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Tuesday, June 17, the last day of the school year for Portland Public Schools students, was a bittersweet day at Lyseth Elementary School, as the school bid goodbye to beloved second-grade teacher Linda Whittum, who is retiring after 37 years with the district.
- Lyseth Elementary School
- Portland Public Schools
More than 30 Portland Public Schools employees are retiring this school year. The retirees were honored by the Portland Board of Public Education and the district in a ceremony on Tuesday, June 10. Those recognized have served throughout the district and held a wide variety of roles in service of students and families.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Board of Public Education Chair Sarah Lentz issued a statement expressing gratitude to City voters for their decisive approval June 10 of the Portland Public Schools’ budget for fiscal year 2026. Voters also elected retired Portland High School music teacher Jayne Sawtelle to a vacant at-large Board seat.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools accepts funding through the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965. As part of ESEA, the district is required to provide reasonable opportunity for public comment on the consolidated application and consider such comment prior to the submission of the application.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Casco Bay High School held its 17th graduation exercises on Thursday, June 5, at Merrill Auditorium. Casco’s commencement ceremonies are known for mixing traditional graduation pomp and circumstance with the unconventional, such as good-natured jokes interspersing heartfelt personal testimonies. This year’s evening ceremony for the Class of 2025 was no exception.
- Casco Bay High School
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Deering High School held its 151st graduation exercises for the Class of 2025 on Thursday, June 5, at Merrill Auditorium. Featured in the morning ceremony were remarks by Superintendent Ryan Scallon, Deering Principal Jake Giessman and Deering Assistant Principal Halima Noor, as well as speeches by students, musical performances and the presentation of diplomas.
- Deering High School
- Portland Public Schools
Please join the Portland Public Schools in welcoming some new administrators in the district! They include four new elementary school leaders: Joe Trivisonno, principal at Rowe Elementary School; Laurie Cloutier, principal at Lyseth Elementary School; Taryn Southard, new lead teacher at Reiche Elementary School; and Bill Anton, teaching principal at Peaks Island Elementary School and Cliff Island School. The district also recently hired Dr. Cheryl Proctor as Chief of Schools & Academics; Bryon Newcomb as Director of IT; and Sarah Rent as Elementary Director of Special Education.
- Cliff Island School
- Lyseth Elementary School
- Peaks Island Elementary School
- Portland Public Schools
- Reiche Elementary School
- Rowe Elementary School
Rich Henry, a highly successful and accomplished basketball coach who served as head coach at Waynflete for the past 21 seasons, is joining the Deering High School athletics family to lead the storied boys basketball program.
- Deering High School
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Anja Machado, a distinguished senior at Deering High School, has earned national recognition by being named a National Merit Scholar, being awarded a National Merit University of Tulsa Scholarship, placing her among an elite group of students nationwide celebrated for exceptional academic ability and the potential for success in rigorous college studies.
- Deering High School
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Portland High School, one of the oldest operating public high schools in the United States, held its 204th graduation exercises on Wednesday, June 4, at Merrill Auditorium. The late morning ceremony included remarks by Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Portland High Principal Sheila Jepson, speeches and musical performances by students and the presentation of awards and diplomas.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
The City of Portland has received a grant of approximately $74,000 for a new youth mentoring program at East End Community School. The City’s Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department has started up the program thanks to a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to build an evidence-based youth mentoring program that serves youth who are living in communities impacted by substance misuse.
- East End Community School
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Cedar Levin, a senior at Portland High School in the dance program at Portland Arts and Technology High School is PATHS Student of the Year for 2024-2025! Cedar has been part of the PATHS dance program for two years, where she excels in every aspect. Each of Maine’s 27 career and technical education (CTE) center annually selects a student of the year.
- PATHS
- Portland Public Schools
- Whole Student
In May, students at Rowe Elementary welcomed a very special guest with deep roots in their own neighborhood: Remijo Wani, a 2nd Team All-American basketball player from St. Joseph’s College in Standish. He returned to his childhood stomping grounds to speak with students in third- through fifth-grade—bringing with him a powerful message of perseverance, gratitude and community pride.
- Portland Public Schools
- Rowe Elementary School
The Portland Public schools will be operating various summer meal sites at 11 locations across the city of Portland this summer. All children and teens 18 years and younger can receive a nutritious meal free of charge to be enjoyed on site. Most sites will begin serving on Wednesday, June 25. Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Children and teens can attend any of the meal site locations convenient to them.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
The City Council voted unanimously in May to approve the $171.8 million school budget for the 2025-2026 school year. Now it’s the public’s turn: Portland city voters will be asked to give their stamp of approval to the school budget on Tuesday, June 10. In addition to voting on the budget, Portland voters will also have the chance to vote on two candidates running for a vacant seat on the Portland Board of Public Education.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
Initial public engagement sessions regarding the work of the Attendance Boundaries Advisory Committee are set for early June. Here are the dates, times and locations of the meetings (PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LOCATION OF THE JUNE 3 MEETING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO EAST END COMMUNITY SCHOOL):
- Monday, June 2, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, in person at Ocean Avenue Elementary School
- Tuesday, June 3, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, in person at East End Community School
- Wednesday, June 4, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, VIRTUAL. Here's the link to join.
- Elementary Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
High school graduation exercises for the Portland Public Schools Class of 2025 will all take place at Merrill Auditorium. The district’s three high schools will hold their commencement ceremonies on June 4 and 5.
- High Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The last day of school for students for the 2024-2025 school year will be Tuesday, June 17, and the last teacher day will be Wednesday, June 18. On the last student day, schools will dismiss students three hours before their usual release time.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
The City of Portland will be holding a public meeting on May 22 regarding a proposed cleanup project of some contaminated soil that was unearthed at Fitzpatrick Stadium during renovations there. The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at the parking lot of the stadium, located at 165 Park Avenue.
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
The City Council voted unanimously on May 19 to approve the $171.8 million 2025-2026 school year budget recommended by the Portland Board of Public Education. The vote now sends the budget to City voters on June 10. The budget balances fiscal constraints with necessary investments to increase academic rigor, foster a joyful and supportive school culture and help provide more effective instruction to students with disabilities. It would raise the school portion of the property tax rate by 5.33 percent ($0.42 per $1,000 of assessed value). For the owner of a median-priced $500,000 home, the budget would increase property taxes by $210 per year or $17.50 per month.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
The New England Environmental Finance Center (NEEFC) at the University of Southern Maine is working with the Portland Public Schools (PPS) on a comprehensive environmental audit and action plan to reduce waste and improve sustainability in 17 of the district’s elementary, middle and high schools.
- Elementary Schools
- High Schools
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
- Achievement
Portland High School senior Madeline Butters has won a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship, and now is officially a Merit Scholar. She is one of just eight Maine seniors to be awarded that scholarship and among 2,500 Merit Scholars chosen from a nationwide talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) invites the community to Spring for Teachers, a celebration of Portland teachers. Spring for Teachers will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 5 p.m. to7 p.m. at Bunker Brewing Co. The event will include the presentation of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards.
- High Schools
- Portland Adult Education
- Portland Public Schools
Portland High School has a new head football coach: Nick Cliche, who has been the school’s assistant head football coach for the past two years and has extensive coaching experience prior to that.
- Portland High School
- Portland Public Schools
Portland Community: You're invited to Lyman Moore Middle School's annual musical, which opens Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Come see our students showcase their talents in Beauty and the Beast, a classic tale about love, transformation, and finding beauty in unexpected places. There also are shows on Saturday, May 10, at 2 p.m. and at 7 p.m. Tickets $5 at the door.
- Middle Schools
- Portland Public Schools
- Whole Student
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Peaks Island at a Glance
Facts About Our School
41
Students Enrolled
Our students come from a wide variety of culturally rich backgrounds. We believe that learning in diverse groups prepares students to thrive.
Social Media Feed
59
Languages Spoken in the District
Top 10 most spoken languages in the district includes: English, Somali, Arabic, Lingala, Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Vietnamese and Kinyarwanda.
Social Media Feed
57%
Economically Disadvantaged
Students are identified as economically disadvantaged based on eligibility for free or reduced-price meal programs or other criteria reflecting economic need.