[{"_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",6193264,"mediaKeyId","3868022-edf56d8d07582b34d6f7f8cfd62fd5be","parentId",3868022,"title","Portland Public Schools board agrees on new committee schedule; considers moving from three to four committees","audioSeconds",1638,"startMs",2669655,"endMs",4308540,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868022-edf56d8d07582b34d6f7f8cfd62fd5be&start=2669&end=4308","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868022-edf56d8d07582b34d6f7f8cfd62fd5be/thumbnail_2669655.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6193264/Maine/Portland-Public-Schools-board-agrees-on-new-committee-schedule-considers-moving-from-three-to-four-committees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193264-fa953716aab7f6d7cfd28e898713d90b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218957&Signature=YtDwPPHjDxBA-54q11HTEQjPAHJllqWNTu3PmCZ8dNgo6fxHhd2D1Nv285yMLVHB7kaE6kAhurc-GsTLBaO0y5kGj85-7wYIw2Hqcu1nrHxtNXs4q9JFgYShaoMuucpnIwOcNxdPoRxOeqHFg-CsVBMwu4Qc9Fn52Z7nGKu7D4VFpBBNMrS2lts2uzgKiB4jFbotvVhJcvMM-5TiLIfM1kuHCiVyLmx4LfxX4RVSRZ1iixJ7RL5bGrG5pmEJwMTA~4CgJBwPpZPme~s6kzRK~j1FgJX6a7X82luuwXXimHj7lbHjXvAOcnj4eXfO5jBb8aIq~S6EOlUpY9yGjOH8eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Portland Public Schools","date","2025-06-18T16:05:14Z","article","Portland Public Schools board members on Monday discussed a proposed update to board committee structure (policy BDE) and reached a working consensus on a revised meeting cadence intended to create more regular work time for curriculum, facilities and legislative priorities.

The chair presented a proposal considered at a recent board retreat to shift from the current three‑committee model to a larger committee structure that would give recurring space for curriculum and student outcomes, facilities planning and legislative work. “There have been three bodies of work that really haven't had space and time to be addressed in our current committee structure,” the chair said, noting curriculum, facilities and legislative work as examples.

After discussion the board coalesced around moving from three committees to four, and around a scheduling approach that places committee meetings on Mondays and board meetings on Tuesdays on the same week, with the intervening week free of committee or board meetings. That schedule is intended to reduce cancellations and improve predictability for staff and the public; the chair said the draft calendar will be shared so the board can resolve a small number of remaining conflicts.

Board members raised concerns about staff workload and member availability. Board member Opperman warned that concentrating multiple committees on the same day can push staff work into weekends; vice chair Bondo proposed a compromise — keeping finance meetings on Monday and scheduling other committees on Tuesday — to accommodate members with recurring conflicts. The chair said staff can work with the proposed cadence and that a draft calendar will aim to avoid conflicts with City Council by holding board meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays.

The retreat proposal outlined several committee configurations; a five‑committee model was discussed earlier in the retreat but the board favored moving to four committees for 2025–26, with committees that might be labeled finance and personnel, operations and facilities, policy, and curriculum and academic success. The board also discussed meeting frequency (twice a month for committees) and possible block scheduling to create efficient meeting windows.

No formal rule change vote was taken in the workshop; the board directed staff to circulate the draft calendar and to return for formal adoption if a policy amendment is required. The chair also said staff will draft roles and responsibilities documents for committee chairs and board officers and suggested an early‑August workshop to finalize the details.

Board members asked staff to confirm whether a formal policy amendment is required to change the meeting cadence; staff said they would check and, if needed, bring a policy item to the board’s first meeting in August.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop Use of Personal Electronic Devices & 25-26 Board Meeting Dates June 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members discussed restructuring committee work to create more time for curriculum, facilities and legislative priorities; after debate about member availability and staff capacity the board settled on committee meetings on Mondays and board meetings on Tuesdays (same week), with off weeks between meeting weeks.","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},6193269,"Portland Public Schools reviews draft rules to implement new student cell‑phone policy",1771,23565,1795415,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3868022-edf56d8d07582b34d6f7f8cfd62fd5be&start=23&end=1795","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3868022-edf56d8d07582b34d6f7f8cfd62fd5be/thumbnail_23565.jpg","/articles/6193269/Maine/Portland-Public-Schools-reviews-draft-rules-to-implement-new-student-cellphone-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193269-898b1a2203098213a2f1f79ac5c393d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775218957&Signature=ZpNAevFoBJopCG-oUspKsRADrhAIQy2EZYbjrEPrbPtPXaCvSAd0yjCoKRggFsOVVVP4S1BxKrqTkQhgilEqfpWNFG~xHW~JGKhsrdWeh4YvtzVjFDAPgXSSIgGNWkjMtfTg-3MvbqphtuxeY8zYtKkHVQ0SCLqG7OmRU6VlsQSw3D28jaOSr8nYfFrZ24ObCdm1BntdmjqFPwJSupcoYKjMD3Gpzn7y2WvjsBrPxUIlEvxSVP5CUhg08eJHhCWojlAoM2yFbzk9MHA26Wlg5I212nnchVEk3K~KYEi-nUD938byvUgfuNIbRVrkZwaYk~jc~iDF066BrkLWXP8szA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Portland Public Schools staff on Monday reviewed working draft rules meant to put the board’s recently adopted student cell‑phone policy (JFCK) into practice, focusing on how devices will be stored, how exceptions will be handled and how the district will communicate the changes to families and staff.

Dr. Warren, who led the presentation, said the document is a “working draft” meant to be aligned closely with the policy the board approved and refined with input from school and district leaders. “We’re calling these working draft, because we will continue to talk about these next week when we have our leadership retreat with school leaders,” Dr. Warren said.

The rules separate elementary and secondary practice: elementary schools would generally not need a formal storage system because comparatively few personal devices arrive at that level; secondary schools would use centralized storage plans. The district is “working on the assumption that we’ll be purchasing pouches to store phones at the high school level,” Dr. Warren said, while middle‑school practice remains under discussion so the rules can allow multiple implementation methods without requiring rule changes.

The draft lays out an exceptions process for health and other documented needs — specifically noting instances that may arise through an IEP or a Section 504 plan — and requires school principals (or lead teachers) and the relevant assistant superintendent to approve exceptions in writing. Dr. Warren said exceptions will need a rationale and supporting documentation and “it may not be that every exception is forever; it could be time‑limited” and that families may appeal a denial to the superintendent.

Staff said the rules will direct administrators to look for alternatives when families request exceptions — for example, offering a school‑issued device or a locked office storage option — rather than approving exceptions as the first response. The draft also specifies that devices should be turned off before being placed in storage to avoid disruptions.

Concerns from board members and a teacher speaker centered on who will manage enforcement and how teachers will be supported. One teacher asked whether a central office point person would be available for staff who feel uncomfortable raising issues with building administrators; Dr. Warren replied that exceptions will be routed to assistant superintendents so the central office will see and norm exception requests. A board member noted that some Portland High School teachers oppose the policy partly because of worries it will shift enforcement burdens to classroom teachers; Dr. Warren said the intent is to refer incidents to administrators so teachers are not the primary enforcers.

Discipline language in the draft is brief and will be aligned with the district’s progressive discipline committee work. Dr. Warren described progressive discipline as “meant to be supportive, not punitive,” and said the first step at all grade levels would typically be to send students to the office so staff can hold devices during the day.

The draft addresses technology and instructional needs: staff said district or school‑issued devices can be used for curricular tasks such as cameras in art class, calculators and translation tools, and that the district will identify and fill gaps. The district is piloting a classroom monitoring tool for Chromebooks (“class schools,” as described in the meeting) and plans a continued review of rules governing district‑issued devices.

Costs and communications: Dr. Warren said initial pouch purchases and other start‑up costs will come from the district budget and later be incorporated into school budgets. The district will run a communications campaign before the school year and expects schools to follow with consistent, accessible messages; the rules call for systems that allow families to communicate in their home languages and ensure accessibility for people with hearing, speech or visual disabilities. The draft also references the district’s emergency notification systems (Reach My Teach) for urgent communications.

Next steps: staff will continue refining the rules with school leaders at a leadership retreat, produce more detailed internal procedures (for example, how pouches are stored and handled during late arrivals and early departures), and prepare district‑ and school‑level communications before the start of school.","District staff presented working draft rules to implement the board’s recently adopted student cell‑phone policy (JFCK), focusing on storage methods, limited exceptions (IEP/504), progressive discipline alignment, communications and initial district funding for supplies.","actionData","errors"]

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Portland Public Schools board agrees on new committee schedule; considers moving from three to four committees

Portland Public Schools reviews draft rules to implement new student cell‑phone policy