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A group of Deering High School students joined other Maine students in “running” Maine state government last weekend, taking control of the State House, debating more than 100 bills and electing a new youth governor. The students were participating in the Maine YMCA Youth and Government program in Augusta Nov. 7, 8 and 9—an opportunity to experience civics lessons firsthand.

Nov. 7 marked the culmination of a four-day STEAM lesson for Rowe Elementary School fifth-graders and they had a big task before them: Make the robot creatures they had created “come to life” with lights, motion and sound. Their “Robot Petting Zoo” lesson was an example of the hands-on opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art, and math that the Portland Public Schools provides for elementary students through its Mobile Makerspace. But the lesson wouldn’t be easy, their instructor warned.

Deering High School seniors Toby Romano and Devashree Thomson are passionate about theater costumes, which are key elements in drawing audiences into a performance. That’s why the two are grateful to receive a $344 Painting for a Purpose service-learning grant to aid in their “Costume Track Restoration” project.

Reiche Elementary School is the latest of three newly renovated Portland Public Schools elementary schools to attain Silver Certification from LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Presumpscot and Longfellow schools were awarded the certification last year. The certification recognizes the schools’ lower energy costs, improved air quality and healthier learning environments overall.

The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has awarded more grants than ever before in its almost 20-year grant-making history. For the first time, FPPS awarded grants of up to $2,000 via three different grant programs. 135 grants totaling $144,554 will benefit students across 17 schools in the district this school year.

King Middle School science teacher Marina Peñalver shared the following account of an “Engineering Our Energy Future,” expedition that King eighth-graders are engaging in: "In this expedition, Matinicus Eight students become authorities on one of our planet’s major dilemmas, human energy usage and its connection to global climate change. 

The Foundation for Portland Public Schools has raised approximately $43K for food insecure students and families during the government shutdown. FPPS Executive Director Andrea Weisman Summers, says the community’s response is “genuinely heartwarming.” 

Casco Bay and Deering high schools were among 78 schools across Maine participating in the Maine Student Mock Election on Oct. 28. It is the first year that Maine has held a student mock election for a referendum election — and Casco Bay was one of the schools that Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows visited that day to mark the event.

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Jill Duson, who represents part of Portland, servef lunch to Lyman Moore Middle School students Oct. 20. The senator’s visit was an opportunity for her to see the impact of the universal free school meal program and meet with Superintendent Ryan Scallon, Moore Principal Darralynn Jones and Food Service staff.

Portland High School senior Ramona Rowe will start college next year with a huge life accomplishment already checked off: She’s a published novelist. Ramona recently had her first full-length novel published through The Telling Room. Titled “Factory Town,” it’s a science fiction novel set in Worcester, Mass., where she has family roots

The Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW ME) selected the Portland Public Schools for their “2025 Agency of the Year” award in recognition of the ‘incredible work’ of the district’s social workers and school counselors to ensure all students have access to support for social, emotional and behavioral health issues. 

The Gambo Dam in Windham was the setting in September for Portland Public Schools third-graders to get some real-life lessons about life science and the Wabanaki, the Indigenous peoples whose homeland encompasses present-day Maine. The students got to experience the dam’s impact on the Presumpscot River in person and learned from Wabanaki guides about the relationship of animals and humans to the ecosystem.

Hannaford Supermarkets and the Portland Public Schools have teamed up to launch a new school-based food pantry at Portland High School — which officially opened Sept. 16. The pantry will expand food access for students and their families in need. As many as 500 students are expected to use the pantry each month. Hannaford donated $10,000 to the school to fully renovate the space, purchase refrigeration and storage, and stock the shelves with fresh, nutritious food options for students. 

The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) is excited to announce that United Way of Southern Maine is investing $53,940 in Gerald E. Talbot Community School. The donation will support Talbot’s whole-school model, which integrates learning in Pre-K through grade 5 with family and community engagement. “United Way’s support is a huge boost to the community school model being piloted at Talbot,” said Andrea Weisman Summers

Three Portland Public Schools students have been named as Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program: Deering High School seniors Ellis Retzer, Alma Wallace and Ellis Wood. The Deering students are among just 58 Maine seniors that the program named Sept. 10 as Semifinalists in the 2026 contest.

Six outstanding Portland Public Schools educators are taking on new administrative roles, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

The Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) is thrilled to announce that it has received a $1 million donation, half of which is earmarked for supporting arts and music education in the Portland Public Schools system. The donation, made by anonymous donors through the Maine Community Foundation, will allow FPPS to build on existing arts and music programs and launch a new arts partnership. The remaining $500,000 from this generous donation is an unrestricted gift to FPPS.

Portland High School Class of 2025 member Dvora Katz is one of just four Maine students to be the most recent winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by the U.S. colleges and universities they plan to attend. The awards range from between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years.

Portland Adult Education (PAE) hosted its 177th graduation ceremony on June 25 at Merrill Auditorium. The event included remarks from PAE administration and staff, Superintendent Ryan Scallon and student speakers, as well as the awarding of scholarships, commendations to graduates and musical performances.

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.

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.