PPS Head Start is now accepting applications for children who will be 3 or 4 by September 1, 2021!

Head Start is a free preschool program that promotes the school readiness of children ages 3 to 5 from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Click here to enroll online.

State Program Offers Families Help to Pay for Food

It is Head Start’s goal to ensure a safe, positive learning environment for all children. Positive classroom climate contributes to positive behavior.  Head Start’s discipline philosophy approach consists of five basic components:

• High expectations for student behavior that are age appropriate;

• Supportive, secure relationships with adults;

• Clear, understandable, and predictable routines;

• Instruction focused on developing skills for self-regulation  and dealing with intense feelings; and

• Consistent response to student behavior.

In support of this philosophy and to ensure a safe and positive classroom environment, teachers will design and implement Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS), Tier 1 strategies that set clear limits, model appropriate behavior, redirect inappropriate behavior, and work with families to solve unique problems.

All discipline procedures will adhere to Head Start guidelines and Portland Public Schools policies. Teachers will teach expectations and routines that support students in ways to Be Safe, Be Friendly, and Be Ready to Learn. These expectations and routines will be retaught throughout the year.

Parents will be informed of classroom expectations and routines. They will be engaged as partners in developing additional supports as needed.

As part of reopening Portland Public Schools in the 2021-22 school year, the district must submit a plan to the Oregon Department of Education. As part of the requirement, PPS is asking for feedback on the plan.

Dear PPS Families,

The 2021-22 school year is fast approaching, and we continue to prepare to safely reopen our schools for in-person learning. We want to make sure you are aware of upcoming opportunities to receive a COVID-19 vaccine during registration at our nine comprehensive high schools.

Dear PPS Students, Families and Staff,

As we finalize our last Back to School FAQ sections, we wanted to share with you a couple of updates. First, the district’s Office of Internal Performance Audit recently presented to the Board of Education its audit of our health and safety practices for hybrid learning last spring. We are pleased and proud to say that auditors reported no findings. From last week’s presentation:

Dear Colleagues,

The public health guidance is clear--vaccines are the best way to prevent the spread and the severity of COVID. Today we are announcing a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all PPS staff.