and Alyson Dame; and Devyn Shaughnessy, Casco Bay High School, selected by Principal Derek Pierce.
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.jpg) | Mobile Makerspace Has Local, National Support Posted on 04/25/2022 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) is thrilled to announce that the Les Paul Foundation is the latest group to support the creation of a Portland Public Schools Mobile Makerspace. The makerspace will provide hands-on science, technology, arts, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) programming to Portland elementary school students, starting this summer.
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 | CBHS Tree Is Upcycle Challenge Finalist Posted on 04/25/2022 A tree sculpture that Casco Bay High School students made this winter from recycled plastic from a landfill is one of three finalists in ecomaine’s school-based 2022 Upcycle Challenge. The school stands to win $500 if the tree gets the most votes by Friday, April 29, at 5 p.m.
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 | LMS Intern Wins Preservice Teacher Award Posted on 04/15/2022 |
 | PATHS Students’ Artwork at Pinecone+Chickadee Posted on 04/14/2022 |
 | 100th Birthday For Deering Alum! Posted on 04/14/2022 Early in April, Bertha (Brien) Montgomery, a 1940 graduate of Deering High School, turned 100, and Krista Simonis from the DHS guidance office was privileged to attend her birthday party on behalf of the school.
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 | Donation of 440 Ukuleles To Benefit Students Posted on 04/14/2022 The Portland Public Schools is very grateful to Greg Heslin, founder of an organization called "Uku Global" which has donated 440 ukuleles to the Portland Schools. Helping to secure this generous donation were PPS volunteer Lee Urban, the founder of the nonprofit Ukuleles Heal the World, and Portland High School music teacher Jayne Sawtelle, with assistance from PPS music coordinator Audrey Cabral.
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 | PAE To Have New Executive Director Posted on 04/13/2022 Portland Adult Education (PAE) will have a new executive director as of this summer: Abbie Yamamoto, who is currently executive director of the Maine Association for New Americans.
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 | PPS Developing Culturally Important Menu Posted on 04/01/2022 The Portland Public Schools Food Service department, in partnership with local nonprofits and consultants, is working to introduce culturally important menu items to the school lunch options served at the district’s high schools.
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.jpg) | DHS Donation To Aid Food Insecure Posted on 03/30/2022 |
 | DHS Debate Students Qualify for Nationals Posted on 03/30/2022 |
 | PATHS’ Sugarhouse Opens on Maple Sunday Posted on 03/24/2022 March 27 is Maine Maple Sunday, an annual event when the state’s sugarhouses offer maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how Maine maple syrup is made. This year, the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) will be among the farms and other maple producers showcasing the sweet stuff, as PATHS holds a grand opening of its new student-built Maple House.
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 | PPS Creating Wabanaki Studies Film Series Posted on 03/16/2022 As part of its work to develop the first comprehensive Wabanaki Studies curriculum in the state of Maine, the Portland Public Schools (PPS) is creating a documentary film series to serve as a central text for each grade level. The district is exploring ways to share this resource with schools around the state.
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 | PPS Wins $250k to Support Outdoor Learning Posted on 03/16/2022 |
 | PAE, Hannaford Partner in Intern Program Posted on 03/04/2022 Portland Adult Education and Hannaford Supermarkets recently launched the New Mainer Hannaford Retail Leadership Internship, a unique program that attracts and recruits foreign-born candidates with professional backgrounds to gain experience working in retail leadership and potentially fill leadership positions at Hannaford stores in southern Maine.
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 | Author Helps EECS Students Celebrate Reading! Posted on 03/03/2022 On Read Across America Day, March 2, each of the 410 students at East End Community School received a book to take home, thanks to the generosity of Pam Leo of the Book Fairy Pantry Project and Islandport Press of Yarmouth.
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 | New Lincoln Principal for 2022-2023 Posted on 03/01/2022 Lincoln Middle School will have a new principal for the 2022-2023 school year: Marisa Ayala, an educator with leadership and bilingual teaching experience with the Boston and Chicago public schools.
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 | DHS Debate Team Triumphs at States Posted on 02/17/2022 Congratulations to the Deering High School Debate Team for their fantastic success at the Feb. 12 State Championship Tournament. “The day was an absolute triumph for Deering Debate,” said Deering English and ELL teacher Molly Callaghan, who advises the team. “Twelve Deering debaters competed in the grueling, day-long virtual event.”
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 | Deering Winner of Esports Tournament Posted on 02/17/2022 |
 | Award-Winning Author Visits Longfellow Posted on 02/17/2022 Longfellow Elementary School students K-5 and staff recently had the opportunity to have author visits with Maryann Cocca-Leffler this month. The award-winning author lives in Portland and has written and illustrated more than 70 children’s books. Many of her stories are inspired by people and events in her own life.
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 | PPS Teacher Receives PAEMST Award! Posted on 02/10/2022 Talbot Community School teacher Cindy Soule, Maine’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, has received another high accolade: a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), which carries a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
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 | PPS Nurse Nominee for LifeChanger Award Posted on 01/25/2022 Portland Public Schools nurse coordinator and Reiche Community School nurse Tina Veilleux has been nominated for the 2021-2022 National LifeChanger of the Year award. Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.
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 | PATHS Ed Tech Is RISE Award Finalist Posted on 01/25/2022 The Portland Public Schools is proud to announce that Martha Thompson, an educational technician at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS), is among 11 Maine finalists for the national Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award.
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 | L.L. Bean Donates $22k for Outdoor Education Posted on 01/24/2022 L.L. Bean has donated $22,000 to the Foundation for Portland Public Schools to continue the partnership between Rippleffect and Portland’s three middle schools. This funding allows students to participate in activities including kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, and outdoor team-building activities with their peers, teachers, and Rippleffect staff.
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 | MLMC Family Specialist RISE Award Finalist Posted on 01/18/2022 The Portland Public Schools is proud to announce that Betsy Paz-Gyimesi, a Spanish-speaking family and community engagement specialist for the district, is among 11 Maine finalists for the national Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award.
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 | PPS Hires New Pre-Kindergarten Director Posted on 01/05/2022 |
 | Board Approves New Contract With BASE Posted on 01/04/2022 The Portland Board of Public Education voted at its Jan. 4 meeting to approve a new two-year contract with the Benefit Association of School Employees, known as the BASE union. That bargaining unit represents employees that include the district’s bus drivers and transportation staff, custodians and maintenance staff, food service workers, computer technicians, accounting specialists, and administrative assistants.
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 | Longfellow Gets Gift from Former PPS Student Posted on 12/21/2021 |
 | Real Estate Internship Hot With PHS Students Posted on 12/21/2021 The Portland High School internship program is going strong, and a real estate internship has become its most popular offering this year. PHS students are partnering with an experienced realtor to learn about the local real estate market and why it’s burgeoning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 | DHS Debate Team: ‘Arguably the best’ Posted on 12/15/2021 The Deering High School Debate Team had another tremendous day at the recent "Nutcracker Sweeps" tournament, racking up a series of wins. Three veterans and eight first-year debaters competed in the Dec. 4 competition.
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 | PPS Receives $175k Grant to Diversify Staff Posted on 12/10/2021 New Schools Venture Fund has granted $175,000 to the Portland Public Schools to support educational technicians in their process of becoming certified to teach. This grant is part of the Foundation for Portland Public Schools’ (FPPS) Addressing the Opportunity Gap Campaign, a community campaign to accelerate and deepen the school district’s equity work.
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 | Talbot Teacher To Receive Leadership Award Posted on 12/07/2021 Cindy Soule, 2021 Maine Teacher of the Year and a fourth-grade teacher at Talbot Community School, will be honored at Educate Maine’s 24th Annual Education Leadership Awards on Friday, Dec. 10. The virtual award ceremony will begin at 12:45 p.m. at the 2021 Education Symposium.
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 | Moore Educator Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellow Posted on 12/06/2021 Kristin Leffler, an eighth-grade social studies teacher and advisor at Lyman Moore Middle School, has been selected as a 2021-2022 Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellow. She’s among just 26 educators from around the country chosen to join the Pulitzer Center's education team for its 2021-2022 fellowship program.
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 | 2021 CBHS College March Set for Dec. 17 Posted on 12/03/2021 Casco Bay High School students’ college aspirations will be on parade Friday, Dec. 17 when CBHS seniors hold the school’s ninth annual “College March” down Congress Street to the downtown post office.
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 | 6th-Grader a Winner in Vaccination Video Contest Posted on 12/03/2021 The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the Maine Department of Education (DOE), this week announced the winners of a video competition for Maine children to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. Natalie Waters, a sixth-grader at Lincoln Middle School, won third place in the Maine Kids COVID-19 Vaccination Video Contest. Her 30-second video encouraging other kids to get vaccinated earned her school a $10,000 prize.
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 | DHS Senior Wins Top Telling Room Prize Posted on 11/23/2021 |
 | PPS Selected for Educator Diversity Program Posted on 11/19/2021 The Portland Public Schools has been selected for a new “Driving Toward Diversity in the Educator Workforce” program to help expand educator diversity in the district. About 49 percent of the district’s approximately 6,500 students identify as people of color, while about 11 percent of staff do. With new funding and dedicated support to increase educator diversity within their ranks, school administrators hope to shift those numbers significantly.
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 | Turkey Day Game Tradition Renewed Posted on 11/18/2021 |
 | King School Celebrates Deering Oaks Project Posted on 11/17/2021 On Nov. 17, students and teachers from King Middle School joined leaders from Portland Parks, Maine Audubon, and others to unveil a new interpretive sign about an ongoing, collaborative, environmental stewardship project in Deering Oaks park.
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 | King Middle School To Join In Sign Unveiling Posted on 11/16/2021 Students and teachers from King Middle School will join leaders from Portland Parks, Maine Audubon, and others to unveil a new interpretive sign about an ongoing, collaborative, environmental stewardship project in Deering Oaks park. A short ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 17, at 8:30 a.m. near the Deering Street entrance to the park. It will include remarks from various partners about the “living laboratory” project and its importance, as well as a ribbon cutting to present the site to the community.
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| School Board Recommends Charter Changes Posted on 11/11/2021 At its Nov. 9 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to deliver to the Charter Commission six recommendations for changes in the City Charter. Board members say the revisions are designed to make decisions on school matters more democratic and participatory and to put the Board on a more equal footing with the City Council.
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 | Ceremonies Celebrate BFOF Renovation Work Posted on 11/01/2021 Portland voters in 2017 approved a $64 million “Building for our Future” (BFOF) bond to renovate four of the city’s public elementary schools. Official groundbreaking ceremonies and a ribbon cutting ceremony were held over the last two weeks of October 2021 to mark the latest developments in the renovation work.
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 | Moore Sixth-Graders Involved Citizens Posted on 10/31/2021 As part of the Civics and Government Unit that Lyman Moore Middle School sixth-graders are engrossed in, a virtual forum for Portland City Council and Board of Public Education candidates was held at Moore on Oct. 28. Students had the opportunity to ask the candidates questions, both political and personal.
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| Policies Related To Law Enforcement Clarified Posted on 10/29/2021 At its Oct. 19 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to adopt a new policy regarding the district’s interaction with law-enforcement and to revise other existing policies related to law enforcement. The Board acted in order to clarify the district’s relationship with law enforcement and to ensure the policies align with the four goals of the Portland Promise, the district’s strategic plan: Achievement, Equity, Whole Student and People.
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 | Exciting Learning at 8th Annual STEM Expo Posted on 10/27/2021 The Portland Public Schools’ Eighth Annual STEM Expo will be a virtual event offering a wide range of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning opportunities for PPS students from elementary school to high school. The Expo, made possible each year through the generous support of key sponsor EnviroLogix, will take place over four days in early November.
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 | FPPS Awards $51,619 in Grants to Educators Posted on 10/26/2021 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has just completed its 13th annual teacher grants program cycle. Sixty-six teachers, ed techs, librarians, and others have been awarded grants totaling $51,619. These grants will benefit thousands of students – from preK through Portland Adult Education – in 17 schools across the Portland Public Schools (PPS).
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 | PPS’ Grace Valenzuela Wins Human Rights Award Posted on 10/22/2021 Dr. Grace Valenzuela, executive director for communications and community partnerships for the Portland Public Schools, has been selected by the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine (HHRC) as the recipient of the 2021 Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership.
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 | Gov. Mills Visits Portland Adult Education! Posted on 10/20/2021 Governor Janet Mills visited Portland Adult Education (PAE) this week to promote its work in providing job and workforce training opportunities for Maine people. As part of her tour, Governor Mills visited with students in English learning classrooms, joined a virtual classroom, and participated in a discussion with former students who have graduated from PAE programs and are now in the workforce.
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 | BFOF Groundbreaking, Ribbon-Cutting Events Posted on 10/19/2021 Portland voters in 2017 approved a $64 million “Building for our Future” (BFOF) bond to renovate four of the city’s public elementary schools. Official groundbreaking ceremonies and a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled over the next two weeks mark the latest milestone in the renovation work.
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 | Grant Benefits Adventure Quests at CBHS Posted on 10/18/2021 Casco Bay High School (CBHS) students will benefit from a new Get Into Nature initiative for the nation’s youth sponsored by Tom’s of Maine’s and funded by the National Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to creating more just and equitable access to recreation programs.
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 | Lyseth Teacher Is Elementary PE Teacher of Year! Posted on 10/07/2021 Merita McKenzie, physical education teacher and coach at Lyseth Elementary School, is the winner of the 2021 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. It is given by the Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (MAHPERD) to recognize educators who conduct quality programs, serve as positive role models and are leaders in their profession, school and community.
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 | College Board Recognizes Outstanding PHS Student Posted on 09/30/2021 Portland High School senior Rahmat Ali has been selected for the College Board National African American Recognition Program. She earned this recognition because of her remarkable academic achievements and outstanding performance on the PSAT and/or AP.
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 | PHS Celebrates Maine's Deaf Culture Week Posted on 09/29/2021 Maine's Deaf Culture Week was September 19-25. Recent Portland High School graduate Anneke Barnard discussed her book, “Heaven's Ghosts,” with PHS students from the The Maine Educational Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf Governor Baxter School for the Deaf.
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| $60k BOA Donation Aids PAE Workforce Programs Posted on 09/28/2021 The nonprofit Friends of Portland Adult Education has received $60,000 from Bank of America to enhance Portland Adult Education’s workforce training programs and career services for its diverse students. The generous donation will help provide skilled, talented employees to meet Maine’s workforce needs and promote racial equity.
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 | Author Pays Timely Virtual Visit to PPS Schools Posted on 09/17/2021 Lincoln and Lyman Moore middle schools and Rowe Elementary School were excited to welcome author Saadia Faruqi for virtual visits this week to discuss her new book, “Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero.” The schools hosted the events in collaboration with Print: A Bookstore. The event at the middle school level was on Sept. 13 and the Rowe visit was Sept. 14.
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 | PPS Students Named National Merit Semifinalists Posted on 09/15/2021 Two high school seniors in the Portland Public Schools have been named Semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented students now have the opportunity to compete for about 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring.
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 | Musical Instrument ‘Clean Out Your Attic’ Posted on 09/03/2021 |
 | Three School Board Seats Up for Election Nov. 2 Posted on 09/02/2021 |
| PPS wins a $500,000 Barr Foundation Grant Posted on 08/18/2021 The Portland Public Schools has won a $500,000 award from the Barr Foundation. The investment from Barr will allow the district to continue its work of helping more students graduate prepared and empowered by focusing on the factors that prevent some students from reaching that goal and by providing strong transitions, high expectations, and targeted supports for those off track along the way.
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| PPS Fills Variety of Key Positions Posted on 08/17/2021 Nine new administrative staff members were introduced to the Portland Board of Public Education at its Aug. 17 meeting. Some are new to the district and others are taking on new roles.
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 | Summer School Learning Fun Posted on 08/02/2021 |
 | CBHS Renews EL Education Credential Posted on 08/02/2021 After a “fabulous” presentation to national school network EL Education evaluators earlier in July, Casco Bay High School (CBHS) has successfully renewed its EL Education Credential for another five years.
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| PPS Continues Participation In SuperSnacks Posted on 07/29/2021 The Portland Public Schools announces its continued participation in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program for its federally assisted after-school snack program. The program offers students, as part of an after-school program in qualifying schools, an afterschool snack that we call SuperSnack.
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 | Deering AD Achieves CAA Status Posted on 07/27/2021 The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) recently announced that Michael L. Daly, Athletic Director/Co-Curricular Director at Deering High School, has been recognized by the NIAAA as a Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA).
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 | PAE’s 173rd Commencement Held June 24 Posted on 06/29/2021 Portland Adult Education (PAE) hosted its 173rd graduation ceremony on June 24 in Merrill Auditorium. There were a total of 72 graduates in the Class of 2021. PAE has been educating Portland adults since 1848.
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 | PHS Seniors Graduate as ‘Olympia’s Leaders’ Posted on 06/18/2021 Five Portland High School seniors recently graduated from the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, designed to help them develop the skills required to be leaders in their lives, families, careers, and communities. The five Portland High School “Olympia’s Leaders” are Ella Whelan Anderson, Skye Ferris, Dalycia Greeley, Ange Ishimwe and Lucia Stone.
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| School Board Approves New Equity Policy Posted on 06/18/2021 |
 | Longfellow Art Project Leads to School-wide Poem Posted on 06/17/2021 |
| New School Leaders at Moore, Reiche Posted on 06/15/2021 |
| Saying Goodbye To Valued Staff Posted on 06/15/2021 The Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana on June 15 recognized three Portland Public Schools dedicated people who are leaving the district at the end of the school year. Honored at the Board meeting were Deering High School Assistant Principal James Moses, district Medical Officer Dr. Patricia Patterson and Fang Liao, who has taught Chinese at Deering and Casco Bay high schools for the past three years.
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 | OAES Head Custodian Celebrated June 11 Posted on 06/11/2021 On June 11, Ocean Avenue Elementary School held a surprise ceremony to celebrate school lead custodian Donna Colello for earning a finalist nomination in the 2021 Custodian of the Year award sponsored by Cintas Corp. Her hard work, kindness and passion earned her the prestigious nomination earlier this year.
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 | Annual PPS Student Art Show Virtual in 2021 Posted on 06/09/2021 Due to the pandemic, the Annual Portland Public Schools Student Art Show at City Hall was not held this spring, so the show has gone virtual in 2021. A slideshow of student work showcases the artwork of 160 talented PPS students in elementary through high school.
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 | CBHS Holds 13th Graduation Ceremony Posted on 06/04/2021 Casco Bay High School held its 13th graduation exercises on Thursday, June 3, at Merrill Auditorium. As has been true of all CBHS commencement ceremonies, the event was a mix of traditional pomp and circumstance and the unconventional. For example, Principal Derek Pierce did a cha-cha dance on the stage in the middle of his graduation remarks and the Class of 2021 followed suit.
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 | PHS Holds 200th Commencement Ceremony Posted on 06/03/2021 Portland High School, one of the oldest operating public high schools in the United States, held its 200th graduation exercises on Thursday, June 3, at Merrill Auditorium. Although everyone wore masks to protect against COVID-19, the Class of 2021 celebrated being able to hold the historic ceremony in person at the beautiful venue. Last year, graduation was a drive-in event, due to restrictions on large gatherings during the pandemic.
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 | King Students' Artwork on Display in Augusta Posted on 06/03/2021 Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on May 26 hosted student artists from King Middle School and Sweetland School in Hope, for a viewing of the students’ artwork and poetry on display in the Secretary of State’s main office. Maine artist Rob Shetterly and Assistant House Majority Leader Rachel Talbot Ross of Portland were in attendance.
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 | DHS Holds 147th Commencement on June 2 Posted on 06/02/2021 Deering High School held its 147th graduation exercises on Wednesday, June 2, at Memorial Stadium. The Class of 2021 wore masks and members were seated a safe physical distance from each other as precautions against COVID-19, but graduates celebrated being able to hold a more traditional in-person ceremony than the pandemic allowed last year.
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 | PPS Retirees Recognized on June I, 2021 Posted on 06/02/2021 |
| PPS Top 10, Summa Cum Laude Students Posted on 05/27/2021 As the Class of 2021 prepares to graduate in June, the Portland Public Schools’ three high schools have released lists of their top-performing students academically. Read on for the names of students who made the Portland and Deering high schools’ Top 10 lists and Casco Bay High School’s list of students who will graduate Summa Cum Laude.
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| Lyman Moore Leads Model U.N. Conference Effort Posted on 05/27/2021 |
 | PAE and Maine Humanities Council Collaborate Posted on 05/27/2021 Even in the time of COVID-19, nothing brings people together quite like a good book. This past semester, in virtual classrooms across the Portland area, the Maine Humanities Council and Portland Adult Education (PAE) teamed up to read and discuss the classic novel “Things Fall Apart” by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. As messy spring weather and the pandemic kept many inside, students, teachers, and discussion facilitators logged on to Zoom classrooms to share their thoughts on Achebe’s literary masterpiece.
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 | More Independent Capstones at PHS in 2020-2021 Posted on 05/27/2021 Typically, just a handful of students take on an independent senior capstone project at Portland High School, but during this challenging school year, many more took on unique independent projects, according to Andrea Levinsky, PHS Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator.
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| New School Start/End Times for 2021-2022 Posted on 05/20/2021 The Portland Board of Public Education voted on May 18 to adjust school start and end times for the 2021-2022 school year, starting this fall. The adjustments build off the schedule changes made this year during the COVID-19 pandemic and move the district closer to its goal of having later start times for its secondary school students.
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.jpg) | PHS Junior Receives Step Up Award Posted on 05/19/2021 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools is thrilled to announce Didon Maombi Heri as the latest Portland High School student chosen to receive the Step Up Award, now in its 4th year.
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 | PHS, PATHS Senior Is a CTE Student of Year Posted on 05/17/2021 |
 | DHS Senior Wins National Merit Scholarship Posted on 05/13/2021 Aidan Blum Levine, a senior at Deering High School, has won a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. Aidan, who is planning on a career in materials engineering, is one of just 11 Maine students selected as $2,500 National Merit Scholarship winners this year. The students are among 2,500 such Merit Scholars chosen from a nationwide talent pool of about 16,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.
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| Outstanding Seniors Chosen for Principal’s Awards Posted on 05/12/2021 The 2021 MPA Principal’s Award winners from the Portland Public Schools’ three high schools are: Audrey Watson, Portland High School, selected by Principal Sheila Jepson; Emma Carleton, Deering High School, selected by Co-Principals Abdullahi Ahmed and Alyson Dame; and Yusur Jasim, Casco Bay High School, selected by Principal Derek Pierce.
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 | Spanish Educator is ‘Teacher of the Year’ Posted on 05/11/2021 José Iván Sabau Torrelo, fifth-grade teacher in Lyseth Elementary School’s Spanish Immersion program, has been selected as Teacher of the Year 2021 by the Ministry of Education, Embassy of Spain. In recognizing Sabau Torrelo, the Ministry of Education cited an “outstanding” mystery-solving gaming project involving multicultural cooperation that he created for his students.
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 | Class of 2021 Commencements June 2, 3 Posted on 05/07/2021 The Portland Public Schools’ three high schools – Portland, Deering and Casco Bay – will hold in-person commencement ceremonies on June 2 and 3 for the approximately 500 graduating seniors in the Class of 2021.
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 | EECS 2021 Model For Continuous Learning Posted on 05/05/2021 The International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), whose mission is to encourage, inspire and support today’s educators, has named East End Community School a 2021 Model School for their relentless focus on student outcomes in an unprecedented year. East End Community School recognized opportunities for growth, collectively established a vision, and systematically worked together to take action.
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 | Jake Giessman To Be New Deering AP Posted on 05/04/2021 |
 | District Has New Transportation Director Posted on 05/04/2021 |
 | PHS, LMS Teams Are USM CubeSat Finalists! Posted on 04/30/2021 Student teams from Portland High School and Lincoln Middle School are finalists in the University of Southern Maine’s first CubeSat Design Competition. Each team designed a CubeSat, which is a type of miniature satellite used for space research. Earning finalist status means that the teams can now begin building their CubeSats, which will be launched in mid to late June.
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 | DHS, PHS Students Shine at Career Conference Posted on 04/29/2021 |
 | DHS, Lincoln, Moore Students Win PFP Grants! Posted on 04/16/2021 |
 | PPS Educators Win Outdoor Learning Grants Posted on 04/15/2021 Portland Public Schools educators are among those statewide this spring receiving Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) mini-grants to teachers to support outdoor learning. The grant program allows teachers to apply for up to $1,500 to fund their outdoor learning projects.
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 | Board Approves FY22 $125.2M School Budget Posted on 04/13/2021 The Portland Board of Public Education on April 13 voted to approve a $125.2 million school budget proposal for the 2020-2021 school year. The budget contains investments to address three themes: “Advancing Equity,” “Integrating innovations from COVID” and “Rebuilding academic and social emotional foundations post COVID.”
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 | DHS Senior Top Winner at State Science Fair Posted on 04/08/2021 Linh Nguyen, a senior at Deering High School, is the First Place Grand Award winner in the 2021 Maine State Science Fair. Nguyen came out on top among the nearly 160 students competing for prestigious state titles and more than $1 million in scholarships and awards. She won for her research on how carbon nanotubes could be used as an inexpensive remover of arsenic in drinking water systems.
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 | CBHS Math Cup Fundraiser Equals Success! Posted on 04/02/2021 For a lot of schools, holding community fundraising events during a global pandemic just doesn't add up. But Casco Bay High School (CBHS) figured out how to hold its anticipated annual Math Cup competition between students and business leaders – virtually.
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 | PHS Senior Wins Local ‘Youth of the Year’ Title Posted on 04/02/2021 Portland High School senior Mireille Tona has been selected as the 2021 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs Portland Clubhouse. The recognition celebrates Mireille’s exceptional achievements as a Club member and also puts her in the running to be Maine State Youth of the year – and to potentially compete for the regional and national titles.
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 | PPS Grand Prize Winner for Equity Work Posted on 03/29/2021 The Portland Public Schools is pleased to announce that the district has been recognized for its commitment to equity as a Grand Prize winner in the National School Boards Association (NSBA) 2021 Magna Awards program. This is the first time in that program’s 27-year history that a Maine school district has been recognized with a Magna Award for its equity work.
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 | PAE & Banks, Credit Unions Assist New Mainers Posted on 03/26/2021 Portland Adult Education (PAE) is partnering with eight local banks and credit unions to expand opportunities for new Mainers by launching a second training program for foreign trained professionals aspiring to enter the financial services industry as bank tellers.
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 | It’s Not Debatable: Deering Students are #1! Posted on 03/26/2021 Deering High School juniors Emily Cheung and Balqies Mohamed competed earlier this month in the National Qualifying Speech and Debate Tournament for the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) – and placed FIRST overall in Public Forum!
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 | PATHS Students’ Art Revealing Posted on 03/24/2021 Diane Manzi, who teaches the Commercial Art class at PATHS (Portland Arts & Technology High School), asked her students to each create a piece of art where the theme was "True Self in Quarantine. See how students responded.
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| OAES Custodian Finalist for Custodian of Year Posted on 03/16/2021 Donna Colello, the hardworking, dedicated head custodian at Ocean Avenue Elementary School, is one of the top 10 finalists nationwide in the annual Custodian of the Year contest run by the Cintas Corp. The Portland Public Schools community is now invited to vote online for Colello to put her over the top and become the Cintas 2021 Custodian of the Year.
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 | PPS Student Artwork in Digital YAM Posted on 03/12/2021 Creative works from Portland Public Schools students and other art students from around Maine are on online display at the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in celebration of Youth Art Month.
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 | PHS Junior Wins Top Writing Recognition Posted on 03/12/2021 Portland High School junior Eden Swails recently won a Gold Key from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Alliance for Young Artists and Writers for her poem, "Arachnophobia." Eden, a student in Jane Wellehan's English class, wrote the poem in response to Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B." This is the highest level from Scholastic for a regional award.
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 | PHS Students Explore Careers, Near and Far Posted on 03/09/2021 During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual connections have allowed students to do career exploration far beyond the typical reach of the school, according to Andrea Levinsky, extended learning opportunities (ELO) coordinator at Portland High School.
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 | Portland Empowered, FPPS, PPS Partner Posted on 02/26/2021 Portland Empowered, the Portland Public Schools (PPS), and the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) are thrilled to announce their new partnership designed to strengthen community engagement in the Portland Public Schools.
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 | PPS Students Win Scholastic Art Awards Posted on 02/24/2021 |
 | PATHS “Winter Extravaganza” Concert Posted on 02/13/2021 |
 | PPS Students Score at Math Meets! Posted on 02/12/2021 |
 | PPS Has a New CIO: Gavin Goodall Posted on 02/09/2021 The Portland Public Schools welcomes Gavin Goodall as the district’s new Executive Director of Data and Technology/Chief Information Officer (CIO). His varied background includes extensive experience in assessment and data.
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| Board Condemns LGBTQ+ Hate Crimes Posted on 02/02/2021 The Portland Board of Public Education at its Feb. 2 meeting unanimously approved a resolution condemning hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ community members. The resolution was prompted by a spate of recent hate crimes in which Portland and South Portland residents received dangerous and threatening letters in the mail. The Board pledged its solidarity with LGBTQ+ students, staff and families and committed itself to “creating a culture of allyship” by rooting out homophobia in schools and including learning about LGBTQ+ history, culture, and identity in the curriculum.
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 | PPS Music Students Accepted to Allstate Posted on 01/27/2021 Five Portland Public Schools students have been accepted to the 2021 All State Music Festival. The jazz festival is at the end of January and the beginning of February, with finished recordings to be released in May. The band/orchestra/choral festival will be held in May.
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 | Reiche Teachers To Take Polar Plunge Posted on 01/26/2021 Ten Reiche Community School teachers are planning a “Jump for Courage!” polar plunge on Sunday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. at East End Beach. They will be running into frigid Casco Bay to demonstrate to students that you can do difficult things even when you are afraid.
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 | New CFO Is Kathie Winchenbach Posted on 01/25/2021 The Portland Public Schools is excited to welcome Executive Director of Budget & Finance/Chief Financial Officer Kathie Winchenbach to the PPS team. She is a certified public accountant (CPA), with many years of finance experience. She officially started in her new position Jan. 25.
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 | CBHS Seniors Reinvent Post Office March Posted on 01/13/2021 |
 | Transitions in Leadership Posted on 01/12/2021 The Remote Academy has a new principal: Jake Giessman. Jake is temporarily moving from his position as assistant principal at Lyman Moore Middle School to lead RA. He started in his new role on Jan. 4. Pamela Otunnu, a math and ELL teacher at Deering High School, has stepped into the role of acting assistant principal at Moore. Jesse Robinson, who as RA principal this past fall successfully led the tremendous task of getting the district’s newest and largest school up and running, has returned to her role as the district’s Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction.
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 | Donation To Aid STEM Learning, Teachers Posted on 01/06/2021 EnviroLogix, a Portland-based diagnostic company, gave two grants totaling $16,000 in late 2020 to the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) through the EBI Foundation, their parent organization’s (Ensign-Bickford Industries) charitable fund. With a focus on fostering innovation in the classroom, these grants will enhance learning experiences and support the goals of the Portland Public Schools’ strategic plan, the Portland Promise.
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 | CBHS ‘College March’ Rescheduled to Jan. 8 Posted on 01/05/2021 Seniors at Casco Bay High School (CBHS) aren’t letting the COVID-19 pandemic stop them from holding their annual “College March” down Congress Street to the post office. But this year’s Friday, Jan. 8 event – rescheduled from Dec. 18 due to inclement weather on that date – has been scaled back to keep everyone safe. Fewer students will participate in person during this eighth annual public affirmation of CBHS students’ higher education goals.
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 | PATHS Students Create Tattoo Ads Posted on 01/04/2021 Students in teacher Diane Manzi’s Commercial & Advertising Art class at the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) recently created some mock flyers for a tattoo business, using a computer to be creative with layout and design.
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 | Lyseth Students Win Painting for Purpose Grant Posted on 12/16/2020 |
 | CBHS 2020 March to Post Office Is Dec. 18 Posted on 12/14/2020 Seniors at Casco Bay High School (CBHS) aren’t letting the COVID-19 pandemic stop them from holding their annual “College March” down Congress Street to the post office. But there will be some COVID-conscious changes in this year’s Friday, Dec. 18 event – such as having fewer students participate – in order to keep everyone safe.
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| Green New Deal Won’t Impact School Projects Posted on 12/08/2020 The Longfellow, Reiche and Presumpscot elementary school renovation projects are exempt from the requirements of the Green New Deal approved by Portland voters in November, according to a review by Drummond Woodsum, the law firm that advises the Portland Public Schools.
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 | Author Visits Longfellow Students Virtually Posted on 12/08/2020 |
 | Lyseth Teacher Recognized by Board Posted on 12/08/2020 Rachel Boddie, a special education teacher at Lyseth Elementary School, was recently recognized by Superintendent Xavier Botana and the Portland Board of Public Education for renewing her National Board Teacher Certification.
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 | Board Inaugurates New Members, Selects Chair Posted on 12/07/2020 |
| PHS Seniors Create Online Historical Journal Posted on 12/04/2020 |
 | CBHS Senior Wins QuestBridge Scholarship! Posted on 12/04/2020 |
 | PPS Educators Win Outdoor Learning Mini-Grants Posted on 12/04/2020 |
| PPS Weekly COVID update Posted on 12/04/2020 The district is putting out an update each Friday with the number of positive cases in our schools each week and any building closures to keep everyone informed.
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 | Longfellow, Lyseth Students Win PFP Grants! Posted on 12/03/2020 Painting for a Purpose (PFP) is a group of artists who paint whimsical wooden items-such as lobsters, birds and fish. They sell these items to raise money for a philanthropy fund for service learning projects led by Portland Public Schools students who want to make a difference. Students receive up to $ 500.00 to put their idea into action. Learn about grants given out recently to Longfellow and Lyseth students:
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 | PPS & Wayside Partner to Aid Hungry Families Posted on 12/02/2020 |
 | PAE Gets $40k Grant from Bank of America Posted on 12/01/2020 Friends of Portland Adult Education announced on Dec. 1 the receipt of a $40,000 economic resiliency grant from Bank of America. The grant will help support the transition to virtual learning for more than 1,000 students taking academic and job training classes at Portland Adult Education (PAE) this fall.
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 | Unum Gifts $10k to Diversify PPS Teaching Staff Posted on 11/30/2020 Unum has donated $10,000 to the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) to strengthen efforts to recruit, hire, and retain a more diverse staff within the Portland Public Schools. This grant is part of the Foundation’s Addressing the Opportunity Gap Campaign, a community campaign to accelerate and deepen the school district’s equity work.
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 | Listen to the PATHS Autumn Virtual Concert! Posted on 11/19/2020 |
 | Report Can Aid New Mainer Health Professionals Posted on 11/16/2020 The New Mainers Resource Center (NMRC) at Portland Adult Education (PAE) has released a report with findings and recommendations aimed to reduce the barriers that foreign trained health professionals face in obtaining employment in the healthcare field.
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 | Ribbon Cutting For Talbot Inclusive Playground Posted on 11/08/2020 Gerald E. Talbot Community School has a new community playground that is designed for youngsters of all abilities to enjoy. A socially distanced ribbon cutting ceremony for the Talbot Inclusive Playground was held at the school on Friday, Nov. 6.
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 | PHS students in Visual Pilot Program Inspire Posted on 11/05/2020 |
 | FPPS Awards more than $48k to PPS Teachers Posted on 11/02/2020 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has completed its twelfth annual fall teacher grants program cycle. Sixty-one teachers have been awarded grants totaling $48,595, impacting over 8,000 students at all grade levels in 16 schools across the district.
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| School Board Revises Policy on Harassment Posted on 10/27/2020 |
 | New Custodial Supervisor/CHO for PPS Posted on 10/22/2020 The Portland Public Schools is pleased to announce that Stephen (Steve) Reed, an experienced and knowledgeable facilities professional, has been hired as the district’s next Custodial Supervisor/Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO).
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 | CBHS Senior to Host Virtual Summit Posted on 10/15/2020 Margarida Celestino, a senior at Casco Bay High School, has been selected as student host of an EL Education 2020 Virtual Summit titled “What Matters Most: Moving Toward More Equitable Schools.” The summit will run from Oct. 22 through Oct. 23.
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 | Rotary Clubs Donate 2,000 Masks to PPS! Posted on 10/14/2020 The Portland Public Schools has received a total of 2,000 masks to help students and their families stay safe from COVID-19. The Portland Rotary Club donated 1,500 of the masks and the Sebago Lake Rotary Club donated 500 of the masks specifically to the district’s BREATHE Clinical & Behavioral Supports Program.
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| PPS Educator Maine 2021 Teacher of Year! Posted on 10/08/2020 |
 | PHS Art Teacher’s RBG Portrait in the News Posted on 10/02/2020 |
 | Spectrum Donates Laptops, Funding Posted on 10/02/2020 Spectrum has donated 25 new laptop computers to Portland Adult Education (PAE) and $2,500 to the Foundation for Portland Public Schools to kick off the academic year while addressing coronavirus related needs of the school district. Spectrum, a key Internet service provider in the state, has been working with the Maine Department of Education and others over the last several months to create solutions allowing students across Maine to access remote learning opportunities.
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 | PHS Internships Go Virtual Posted on 10/01/2020 While the coronavirus pandemic caused many of Portland High School’s regular partners to be unable to offer internships, some organizations got creative in offering safe internship opportunities for PHS students.
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| Donated Thermometers, Masks To Aid PPS Families Posted on 09/30/2020 Spectrum Healthcare Partners, Martin’s Point Health Care, and InterMed have joined together to provide 2,000 thermometers and 500 child-sized, reusable masks to distribute to Portland Public Schools students. The effort, coordinated by Spectrum Healthcare Partners and the Foundation for Portland Public Schools, is intended to help students and families comply with school health and safety protocols.
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.jpg) | PHS Senior Finalist for PCA Scholarship Posted on 09/30/2020 Lydia Stein, a senior at Portland High School who plays soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, has been selected by Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) as a Finalist for its Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship program. Stein was selected by PCA for her leadership, sportsmanship, and commitment to making herself, her teammates and the game better.
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 | Video About CBHS To Be in Film Festival Posted on 09/28/2020 A video made by EL Education about Casco Bay High School and the way it supports and empowers students, titled “Walking in Solidarity,” will be a featured short video in the This Is Our Chance Film Festival. The free virtual film festival will run from Oct. 6-27 and focuses on the intersection of race, education, and youth empowerment.
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 | Masks Can’t Hide Talbot Staff’s Smiles Posted on 09/16/2020 Masks on the faces of teachers at Talbot Community School don’t prevent their students from seeing their smiles. That’s because Talbot teachers and other staff started school this week wearing large, laminated photos of their smiling faces on lanyards around their necks or pinned to their shirts. Students can see how happy everyone at school is to see them again – even if they can’t see the expressions on their faces.
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 | Easel Donation Aids Outdoor Learning Posted on 09/15/2020 |
 | Seats Open on Portland Youth Council Posted on 09/14/2020 |
| Five PPS Students National Merit Semifinalists Posted on 09/10/2020 Five high school seniors in the Portland Public Schools have been named Semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented students now have the opportunity to compete for about 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million that will be offered next spring.
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 | Portland Kids Duathlon donates $8k to PPS Posted on 09/09/2020 At a Sept. 9 ceremony, organizers of the 2020 virtual Portland Kids Duathlon presented an $8,000 check to Portland Superintendent Xavier Botana and Andrea Weisman-Summers, Executive Director for the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS). Race sponsors Hammond Lumber and CycleMania also donated equipment for East End Community School bike club.
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 | Daily Symptom Checks for Students Posted on 09/08/2020 Most of Portland’s public schools will hold “practice” days the first full week of September, when students will get a chance to experience what in-person school will be like. Families also will be required to do a COVID-19 symptom check with their students before they leave home, verifying they have done so electronically. The symptom check will be a daily requirement when school officially starts Sept. 14.
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.jpg) | Outdoor Learning Update Posted on 09/04/2020 PPS students will have the opportunity to spend more time learning outdoors this school year. They’ll gain learning benefits and get a break from masks.
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 | Remote Academy Orientation Posted on 09/04/2020 Sept. 10 virtual Parent U session will help families learn about the structure, schedule, curriculum, student expectations & more about our Remote Academy.
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 | Three School Board Seats Up for Election Posted on 09/04/2020 |
 | New Directors for Special Ed and BREATHE Posted on 09/01/2020 The Portland Public Schools has added two new administrators: Jesse Applegate, Director of Student Support Services; and Christopher McCarthy, Director of the BREATHE Clinical & Behavioral Supports Program. They are filling positions left vacant due to retirements or staff moving on to other jobs.
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 | PPS Teacher Finalist for Teacher of Year! Posted on 08/25/2020 |
 | PHS Tennis Coach Is Award Winner Posted on 08/13/2020 |
 and School Board Chair Roberto Rodriguez.jpg) | Riverton Is Now Talbot School Posted on 08/11/2020 |
 | BREATHE Program Gets New Director Posted on 08/10/2020 |
 | DHS Holds 146th Commencement Aug. 6 Posted on 08/06/2020 Deering High School, which describes itself as the most diverse high school north of Boston, held its 146th graduation exercises on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Ocean Gateway terminal. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the school’s first drive-in ceremony. There were 230 members of the graduating Class of 2020.
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 | CBHS’ 12th Commencement on Aug. 6 Posted on 08/06/2020 Casco Bay High School held its 12th graduation exercises on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Ocean Gateway terminal. It was the school’s first drive-in ceremony, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 88 members of the graduating Class of 2020.
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 | PHS Holds 199th Graduation Ceremony Posted on 08/05/2020 Portland High School, one of the oldest operating public high schools in the United States, held its graduation exercises on Wednesday, Aug. 5, at the Ocean Gateway terminal. It was the high school’s 199th commencement ceremony but the first drive-in ceremony in the school’s history, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 181 graduates in the Class of 2020.
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| Return to In-Person Learning Proposal Posted on 08/04/2020 Superintendent Xavier Botana is recommending that the Portland Public Schools adopt a “yellow” hybrid scenario for students to safely return to school this fall during the COVID-19 pandemic. That hybrid plan would limit the time and stagger the number of students who can attend school in person, depending on grade level.
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| New Administrators for Rowe, Lyseth & PHS Posted on 08/04/2020 The Portland Public Schools has added three new administrators: Joanna Frankel, assistant principal at Rowe Elementary school; Sarah Rubin, assistant principal at Lyseth Elementary School; Lance Johnson, athletic/co-curricular director at Portland High School.
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| Martin’s Point Donates to FPPS Equity Campaign Posted on 08/03/2020 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) is pleased to announce it has received a donation from Martin’s Point Health Care to the Foundation’s Addressing the Opportunity Gap campaign. Martin’s Point Health Care joins the John T. Gorman Foundation, Crystal Reporting Solutions, and dozens of individuals in the greater Portland area in supporting this work. The campaign has now raised over half of the funds needed to meet the initial goal.
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| DHS, PHS Fall Sports Training Starts Aug. 24 Posted on 07/30/2020 The Portland Public Schools is delaying the start of in-person sports conditioning, following a recent decision by the Maine Principals' Association (MPA) to move the start date for the fall sports season from August to September. Deering and Portland high schools will now start fall sports conditioning on Aug. 24 instead of Aug. 3.
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 | Governor Praises Rowe Student’s Message Posted on 07/20/2020 |
| New Campaign to Support Equity Work Posted on 07/15/2020 On July 13, the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) launched a new community campaign called Addressing the Opportunity Gap to raise money for systemic equity work in the Portland Public Schools (PPS).
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 | PHS Auction Supports BLM Posted on 07/13/2020 Proceeds from an online silent auction this month sponsored by the Portland High School Class of 2020 Executive Board will go to support Black Lives Matter – Portland. The auction is running from July 1 through July 29.
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| FPPS Gets United Way Grant to Support Families Posted on 07/06/2020 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) announced July 6 that it has received funding to help provide financial stability to vulnerable Portland students and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. A $12,000 Greater Portland COVID-19 Community Relief Fund grant from United Way of Greater Portland (UWGP) will be used to support the Portland Public Schools Families in Crisis Fund.
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| PHS, DHS To Resume In-Person Sports Aug. 3 Posted on 06/26/2020 Following a June 25 unanimous vote by the Southwestern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) and an agreement by superintendents in Cumberland and York counties, Deering and Portland High Schools plan to start in-person summer sports activities as of Aug. 3, 2020.
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 | Summer Meal Sites & Times Posted on 06/26/2020 The Portland Public Schools Food Services began its Summer Meals Program as of June 15, 2020 to ensure that all students have access to meals throughout the summer. Breakfast and lunch meals will be provided to all children and teens 18 and under without charge. Both meals can be picked up at the same time at each participating site on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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| Five PHS Seniors Are ‘Olympia’s Leaders’ Posted on 06/22/2020 Five Portland High School seniors graduated this month from the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, designed to help them develop the skills required to be leaders in their lives, careers, and communities. The five Portland High School “Olympia’s Leaders” are Casarra Abeasi, Achen Charles, Mariam Douale, Melissa Kaleka and Gloria Sanchez.
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 | PPS Retirees Recognized June 16 Posted on 06/17/2020 More than 40 Portland Public Schools retiring employees were honored by the Portland Board of Public Education and the district in a virtual ceremony June 16. The event was held via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 | Seal of Biliteracy Awards Given Out Posted on 06/10/2020 |
 | LMS Student Wins State Spelling Bee! Posted on 06/05/2020 Competing from her bedroom in the virtual Maine State Spelling Bee on June 4, Lincoln Middle-School seventh-grader Rose Bolduc fought through 32 rounds to win the contest and become Maine’s 2020 Spelling Bee champion.
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 | CBHS Senior Is National Merit Scholar Posted on 06/04/2020 David Botana, a senior at Casco Bay High School, is a college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winner. David is among just nine Maine students recently announced as winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by the U.S. colleges and universities they plan to attend. David and the other Maine students are part of a select cohort of approximately 3,300 students nationwide to win the college-sponsored scholarships so far.
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| Graduation for Class of 2020 Aug. 5 and 6 Posted on 06/03/2020 The Portland Public Schools will hold three graduation ceremonies Aug. 5 and 6 at the city’s Ocean Gateway waterfront terminal for the Class of 2020 at the district’s high schools – Portland, Deering and Casco Bay. To comply with state public health and safety guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the events for the 570 graduating seniors will be “drive-in” events.
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-01.jpg) | Board’s FY21 School Budget Has 0% Tax Increase Posted on 05/28/2020 |
 | Step Up Award Assists PHS Students Posted on 05/27/2020 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools on May 27 announced the latest Portland High School students chosen to receive the Step Up Award, now in its third year. The Step Up Award at Portland High School provides funding for students in the Make It Happen! program who would otherwise have to forego school-year extracurricular opportunities in order to work after school and/or on weekends.
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| School Board To Vote on Budget May 26 Posted on 05/26/2020 The Portland Board of Public Education is slated to hold a Zoom special meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, to vote to recommend an FY21 school budget to the City Council, which sets the bottom line of the school budget
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 | Outstanding DHS Teacher Wins Russell Award Posted on 05/19/2020 |
 | Class of 2020 Celebrated with Lawn Signs! Posted on 05/18/2020 The lawn signs that Portland Public Schools staff and parents are delivering to the homes of the Class of 2020 are signs of the time – a public but safe way to honor graduating seniors during this period of remote learning and social distancing.
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| Riverton Teacher Is County Teacher of Year! Posted on 05/14/2020 |
| Internships Help Put Students on Career Paths Posted on 05/14/2020 Each year, Portland High School students engage in internships at businesses and organizations around greater Portland. The internships are based on each student's interests and career aspirations, and provide students with real-world experience and can help them identify a career path.
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| FPPS Wins Grants To Support Students, Families Posted on 05/11/2020 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools announced May 11 that it has received two grants to help provide food and financial stability to Portland students and their families. A $20,000 Greater Portland COVID-19 Community Relief Fund grant from United Way of Greater Portland (UWGP) will be used to support the Portland Public Schools / Food Fuels Learning Food Fund. Elmina B. Sewall Foundation (EBSF) funding, via a $7,500 Rapid Response Grant, will go toward the Portland Schools Families in Crisis Fund.
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 | Rowe Community Appreciates its Teachers! Posted on 05/07/2020 May 4-8 is National Teacher Appreciation Week this year. To show their appreciation, students and other members of the Rowe Elementary School Community have created a great video to thank Rowe teachers, and express how much they miss seeing them in person during this time of remote learning due to the COVID-19 crisis.
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 | PHS Health Clinic to Reopen on Limited Basis Posted on 05/04/2020 The school-based Greater Portland Health (GPH) clinic at Portland High School is scheduled to reopen starting May 13 – on Wednesdays only. The clinic will operate for four hours each Wednesday for well-care and behavioral health appointments and three hours each Wednesday for emergency dental services.
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 | CBHS Teacher, Students ‘Make It Real’ Winners Posted on 05/01/2020 Casco Bay High School science teacher Anne Loughlin and her engineering students are among the grand prize winners in this year’s Autodesk Make It Real Challenge 2020, an engineering competition. The win means CBHS will receive more than $10,000 in makerspace tools for its DIY lab.
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 | CBHS Students Sing Out for Better World Posted on 04/30/2020 Casco Bay High School students are using music to help celebrate EL Education’s third annual Better World Day, on Friday, May 1 – a day to recognize all the student contributions that are helping to make the world a better place.
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 | PAE Teller Training Program Graduates 14 Posted on 04/29/2020 The COVID-19 crisis didn’t derail Portland Adult Education’s New Mainer Teller Training program, which launched in January. The program successfully transitioned to remote learning and held a virtual commencement ceremony for 14 graduates early in April. Three of the graduates had already been hired as bank tellers, with hourly wages ranging from $15-17.60 per hour, with benefits.
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 | DHS Student Presidential Scholar Semifinalist Posted on 04/28/2020 |
 | Lyseth Wins ‘School of the Year’ Award Posted on 04/28/2020 Lyseth Elementary School, home of the only public Spanish immersion program in Maine, has won the Ministry of Education, Embassy of Spain’s School of the Year 2020 Award in the elementary school category.
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 | Grant To Help Meet Families’ Emergency Needs Posted on 04/23/2020 The Portland Public Schools is one of 31 local nonprofit and school-based organizations to benefit from a total of $229,239 in the first round of grants by the Greater Portland COVID-19 Community Relief Fund Committee, United Way of Greater Portland recently announced.
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 | FPPS Has New Executive Director Posted on 04/22/2020 |
 | Locker Project Joins PPS Meal Effort Posted on 04/10/2020 In addition to the meals being provided to students by the Portland Public Schools, the nonprofit Locker Project is offering free bags of food to families at school meal distribution sites on Wednesdays and Thursdays on a first-come, first-served basis.
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 | Board Approves DHS Co-Principal Appointments Posted on 04/07/2020 |
 | The (Quiz) Show Must Go On Posted on 04/02/2020 The Portland Public Schools family is invited to (virtually) cheer on a team from Portland High School when Season 4 of the Maine High School Quiz Show launches tonight, Thursday, April 2. Portland’s team is one of four competing in a doubleheader.
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 | Deering Launches Instagramtastic Challenge Posted on 04/01/2020 Deering High School isn’t letting remote learning get in the way of school spirit. Throughout April, Deering’s Student Government is creating a month of Instagram challenges to students to demonstrate the strength of the Deering community.
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| Equity is Focus of FY21 School Budget Posted on 03/10/2020 Superintendent Xavier Botana presented his $122.3 million school budget proposal for the 2020-2021 school year to the Portland Board of Public Education on Tuesday, March 10. The theme of his FY21 budget proposal is “Addressing the Opportunity Gap.” It calls for enhancing the district’s Equity goal by making investments to reduce gaps in achievement and opportunity for the district’s economically disadvantaged students, students of color and English language learner (ELL) students.
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 | Unified Basketball Team Gets Pro Tips Posted on 03/05/2020 |
 | Rowe Students Embrace Active Reading Posted on 03/05/2020 |
 | Students Win PFP Grants for Varied Projects Posted on 03/05/2020 Painting for a Purpose (PFP) is a group of 10-12 women who meet weekly and paint whimsical wooden items-such as lobsters, birds and fish. They sell these items at local venues and craft festivals to raise about $10,000 a year. All proceeds go into a philanthropy fund for service learning projects led by Portland Public Schools students who want to make a difference. Students receive up to $ 500 to put their ideas into action. Read on to learn about some grants given out this school year to great student projects.
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| ‘People of Portland Project’ Culmination March 13 Posted on 03/05/2020 Juniors at Casco Bay High School will hold a culmination of their The People of Portland Project on Friday, March 13. At the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the CBHS Great Space and the PATHS Dance Studio, the students will bring to life the essence of 22 inspiring Portlanders' stories through words and movement
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 | King Students to Get Award at Food Summit Posted on 03/04/2020 A Feb. 2 Portland Press Herald story featured the efforts by King Middle School students to reduce food waste in the cafeteria to help fight climate change. After the PPH story about the students’ Pathways to the Plate and Beyond expedition ran, the organizers of the Food Impact Summit at Harvard University reached out because they want to honor King for its work in food-waste reduction, according to King Principal Caitlin LeClair. King students are slated to receive an award recognizing their efforts at Harvard on March 18.
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 | PATHS Students Creative with Cryptids Posted on 02/27/2020 Three PATHS students in teacher Diane Manzi’s Commercial Art course took first, second and third place in a competition sponsored by Artist & Craftsman Supply titled: "Cryptid in its environment."
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 | CBHS Senior Wins Microgrant Posted on 02/26/2020 Casco Bay High School senior Siri Pierce is one of just 11 students nationwide chosen as a 2020 Rep My City Microgrant winner. Siri won for her advocacy for solar panels at the Portland Public Schools.
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 | New Academic Coordinator at PPS Posted on 02/26/2020 |
| PPS Evaluating School Renovation Options Posted on 02/18/2020 City voters in 2017 approved a $64 million “Buildings for our Future” (BFOF) bond to renovate four of the city’s public elementary schools. Three years later, work on one school, Lyseth, is on track for completion next year. However, rising construction costs mean that the amount of money in the bond is no longer sufficient to renovate the four schools on the scale originally envisioned. The Lyseth project, currently underway, has been scaled back due to the cost constraints, and the district must now consider options for rebuilding the remaining three schools.
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 | DHS Student Gets Ovation from Bono! Posted on 02/12/2020 Sundy Ntoto, a Deering High School senior and member of the Pihcintu Chorus, got a standing ovation from U2 frontman Bono after a performance by the choir at the United Nations in New York on Feb. 11.
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 | PPS Continues SuperSnacks Program Posted on 02/12/2020 |
 | DHS Senior in State Poetry Out Loud Contest Posted on 02/11/2020 First, Deering High School senior Daniela Aryaie became the champion of Deering’s school-level Poetry Out Loud contest. Now, she’s headed to the Poetry Out Loud state championship in Waterville on March 2, after her success in the Southern Maine Regional Finals on Feb. 10.
more about DHS Senior in State Poetry Out Loud Contest |
| Lincoln, Moore Students Excel at Spelling Bee Posted on 02/11/2020 |
 | DHS Athletic Director Gains RAA Certification Posted on 02/11/2020 |
| Riverton School Renamed to Honor Gerald Talbot Posted on 02/05/2020 |
 | Moore Math Teams Are Winners! Posted on 02/04/2020 |
 | PHS, Lee Auto Partner for Internships Posted on 01/31/2020 Portland High School students have a unique and valuable internship opportunity, thanks to Lee Auto. Through Dustin Lee, parts manager, students can intern in the service department, learning skills such as changing and torquing tires, changing oil, checking tire pressure, rotating tires, and working with breaks and spark plugs.
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 | PAE Launches New Mainer Teller Training Posted on 01/29/2020 |
 | Deering Debate Team Continues to Amaze! Posted on 01/29/2020 The Deering High School Debate team continued its amazing run of successes this school year, with big wins at the Maine Forensic Association State Championship Tournament at Lewiston High School on Jan. 25. Also, four team members are now headed to the nationals in June!
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 | Riverton’s First STEM Night a Success! Posted on 01/29/2020 |
 | PPS 'Legends' Make Basketball Hall of Fame Posted on 01/29/2020 |
 | PPS, USM Co-Sponsor Passamaquoddy Talk Posted on 01/22/2020 The Portland Public Schools is co-sponsoring a presentation at the University of Southern Maine on Thursday, Jan. 23, that is designed to increase understanding of Indigenous cultures and communities in Maine.
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 | Scholarship for CBHS Grads Attending Dartmouth Posted on 01/15/2020 Graduates of Casco Bay High School (CBHS) who attend or are slated to attend Dartmouth College or the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth are now eligible for scholarships through the Philip P. Thompson Jr. Scholarship Fund, established in late 2019 and administered by the Maine Community Foundation.
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 | RIF Grant Provides Free Books to Students Posted on 01/14/2020 The Portland Public Schools recently partnered with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), a national children’s literacy nonprofit, to provide free books to the district’s fourth- and fifth-graders through RIF’s Books for Ownership program.
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 | Proposal: Rename Riverton for Gerald Talbot Posted on 01/10/2020 Superintendent Xavier Botana is recommending renaming Riverton Elementary School after one of Portland’s most cherished and respected residents: Gerald E. Talbot. Talbot is a Maine civil rights icon, community leader and the first African American elected to the Maine Legislature.
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 | School Board Honors DHS Debate Team Posted on 01/09/2020 Deering High School’s Debate Team recently was honored by the Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana for a string of successes. The recognition took place at the Board’s Jan. 7 meeting.
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 | Launch for Teacher’s Children’s Book Jan. 18 Posted on 01/08/2020 |
 | PAE Wins Imagine Portland Award Posted on 01/03/2020 |
 | DHS Junior Wins 1st District App Challenge Posted on 01/03/2020 |
 | PATHS Students Win Awards for Artwork Posted on 01/03/2020 Two students from teacher Diane Manzi’s Commercial Art class at the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) recently won awards for marketing products they created for a nonprofit called Mainely Pets.
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 | STEM Learning at Lincoln Featured Posted on 01/03/2020 Lincoln Middle School students in classes taught by science teachers Christel Driscoll and Franklin Sames have the opportunity to engage in varied and challenging STEM learning.
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 | PAE Grant to Aid in Census Count Posted on 12/19/2019 The Maine Census Outreach Fund 2020 (MCOF 2020) has awarded 14 nonprofits with grants to support the participation of hard-to-count communities in the upcoming 2020 Census. Grant-funded activities will include outreach through community events, adult education programs – including Portland Adult Education – and phone banks. Some organizations will offer on-site computer labs for completing Census forms.
more about PAE Grant to Aid in Census Count |
 | Schools Receive PPS Food Fund Grants Posted on 12/18/2019 King Middle School, Riverton Elementary School and Casco Bay High School have received Portland Public Schools (PPS) Food Fund mini-grants for projects that foster food security for students and their families.
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 | PPS Orchestra Students Accepted to All-State Posted on 12/10/2019 |
| CBHS Annual March to Post Office Dec. 13 Posted on 12/05/2019 |
 | King Middle School Tracks Food Waste Posted on 12/05/2019 Food Fuels Learning (FFL), whose mission it is to build food security in schools through comprehensive research and community-based action, recently featured King Middle School’s Food Waste Expedition in the FFL newsletter.
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 | Board Has New Chair, New Members Posted on 12/04/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education held a ceremony on Dec. 2, to inaugurate its newest members. The board also formally voted to approve Roberto Rodriguez to be Board chair again for the coming year.
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| School Board Inauguration Dec. 2 Posted on 11/27/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education will hold a ceremony on Monday, Dec. 2, to inaugurate its newest members. The board also is expected to formally vote to approve Roberto Rodriguez to be Board chair again for the coming year.
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 | LMS Student Art Show Opens Dec. 6 Posted on 11/27/2019 The artwork of 11 gifted Lincoln Middle School students will be shown at The Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation in a holiday show running from December to January. An opening reception to honor the achievements of the students will be held on Friday, Dec. 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the foundation, located at 13 Brown St. in Portland.
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 | High School Choice Meeting Dec. 4 Posted on 11/27/2019 The Portland Public Schools offers Portland eighth-graders a unique opportunity to choose between its three high schools – Portland High School, Deering High School and Casco Bay High School – regardless of where they live in the city. Each high school has its own distinctive personality and offerings. Families can learn more at an informational meeting on Dec. 4.
more about High School Choice Meeting Dec. 4 |
 | Deering Debate Team Scores Again! Posted on 11/26/2019 The Deering High School Debate Team continued its successful run with wins for its individual debating teams and the team overall at a tournament Nov. 23. The team's success comes on the heels of a sweep the team made at another tournament on Nov. 9.
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 | PAE Exhibit Compares Communities Posted on 11/26/2019 Students in English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) level 5 classes at Portland Adult Education have spent the fall semester working on projects about how their home communities compare to Portland.
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 | Apply for a Civics Education Fellowship! Posted on 11/26/2019 Attention high school students: You are eligible to apply for an all-expenses-paid fellowship in civics education that includes a trip to Washington D.C., June 29 - July 1st at Georgetown University. The Civics Unplugged (CU) Fellowship is a leadership program designed to equip high schools students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and resources to become the catalyst of change history has proven you to be. But hurry – the deadline is Nov. 30, 2019!
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| Turkey Day Tradition Continues! Posted on 11/21/2019 On Nov. 28, alumni of Portland and Deering high schools and other community members will have the opportunity to participate in a tradition that’s more than a century old: attending the 108th Annual Thanksgiving Day Game between Deering and Portland high schools. The football game will take place at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Thanksgiving Day. Kickoff is 10:30 a.m.
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 | Lyman Moore Craft Fair Dec. 7 Posted on 11/21/2019 |
| CBHS, PATHS Reopening after Threat Arrest Posted on 11/20/2019 Casco Bay High School and the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) will be open as usual on Thursday, Nov. 21, following a Portland Police Department announcement that a Westbrook youth was detained and charged with terrorizing for threatening some Casco Bay students via social media earlier this week. The student is not affiliated with the Portland Public Schools.
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 | PAE, SMCC Build ‘Pipeline’ for New Mainers Posted on 11/20/2019 |
| No SRO Body Cam Use until MOU Reached Posted on 11/13/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education voted Nov. 12 to ask Portland police to have school resource officers (SROs) refrain from using their body cameras until the school district and police can reach an agreement governing the use of the cameras in schools.
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 | Deering Silent Auction Nov. 16 Posted on 11/13/2019 |
 | Student Portrait Features New AP Posted on 11/08/2019 The walls of Portland High School serve as a gallery for student artwork, particularly portraits of the school’s leadership team. The latest addition is a charcoal portrait of the school’s new assistant principal, Jade Costello, by sophomore Tyleigh White
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 | PHS Senior Wins Deaf Community Award Posted on 11/08/2019 |
 | DHS Drama To Present ‘The Miracle Worker’ Posted on 11/08/2019 |
 | Board Member Volunteers for Mission Posted on 11/06/2019 Portland Board of Public Education member Sarah Thompson will be among about 50 volunteers going to the Dominican Republic in January on a Lifetouch Memory Mission to help build an addition to a school in a remote rural community
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| FPPS Fall Teachers Grants Awarded Posted on 11/05/2019 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has completed its eleventh annual Fall Teacher Grants Program cycle. Ninety-two applications were received, requesting $75,270. Seventy-five grant proposals have been awarded totaling just over $47,000.
more about FPPS Fall Teachers Grants Awarded |
.jpg) | Moore Students Hosting Mayoral Forum Oct. 29 Posted on 10/25/2019 |
| Board to Consider Body Cam Language Posted on 10/24/2019 City patrol officers – including school resource officers (SROs) – are now equipped with body cameras. As a result, the Portland Board of Public Education is slated to consider revising an existing agreement it has with the Police Department about the SRO program to spell out how cameras can and cannot be used in schools.
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 | National Merit Semifinalists Honored by Board Posted on 10/17/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana recently recognized three high school seniors who have been named Semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. Honored were Julia Ayer, from Portland High School; David Botana, from Casco Bay High School; and Glynis p O’Meara, a Deering High School student.
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 | CBHS Teacher Wins Presidential Award Posted on 10/16/2019 Casco Bay High School math teacher Priya Natarajan has won a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). She won from the state of Maine in the mathematics category. She was in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Oct. 16, to receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
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| People of Portland Nominations Sought Posted on 10/16/2019 Casco Bay High School 11th-graders are looking for nominations of local heroes they can interview and then showcase and honor in a live performance presentation of their The People of Portland Project, 2020.
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 | Beyond Borders Conference Oct. 18 Posted on 10/10/2019 |
 | DHS Drama Costume & Yard Sale Posted on 10/08/2019 Does anyone in your family need a costume for Halloween? The annual Deering High School Drama Club’s Creepy Costume Sale, set for Saturday, Oct. 19, could be your answer!
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 | Sixth Annual STEM Expo Nov. 1 Posted on 10/03/2019 The Portland Public Schools’ Sixth Annual STEM Exposition is set for Friday, Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the University of Southern Maine’s Sullivan Gymnasium
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 | DHS Social Workers Honored by Board Posted on 10/03/2019 Deering High School social workers Melissa McStay and Bob Carroll were recently honored by the Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana during September, National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. McStay and Carroll recently received a Caring About Lives in Maine Suicide Prevention award.
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 | Summer School Staff Recognized Posted on 10/03/2019 |
 | HS Orchestra Performs at Citizenship Ceremony Posted on 10/03/2019 The Portland Public Schools High School performed at a Citizenship Ceremony held Sept. 17 at the University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall. “This was the 35th ceremony performed by our High School Orchestra in 18 years!” said district Orchestra Director Julianne Eberl.
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 | DHS Offers 'Adulting 101' Workshops Posted on 09/26/2019 Deering High School is offering a series of new extended learning opportunities (ELOs) to students this year called “Adulting 101 – Workshops for Simple Life-Hacks.” These “life-hack” workshops help prepare students for life after high school.
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 | Azerbaijan Delegation Visits PAE Posted on 09/26/2019 A delegation from Azerbaijan visited Portland Adult Education (PAE) on Thursday, Sept. 26. The delegation is touring New England and was invited to visit Maine by the Azerbaijan Society of Maine, according to Tarlan Ahmadov, state refugee coordinator for the Office of Maine Refugee Services. One goal is attracting Azerbaijani investors to Portland and Maine, Ahmadov said.
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| Board Approves New Teacher Contract Posted on 09/24/2019 |
| Teacher Contract, School Choice on Board Agenda Posted on 09/19/2019 Several key issues will come before the Portland Board of Public Education at its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The Board will be asked to approve a new contract with the district’s teachers.The Board will also begin discussing the high school selection process and will hold a workshop on the district’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), including a plan to apply to the State Revolving Renovation Fund for needed school improvements.
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 | HBCU Reps Visit Portland’s High Schools Posted on 09/17/2019 Representatives from Morgan State University and Clark Atlanta University, two of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), visited Portland’s public high schools on Sept. 9 and 10 and spoke to students and school and district staff about what HBCUs have to offer.
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| PPS Receives Workers Comp Dividend Posted on 09/12/2019 The Portland Public Schools is pleased to have recently received a dividend of more than $27,000 from the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) as a result of risk management measures taken to promote a safe work environment.
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| Three PPS Students National Merit Semifinalists Posted on 09/11/2019 Three high school seniors in the Portland Public Schools have been named Semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented students now have the opportunity to compete for about 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring.
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 | PPS Continues Afterschool Food Program Posted on 09/03/2019 |
 | School Board Approves Solar Power Plan Posted on 08/28/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education on Aug. 20 approved a plan to develop a 3,500-kilowatt solar project that could cover 60 to 80 percent of the district’s energy needs and result in an estimated $50,000 per year in savings.
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 | School Gardens Tour is Sunday, Aug. 25! Posted on 08/14/2019 The community is invited to a school garden tour on Sunday, Aug. 25, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., hosted by the Portland Public Schools’ School Garden Network. The tour will give the public the opportunity to learn how these living classrooms benefit students and the community.
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 | Free Bowling for PPS Bus Drivers Posted on 08/14/2019 The Portland Public Schools values its bus drivers and appreciates all they do to ensure that students arrive at school safely and on time, in all kinds of weather. To show its appreciation, the district is inviting its transportation staff to a free bowling event on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bayside Bowl.
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| Maine Audubon Grants for PPS Teachers Total $13k Posted on 08/13/2019 Maine Audubon has completed its third annual grants program for Portland Public Schools Teachers cycle through the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS). Fifteen grant proposals have been awarded totaling just under $13,000 to teachers in Portland.
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| New Hires for Pre-K, Central Office, Schools Posted on 07/30/2019 The Portland Public Schools has four new administrators at Central Office: Suzanne Chevalier, director of the district’s pre-kindergarten program; Miranda Fasulo, the district’s executive director of budget and finance; Erin Bates-Letourneau, assistant director secondary student support services; and Julie Kirby, assistant director, elementary student support services. District schools have two new principals: Barbara Fletcher, at Rowe Elementary School, and Angela Taylor at Presumpscot Elementary School. Three new assistant principals also have been hired: Jade Costello at Portland High School; Craig Hanson at King Middle School; and Kerri LeSieur at Riverton Elementary School. Deering High School has a new athletic director: Michael Daly.
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 | Monga Helps Launch Bicentennial with Poem Posted on 07/30/2019 Allan Monga, a recent Deering High School graduate, joined Governor Janet Mills, Mayor Ethan Strimling, city officials, and members of the Maine Bicentennial Commission on Tuesday, July 30, to launch the commemoration of the State of Maine Bicentennial. The event took place at Deering Oaks Park and featured the dedication of the Tricentennial Pine Grove.
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| Tentative Agreement on New PEA Contract Posted on 07/16/2019 |
 | CBHS Students Named BOA Student Leaders Posted on 06/27/2019 Two students from Casco Bay High School have been named 2019 Bank of America (BOA) Student Leaders: Gabriel Gomez and Imti Hassan. The BOA Student Leaders program helps connect community-minded high school students to jobs, skills development, and service.
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| Portland Adult Education Graduation is June 27 Posted on 06/25/2019 Portland Adult Education (PAE) will host its graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 27, at 6 p.m., at Merrill Auditorium for 53 students who attained high school diplomas and the 48 students who passed the HiSET test (formerly GED).
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 | Presumpscot Teacher in 'Starting 9' Posted on 06/20/2019 |
 | Caring School Nurse at CBHS, PATHs Honored Posted on 06/19/2019 |
 | Portland Mentoring Alliance Students Visit Historically Black Colleges Posted on 06/17/2019 |
 | Free Ukulele Lessons at Reiche this Summer! Posted on 06/16/2019 Portland youngsters and teens are invited to participate in free ukulele lessons at Reiche Community School this summer. The lessons will be taught by Lee Urban of Ukuleles Heal the World. Urban is a former city of Portland planning and economic development director and avid ukulele player.
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 | Riverton Teacher Studying Math Learning in Japan Posted on 06/14/2019 |
 | PPS To Participate in Pride Parade June 15 Posted on 06/13/2019 For the fifth year in a row, the Portland Public Schools will have a big yellow school bus as an entry in the Pride Portland! Parade. The public is invited to cheer on members of the Portland Public Schools family as they proceed down Congress and High streets in the parade, set for Saturday, June 15.
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 | Scholarships To Help 22 Students Study Abroad Posted on 06/13/2019 |
 | Groundbreaking for Lyseth Renovation June 14 Posted on 06/12/2019 A ceremonial groundbreaking for the renovation/expansion of Lyseth Elementary School is scheduled for Friday, June 14, the last student day of school this year. The ceremony will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with students and city and school officials taking part. Portland Public Schools families and community members are invited to attend.
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 | PPS Retirees Recognized June 4 Posted on 06/12/2019 |
 | Student Video Focus Is Climate Change, Lobsters Posted on 06/12/2019 Presumpscot Elementary School third-graders in teachers Rebecca Maiorano’s and Kellie Kodz’s class have created a powerful PSA video, "The Truth about Climate Change," as the culminating project for their 2019 lobster expedition. Central to their study this year was an examination of the impact of rising ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Maine on the lobstering economy.
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 | Summer Meals for Kids, Teens Start June 18 Posted on 06/11/2019 The Portland Public Schools and Opportunity Alliance will be operating 15 summer meal sites across the city of Portland this summer. Meals and times will be posted at sites and will be distributed prior to the end of school. Sites will begin operation on June 18 and continue through August 23. All children and teens 18 years and younger may receive a meal free of charge, on a first-come, first-serve basis, at any of the meal site locations.
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 | Portland Kids Duathlon Is July 28 Posted on 06/11/2019 Have you heard about Portland’s only duathlon race for kids, ages 3-12? The Portland Kids Duathlon will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 28 at Payson Park with a course along Baxter Boulevard and the Back Cove Trail.
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 | Portland Voters Validate FY20 School Budget Posted on 06/11/2019 |
 | LMS Students Advocate for Health in Augusta Posted on 06/10/2019 Lincoln Middle School physical education teacher Denise Preisser and sustainability teacher Crystal Driscoll recently brought student leaders Roxie Van Oosterum and Oliva Chong to the Blaine House in Augusta to attend the ME Fuel Up to Play 60Student Leadership Day.
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 | PPS Class of 2019 Graduates! Posted on 06/06/2019 The Portland Public Schools held three graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 6, one for each of the district’s high schools: Portland, Deering and Casco Bay. The commencement ceremonies were staggered at different times during the afternoon and evening.
more about PPS Class of 2019 Graduates! |
 | Longfellow Drama Club's ‘Annie, KIDS’ June 7-8 Posted on 06/05/2019 |
| KPMG gift to Riverton Used for Summer Books Posted on 06/05/2019 The Foundation for Portland Public Schools recently announced that audit, tax and advisory firm KPMG LLP has provided a generous gift to Riverton Elementary School that will enable the school to purchase books and school supplies through First Book (https://firstbook.org/) for its students to read over the summer.
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 | Rowe Students’ Mural Celebrates Neighbors Posted on 06/05/2019 On Monday, June 10, Rowe Elementary School third- and fourth-graders invite the community to celebrate the culminating event of their immigration unit, titled “I’m your neighbor.” Students will be unveiling a permanent mural they have created for the school hallway.
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 | Second Annual Rainbow Walk at OAES June 5 Posted on 06/04/2019 Ocean Avenue Elementary School students are inviting the community to join the school’s Civil Rights Team on Wednesday, June 5, in celebrating the repainting of the school’s rainbow-colored crosswalk. The crosswalk serves as a statement of the school’s embrace of diversity and its commitment to tolerance.
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| Step Up Award Helps PHS Make It Happen Students Posted on 06/04/2019 |
 | ‘Day of Action’ benefits Presumpscot School Posted on 06/04/2019 During the United Way of Greater Portland’s “Day of Action” in May, 20 volunteers from TD Bank, Unum, and Bill Dodge Auto Group cleaned and landscaped the grounds of Presumpscot Elementary School, stenciled the blacktop, and built several replacement raised beds.
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 | LMS Students Advocate for Change Posted on 06/03/2019 Lincoln Middle School seventh-graders will inform about and advocate for important social issues during presentations at the school on Tuesday, June 4. The presentations will take place in the seventh-grade classrooms on the first floor from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
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 | Rowe Students’ Story Walk Installed May 30 Posted on 05/28/2019 Rowe Elementary School first- and second-graders hope to help change the world through a collaborative story they wrote about the importance of protecting community water resources. The students’ illustrated “story walk” will be installed on Thursday, May 30, on a Portland Trails path behind the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS). The installation starts at 6 p.m. and the community is invited to come and see!
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| Revised School Budget Goes to Voters June 11 Posted on 05/23/2019 A revised FY20 school budget of $117.4 million will go to Portland voters in a budget validation referendum on Tuesday, June 11. Portland Superintendent Xavier Botana is urging city residents to support the school budget at the polls.
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 | CBHS Wins 'Schools of Opportunity' Gold Posted on 05/21/2019 The Portland Public Schools’ Casco Bay High School is one of only seven schools from across the country this year to receive recognition as a “School of Opportunity.” The designation honors excellent public high schools that engage in research-based practices that build on students’ strengths and create rich, challenging learning opportunities for all students.
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 | PPS Students To Workshop with Jazz Greats Posted on 05/21/2019 Portland Public Schools students will benefit when the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz brings its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program to Maine this month, assisted by lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Portland Public Schools is one of just five school districts nationwide selected to be provided with this national jazz education program. School districts in New Hampshire and Vermont also will benefit.
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 | Overnight Oatmeal Rollout Rescheduled Posted on 05/20/2019 |
| New School Breakfast Item: Overnight Oatmeal Posted on 05/16/2019 |
| Board Approves Lyseth Bid, Sending Out RFPs Posted on 05/11/2019 At its May 7 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to accept the low construction bid – from Hardypond Construction – for the Lyseth Elementary School renovation project. The Board also voted unanimously to send out requests for proposals (RFPs) for three future elementary school renovation projects now in order to better manage costs in the future.
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 | Rowe Students Win Painting for a Purpose Grant Posted on 05/09/2019 |
| King Hosts 25th Celebration of Learning Posted on 05/09/2019 |
 | PHS Teacher Wins Prestigious Teaching Fellowship Posted on 05/08/2019 |
 | Presumpscot Teachers Attain NBTC Status Posted on 05/08/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana recently recognized two outstanding Presumpscot Elementary School teachers, Anne Dalphin and Rebecca Maiorano, for recently becoming National Board Certified Teachers.
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| Senior Rams Excel at Sports AND Academics! Posted on 05/08/2019 Nearly 80 percent of the Deering High School seniors playing spring varsity sports recently earned Southwestern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) All Academic Awards. The awards require that student-athletes be seniors and have a GPA of 92 or higher.
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 | PATHS Annual Spring Dance Concert May 14 Posted on 05/08/2019 |
 | Lincoln Celebrates Bike & Walk to School Day Posted on 05/07/2019 Wednesday, May 8, is National Bike to School Day. Many schools, including Lincoln Middle School, turn the event into a Bike & Walk to School Day, when students who ride the bus will get off the bus and walk with teachers to school.
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 | PATHS Spring Plant Sale May 11 Posted on 05/07/2019 It must be spring – because it’s time for the Spring Plant Sale from the greenhouse of the PATHS’ (Portland Arts & Technology High School) Landscapes and Gardens program! The sale will take place at the greenhouse, located at the school at 196 Allen Avenue, on Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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| Lyseth Construction Bid Goes to Board May 7 Posted on 05/06/2019 At its Tuesday, May 7, meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education will be asked to take three actions regarding school renovation projects. Two relate to the Lyseth Elementary School renovation project, and one involves the three other elementary schools slated to be renovated in the future.
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 | Riverton School Hosts Art Gala May 9 Posted on 05/03/2019 Riverton Elementary School will be hosting its Third Annual Art Gala and Silent Auction on Thursday, May 9, to raise funds to create a natural playscape for children of all abilities to enjoy. The event will run from 5-6:30 p.m. at the school, located at 1600 Forest Avenue, and is open to students, families and community members.
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 | PATHS Students Shine in Poster Competition Posted on 05/02/2019 |
 | Students Win Painting for a Purpose Grants Posted on 05/01/2019 |
 | PHS Senior’s Life Story Featured in New Magazine Posted on 05/01/2019 |
 | PPS Student Art Show at City Hall Opens May 3 Posted on 04/30/2019 The public is invited to the opening reception of the annual Portland Public Schools Student Art Show at City Hall on Friday, May 3. The artwork of hundreds of talented Portland Public Schools students in kindergarten through grade 12 is being exhibited this month in the halls of City Hall, located at 389 Congress St. The show runs until May 23.
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 | LMS Teacher Honored By School Board Posted on 04/24/2019 |
 | Deering Drama Presents 'Exhibit This!' May 3 & 4 Posted on 04/24/2019 Deering High School Drama students will present “Exhibit This! The Museum Comedies” by Luigi Jannuzzi on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4. The performances will take place at 7 p.m. each night at the high school, located at 370 Stevens Avenue.
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| Board Recommends $117.8 Million Budget Posted on 04/09/2019 The Portland Board of Education voted unanimously on April 8 to recommend to the City Council a fiscal year 2020 budget of $117.8 million. The budget preserves current staffing and programming, expands the district’s pre-kindergarten program, strengthens core instruction and implements a behavioral health continuum.
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 | Peaks School Hosts Welcoming Library Posted on 04/09/2019 Peaks Island Elementary School will be hosting the Welcoming Library from April 22 to May 6, and on Thursday, April 25, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the school will host a community event to introduce the library to Peaks Island families.
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| Reiche Native Language Play Space Posted on 04/08/2019 The Reiche Native Language Play Space was created with several goals in mind: 1) honor, maintain, and grow the native language abilities of our students, with an intentional goal of increasing academic vocabulary; 2) provide facilitated activity-based social and conversational opportunities in both native language and English; 3) provide a safe space and a short respite from English-only classroom environments; 4) provide a place in which newcomer students build relationships and take risks using their emerging English with peers and adults who speak their language.
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 | Riverton Mural Welcomes Diversity Posted on 04/05/2019 Riverton Elementary School students recently unveiled a colorful mural they created for the lobby of their school that welcomes everyone and celebrates the diversity of the school.
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 | PPS Students to Bowl with the Pros on April 7 Posted on 04/04/2019 Thirty Portland Public Schools high school and middle school students will have the opportunity of a lifetime “rolling with the pros” on Sunday, April 7, at Bayside Bowl in Portland. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) will be in town for the inaugural PBA Playoffs and Portland students will join them for a fun lesson and bowling.
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| District Gets New Summer Program Coordinator Posted on 04/04/2019 On April 3, Molly Myers joined the Central Office team as the district’s Summer Program Coordinator. In this part-time position, Molly will be a resource to school and district staff who are creating and implementing programming for more than 1,300 students for the summer of 2019.
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 | Lincoln Middle School Blood Drive April 11 Posted on 04/02/2019 |
 | Portland To Get New Assistant Superintendent July 1 Posted on 03/29/2019 Aaron L. Townsend, an innovative educator with nearly 20 years of educational experience as a teacher, school leader and system leader in Maine and California, has been selected as the new Assistant Superintendent for School Management for the Portland Public Schools, Superintendent Xavier Botana announced March 29.
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 | CBHS Juniors To Explore Katahdin Region Ecology Posted on 03/28/2019 |
 | 4th Annual Regional High School Art Show in April Posted on 03/28/2019 The artwork of Portland Public Schools high school students will be among the creative work on display in April at the 4th Annual Regional High School Art Show, hosted by Casco Bay Artisans, a Portland art gallery. The show is produced and curated by students.
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 | Moore, Lyseth and Lincoln Score at Math Meet Posted on 03/21/2019 The Southern Maine Elementary Math League held its third math meet of the year on March 14, Pi Day. Students from Lyseth Elementary School, Lyman Moore Middle School and Lincoln Middle School were among the high scorers.
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| FY20 Budget Asks Community To Invest in Students Posted on 03/19/2019 Superintendent Xavier Botana presented his $117.8 million fiscal year 2020 school budget proposal to the Portland Board of Public Education on Tuesday, March 19. He asked the Portland community to invest in quality education by supporting the budget. In addition to preserving current staffing and programming, his proposal also would expand the district’s pre-kindergarten program, strengthen core instruction and implement a behavioral health continuum.
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 | PPS ‘Windgineers’ Compete in KidWind Challenge Posted on 03/19/2019 |
 | School Reconfiguration Not Recommended Posted on 03/15/2019 This past fall, the Portland Board of Public Education created an Enrollment and Facility Study Commission to identify and recommend possible cost-saving efficiencies in school usage to address projected declines in state aid. The Commission voted on March 13 to recommend that the Board not consider any reconfigurations of district buildings at the present time.
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| Deering Hosts Blood Drive March 22 Posted on 03/14/2019 |
| Board Votes to Expand Pre-K over Five Years Posted on 03/07/2019 The Portland Board of Public Education voted March 5 to add nine new classrooms – 140 seats – to its public pre-kindergarten program over the next five years. The new initiative will more than double the number of students currently served in the program’s existing eight classrooms, and is a step toward the Board’s aim of eventually achieving a truly universal pre-K program for the Portland Public Schools.
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 | Two More PPS Teachers Achieve NBTC Standard Posted on 03/07/2019 Deering High School teacher Jen Lunt and Longfellow Elementary School teacher Megan Markgren recently were honored by the Portland Board of Public Education and Superintendent Xavier Botana for achieving National Board Teacher Certification.
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 | PHS Team Scores at Maine Academic Decathlon Posted on 03/07/2019 |
 | PHS Teens Benefit from Speak Out Posted on 03/07/2019 Portland High School on March 1 became the first school in Maine to participate in Teen Speak Out: an all-day experiential program facilitated and led by students and |