Dear Friends and Supporters,
Happy spring! I hope you’re enjoying the warmth, the flowers, and the final weeks of the school year.
We have lots happening at the Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS). Please take a moment to catch up on some of our recent news and work to support Portland students.
Best,
Andi Weisman Summers, Executive Director
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A Transition for Portland Empowered
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It’s been an honor to serve as the fiscal sponsor for Portland Empowered for the last few years and to partner with their staff and volunteers. Their work ensuring that historically underrepresented student and parent voices are reflected in the policy and practice of Portland Public Schools (PPS) supports and complements our mission.
At the end of this school year, Portland Empowered will be leaving FPPS to expand their work to parents, youth, and young leaders beyond the Portland Public Schools. Many cities and towns in Maine have experienced substantial demographic shifts over the last months and years. As a result, Portland Empowered plans to start supporting immigrant families in other school districts to understand how the U.S. education system works. They will also begin the process of incorporating as an independent nonprofit.
We wish them the best and will continue collaborating and supporting each other’s work in the future!
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Portland Public Schools Alumni & Friends
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We are excited to announce the launch of Portland Public Schools Alumni and Friends – a free way for alumni and community members to stay connected and engaged in activities that strengthen our schools and celebrate alumni achievements and accomplishments.
We could use your help. As we work to build a network that best serves our alumni community, your input is of utmost importance.
Can you please take this quick survey to help us better understand the information, services and opportunities you would like to receive from the network? It will only take a few minutes of your time and, at the end, you will be invited to become an early member of Portland Public Schools Alumni and Friends.
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Chim Lev Hiking 4,800 miles on North Country Trail to Benefit Reiche Community School
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Annetta Weatherhead, a teacher at Reiche, and her son-in-law, Chim Lev
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Portlander Chim Lev recently started a 4,800-mile through-hike on the North Country National Scenic Trail. His hike is fundraising for the Annetta Weatherhead Fund for Reiche School. The goal of the Annetta Weatherhead Fund, managed by the Foundation for Portland Public Schools, is to provide flexible and easily accessible financial resources to improve the lives of Reiche School students and enhance their educational opportunities.
Read more about Chim’s hike and contribute to his GoFundMe here!
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Spring for Teachers: A Celebration of Our Schools
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On May 9th, over 175 community members gathered to celebrate and invest in Portland Public Schools students and staff at our annual event, Spring for Teachers.
The funds raised at this event will support our Equity & Innovation Teacher Grant program and our Summer Innovation Planning Grants. Please enjoy these photos of the event!
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Join us for the 2023 Portland Kids Duathlon on Sunday, July 23rd at Payson Park. The Duathlon is a bike and run event for kids ages 3-12 years old. This race is all for the kids and operated just like adult races with timing, swag, blow up finish line, race photos, and more.
The event is founded and presented by Benchmark Real Estate and all money raised is donated to FPPS to support Portland students.
Visit www.portlandkidsduathlon.com for more information and to register, volunteer, or donate!
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2023 Step Up Award Winner
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Baleria Yugu and her proud parents, Scovia Yugu and Yugu Yobo.
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Baleria Yugu is the 2023 Portland High School Step Up Award recipient. The Step Up Award provides funds to students in the Make It Happen! program who would otherwise have to forego school-year extracurricular opportunities to work after school and/or on weekends.
Baleria, a rising junior, will receive $1,250 per semester until graduation for her last two years of high school. The Step Up Award was created by Ann and Bill Weber, parents of two Portland High School graduates. It is a fund managed by FPPS.
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Gratitude for our Community Partners
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FPPS could not exist without the support, partnership, and collaboration of individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations in our community. We’d like to shout out some of our recent supporters:
- Bank of America for their support of the Families in Crisis program
- Unum for their support of outdoor teaching and learning
- Portland Provident Association for their support of the Families in Crisis program
- The W. K. Kellogg Foundation for their continued support of the development of Wabanaki Studies curriculum
- NewSchools Venture Fund for reinvesting in our efforts to diversify the staff of PPS
- EnviroLogix, via the Ensign Bickford Foundation, for their support of the PPS STEM Expo and the FPPS Teacher Grant program
- Borealis Law PLLC for their support of the Families in Crisis program
- And all of the sponsors of Spring for Teachers: cPort Credit Union, J.B. Brown & Sons, Maine Orthodontics, Unum, Bangor Savings Bank, Coffee by Design, Northeast Bank, and Saco & Biddeford Savings
Thank you!
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