(Posted Jan. 8, 2015: The date of the PHS Annual 8th Grade
Open House event has been moved to Jan. 12 for weather-related reasons.)
Portland
High School, home of the Bulldogs, will hold its Annual 8th Grade Open
House on Monday, Jan. 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The open house will
allow families of eighth-graders to learn all about PHS as those
students decide which of Portland’s three high schools they want to
attend next year.
The Portland Public Schools offers
eighth-graders a unique opportunity to choose between its three high
schools, each with a distinctive personality and offerings. Events such
as open houses aid eighth-grade families in choosing a school by a Jan.
30, 2015 commitment deadline.
Portland students may attend any of
the city’s three public high schools – Portland, Deering or Casco Bay –
regardless of where they live in the city.
Deering High School held its open house on Dec. 4 and Casco Bay High School held its event on Dec. 11.
At
Portland High School’s open house on Jan. 12 families will learn what
makes PHS – located right in the heart of Portland with the city as its
campus – a unique high school, according to Principal Deborah Migneault.
“We
invite our eighth graders to come, hear and see what it means to be a
‘Bulldog,’” Migneault said. “Parents and students will be introduced to a
general overview of their four-year experience beginning with a strong
and successful Freshman Academy. Our developing pathways are meant to
personalize the academic journey for each student.”
Migneault said that the PHS Freshman Seminar course is one of the features that makes the school stand out.
“While
the Freshman Academy provides for a smooth transition to high school,
the Seminar course offers the content and skills students need to
possess in order to achieve success through high school and beyond,” she
explained.
Also, Migneault said, PHS provides the opportunity for students to focus on career pathways.
“Pathways
are meant to provide students the opportunity to explore personal or
potential career interests and postsecondary pursuits,” she said.
“Pathways include Law and Public Policy, Creative and Performing Arts,
Health and Natural Sciences, and Engineering and Trades. Each pathway
combines a sequence of courses, job shadows, internships, and other
extended learning opportunities. We have developed very strong
relationships with community and business organizations, making the city
our campus.”
Whichever of the three public high schools
eighth-graders choose, Portland Schools Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk
stressed that families can’t go wrong.
“Portland stands out in
Maine as a district with three public high schools students can choose
from,” Caulk said. “And while each school is unique, what all three
offer in common is a quality education that prepares students for
college, careers and citizenship. Whichever one of our three high
schools they decide on, we want the Portland Public Schools to be
parents’ first choice.”
Caulk said the offerings all three high
schools share include a student-centered approach to learning; a full
roster of courses in mathematics, language arts, science, social
studies, world languages and fine arts; extended learning opportunities
such as job shadowing and internships; Advanced Placement courses and
opportunities for earning college credit while still in high school;
co-curricular activities ranging from sports to music; and a student
body that reflects Portland’s rich diversity.
Students at each
high school also have access to vocational and technical programs – in
such important 21st century fields as health care and robotics – at the
Portland Public Schools’ Portland Arts and Technology High School
(PATHS).
In addition to the open houses at the three high
schools, other upcoming events also assist eighth-graders and their
families in making an informed choice.
For example, every eighth
grader in the district will have the chance to participate in a shadow
experience at each of the three high schools in January.
Families
will be asked to turn in a “Letter of Commitment” ranking their top two
high school choices by Jan. 30. This form will be distributed to
students by middle school guidance counselors and should be returned to
them.
If applications for next year’s ninth-grade class at Casco
Bay High School exceed 97 students per grade level, a lottery will be
held by Feb. 13. There is no enrollment cap at Portland High or Deering.
Busing is provided for high school students who live more than two
miles from their home school.
For more information about each high school, visit the High School Choices link on the district’s website.
For more information about Casco Bay High School (874-8160), please contact Michael Hale or Principal Derek Pierce.
For more information about Deering High School (874-8260), please contact Libby Heselton or Marissa Polk.
For
more information about Portland High School (874-8250), please contact
Sarah Obare or Assistant Principal Kathleen Marquis-Girard.
