Portland school renovations showcase '21st century learning environments'
Photo / COURTESY PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Lyseth Elementary School in Portland was the first of four schools to complete renovations.
Portland Public Schools recently held ribbon-cuttings to celebrate the completion of the renovation projects at Presumpscot, Longfellow and Reiche elementary schools.
In 2017, city voters approved a $64 million “Buildings for Our Future” bond for renovations to Lyseth, Presumpscot, Longfellow and Reiche elementary schools. The renovations to Lyseth were finished in 2021, and a community celebration was held then.
Ribbon-cutting ceremonies took place at each school following remarks by school and city officials and members of the community.
While the district received certificates of completion for the three schools during the last school year, new furniture didn’t arrive until over the summer. The recent celebrations marked an official recognition of the completed renovations.
“We can all be proud of what our community has created through this ‘Buildings for our Future’ initiative,” Superintendent Ryan Scallon said. “These buildings provide our students with the 21st century learning environments they deserve and need to succeed.”
The projects provide students and teachers with access to improved learning spaces considered essential to facilitating teaching and learning and to building strong, safe school communities, he added.
In 2020, the renovations were scaled back due to expected cost overruns. At Lyseth Elementary School, which opened in 1958 at 175 Auburn St. in the North Deering neighborhood, the original $17 million cost estimate was revised to $23 million because of construction cost increases.
Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with more than 6,600 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken — a total of 53 languages.
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