Many Reasons for Pride in the Portland Public Schools
By Xavier Botana
June is Pride month, and I’m very proud that the Portland
Public Schools was a part of the Pride Portland! Parade again this year.
This past Saturday, June 17, marked the third year in a row
that our district has been an official entrant in the parade, with our
students, staff and families either riding in one of our signature yellow
school buses or marching alongside it. As I and other members of the Portland
Public Schools family marched down Congress Street with our big bus, we were
met with enthusiastic applause and cheering from the crowds lining the
sidewalks along the parade route. That’s very fitting because our participation
in this annual event that celebrates inclusivity, diversity and unity is
certainly something to cheer about.
The Portland Public Schools is the state’s largest and most
diverse school district. Our participation in the Pride Portland! Parade helps
send an important message to our students, staff, families and the Portland
community that our district works to foster harmony and understanding – and
that we welcome and value everyone in the Portland Public Schools.
The parade is part of Pride Portland! According to its
website, Pride Portland! is “a celebration of Portland, Maine’s LGBTQIA –
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, ally/asexual
– community” each June.
To further ensure that the Portland Public Schools is a
place of safety and respect for all members of this community, the district is currently
working on developing a policy regarding the rights of transgender staff and
students. We hope to have the policy in place by the start of the new school
year.
We recently wrapped up graduations at our high schools and
Portland Adult Education. Our ultimate goal as a district is to ensure that all
of our students graduate prepared and empowered for the next step in their
life.
Over the past few weeks, I felt very proud as I watched more
than 500 students walk – and sometimes dance, do wheelies and definitely strut
– across the stage to the cheers of their loved ones.
Graduation is very rewarding, but our students would not get
there without our faculty and staff. We’re proud of our staff for all they do
to ensure student success.
Graduating students from high school is only one part of the
wonderful work happening in Portland Public Schools. None of what we do would happen without the support
of our Portland community. Thank you to Portland voters for investing in
education by approving our 2017-2018 budget on June 13.
The budget voters approved represents a modest 1.4 percent
increase in spending and will allow Portland Public Schools to continue the
level of services to our students that Portland residents and our students
deserve and expect. We are proud of the Portland community’s consistent support
for our schools.
The last day of the school year for students is June 22. However,
we are back to school immediately. Our summer school programs will begin June
26 and go through mid-August.
As part of our summer efforts, the Portland Public Schools
and Opportunity Alliance will be operating summer meal sites across the city of
Portland. Many of our approximately 6,800 Portland Public Schools students
qualify for free or reduced price school lunch based on family income. Hunger
doesn’t take a summer vacation.
Most sites will begin operations on June 26 and continue
thru mid-August. Meals and times will be posted at sites and will be distributed
prior to the end of school. You can learn more by going to the Summer Programs link on the front of our website, www.portlandschools.org
Another summer opportunity is I ♥ Reading in Portland: Pedal Through the Pages, a
partnership between the Portland Public Schools and the Portland Public
Library. Children throughout the community are encouraged to read about and
explore Portland this summer. The program will run for eight weeks, and signup
at the library begins the week of June 18. Learn more at
www.portlandlibrary.com
As I wrap up my first year at the Portland Public Schools, I
would like to thank our Portland community for your support of our school
system. I have felt welcome, supported and blessed to have the opportunity to
work in this wonderful community.
