Family and Community Engagement (FACE) - Portland School District

When YOU move, WE move - Just like that!
We Center Families. Building Bridges between Schools and Communities.

Welcome to the Office of Family & Community Engagement (FACE) at Portland Public Schools.

In the Office of Family and Community Engagement, we believe education is a shared responsibility, and when families, schools, and communities move together, our students thrive.

We exist to build a district-wide culture of partnership that centers family voice, fosters trust, and creates opportunities for belonging and connection. By honoring each person's role in this shared journey, we position students for educational excellence rooted in equity, relationship(s), and collective movement.

When YOU move, WE move — just like that.

Who We Are

Nichole Watson

Bio

Senior Director

Family & Community Engagement

nwatson2@pps.net

971-480-2428

Dr. Miranda Ryan

Director of Native Engagement
mryan1@pps.net

971-472-2415

Jamaal Tibbs

Special Advisor to FACE
jtibbs@pps.net

971-393-3487

Willie Williams

Director of Student Success CEE

wiwilliams@pps.net

971-754-8135

Who We Are

Willie Williams III

Director of Educational Excellence

wiwiliams@pps.net

971-754-8135

FACE Resources

Community in Action

Native/Indigenous Community Conversations

The FACE office is currently partnering with Native and Indigenous families, educators, and community members to hold intentional conversations centered on visibility, voice, and self-determination. Through these gatherings, we are working to identify the community’s immediate needs, short-term priorities, and long-term goals within Portland Public Schools. This effort honors the sovereignty and lived experiences of Native communities and ensures their leadership guides how PPS shows up in service of Native students and families.

Learn more:
Native/Indigenous Community Conversations

CBSE Banner - The black female students in graduation gowns.

Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence

The Office of FACE is proud to support the development of the Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence, a district-wide initiative focused on creating affirming, culturally grounded spaces where Black students thrive. This work is being shaped in deep partnership with Black families, educators, and community leaders, and reflects our shared commitment to academic excellence, wellness, and belonging. We look forward to sharing more as the vision for Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence continues to take shape.

Learn more:

Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence

The Village Table

The Village Table has played an important role in elevating family perspectives across PPS. Under the thoughtful leadership of Joanna Tobin, the committee has fostered meaningful dialogue and connection between families and district leadership. As we move into the upcoming school year, this important work will transition under the Office of FACE, where we look forward to reimagining the committee’s structure and purpose to align with our department’s evolving vision for authentic, equity-centered family engagement.

Learn more:
The Village Table

Budget Engagement Series

Through the Budget Engagement Series, the Office of Family & Community Engagement supports the Superintendent’s “Early and Often” commitment to community-centered leadership by facilitating honest, accessible conversations about the district’s budget. FACE plays a key role in creating space for transparency, trust, and dialogue—especially around challenging topics that impact schools and communities. Whether supporting listening sessions, co-designing materials, or ensuring historically underserved voices are present, FACE helps bridge the gap between district leadership and the community in moments that matter most.

Learn more:
PPS Budget Engagement Series

High School Modernizations

FACE supports school modernization efforts like Jefferson, Cleveland and Ida B. Wells High School by helping families and communities stay informed, engaged, and heard throughout the process. From public meetings to listening sessions, we help ensure voices—especially those historically left out—are included in shaping the future of PPS through the upcoming bond and beyond.

Learn more:
High School Modernizations
( JHS | IBW | CHS)

Lift Literacy Campaign

The Lift Literacy Campaign is one of the Superintendent’s highest priorities, focused on ensuring every child in PPS becomes a confident, joyful reader. The Office of FACE proudly supports this effort by organizing community-based reading events, mobilizing family engagement, and coordinating initiatives like the Bookmobile and “Where’s Dr. A?” literacy tour. Our role is to help bring literacy to life—connecting schools, families, and trusted community partners in service of early learning success.

Learn more:
Lift Literacy Campaign

FACE Resources

Community in Action

High School Modernizations

Check The Vibes