Happy October! First graders at Skillin Elementary are enjoying the fall weather and playing in the leaves at recess 🍂
Upcoming at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine 🪁 Afterschool programs are back and ready to foster creativity, curiosity, and collaboration in students ages 5 to 10. Programs range from exploring Maine’s aquatic species to creating a theatre ensemble show. 🪁 Plus, the 5th annual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival is happening Saturday, September 28 in collaboration with Indigo Arts Alliance and other statewide partners (Dollar Day$ Event). This celebration honors children’s book authors and illustrators of the African Diaspora and will feature literary activities, art-making workshops, read-alouds, and more. See the attached fliers for more information or visit www.kitetails.org.
Attendance Awareness Month continues! School matters, and so does good attendance. 6% fewer students in the district missed a substantial amount of school last year than the year before, and we want to continue that success! Find resources about building good attendance habits for the rest of the school year and beyond here: www.spsdme.org/page/attendance
Early release day means professional development time for educators! Educators across the district met to go over curriculum work, complete trainings, and more. Pictured here, related arts teachers from the elementary schools met at Skillin to discuss adapting specials for inclusion.
Flu Clinic Notice: If you would like your child to receive the flu vaccine at school, complete the permission form from Northern Light. Find the dates and online registration here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eWF9suvE-hjcqA1VioI1r_JP8qqoo7xFB1xG0DM_gaA/edit?usp=sharing
Cub Scouts Open House is happening Thursday, September 19 at 6:30 p.m. for grades K-5! See the attached flier or visit beascout.scouting.org for more information.
Go Red Riots! 📣 Shop South Portland apparel and swag online. The store is open for one week, so get your orders in before September 16: https://pws.atlanticsportswear.com/product-cat/south-portland-athletics-grey-black-scarlet-white-2024/
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine is hosting Fall Registration Night on Tuesday, September 10 from 5-6 p.m. See the attached flier or visit www.bgcmaine.org for more information.
Welcome back, K-12 students! 📚✏️🎒 We look forward to another school year of amazing learning and growth!
We’re so excited for our new staff members joining South Portland Schools! ✨ Last week we hosted new staff orientation, where everyone got a chance to meet and learn more about the school department.
As we get ready to head back to school, make sure you have the South Portland Schools mobile app downloaded on your device. 📲 Stay up-to-date with school announcements, learn about upcoming events, and access contact information quickly and easily. Available on Google Play and the Apple App Store!
Next week, get a free book from Bess the Book Bus! 📚 Stop by the South Portland Library from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, August 22 to pick out a new book to read, make art with Daniel from Bad Art Maine, and get fresh local produce from The Locker Project. Looking for book recommendations? Click here: https://www.spsdme.org/article/1669218
Check out what students in Summer Academy have been up to! The Science Fair at Skillin showcased students' knowledge of solar ovens, sound, water filtration, and wind.
South Portland Youth Football Registration is OPEN! 🏈 For more information and to sign up online, use the QR codes in the attached flyer or click the links below. Grades K-5 Flag Football: https://southportlandyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/595559184 / Grades 5-6 Youth Tackle Football: https://southportlandyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/081980814 / Grades 7-8 Middle School Football: https://southportlandyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/030609569
Summer hours are in effect at the District Office, which means that the District Office is closed on Fridays for this month: July 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th.
Operating hours for District Office hours are:
Monday–Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Regular hours will resume in August.
Every Thursday from 10-11 a.m. this summer, The Locker Project will have free, fresh produce available at Skillin Elementary for our community to enjoy!
Learn more about The Locker Project online at mainelockerproject.org.
All South Portland Schools will be closed today because of the continued impact of Saturday's storm.
It’s National Public Schools Week, which began on February 26 and runs through March 1, to celebrate the achievement of public schools and honor the significant contributions and accomplishments of educators, school leaders and school board members.
The goal of Public Schools Week is to put the spotlight on public education and recognize the critical role our schools have in preparing our children for successful futures.
Help spread the word about the outstanding work happening in our schools by posting on social media and thanking the educators and administrators for the work they do. You can also get involved in our Maine Loves Public Schools campaign by telling your positive stories and pictures that highlight the work and success stories that happen every day in public education. The link to Maine Loves Public
schools is www.mainelovespublicschools.org.
Elementary Boundaries and Configuration
Virtual Community Forum
Tuesday, February 27, 6:00-7:30pm
Link: https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/86721940880
The purpose of this forum is to share the the Steering Committee's recommendations to the School Board. You can also view their presentation to the Board here: https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/NzN-Z2CpIDNbXMWB16nIzGKjRlHJozGq/media/854656?autostart=false&showtabssearch=true&fullscreen=false (starting at the 29:50 mark of the recording).
Click the link below to access the report presented by Boundaries and Configurations Steering Committee at Monday night's board meeting. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fI232d6n7PpGLJEHyURC8GT-9mmNwBQj/view?usp=sharing