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The Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) presented its 2023 School Administrator of the Year award to Portland High School Principal Sheila Jepson on March 22.  The award honors administrators who have made worthy contributions to the operations of effective school library media services.

Portland High School senior Jaime Beya-Mbiyavanga won the Runner Up Award at the Poetry Out Loud State Competition, held March 13 at Bates College in Lewiston. Congratulations to this outstanding student!

The $141.3 million Portland Public Schools superintendents’ recommended school budget for the 2023-2024 school year has three key priorities: It maintains the district’s commitment to its Portland Promise goals of Achievement, Whole Student and People – all centered on the fourth goal of Equity; is responsive to the needs of all students, especially students newly learning English; and improves operational effectiveness in such areas as finance and human resources. The FY24 budget balances challenging fiscal constraints, including a significant reduction in state aid and inflation, with increased costs to support staff and students, while being cognizant of taxpayers. It would increase the school portion of the tax rate by 7 percent, adding about $15.60 per month to the tax bill of the average homeowner.

Portland Public Schools educators have shared some recent examples of innovative teaching and learning in the arts in our schools this year. Read on to learn more details:

Portland Public Schools educators at the high school, middle school and elementary level recently shared some examples of innovative humanities and English language arts (ELA) teaching and learning in our schools this year. Read on to learn more details.

The Spinglass Management Group has completed its audit of the Portland Public Schools’ payroll practices and issued a report. The report reflects many of the payroll problems – with systems, staffing and processing – that the district has already shared since the beginning of its payroll issues this fall. The report also details significant strides the district has made to stabilize systems, enter into an agreement to outsource payroll functions, and increase payroll staffing. Additionally, it outlines the work the district continues to do to resolve outstanding concerns.

Painting for a Purpose, a local nonprofit organization founded by teachers, brings creative people together to paint whimsical decorative items that they sell to raise money to fund service-learning projects led by Portland Public Schools students who want to make a difference. Students receive up to $500 to put their idea into action. So far this school year, Painting for a Purpose has funded a wide variety of PPS students' amazing service-learning projects.

For example, a King Middle School sixth-grader won a grant to help her share Ethiopian cuisine and traditions with the school community. She conducted independent research on Ethiopia and fed her classmates injera flatbread and other Ethiopian food. She had a meal catered from Asmara Restaurant, and shared a presentation that celebrated her culture and educated others on her mother’s home country. Click HERE to learn about this and the seven other projects that Painting for a Purpose helped make a reality this year.

Portland Public Schools educators at the high school, middle school and elementary level recently shared some examples of awesome science and math learning happening at their schools this year. Read on to learn more details:

Alma Advisory Group, the professional search firm that the Portland Board of Public Education hired last month to aid in the search for a new superintendent, met with the Board and the Superintendent Search Committee earlier this week. Alma made a presentation as it worked with the Board and the Search Committee to define the scope of the work, the search timeline and community engagement in the search process.

Following the Dec. 16 resignation of Superintendent Xavier Botana, effective this month, the Portland Board of Public Education at its Jan. 3 meeting appointed assistant superintendents Melea Nalli and Aaron Townsend to be interim co-superintendents until a new superintendent is selected by June. Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed, currently co-principal at Deering High School, will take on the role of interim assistant superintendent for the transition. The team will move fully into leadership after Jan. 13.

Portland Board of Public Education Chair Sarah Lentz presented the 2022 State of the Schools address to the City Council and the public on Monday, Dec. 19. 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.

The Portland Board of Public Education voted on Friday, Dec.16, to accept the resignation of Superintendent Xavier Botana, effective January 31, 2023, or the starting date of an interim superintendent, whichever is first. Botana had planned to retire in June 2023, but he cited the district’s continuing payroll issues as the reason for his stepping aside now to let new leadership bring closure to the payroll challenges.

One new member, two returning members and five 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 be the Board’s new chair for the coming year and for Abusana “Micky” Bondo to be vice chair.

Current Board Chair Emily Figdor was informally tapped last month by fellow Board members to lead the Board again for a third time in the coming year. However, Figdor has now decided not to accept the demanding role again, and instead will support at-large Board member Sarah Lentz for the position and District 1 Board member Abusana "Micky" Bondo for vice chair when the Board votes for new leadership at its Dec. 5 Inauguration ceremony.

Casco Bay High School dismissed school early today, Friday, Dec. 2, due to a significant number of students and staff out because of the flu. The school is expected to reopen on Monday, Dec. 5.

One new member, two returning members and five student representatives will be sworn in at the Portland Board of Public Education Inauguration Ceremony on Dec. 5. The Board also will vote to elect a new chair and vice chair for the coming year.

The City of Portland’s Public Health Division, working with Northern Light, will offer an additional flu and COVID bivalent booster vaccination clinic on Saturday, December 10, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, at 39 Forest Ave. Flu and COVID vaccinations will be available to the public, insured and uninsured.

The traditional Turkey Day football game between Portland and Deering high schools is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday. Nov. 24, at Fitzpatrick Stadium. Kickoff is at 10 a.m. this year for the 110th edition of the game.

It’s the time of year to remind everyone about the Portland Public Schools' inclement weather policy and how such decisions get made.This year, bad weather events will be traditional “snow days.” That means our schools will be closed and students will not be expected to go to school in person or learn remotely. Educators will not be expected to work. We will make those days up at the end of the year. 

At its Nov. 15 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 Emily Figdor to lead the Board again and chose at-large Board member Sarah Lentz to be Vice Chair. A formal vote will take place at the Board's Inauguration on Dec. 5.

Since late yesterday, a PPS network outage has affected Portland High School, King Middle School, East End and Reiche elementary schools and Portland Adult Education. We had expected to get the system back in place today, Thursday, Nov. 17, but we have not been able to make that happen. As a result, Portland High and King will learn remotely on Friday, Nov. 18, and there will be NO school in person or remote at East End and Reiche schools. PAE will hold classes as usual.

As you may have heard, there was an active shooter threat at Portland High School the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 15, that turned out to be a hoax. Shortly after that situation was cleared, we received another threat that morning at Casco Bay High School. Working with police, this threat was determined to be a copycat hoax event.

Superintendent Xavier Botana and Board Chair Emily Figdor comment on the school budget autonomy vote and congratulate Julianne Opperman, who won the District 3 Board seat after a ranked choice voting runoff on Nov. 9.

The Portland High School internship program is a strong part of the school’s offerings, and this year an internship that teaches students about what it’s like to work in a bakery is proving most popular among a variety of offerings.

The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has just completed its 14th annual teacher grants program cycle. Seventy-six teachers, ed techs, librarians, and others have been awarded grants totaling $59,261. These grants will benefit thousands of students – from preK through Portland Adult Education – in 15 schools across the Portland Public Schools (PPS).