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The Portland Board of Public Education voted on April 9 to approve a $161.4 million FY25 school budget to recommend to the City Council. The Board’s budget centers students by including strategic funding for increased student mental health, reading support, special education and school culture support at the school level. It also supports increased rigor in the classroom, and maintains funding for athletics, extracurriculars, and class sizes. The Board will present its recommended budget to the City Council on April 22. The Council will vote on the school budget on May 20 and send it to voters on June 11.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
Each year, Maine high school principals nominate one senior from their schools to receive an MPA Principal’s Award. The award, sponsored by the Maine Principals' Association, is given in recognition of a high school senior's academic achievement and good citizenship.
- High Schools
- Portland Public Schools
Courtney Graffius, the Portland Public Schools’ technology integration coordinator, is the recipient of the 2024 School Administrator of the Year award presented by the Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL).
The award honors administrators who have helped to develop strong and effective school library media programs in their district. Courtney was nominated by PPS librarians in recognition of all she has done to help build and advocate for library programming in the Portland Public Schools, said Meg Rooks, teacher-librarian at Talbot Community School and the district’s library coordinator.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
National Assistant Principals Week, April 1-5, 2024, is a time to honor and celebrate the contributions of our assistant principals to the success of our students. Assistant principals have complex jobs. Their duties include supporting teachers and their principal, motivating students and creating a positive learning community – as well as facing the many unpredictable challenges that land on their desk each day. Portland Public Schools is deeply grateful to all these key staff members for all they do to ensure that our students succeed. Thank you!
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
There will be a full solar eclipse viewable in Maine on Monday, April 8, at 3:28 pm. While the full eclipse will only be visible elsewhere in Maine, there will be a partial eclipse visible in Portland. To help Portland Public Schools students be able to view the eclipse safely without harming their eyes, the Foundation for Portland Public Schools has protective purchased solar eclipse glasses for all students that will be distributed in school on April 8.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
At its March 5 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education voted to approve a calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. The first day of school for students in grades 1-12 will be Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024 – the day after the Labor Day holiday. Pre-K and kindergarten students will start on Thursday, Sept. 5. The last day of school for students is expected to be Friday, June 13, 2025. Please note that the last day of school may be subject to change, depending on the number of snow days taken.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
This year marks the Portland Public Schools 10th Annual STEM Expo, which PPS puts on each year in partnership with EnviroLogix.
The STEM Expo features exhibits put on by PPS students, local businesses, postsecondary schools and other organizations. It’s a way to showcase the STEM learning occurring in Portland Public Schools’ classrooms. The Expo also expands students’ STEM knowledge and exposes them to exciting career opportunities in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.The STEM Expo will look different in 2024.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
Creative artwork from Portland Public Schools students is included in the Portland Museum of Art’s annual Youth Art Month exhibition showcasing the incredible talent of art education programs across Maine. Youth Art Month, a collaboration of the PMA with the Maine Art Education Association that takes place each year in March, also is an opportunity to highlight art educators and the importance of and access to quality art programs.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
On March 5, Superintendent Ryan Scallon presented the Portland Board of Public Education with a recommended $161 million budget for the 2024-2025 school year that centers students, invests in schools and is aligned to the district’s emerging strategic plan. This is the first time that the district has presented a comprehensive budget of all revenues and expenses. The budget addresses significant fiscal challenges with strategic reductions and restructuring. It would raise the school portion of the property tax rate by 6.85%, adding just under $16 per month to the annual tax bill of the median-priced home in Portland. This tax rate increase is significantly below the 17.41% that would be necessary to replace all the lost revenue and the increasing expenses that the district faces.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The community is invited to an enchanted evening of theater arts on Wednesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. when the Deering Players will present “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet" at the Deering High School Auditorium, located at 370 Stevens Avenue. Deering students will embark on this theatrical journey led by Maine's 2024 Teacher of the Year and Deering Drama Director Joshua Chard, alongside the school’s exceptionally talented audiovisual technician Cory Macgowan.
- High Schools
- Portland Public Schools
A special ceremony was held at the Portland Expo on Feb. 1 to honor longtime Portland High School educator and public address announcer Pete Gribbin, as the 84-year-old retired from being the “voice of Portland High School.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
A student in the groundbreaking cybersecurity program at the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) has achieved a significant milestone by passing the CompTIA CySA+ Certification Exam, making him the first PATHS student to accomplish this feat. The program also has an outstanding instructor.
- High Schools
- PATHS
- Portland Public Schools
Anonymous donors have given the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) a $50,000 matching donation to launch the Ed Feeney Athletics Fund, named after retired Portland High School girls basketball coach Ed Feeney. When Portland Public Schools coaches, teachers, or school social workers learn of a student who lacks basic athletic gear to play sports, the Foundation can now purchase that gear for students.
The Foundation is accepting further donations to the Ed Feeney Athletics Fund to assist even more students. All gifts will be matched dollar for dollar.
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools is among four school districts and two educational institutions to receive awards totaling nearly $1 million to recruit, train, and retain educators through pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship pilot programs.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
Portland Board of Public Education Chair Sarah Lentz presented the 2023 State of the Schools address to the City Council and the public on Monday, Dec. 18. The City Charter requires that the Board chair deliver an annual address to the Council on the state of the public education system in Portland. Here's a summary of her presentation (and you can also click on links below to read the full address and watch on YouTube).
- Elementary Schools
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- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The storm on Monday, Dec. 18 caused power outages in six of Portland's public schools. Read a message from Superintendent Ryan Scallon on how the district handled the outages and the plan for Tuesday, Dec. 19, if power is not restored by early morning:
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
As a reminder to staff, students and families: Free COVID tests are available from the U. S. Government. Click HERE to learn and order your tests.
Every U.S. household can order 4 more free COVID-19 self-tests. Self-tests (also called at-home tests and over-the-counter tests) are one of several tools that protect you and others by reducing the chances of spreading COVID-19.
If you are ill or have been exposed to COVID, please test at home before coming to school.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
One returning Board member, two new members and six student representatives were sworn in at the Portland Board of Public Education’s Dec. 5 Inauguration ceremony. The Board also voted for Sarah Lentz to serve for the second time in a row be the Board’s new chair for the coming year and for Abusana “Micky” Bondo to again be vice chair for a second year.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
It's the time of year in Maine to expect snow storms and other types of inclement weather events. In advance of the changes in the weather, Superintendent Ryan Scallon presented the Portland Public Schools' snow day plans for the 2023-2024 school year to the Board of Public Education meeting at its Nov. 14 meeting. Here are the details:
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
An increasing number of Portland High School students are participating in the school’s internship program and additional businesses are partnering with PHS to offer internships. Nearly 50 students are participating in internships in many different fields this school year.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
The Deering High School Players are set to stage an enthralling rendition of Reginald Rose's classic drama, "12 Angry Jurors." Under the guidance of Mr. Joshua Chard, 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year and Deering drama director, the Deering Players promise a compelling performance on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 PM, and Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3 PM and 7. Suggested donation is $5+, Free for Deering students.
- East End Community School
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
At its Nov. 14 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education held a caucus to take an informal vote to select new leaders for the coming year. The Board unanimously chose current Board Chair Sarah Lentz to lead the Board again and also unanimously endorsed current Vice Chair Micky Bondo to continue in that role for the next year.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) announced Oct. 31 that it is awarding $64,299 to Portland Public Schools staff members through the FPPS Equity and Innovation Grant program. Seventy-three teachers, ed techs, librarians, and other staff members will receive up to $1,250 each for classroom resources and experiences such as robotics clubs, purchasing math manipulatives, attending concerts, or bringing in guest lecturers. These grants will benefit thousands of students from preK through Portland Adult Education in 16 schools across the district. This year is the 15th year of the Equity and Innovation Grants Program.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
Superintendent Ryan Scallon has issued a letter to the PPS community regarding the tragic shootings in Lewiston on Oct. 25.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
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Portland High at a Glance
Facts About Our School
938
Students Enrolled
Our students come from a wide variety of culturally rich backgrounds. We believe that learning in diverse groups prepares students to thrive.
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21
Languages Spoken by Students
Top 10 most spoken languages in the district includes: English, Somali, Arabic, Lingala, Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Vietnamese and Kinyarwanda.
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1/3
Immigrant Student Population
PHS is the most diverse high schools north of Boston with 1/3 of student population made up of immigrants representing 45 different countries.