PPS Head Start is accepting applications for children who will be 3 or 4 by September 1, 2022!

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.

Head Start es un programa pre-escolar gratuito que promueve la preparación escolar de niños y niñas de tres a cinco años de edad que vienen de familias de bajos ingresos para realzar su desarrollo cognitivo, social y emocional.

Head Start là một chương trình giáo dục mầm non miễn phí xúc tiến các trẻ em từ ba đến năm tuổi của những gia đình có mức thu nhập thấp sẳn sàng đi học qua sự phát triển về nhận thức, giao tiếp, và sự cảm xúc của các em.

學前班是一個免費的學齡前章程，促進兒童準備上學,年齡由三至五歲來自低收入家庭通過增強他們的認知、社會和情感發展。

“Head Start” является бесплатной программой дошкольного обучения, которая способствует подготовке детей к школе в возрасте от трёх до пяти лет из семей с низким уровнем дохода за счёт повышения их познавательного, социального и эмоционального уровня развития.

Barnaamijka Bilowga Waxbarashada waa barnaamij bilaa lacag ah oo kor u qaadaya u diyaargarowga dugsiga caruurta da’doodu u dhaxayso saddex sanno ilaa shan ee qoysaskoodu dakhligoodu hooseeyo, kaasi oo kobcinaya caqligooda, bulshawaanimadooda, iyo horumarinta shucuurtooda.

A BIG thank you to the Children's Book Bank and to Umpqua Bank for their recent donation to Melissa Kolb's Classroom!

We received 1,000 dollars worth of new books! The children, and their teachers are delighted! We have a student in our PM class to thank--Serenity was the recipient of the ONE MILLIONTH BOOK BAG given out by CBB! Serenity and her family were interviewed by the book bank and were on the news! We are grateful for their role, and that of the CBB and Umpqua Bank for putting more books where they belong--in children's hands!

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.

In Gratitude

November 17, 2022

Dear PPS families and students,

Every week, I am filled with joy and gratitude when I visit our school communities. We have a community that continues to demonstrate a commitment to the success of our children and youth. We have adults who care deeply for our students, and who work hard to ensure each child thrives.

Dear PPS Community,

I want to recognize, on this Veterans Day, all those individuals who have served our country, especially those members of our families and local community who have previously worn a uniform. I want to take this moment to also thank the many veterans who continue their public service by choosing to work in the Portland Public Schools.

Dear PPS Families,

There has been a surge in pediatric respiratory illnesses other than COVID-19 such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus/enterovirus, and influenza around the country this fall. Health departments in other states have seen children presenting with multiple respiratory illnesses. According to the Oregon Health Authority, rates of respiratory disease are currently relatively low in our state, but that could change based on the arrival of winter weather, and any increase in rates has the potential to overwhelm our hospital system.

PPS takes these steps to ensure healthy school environments so that in-person learning can continue. In accordance with CDC guidance, we are also urging families to take steps to protect themselves and minimize the spread of communicable diseases in our schools. 

Dear PPS Families,

Every special education student deserves a high-quality and equitable learning experience. This belief is born from my lived experiences as an educator, and from my relationships with students receiving special education services and their families. Students that receive special education services are our community’s children, and the reason why many of us became educators.