Strengthening Our Culture Through Presence and Connection - an update on remote work 
Updated: June 2, 2025

Dear PPS Team,

As we continue to navigate a period of growth and change together, I want to share an important update about our evolving approach to remote work across our district.

Over the past few years, we’ve learned a great deal about flexibility, resilience, and what it means to show up for one another. At the same time, it has become clear that in a people-centered organization like Portland Public Schools, presence matters.

Effective August 18, 2025 (2025-26 academic school year), we are shifting from offering fully remote positions to a model that prioritizes hybrid and on-site work, with a specific change for leaders who are actively supervising employees: those leaders will be expected to work on-site full time. We want to acknowledge and thank the many team members who remained on site throughout the pandemic, or returned regularly as we began transitioning out of it. Their consistency and commitment laid the groundwork for this next step forward.

This shift marks a recommitment to our culture; rebuilding community, restoring connection, and reinforcing the shared ownership that fuels PPS. In-person collaboration allows us to support one another in real time, offer meaningful mentorship, and strengthen the bonds that make our work impactful and cohesive.

We understand this transition is significant, but it's also a critical step forward. When we collectively prioritize accessibility, equity, and relationships through our return to office, we create a workplace culture where people feel seen, supported, and deeply connected. This intentional environment directly advances our district's continuous improvement plan driving stronger literacy outcomes, improving math achievement, increasing attendance, and securing high-school success. Our day-to-day presence and interactions matter because they shape a thriving community for both students and staff, aligning our actions with our core beliefs.

We’ll continue to provide updates, resources, and opportunities for conversation as we make this transition together. Please connect with your supervisor and visit HR Hybrid Work Guidelines for more detailed information about the changes and what they mean for you. 

Thank you, as always, for your commitment to this district, to our students, and to one another. 

Together, we rise,

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong
Superintendent
Portland Public Schools

• Hybrid Work Guidelines v2.0 - updated May 23, 2025
• Central Office Return to Office Overview Slide Deck - May 2025
• Eligibility List by Position - updates in progress, expected by end of June 2025
• Remote Work Agreement Form - updated May 2025
• Out of Office Message & Guidelines - updated May 2025
• Contact Information Signage for Work Spaces - updated May 2025

PPS REMOTE WORK
Last updated: April 4, 2023

PPS has developed supportive work environment that is rooted in our core values, differentiated to meet the needs of a variety of central office roles, and provides the care and service our schools and community deserve. Below you will find more information about the implementation of our customer service expectations and remote work guidelines. 

Customer Service Expectations 
Each team has developed customer service expectations. These commitments are critically important for us to demonstrate, especially as we provide central office staff with flexibility and remote work options. 

The Superintendent’s Leadership Team will review direct feedback from schools, analyze metrics and escalations (if service expectations are not met). Teams will then update their customer service expectations based on the analysis in an ongoing manner.

Raising our level of service to schools remains a top priority for us as central office staff. Customer service expectations for all departments can be found here. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your supervisor or cabinet-level leader. 

Remote Work 
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations like PPS became more adaptive and flexible, demonstrating our collective ability to be highly productive while working remotely. It reshaped the way we engaged, both virtually and in-person, with one another. We believe that through thoughtful implementation of the lessons learned from the last two years and a consistent set of customer service expectations, we can continue to provide excellent customer service in service of our mission and provide the system more flexibility to meet today’s workforce demands.

Eligibility 
Cabinet-level leaders reviewed each individual position, considering a variety of factors to determine the level of eligibility. Each position is unique and requires careful consideration of factors, such as, but not limited to, if the role provided direct support to students required access to tools, equipment or other requirements that are located on-site, type of job responsibilities, etc. Additionally, in coordination with Human Resources, the level of eligibility was determined based on recruitment efforts to date and an understanding of current workforce needs.

Employees in positions that are eligible for flexible or remote work are not required to work remotely; employees are welcome to work from the central office. 

Below are the categories of work eligibility for central office employees:

The approved eligibility level for each central office position is available here. If you have questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact your supervisor.

Guidelines 

The PPS Employee Remote Work Guidelines are available here. 

This document includes important information about remote work best practices, expectations, and supports. 

• Every office must ensure a physical presence in their department Monday through Friday. This is to support our educators, colleagues and community members who need in-person support at the PEC. Supervisors or cabinet-level leaders will work with teams to ensure there is appropriate coverage. 

• Every PPS staff member must be available for any in-person standing or ad hoc staff meeting required by their supervisor or cabinet-level leaders.

• Workspaces must clearly indicate if an employee is working remotely and how to contact them and an out of office message is placed on email and voicemail when appropriate and directs staff who to contact during your absence (see guidance and templates in the remote work guidelines).

Remote Work Forms
Completed and signed forms must be uploaded here.

PPS REMOTE WORK
September 1, 2022

Dear Colleagues, 

The back-to-school season is here and, as you continue to support our PPS students, educators and families,  we want to share some important updates regarding customer service expectations, remote work, and central office operations. 

Over the last year, the Superintendent’s Leadership Team listened to your feedback about remote work and each cabinet-level leader worked with their teams to recommend a supportive work environment that is rooted in our core values, differentiated to meet the needs of a variety of central office roles, and provides the care and service our schools and community deserve. Below you will find more information about the implementation of our customer service expectations and remote work guidelines. 

Customer Service Expectations 
Over the summer, each team developed customer service expectations. These commitments are critically important for us to demonstrate, especially as we provide central office staff with flexibility and remote work options. 

As part of our continuous improvement, throughout the course of this year, the Superintendent’s Leadership Team will review direct feedback from schools, analyze metrics and escalations (if service expectations are not met). Teams will then update their customer service expectations based on the analysis. 

As our Superintendent shared in his opening of schools message to school leaders, raising our level of service to schools will remain a top priority for us as central office staff. If you have not already, please begin to implement with fidelity the shared PPS service expectations and your department-specific expectations to support school staff and families.  Customer service expectations for all departments can be found here. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your supervisor or cabinet-level leader. 

Remote Work 
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations like PPS became more adaptive and flexible, demonstrating our collective ability to be highly productive while working remotely. It reshaped the way we engaged, both virtually and in-person, with one another. We believe that through thoughtful implementation of the lessons learned from the last two years and a consistent set of customer service expectations, we can continue to provide excellent customer service in service of our mission and provide the system more flexibility to meet today’s workforce demands.

Eligibility 
Cabinet-level leaders reviewed each individual position, considering a variety of factors to determine the level of eligibility. Each position is unique and requires careful consideration of factors, such as, but not limited to, if the role provided direct support to students required access to tools, equipment or other requirements that are located on-site, type of job responsibilities, etc. Additionally, in coordination with Human Resources, the level of eligibility was determined based on recruitment efforts to date and an understanding of current workforce needs.

Please note: Employees in positions that are eligible for flexible or remote work are not required to work remotely; employees are welcome to work from the central office. 

Below are the categories of work eligibility for central office employees:

The approved eligibility level for each central office position is available here. If you have questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact your supervisor.

Guidelines 

Please review the updated PPS Employee Remote Work Guidelines here. 

This document includes important information about the remote work best practices, expectations, and supports. 

Please note changes to guidelines from a previous version:

• Every office must ensure a physical presence in their department Monday through Friday. This is to support our educators, colleagues and community members who need in-person support at the PEC. Supervisors or cabinet-level leaders will work with teams to ensure there is appropriate coverage. 

• Every PPS staff member must be available for any in-person standing or ad hoc staff meeting required by their supervisor or cabinet-level leaders.

• Workspaces must clearly indicate if an employee is working remotely and how to contact them and an out of office message is placed on email and voicemail when appropriate and directs staff who to contact during your absence (see guidance and templates in the remote work guidelines).

Important Next Step
All central office staff working in any remote eligible position (ad-hoc, hybrid, or full remote) must submit the updated remote work agreement form to their supervisor before an employee can begin their new schedule (or continue in their regular schedule if there are no changes), or by September 30, whichever comes first. The form is available in the PPS Employee Remote Work Guidelines (v1.2), Appendix A. Completed and signed forms must be uploaded here.

September 16, 2021

As we continuously upgrade our safety measures, our transition to in-person work is now moving into the next phase. Eligible employees who would like to regularly work remotely up to 2 of their scheduled days per week need to review and submit their proposed schedules to their supervisors, and then forward the approved agreement to Human Resources. 

The Central Office Remote Work Guidelines, position eligibility list, agreement, and exception forms have been finalized and are available here. 

Due dates and roll-out phases are as follows:

Thursday, September 30 - After discussion and with your supervisor, remote work agreement form(s) are due to HR.
Week of October 4 - Return to central office a minimum of one day per week.
Week of October 11 - Return to central office a minimum of two days per week.
Week of October 18 - Return to central office, begin regular remote work schedule.
Monday, October 18 - Statewide vaccine requirement in effect.
January & June 2022 - Review of remote work protocols.

Please connect with your supervisor and review the Central Office Remote Work Guidelines for suggestions on how to create a hybrid schedule that maximizes service to our schools, collaboration across teams, and coverage and teamwork within your immediate team.  

 

August 10, 2021

Targeting September 17 Implementation/Expectation of Schedules.

We announced last month that there will be options for remote work schedules, including as many as 2 remote days a week. Here is a look at our Central Office Remote Work Guidelines, which are very close to final. Our remote work option is scheduled to go into effect September 17.  During the transition between now and October 1, there remains flexibility to do some of your work remotely.  You can work with your supervisor on your schedule.

As we stated before, this remote work plan will continue to be assessed and, as needed, refined by January 2022 and again by July 2022 and will be guided by the success of the plan, fidelity of implementation and staff feedback.

Please stay tuned for more information and a calendar of our upcoming PPS HQ Community Days.