My Child Will Be Absent... What do I do?
call 874- 8175 and leave a message
send a Reach My Teach
wait for our secretary to send you a Reach My Teach message and reply
Your child will be marked absent in our system every time they are not in school. We need to hear from you to excuse the absence. 5 unexcused absences in a row, or 7 over the year automatically trigger a truancy letter. This letter is sent to the Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, and could be sent to the Department of Heath and Human Services. Thank you for communicating with us when your child needs to be out of school.
If your child is ill (sick), in quarantine, has a medical appointment, family emergency or a religious holiday, please call or email the school. These are allowed and will not count against your child. (207) 874-8175 jellia@portlandschools.org
You can give details if you wish or you can simply say:
"Please excuse my child due to ____________. (illness) (quarantine) (medical appointment) (family emergency) (religous holiday)"
IMPORTANT: VACATIONS: It is Portland Public School policy that vacation is not a valid excuse for an absence. Please take fun family vacations during our scheduled vacations. See our school-year calendar below.
Dismissal- I want to pick my child up early- What do I do?
Call the school at 874-8175 or come to the Clark Street Doors and let us know you want to pick your child up.
We do not dismiss students after 3:10 (2:10 Wednesdays) so if you need to pick your child up between 3:10-3:30 please come before 3:10.
Food- Is food free? What am I allowed to send to school?
Thanks to a new Maine state law effective in the 2022-2023 school year, school meals for all students are free, regardless of their family's income. Learn More
You can send any food you wish for your child to eat for breakfast, snack or lunch, although we provide free food for all children. However, when sending in food for other students to eat (like for a birthday celebration) please be aware there are many restrictrions.
Clicke Here for the rules about FOOD IN SCHOOL for all Portland Schools
Below are some highlights regarding nutrition.
No soda is allowed at school
Food offered or sold during the school day shall meet nutritional standards (low fat, low sugar, low sodium)
If you wish to send food to school for a classroom celebration, consider these snack ideas instead of cake and cupcakes:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Low-Sugar Yogurt
Animal crackers
Baked chips
Popcorn
Pretzel Rods
String cheese
Cereal bars
Granola Bars
The Portland Promise- Portland Public Schools Policies and Rules
Reiche staff are ethically bound to confidentiality and also keep family information private. Law requires teachers and educators to report all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect, including educational neglect, to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
