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School committee highlights Parent University turnout and plans student-legislative engagement
Summary
The committee reported roughly 888 parents and families participated across Parent University and fall board engagement sessions last year, reviewed fall/spring engagement calendars and discussed giving students and parents opportunities to present policy ideas to legislators.
The Portland Public Schools Public and Legislative Affairs Committee on June 22 reviewed last year’s family and community engagement efforts and sketched plans for next year’s calendar and civic education activities.
Grace, the presenter, said fall Parent University sessions drew about 424 parents — including 111 at a college information night, 75 at a virtual high-school-preference night and 64 who attended a housing-support workshop — while spring sessions had about 306 participants, for a combined figure of roughly 888 family participants across Parent U and fall board engagement. “All in all, the fall sessions were very, very busy,” Grace said.
Committee members asked how topics are selected. Grace said some topics come from district priorities such as the new social-emotional learning curriculum, while others are requested by parents and staff; she said special-education programming and a housing-support workshop were parent-driven. Chair Sarah Lenz said the district will account for middle-school structure proposals with targeted family engagement sessions planned for October once the middle-school committee sets dates.
Members discussed session logistics and accessibility. Several members recommended longer meetings for complex topics: a middle-school engagement slot of about 75–90 minutes was suggested, and multilingual sessions should be scheduled for two hours to allow interpretation. The committee also discussed coordinating Parent U events with school conferences and principals’ schedules.
The committee talked about legislative and advocacy outreach done during the year, including parent testimony in Augusta on behalf of Portland Public Schools and continuing work with MSMA policy meetings. Members proposed an early-December community exhibition where students and parents present draft policy recommendations and proposed bills to invited legislators as a way to engage young people in the legislative process.
The superintendent will receive the committee’s scheduling preferences and a draft calendar; the chair said a calendar draft is expected by next Monday ahead of the board retreat. The committee adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
