James Otis Kaler Elementary School

165 South Kelsey Street
South Portland, ME 04106

sites.google.com/a/spsdme.org/kaler/

179 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 4th

School Overview

James Otis Kaler Elementary School is a public school located in the Knightville/East End neighborhood of South Portland, Maine. Serving students from kindergarten through grade five, the school is part of the South Portland School Department and focuses on fostering a supportive, community-centered learning environment. It is known for its commitment to academic development and personal growth, prioritizing the social-emotional well-being of its diverse student body while preparing them for the transition to middle school.

The school is recognized for its approachable atmosphere and active parent-teacher involvement, which help cultivate a close-knit school culture. Situated near the waterfront in South Portland, Kaler Elementary often takes advantage of its location to integrate community resources into its programming. With a dedicated faculty and staff, the school emphasizes a balanced curriculum that aims to meet individual student needs through collaborative instruction and a strong foundation in core academic subjects.

179

Total Students

22.2

Full-Time Teachers

8.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

59.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for James Otis Kaler Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	87
Hispanic	29
Black	40
Asian	10
Two or More	12
American Indian	1

White
87 (48.6%)
Black
40 (22.3%)
Hispanic
29 (16.2%)
Two or More
12 (6.7%)
Asian
10 (5.6%)
American Indian
1 (0.6%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	South Portland Public Schools
Phone:	(207)799-3214
Website:	http://sites.google.com/a/spsdme.org/kaler/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 4th
Total Students:	179
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	22.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	8.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	93
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	13

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 28

Kindergarten 42

Grade 1 31

Grade 2 26

Grade 3 24

Grade 4 28