By BETH QUIMBY Susanne MacArthur says it won't be easy to stay away from school next fall.

By KELLEY BOUCHARD Staff Writer Driving up to the former West Elementary School, you'd never guess it houses a successful and cost-effective special education program that Portland school officials want to expand and offer to other districts.

By BETH QUIMBY Staff Writer -- In the past, Jacob McNally had to rearrange his classroom furniture so he could hook up his desktop computer and give a slide show to his history students at Deering High School.

By KELLEY BOUCHARD Staff Writer -- The Portland School Department will leave at least 12 positions vacant this year, to make a $520,000 dent in last year's $2.5 million budget deficit.

By TREVOR MAXWELL Staff Writer -- When Portland schools open two weeks from today, about 100 high school students will be affected by a new policy aimed at reducing the enrollment gap between Deering and Portland high schools.