• External Communications from District Office

    Portland Public Schools District Office will work to get accurate and immediate information out to families and communities in the event of an emergency where immediate action by parents and families may be required.  The district will use the following ways to communicate:

    • School Messenger: This system will immediately notify families via text message (opt in system only), email, and/or voice message of an emergency at their students' school only if immediate action by parents or families is required. This system pulls emergency contact information from the school's student information system. It is essential you maintain and ensure your child's emergency contact information is up to date.
    • District/School Website: The District will use the main PPS website and the affected school's website to communicate information to families, staff, and the community before, during, and after an emergency.
    • Social Media (Facebook, Twitter): The District will use social media to communicate essential information during an emergency.
    • News Media: The District will work with the news media to provide our school communities with essential information during an emergency.

    Portland Public Schools requests that parents do NOT respond to a school site until they are notified of the reunification location. 

    ******The only exception to this is in the event there is a City wide communication failure due to a large disaster and the District is unable to communicate with families. The District's expectation is that families will have a plan in place to pick up their students from school.  The District recommends that you get to know neighbors near your students' school so that, in the event of a disaster, your student can be picked up in a timely manner. Please make sure all persons authorized to pick up students are included on the emergency contact list at school.******

    Internal Communications at School

    • VOIP phones in every classroom: these phones are equipped with intercom and have the ability to broadcast messages throughout the school.
    • Two-way Radio Communications between PPS Staff: this provides a reliable method of communication between the main office, outside areas on campus and areas where other communication might otherwise be limited.
    • Main Office Phones: Each school site has a land line phone in the main office. This phone is used only in situations where the VOIP phone system is not working and provides schools with a communication line outside of the building.
    • Computers: These are used primarily to send emails for updating staff at the school site and district office and the community of the affected school.
    • Gym call box has two buttons: The top button connects to the school's front office. The bottom button labeled Emergency is routed to 911.
    • Cellular Phones