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At its Sept. 20 meeting, the Portland Board of Public Education voted unanimously to approve a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Portland Education Association, The new contract shows trust and collaboration on both sides, with educators and the district working towards a common goal of student success. The contract begins this school year and runs through the 2024-2025 school year.

At a ceremony in Brunswick Sept. 15, four Portland Public Schools educators were presented with the 2022 Education for the Common Good Award by Bowdoin College. The four recipients of this year’s award are Superintendent Xavier Botana; PPS Director of BIPOC Career Pathways and Leadership Development Julia Hazel; Portland High School Assistant Principal Alberto Morales, and Executive Director of Human Resources Barbara Stoddard. They were recognized for their work to transform conditions for educators of color in the district

To kick off the NEA Big Read: Portland, ME, a city-wide discussion of immigration using the adult novel INFINITE COUNTRY that is taking place this fall, the Portland nonprofit I’m Your Neighbor Books and USM’s Department of Literacy, Language, and Culture delivered 1,200 children’s books to the Portland Public Schools – texts that will extend the conversation from kindergarten to grade 12. I'm Your Neighbor uses children’s books and stories to welcome immigrants, sharing books that help all students to better understand the perspectives of others and learn to value diversity.

Rippleffect, a nonprofit that promotes youth development and leadership through adventure, on Sept. 13 officially announced the Rippleffect Outdoor Center (“ROC”), a central piece in Rippleffect's vision to provide equitable access for all Maine youth, starting in Portland’s backyard. 

The Portland Public Schools has worked with our medical team to develop COVID-19 protocols for the new school year that reflect federal CDC recommendations.

The district has a new assistant director of student support services for secondary schools: Sharlee Mahoney. Shar, who started work on Aug. 22, will be introduced to the Portland Board of Public Education in September. She is joining our district from the Falmouth Public Schools, where she was a special education coordinator and instructional strategist across all grade spans.

The Portland Public Schools is getting a slate of new school leaders:  Nicole Bradeen is the new principal at Longfellow Elementary School; Sarah Gips Goodall is the new principal at Lyseth Elementary School; Jason Bradeen is the new assistant principal at King Middle School; and Blake Kastle is the new assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School. The school-based appointments will be ratified at the Aug. 2 Portland Board of Public Education meeting. In addition, Terrence Young, formerly Longfellow principal, is now the executive director of district operations. 

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.

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.

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.