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![FY27 budget logo On Course for Student Success]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1773247017/portlandschoolsorg/hbxjhpil8xtmpcta0be4/PPSFY27BudgetLogo.png","width":1920}])
On March 10, Superintendent Ryan Scallon presented the proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year. He started his presentation of the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget with a report of the improved outcomes for students the district has seen over the past two years of implementation of its five-year Strategic Plan—particularly for economically disadvantaged students, multilingual students learning English, and students with IEPs in reading and in math. The proposed budget aims to build on that progress while confronting fiscal challenges.
![Photo of Nate Witherbee and Abby Hutchins, PPS music teachers]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1772144698/portlandschoolsorg/tiulzo2qqrvh5zoiz36s/MarchNewsletter1.png","width":1920}])
Nate Witherbee, music teacher at Portland Arts and Technology High School, and Abby Hutchins, music teacher at Deering and Casco Bay high schools, have been nominated for the Manilow Music Teacher Award, which honors educators who have a passion and dedication to teaching music to students. The two are among 10 Maine music educators vying to be the top vote-getters in an online contest to receive a $10,000 prize—$5,000 in a cash award and $5,000 for instruments for students.
![Roaring Report - January]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1692051813/portlandschoolsorg/oksd9c183yjbrkovyasi/Middle_Lincoln_Transparent1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1692051813/portlandschoolsorg/oksd9c183yjbrkovyasi/Middle_Lincoln_Transparent1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1692051813/portlandschoolsorg/oksd9c183yjbrkovyasi/Middle_Lincoln_Transparent1.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1692051813/portlandschoolsorg/oksd9c183yjbrkovyasi/Middle_Lincoln_Transparent1.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1692051813/portlandschoolsorg/oksd9c183yjbrkovyasi/Middle_Lincoln_Transparent1.png","width":1287}])
![PayPAMS Online Payments End Dec. 31]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1696525585/portlandschoolsorg/ltb2bhcnlaqwyym6frj5/PPSNewsImage_3.png","width":1920}])
School meals continue to be free of charge but for students that purchase extras such as drinks and chips, families should be aware that the Portland Public Schools Food Service is transitioning to a new payment software in the spring of 2026 — and the current payment software, PayPAMS, will no longer be taking online payments for students’ meal accounts after December 31, 2025. The system will still be available for students to be able to deposit cash or checks at their schools.
![Invitation graphic for Board Inauguration 2025]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1765408250/portlandschoolsorg/aawyyl4yg1ypepkeaiaz/BudgetBoardSlides_Templatespptx17.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1765408250/portlandschoolsorg/aawyyl4yg1ypepkeaiaz/BudgetBoardSlides_Templatespptx17.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1765408250/portlandschoolsorg/aawyyl4yg1ypepkeaiaz/BudgetBoardSlides_Templatespptx17.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1765408250/portlandschoolsorg/aawyyl4yg1ypepkeaiaz/BudgetBoardSlides_Templatespptx17.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1765408250/portlandschoolsorg/aawyyl4yg1ypepkeaiaz/BudgetBoardSlides_Templatespptx17.png","width":1280}])
Three returning Board of Public Education members and four student representatives were sworn in at the Board’s Inauguration Ceremony on Dec. 9. The Board also voted formally to elect current Board Chair Sarah Lentz and current Board Vice Chair Abusana "Micky" Bondo to continue on in those roles for 2025-2026. At a caucus on Nov. 25, the Board had informally indicated they would again support Lentz and Bondo as Board chair and vice chair for the coming year.
![Supt. Letter Rejecting Hateful Rhetoric]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1714656896/portlandschoolsorg/z1uuf1rp22fs9zqaxhcv/PPSLogoBlue.png","width":1920}])
On Dec. 3, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Scallon sent a letter to the PPS community disagreeing with recent hateful rhetoric regarding immigrants and specifically the Somali community. The superintendent reiterated the district's support for all students, staff and community members. Read the letter: