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Reflecting on 2017-18, and looking ahead
6/8/2018Dear PPS Families,
As the 2017-18 school year comes to a close, I would like to appreciate our students, teachers, support staff, and school leaders for all their hard work. They have all earned a well-deserved summer break. This past week, more than four thousand students walked across the stage at the various high school graduation ceremonies and received their diplomas. Congratulations to our seniors on reaching this important milestone. We wish you much success in your next endeavors.
I have been spending time reflecting on the highlights and challenges of this school year and thinking about the opportunities and work that lay ahead.
First, I would like to say that it has been a true pleasure to get to know many of you over these past eight months, in schoolyard conversations, face to face meetings, over email, and at countless school and special events. I have come to see that Portland is a city that has a passion for public education, and that parents and guardians of students can be crucial allies as we strive to improve student outcomes.
Our commitment is to transform PPS to become a premier school system, one that ensures the success of every student. I believe this year we have taken some bold initial steps that have begun to set an important foundation. This includes: a significant reorganization of the central office, a renewed emphasis and focus on teaching and learning, launch of the development of a K-12 core curriculum, and settling of the teachers’ contract; these are just a few examples. We will be working hard this summer, preparing to open two comprehensive middle schools, and thanks to the voters, school modernization plus health and safety work continues on our campuses. Given the recommendations of a recent investigation, parents should also know that we will be implementing new measures and training to ensure any reports of misconduct are thoroughly investigated.
My optimism about the future of our district comes from working with incredibly talented and dedicated staff, a collaborative Board of Education, and thousands of committed and engaged families and community stakeholders. I believe all of us are working out of the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive.
I want to provide you with a preview of coming attractions: this coming Fall we will be launching a community visioning process intended to help us identify and articulate our shared aspiration for students and their educational experience. We will be inviting educators, family members, students and community members to provide us with input that will inform the development of a clear roadmap for our school system’s future.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and our schools. We look forward to welcoming Grade 1-12 students back on August 27 and new Kindergarten students on August 30.
Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable summer break,
Guadalupe Guerrero
Superintendent
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