It's National School Counseling Week (February 3-7, 2025)! Thank you to the tremendous work of our school counselors in helping students thrive and supporting their overall well-being and success.
Last week, South Portland Middle School hosted its Second Annual Family Dinner! 🍽️ ✨ Families and staff members enjoyed a meal together in addition to open gym, crafts, and a dance party. Thank you to our community partners who also joined us that evening: Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Halal School Meals Network, Chef Ann Foundation, and The Locker Project.
What happens when the children of Disney villains go to high school with the children of the heroes? ✨ Experience this all-ages production of "Disney's Descendants: The Musical" at South Portland High School February 6-9, 13-15! 🎟️ Get tickets at https://gofan.co/app/school/ME22131_1
Get a free sneak peek at the STEM Odyssey program offered by Mad Science at the South Portland Community Center on February 4 at 4 p.m.! 🧪 This spectacular 30-minute show will thrill audiences with impressive science experiments. Mad Science will be returning at the end of February to offer a full multi-week program for grades K-6. Learn more about the free show and the STEM Odyssey program at https://southportlandme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=31091.
Registration for 2025 Summer Rec Camp opens next week on February 3 for grades K-8 ☀️ Register online at www.sopoparksrec.com. See the attached flier for more details!
The Playbook Initiative, a partnership between Project 351 and the Boston Celtics, is an anti-discrimination and bias-prevention program that hosted a kick-off event this week with South Portland and Portland Schools. High school student Trainers facilitated workshops with middle school participants to help develop the tools to positively intervene in challenging social situations. Learn more about the Playbook Initiative online at www.nba.com/celtics/community/playbook.
Drivers Ed is starting up in February! 🚗 Register for classes online at https://southportlandme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=31479&AdminPreview=1
We're learning about each other through food and tradition 🍽️ ✨ Each year, Ms. Malcomson's second grade class at Brown Elementary reads the book "Our Table" and learns about the importance of working together as a community and welcoming everyone in our spaces. Families brought in a food dish that is special to them to share with the class and told stories about their meal to create memories together!
The South Portland community is invited to attend the State of the Schools presentation next week on Monday, January 27 in the South Portland Middle School Multipurpose Room (120 Wescott Road). Join Superintendent Matheney for a collaborative discussion about the triumphs and challenges of the South Portland School District. A Board Workshop on the SPHS Athletic Complex will begin that evening at 5:30 p.m. with the State of the Schools to immediately follow. (Please park in the District Office parking lot and use the nearby entrance for the meeting.) View the agenda online at spsdme.org/schoolboard.
Help shape the future of South Portland! This opportunity is open to applicants ages 16-22 to represent the youth voice on the City's Comprehensive Plan Committee. Apply online by January 29 at https://southportland.gov/371/Boards-Committees.
This past semester, South Portland High School students were able to explore different careers in the Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Program, including dental hygiene, healthcare, marketing, clothing design, and more. Congrats to all the students who completed their final presentations on their ELOs this week!
January is School Board Appreciation Month! 📚✨ At this week's Board meeting, we recognized the important work and dedication of our school board members. They were each gifted a clay pot created by SPMS students in Ms. Weber’s art class. Swipe through to see some photos of the 6th grade artists working on their clay pots!
SoPo Unite Tip of the Month: Youth Vaping and Nicotine Treatment
Restorative Circle: January 13 at 7 p.m. in the SPHS Learning Commons. All South Portland parents and guardians are invited to share stories, learn more about each other, and strengthen relationships across the community. See the attached flier for more details.
Anna is one of more than 30 students participating in an Extended Learning Opportunity this semester at South Portland High School. Students earn academic credit while gaining hands-on learning experience in a career of interest. Anna has been interning at Jean-Paul Boudreau Dentistry to learn more about careers in dental hygiene. She has had the chance to observe, interact with patients, and gain a better understanding of whether or not this career aligns with her goals and interests.
The School Board is holding a workshop focused on the athletic complex fields on Wednesday, January 8 at 6:15 p.m. in the Lecture Hall at South Portland High School. The workshop can be attended in-person, viewed live on Channel 2 on public access television, and streamed online through SPC-TV at tinyurl.com/4y2eehbw. To see the Board agenda, visit spsdme.org/schoolboard.
Congratulations to South Portland Adult Education Customer Service English students who worked hard this semester and earned their customer service digital badge from the Maine Community College System! Students in this program gained valuable job skills, including the principles of quality customer service, and are able to apply this knowledge to meet customer needs in a variety of settings and situations.
After reading “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, Ms. Siviski’s high school English class discussed how the book can be read as a fable with a moral at the end. This led students to write their own fables to represent lessons they believe in. With the help of Technology Coach Ms. Davies, students used AI to generate images to pair with their stories. Students shared their fables with third graders at Dyer Elementary yesterday, which also happened to be Mustache Day! Thank you to Dyer Librarian Ms. Anderson for helping to coordinate this time for high schoolers and third graders to come together!
Congratulations to the paw-some cast and crew of South Portland Middle School's production of "Disney's 101 Dalmatians Kids"! 🐾
Restorative Circles: 3rd Monday of the Month, 7-8 p.m. at South Portland High School. All South Portland parents and guardians are invited to share stories, learn more about each other, and strengthen relationships across the community. See the attached flier for more details.
