About
In 1903, Deering Center Primary and Deering Grammar Schools joined to become Longfellow Elementary School, named after the famous Maine poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was located adjacent to the present building in what is now the parking lot. Enrollment included 77 boys and 102 girls in grades K-6. In 1952, as part of a Portland School Improvement Plan, the current building was constructed. The new building, built to resemble neighboring Deering High School, was not only considered a beautiful structure but also embodied the latest improvements in school design and equipment such as drinking fountains in each room, dual purpose chalkboards, air circulated cloak rooms, and walls painted with contrasting colors to reduce eye strain!
Today Longfellow School is a beautiful, brick, three level building with eighteen classrooms.The building is located on Stevens Avenue beside Deering High School and one block from Lincoln Middle School. Enrollment is approximately 350 students.
The Longfellow School offers a variety of learning opportunities for children. Our mission statement of being committed to honoring uniqueness, nurturing growth and making a difference shapes the programming decisions that we make for our students. Students are provided with instruction in Reading, Mathematics, Writing, Science and Social Studies and teachers are committed to integrating our curriculum and connecting student learning to the real world in which our students live. Students in grades 4 and 5 receive weekly instruction in Spanish. All students receive weekly instruction in Physical Education, Music and Art.