Dear PPS community,

This fall, we’re setting a new standard for focus, connection, and learning. As the new school year begins, Portland Public Schools will officially implement an off-and-away policy for all student personal electronic devices during the school day.

What this means

All personal electronic devices, including cell phones, smartwatches, and tablets, must be turned off and stowed away for the entire school day, including lunch* and passing time. This applies to students of all grade levels in all PPS school buildings.

Why we’re doing this now

The Portland Public Schools Board of Education adopted an off-and-away policy in January in response both to public feedback and extensive research that clearly shows that students are more focused, engaged, and connected when their learning environments are device- and distraction-free zones. Our policy is also in alignment with Governor Tina Kotek’s recent executive order mandating that all public school districts in Oregon prohibit personal electronic device use during the school day.

What we’ve seen so far

While this is a new policy districtwide, a few of our schools have been operating on an off-and-away method for a year now, and those schools have already seen measurable improvements in several areas, including student behavior, engagement, and school climate and culture. In particular, we’ve seen a steep decrease in disciplinary referrals at these schools, as well as an increase in students reporting closer relationships with their teachers and peers.

How this will operate at your student’s school

Building leaders will communicate with families about their individual school’s method for personal device storage. You can also learn more about how this policy will be enforced in this year’s Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. If you have questions about how off-and-away will work both at the school level and district-wide, please submit them via this form by Monday, August 25 at noon. We will answer common questions in a short video that we’ll share afterward.

Thank you for partnering with us as we work to ensure that our classrooms remain joyful and productive places to learn, grow, and thrive.

Sincerely,

Dr. Isaac Cardona, Chief of Schools

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent

Who: Parents ONLY

• If needed, students can join a coloring table in the cafeteria

What: Back to School Night (B2SN) for 1st-8th grade 

When: September 18th @ 5:00-7:40 PM

Where: Classrooms

Why: Families & Teachers about the Upcoming School Year Expectations & Learning!

Congratulations to Lincoln High School students Richard Deng and Coral Platt! Both were awarded National Merit Scholarships of $2,500 toward their college studies.

They were chosen from more than 15,000 finalists nationwide. Richard plans to pursue a career in politics and Coral is looking at a future in the legal sector.

Two exceptional PPS educators, Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones, were recently named OnPoint Educators of the Year for 2025.

As part of this prestigious honor, both teachers will have their rent or mortgage paid for an entire year, and their schools also receive a $2,500 donation. 

Ricardo Barber teaches third grade at Faubion, and Hang Jones serves as a social worker at Marysville Elementary. 

The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education celebrates educators who embrace innovative teaching techniques that ignite enthusiasm in their students. 

Congratulations to Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones! And thank you both for everything you do to make a difference in the lives our students.

The assignment their teacher gave them was simple – make a short film that begins with a phone call and ends with someone hanging up. Benson first-year students Dylan Martinez-Torres and Dariel Soriano Zamora ran it all the way to a small city populated by two very big and rather iconic monsters – Godzilla and Hedora.

The result, Sorry, Wrong Number, is one of the more than 90 films entered into the annual Best of PPS Film Festival. The festival is a celebration of exceptional student filmmaking that includes a showcase at the historic Hollywood Theatre. 

The fourth annual installment of the festival took place on May 21 and included a screening of 13 standout films. The films came from all over PPS and ran the gamut from Dylan and Dariel’s monster short to documentaries, film noir, and broadcast journalism. 

If you are a passionate student or community member that wants to make a difference at PPS, apply to join the Climate Crisis Response Committee! This is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education.

On the committee you will learn about how PPS is making progress towards our climate justice and sustainability policies, provide input and recommendations to the PPS Board on how to better support PPS staff as we advance these policy goals, and connect with other passionate members of our PPS community from diverse backgrounds, knowledge areas, and lived experiences.

No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required! Students can apply via this form. Community members can apply here.

Deadline to apply: June 6.