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SPRING REOPENING PLAN UPDATE
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Important information on the Spring Reopening Plan for our elementary, middle, and high schools are in this latest update. Read more.
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PROPOSED FY22 BUDGET NOW BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD
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The School Board's Finance Committee voted April 1st to recommend the Superintendent's budget to the Portland Board of Public Education. The Board held a public hearing on the proposed budget on April 6th. On April 13th, the Board will vote to recommend its FY22 school budget to the Portland City Council.
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Check out the FY22 budget calendar for meeting schedule. You can also view Budget Development materials at this link. Go to BoardDocs to view agendas and get more information. Zoom links to meetings will also be posted on this platform as well as on our social media.
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NEWS FROM HUMAN RESOURCES
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ANNUAL TNTP SURVEY UPDATE
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On March 29, all regular (i.e., not temporary hourly) employees received an email with a link to the TNTP survey. If you don’t see your email invitation, check your inbox’s Promotions tab or search your inbox and spam folder for TNTP. If you cannot locate the email with the survey link, please email TNTP directly at Insightsurvey@tntp.org to request a new link.
Please set aside about 15 minutes to complete the survey, which asks you to share about various aspects of your school or departmental culture, such as the feedback you receive from your supervisor, professional development experiences, and opportunities to collaborate with colleagues. Please complete the survey before April 9, 2021.
Participation in this survey is voluntary. TNTP, our third-party survey provider, will keep all identifying information confidential. If you have any questions about the survey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to HR Executive Director Barbara Stoddard (stoddb@portlandschools.org) or email insightsurvey@tntp.org.
Thank you for providing the organization’s leaders with your honest and valuable feedback.
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PPS STAFF VOLUNTARY COVID-19 VACCINATION SURVEY
 Thank you to so many staff who completed the voluntary COVID-19 Vaccination Survey! We now have more than 520 responses from across the district, with almost 90% of respondents indicating that they have had one shot or that they are fully vaccinated now. Another 5% of respondents said they plan to get vaccinated. We’re still interested in hearing from you if you haven’t completed the survey! You can do so by following this link to complete the short Portland Public Schools COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Survey.
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Thank you for sharing this flyer with your community contacts to help us fill positions for the Portland Public Schools this spring. We have had more than 50 applicants in the first week! Unfortunately, not all applicants are available for immediate work, so please keep sharing and encouraging people to apply. Thank you!
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Educators of Color Report Sessions & BIPOC Staff Support Sessions
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We encourage all staff to participate in the Educators of Color Report reflection sessions being offered by the research team to talk about the contents of the report. Please use this link to register for the sessions. Additional sessions will be added by the team, as needed.
Separate sessions for BIPOC staff connection, support and healing are being hosted by Blanca Santiago, LCSW. Please use this link to register for the BIPOC Staff Support Sessions.
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On Monday, April 12th, the holy month of Ramadan starts, and ends four weeks later with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr on May 12. Click here for more information.
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DAY OF REFLECTION scheduled for tomorrow, April 7th, is now postponed to a later date to allow staff to plan for Spring Reopening. We will let you know as soon as a new date is identified.
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CONTRIBUTE TO MAINESHARE
Portland Public Schools has given Employees the opportunity to give to MaineShare through payroll deduction since at least 2006. By contributing to MaineShare through workplace giving, you can invest in 41 Maine organizations who are working to make our beautiful state healthier and more vibrant, just, and equitable with one easy pledge.
Please consider donating through their online pledge form before April 19th. For more information about MaineShare, visit them online.
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YOUTH LEADERSHIP TALK WITH CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER CASSIDY
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 During the two-day Youth Leadership Training held in February, NASA Astronaut Captain Christopher Cassidy had to cancel on short notice due to the power outages in Houston. We have the privilege to have him back and will offer another wonderful opportunity for Maine youth to get a chance to hear Capt. Cassidy talk about topics such as resilience, hard work, staying on course, how to overcome challenges and persevere and making healthy/good choices. Maine youth will also have an opportunity to ask questions LIVE. If you know of any youth (grades 7-12) who would like to ask a question, have them register to attend, then submit the question to Eriko.S.Farnsworth@usdoj.gov along with this signed waiver. Please register here.
Please share with those in your community who would be interested!
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JUST 10 MORE DAYS TO VOTE EVERY DAY FOR DONNA COLELLO FOR CUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR!
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Ocean Avenue Elementary School custodian Donna Colello has been nominated nationally for the Cintas 2021 Custodian of the Year contest, and she is now one of the top 10 finalists. Here is the link to vote through April 16 to help her and her school win recognition and prizes. Each person can vote once a day. Donna is the only custodian from the Northeast, and only one of two women!
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National Assistant Principals Week is April 5–9, 2021! The Portland Public Schools joins NASSP, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators in honoring the enormous contributions of assistant principals to student success. This year, our celebration takes on even greater significance as we recognize all that assistant principals have conquered amid the pandemic and consider what their ever-expanding and evolving role might look like moving forward. Through it all, America’s assistant principals have demonstrated unwavering leadership—becoming a source of strength and inspiration for us all.
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The Portland Public Schools puts out a weekly COVID advisory each Friday. It includes the number of positive cases associated with our schools during the past week and any outbreak declarations or building closures as a result. Staff, families and staff at impacted schools are immediately notified of positive cases and closings, but the weekly advisory is an effort to keep the broader PPS community informed. The advisory is posted at the end of the day on Fridays in the District Spotlight section of the district's homepage.
Here’s the link to the April 2nd update. |
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Who wouldn’t want to make new connections with colleagues across the school district while starting to feel better and healthier at the same time? Meet your yoga instructor –
 Kaylin (Kay) Kerina - Deering High School JMG High School Completion Specialist
Kay has been a dancer for years. She dove into yoga practice six years ago and has been there ever since. She’s working on her yoga teaching certification, and when she isn’t doing yoga she’s dancing or hiking in the mountains. Her practice is focused on meeting yourself where you are, and honoring the cultural influences that give us this amazing outlet and centering movement.
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Sign up for Full Body HIIT Yoga:
Sign up for Mindfulness Yoga:
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LEAD YOUR OWN AFFINITY GROUP
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The top response to the Spring 2021 all-staff wellness survey was a desire to make connections while doing something fun, like knitting, walking, discussing a book, or solving a murder mystery.
Would you like to propose an affinity group and lead that group, while making a little extra money doing what you already enjoy doing? It could be a Zoom group, or, as the weather continues to improve, it might be an outdoor group – It’s up to you! Send your proposal to Richard Moore.
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Here is SKILL SHARE - a series of short, less-than-10 minute videos by teachers for teachers to lift our collective practice to teach in a remote or hybrid setting in the areas of technology, engagement, student discourse, effective feedback, and essential standards.
Looking for past Skill Shares? Here are the Skill Share Archives.
Please look for more Skill Share videos in the Tuesday Bulletins to come, and email Jesse Robinson at robinj@portlandschools.org to check in before you make one about the process and what you’d like to share! We provide a basic template, will pay you $150 for your time, and provide video editing support for those who want it. Videos on essential content or essential standards are needed...but all ideas/strategies/skills are welcome! Thanks!
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YEAR 2 NEW EDUCATOR PD
Join us on Monday April 12, from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
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NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE LOUIS P. LAMBERT AWARD
 Science Teachers: nominate a colleague for The Louis P. Lambert Award through the MSTA! Here is the link to nominate.
The Louis P. Lambert Award is designed to recognize a public or private school teacher who: 1. inspires student achievement in science in a caring, compassionate manner, 2. shows creative approaches in linking student learning to the Science Content Standards of the Maine State Learning Results and Maine’s Curriculum Framework for Mathematics and Science and 3. makes continuous and enduring contributions to science education by integrating with local and state initiatives, promoting science education, and providing training or resources to other science teachers.
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OUTDOOR LEARNING, MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
 Come together April 7-8 to share strategies and ideas for more effectively implementing outdoor environmental education in schools and communities across the state. Together we will explore and share innovations, new trends, resources and curricula ideas that will advance our work in the face of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the deep inequities in our society that the pandemic is exacerbating. Sign up here. Sessions will be recorded so you can view them at a later date.
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PD Opportunity: "The Older Emergent Reader, Part 2"
Please join PPS/PAE Kate Butler and Alison Perkins for "The Older Emergent Reader, Part 2" on April 8th; 3 - 4:30 pm. (2 SCH will be offered)
Part 2 will explore the following questions:
- How do I assess encoding and decoding?
- What is the scope & sequence of instruction?
- Could you please show us a lesson plan, Kate?
- Where do I find materials?
- What if the student is in all general education classes?
Join us here- ZOOM Link
Link to pre-reading can be found here.
If you missed Part 1, don't let that stop you from coming to Part 2! You can catch up by reviewing the slide deck or video.
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FLOCABULARY INTRO PD
 2-3 p.m. on Thursday, April 8th. The session will be recorded.
Flocabulary is a resource we’ve been able to support for this year and next fall only through CARES money. Here’s an Intro PD for those of you who are still interested in using it, but need a little more support to get started.
PD Description: We’re known for our engaging videos, but each Flocabulary lesson comes with a suite of interactive activities, games and assignments to make the learning experience even more robust. In this introductory session, we will demonstrate how the site is organized, describe the function of each lesson feature and highlight a range of subject and grade level content that students will be able to access.
Zoom link can be found here!
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Apple PD: A Day in the Life of an iPad
Now more than ever teachers are using iPad to create interactive and engaging learning experiences that target students' abilities to learn no matter where they are in education.
What you’ll learn
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Experience new iPad OS file management tools, advanced multitasking features, built-in screen recording, and augmented reality.
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See how iPad OS supports and enhances Google workflows.
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Find out how educators can get the most from Apple technology through free resources and services that support on-going professional learning.
Registration:
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Apple PD: A Day in the Life of Mac
See how students and teachers are using Mac to create interactive and engaging learning experiences no matter where learning takes place.
What You’ll Learn
- Experience how Mac is a powerful tool for creation and productivity for both teachers and students.
- See how mac OS Big Sur can make learning in any subject more accessible, personal, collaborative, and creative.
- Find out how educators can get the most from Apple technology through free resources and services that support on-going professional learning.
Registration:
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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DURING COVID WEBINAR
Thursday April 8 at 6:30 PM. Open to students and families in Grades 9-11:
PPS’ School Counselors invite students and families to hear from a panel of Admissions Counselors about how college admissions has and hasn’t changed due to Covid. Session includes admissions experts from Bates College, Clark University, Southern Maine Community College, University of Southern Maine, and the University of Vermont to answer questions. Interpretation provided upon request. Click HERE to sign up and receive the link on the day of the presentation!
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Indigenous Land Acknowledgements Workshop Series: What? Why? And How?
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The act of creating and speaking an Indigenous land acknowledgement is a practice that is becoming more common in the eastern parts of Turtle Island. While we experience it as a moment at the beginning of a gathering, it is actually part of a bigger process for our society and for the individual. Throughout this three-part workshop series, we will address the history and purpose of land acknowledgments, examine our unique contexts, and support one another as we each craft a research-based, personalized and heartfelt land acknowledgement. By acknowledging Indigenous people’s relationship to land, and exploring our own relationship to land, we will enter into a process of truth and reconciliation. Time and space will be created to consider the connections to and implications on our teaching practices. To Register: Click here.
Series Schedule: This is a three-part series and participants are required to attend all three sessions.
Tuesday, April 20th 3:30 - 5:30;
Tuesday, May 11th 3:30 - 5:30; and
Tuesday, May 25 3:30 - 5:30
*with office hours on May 4th
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DISTANCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY WITH
THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
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 The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) offers two ways to connect students through distance learning with its global collection of art. Explore with an MFA educator through free livestreamed programs on a range of topics scheduled throughout the school year, or reserve an individual classroom videoconference program (coming in April) for a private session for your classroom. To learn more, click here.
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Send us your feedback, suggestions, questions, and contributions to the PPS Staff Resources page. Contact us at communications@portlandschools.org.
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