Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
Committee members agreed Feb. 2 to monitor LD2106 (limits on immigration enforcement presence in schools, hospitals and childcare centers) after hearing that district policy and practice already cover the bill's provisions; no testimony was filed.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
The committee voted Feb. 2 to submit written testimony in support of LD2124, which would use real-estate-transfer-tax revenue to boost emergency shelter funding; staff were directed to prepare testimony and explore coordinating with the city.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
At a Feb. 2 public and legislative affairs meeting, Portland Public Schools’ committee voted to continue tracking LD2172 (a legislative review of Chapter 33 rules on physical restraint and seclusion) and not to file testimony immediately, while staff were asked to gather more information.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
The Portland Public Schools board voted unanimously Jan. 29 to delay activating an emergency remote‑learning option, instead directing staff to continue planning, monitor daily attendance starting Feb. 2 and shift resources toward tutoring and other interventions if absences rise. The motion will trigger another emergency meeting if district absences reach 20% or a high single‑school threshold.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
At the Jan. 29 Portland Public Schools emergency meeting, McKinney‑Vento liaison Priscilla Bettencourt said families reported recent ICE presence in homes and urged the district to offer options now for fearful families; board members responded that supports should be provided while monitoring attendance.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
Board voted to amend the capital improvement plan to add a $200,000 request for a corroded Portland High School boiler smokestack, increasing the district's CIP ask to $5.9 million; the amendment and amended CIP were approved by roll call and will go to city finance committee and city council next.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
The board approved a contingency remote‑learning plan to activate on the fourth snow day and to offer targeted virtual options for students missing multiple days amid recent local immigration‑enforcement activity; the plan emphasizes in‑person learning while creating cohorts, Google Classroom support and social‑worker check‑ins for affected students.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
An ad hoc committee established by the Portland Maine Board of Education nominated Vice Chair Mickey Bondo as chair and agreed on next steps to draft an RFP scope for a districtwide equity audit, emphasizing measurable goals, methodology, cultural competency and procurement transparency.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
The board's policy committee introduced GBEB, a new policy aimed at setting boundaries for staff conduct with students — covering nicknames, private messaging, social media, physical spaces and one‑on‑one interactions — and said the policy will return as an amended item for a future vote.
Maine / School Districts / Portland Public Schools
District leaders told the Curriculum and Student Success Committee on Jan. 12 that the first year of a five-year special-education initiative is under way, reporting higher staff training satisfaction, strong specialized-program walkthrough results and a new monthly IEP compliance report; staff said a district-level update will follow in April.