[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6350267,"mediaKeyId","2234191-e41cef82bad996c87aa60ce5cfc953bf","parentId",2234191,"title","Deering student update and elementary schools report highlight academics, extracurriculars, ACCESS testing and mobile makerspace","audioSeconds",958,"startMs",302000,"endMs",1260000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2234191-e41cef82bad996c87aa60ce5cfc953bf&start=302&end=1260","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2234191-e41cef82bad996c87aa60ce5cfc953bf/thumbnail_302000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6350267/Maine/Deering-student-update-and-elementary-schools-report-highlight-academics-extracurriculars-ACCESS-testing-and-mobile-makerspace","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6350267-6ce9ceaba10d1453e3205a5a7ea40c00/orig.mp4?Expires=1771486702&Signature=DGaItxhv86z7sMnIv7pvoZxdiSBAkTJ1KpTems0i-XbJB-zg1tSPWPM5rW-nxgH0QMM7hoWpD~FaXIhhU4tLSducSAE~ueKQrtFFH-hfGLjSpthFEalCt6eCxgNi-xzxR50F-YOFJuEqNf8GqF69My5YB~InkNaSMRblTwdiwSS6XJkNGTI2U8XQNckoIE11BS2kGXeYnB8OAHsAE5G-fUN4FYGSMqW5b6hnY0fONr3YoAuDcfDESZS3~mm~vTXNlhUlvtZcEMS2OZsMtmMOjKrLUPY1XiSNffxP417NoSNTn0vyoovSpB2G16HrrTAnIlPMN87r1tNsKqHPp8qV1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Portland Public Schools","date","2025-02-05T14:28:54Z","article","Zachary Lee, student representative from Deering High School, told the Portland Board of Public Education on Feb. 4 that Deering students were beginning a new semester with schedule changes that allow some students to take college classes earlier and focus on fewer classes. Lee reported recent shifts to Deering's grading policy for work completed under special COVID-era circumstances, staffing updates (an interim assistant principal while Miss Schulweiler is on maternity leave), and guidance-counseling work to prepare students across grades for postsecondary options.

Lee also summarized extracurricular and athletic highlights: the Deering Players' winter one-act production (selected by students) with performances planned for March 5 and regional festival dates; success in debate (state champions in public forum and students qualifying for national tournaments); participation in District 2 Chorus; a new ski and snowboard club; a Science Olympiad result that placed the school as the top-performing team from Maine at the MIT invitational; and winter-sports participation at four-year highs. Lee noted a fundraising trivia night for the track team on Feb. 15 and that senior Evan Legasse reached 1,000 career basketball points.

The board then heard an elementary-schools update from Doctor Atkinson (elementary update presenter). Atkinson listed January highlights and \"big lifts,\" including the ACCESS English-language proficiency assessment for multilingual learners, midyear interim assessments, foundational reading checks (Early Bird for K-1 and DIBELS for grades 2-5), and a pre-K lottery. Atkinson said the district runs 18 pre-K classrooms with a total of 264 student seats; applications received after the lottery window are added to the waiting list. Board members asked whether a substantial waiting list exists; Atkinson and other staff said the waiting list is continuously updated and that, when checked last week, one staff member reported roughly 16 people on the waiting list but that available space still existed.

Atkinson described the district's mobile makerspace, which provides hands-on STEAM and computer-science learning across elementary grades and island schools. \"The mobile makerspace provides all elementary students with hands on learning in STEAM and computer science,\" Atkinson said, adding that the district aims to have foundation and grant funding cover consumables and startup costs while the local budget covers personnel. Atkinson said the foundation and community partners have invested about $236,000 in the program since it began. Upcoming events noted included a district professional learning day this Friday focused on culturally responsive teaching and curriculum planning and a Longfellow School community dinner scheduled for the next evening.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the All City concert date and unified basketball schedules; student and staff representatives said they would follow up with exact times and locations. Members and student representatives complimented the student report and thanked Lee for the update.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Portland Board of Public Education Business Meeting February 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Deering High School student representative Zachary Lee briefed the Portland Board of Public Education on academics, extracurricular successes and schedule changes; Doctor Atkinson presented elementary highlights including ACCESS testing, interim assessments, a 18-classroom pre-K program (264 seats) and the mobile makerspace.","taxTitle","Portland Public Schools, School Districts, Maine","taxId",38492,"location","Maine","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6350274,"Portland school board takes first read of FY26 capital improvement plan, proposes $3 million in new projects",477,1633000,2110000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2234191-e41cef82bad996c87aa60ce5cfc953bf&start=1633&end=2110","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2234191-e41cef82bad996c87aa60ce5cfc953bf/thumbnail_1633000.jpg","/articles/6350274/Maine/Portland-school-board-takes-first-read-of-FY26-capital-improvement-plan-proposes-3-million-in-new-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6350274-aaa9bdfa03997c494195012ffd7e9ddb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771486702&Signature=kKznuPdx80mHdt4nQR7cV640G94V1g91SlDVCFeACktmkTMGgN25cdO6C-E0XnZM2RuxuHJ4REYVvBkswChCYCJemnPlTRB0FuRMYgSM-AZqqrHB2h7gQHyMvre0ncZcsEVk1jNbbse2tg07hWhTPNDbhGudppapV8-7YpHp9dqvlBsjd4y95kEZxgEXZC8OBZc9AtWygnmxMAFyiKFrVmBrSzq3bnf~A8~-JHqTVUGqTqxzxxJGCttb6rrB7LsYtWbFuyxu8K0fVeqN34HvX-URAd-kjONFZgPBx2Wq64ATxA247pQtfCr~KLrxX53VUMfO0HGXamhTbokcBTbcpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Portland Board of Public Education on Tuesday received a first reading of the district's fiscal year 2026 Capital Improvement Plan, including a proposed $3 million in new projects and a package of 10 prioritized facility investments. Tamara Sweeney, the district's director of facilities, told the board the work is aimed at keeping school buildings \"safe, warm, and dry.\"

Sweeney said the district currently has roughly $13,300,000 in CIP projects in various phases and is proposing an additional $3,000,000 for FY26. The presentation described six building-envelope projects (including multiple roof replacements), one HVAC replacement, safety and accessibility work, exterior lighting upgrades and multi-school paving and parking repairs. Projects named in the presentation included roof work at Casco Bay High School, Longfellow School, and Presum Scott (as listed in the presentation), masonry phase 2 at Deering High School, window replacements at Lincoln Bridal School, a heating/ventilation unit replacement at Casco Bay High School, a secured vestibule and ADA/accessibility work, Portland High School exterior lighting, and districtwide parking-lot paving in select locations.

\"Safe, warm, and dry is our theme this year again. Safety first,\" Sweeney said during the presentation, adding that some projects were identified in the district's 2016 comprehensive facility studies and others were identified by staff. The presentation included examples of capital-request impacts: a hypothetical $1 million capital project with a 20-year life at an estimated 4% interest rate would add roughly one cent to the PPS portion of the mill rate for 20 years, Sweeney said.

Board Chair Sheryl Lentz described the Feb. 4 session as a first read and said the board will be asked to vote on the CIP at its Feb. 11 meeting. Sweeney said the City Council handles bond approval for capital requests and the district pays its share of associated loan principal and interest; she told board members the council's review of the CIP is typically an up-or-down vote rather than a line-item change. \"They don't have line item veto on our budget. They only have a straight up or down,\" Sweeney said.

Board members asked about project timing, city capacity to manage design and procurement, and the potential impact of rising construction costs and tariffs. Sweeney and others said project delivery depends on design and engineering timelines and the city's purchasing capacity; if material or price shocks occur, larger budget adjustments would likely return to the board in a later CIP cycle.

The presentation also stated that the district and its foundation/community partners have invested about $236,000 in the mobile makerspace program (noted in the elementary report) and that the district aims to have foundation funds cover consumables and startup while local budget covers personnel costs for that program.

This meeting was a first read only; board members were reminded that any proposed amendments should be circulated to the board in advance of the Feb. 11 second read and vote. The board did not take a final vote on the CIP at the Feb. 4 meeting.","The Portland Board of Public Education on Tuesday received a first reading of the district's FY26 Capital Improvement Plan, including a proposed $3 million in new projects and a package of 10 prioritized facility investments.","actionData","errors"]

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Deering student update and elementary schools report highlight academics, extracurriculars, ACCESS testing and mobile makerspace

Portland school board takes first read of FY26 capital improvement plan, proposes $3 million in new projects