In this week's Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary celebrates its diverse cultures; meet the poodle who helps students read aloud

The PPS Visioning initiative reached some major milestones in January and we are ready to get back out to the community in the next few weeks!

Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary has one of the most diverse student bodies in Portland Public Schools, and on Friday it held a dual event that reflected that diversity. The Global Celebration included elements tied into Black History Month and the Lunar New Year as well as other cultures in the school community. 

Raquel Laiz has a new job with Portland Public Schools this school year, but she has been honored for her work at her previous position in the district. Laiz was one of nine counselors around the country to win a Counselors That Change Lives Award.

In this week's PPS Pulse: Deadline coming for students to be immunized; Jefferson students discuss Black History Month

If you are the parent or guardian of a Portland Public Schools student, ask yourself: How is the educational climate at the school? Portland Public Schools is looking for answers to this and other key questions from family members of PPS students as part of the Successful Schools Survey. Students in grades 5, 7 and 10 also are being surveyed, and school-based staff will participate starting Feb. 19.

The recent outbreak of measles serves as a reminder about immunizations, with an important deadline coming up.

Students in Portland Public Schools who have not gotten all of their required immunizations face a Wednesday, Feb. 20 deadline. That is the “exclusion date” set by the state for 2019, when any student who is not fully immunized may be barred from attending classes or district-provided child care.

In anticipation of forecasted inclement weather, Portland Public Schools has called for all activities in district campuses and buildings to end by 7 p.m. Friday and has canceled all weekend activities.

In this week's PPS Pulse: Beaumont Middle School's Jazz Ambassadors shine at festival; an up-close lesson about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Due to inclement weather, all schools and school offices are closed today, Tuesday, Feb. 5. The BESC central offices is on a two-hour delay start time, which means the office will open at 10 a.m.

In just a few months, in June, Madison High School will close and undergo construction for two years in order to fully modernize the campus. Students and staff will move to the Marshall High School campus for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.

Beaumont Middle School jazz program continued its strong year with a first-place finish in the 57th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival in Vancouver, Wash., last month.

Your high school student has put in years of work, and one of the main rewards is in sight: graduation! Dates for graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2019 have been finalized for Portland Public Schools’ nine comprehensive high schools and our three alternative high schools.

Attention parents of seniors: It’s not too late to apply for financial aid for college for the upcoming 2019-20  academic year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA. Awards from FAFSA are solely based upon income, and eligible students can receive grants, loans and/or work study awards.