Principal's Message

Welcome Message

Foothill Ranch Parents and Students,

My name is Mr. MacNevin (A.K.A. Mr. Mac). This year will mark my 31st year in education. I have taught 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. I served as a classroom teacher, Educational Technology Coordinator, and an administrator in the Capistrano Unified and Saddleback Unified School Districts after spending 3 years as an instructor at the Dana Point Ocean Institute. I feel very privileged to be leading the Portola Hills Elementary staff and community as we work together to meet the needs of our Explorers.

I came to SVUSD 16 years ago. My first position in SVUSD was serving as the assistant principal at Foothill Ranch where I later became principal. I love technology and look for any opportunity to share my love of teaching and learning. My wife is an educator. She is a 5th grade teacher at Lake Forest Elementary. Anmarie MacNevin and I have lived in Lake Forest area for over 25 years. We have 2 children. My son, Jake, is attending his final year at El Toro High School and my daughter, Taylor, is a junior at San Diego State University.

Portola Hills is an extraordinary school! Our dedicated and caring staff of professionals work diligently to provide students with the best educational environment possible. Please be sure to stop by our “Why Portola Hills” page to hear what makes our school such a top-notch place to learn and grow together.

Mr. Mac

Principal

PBIS

Here at PHE we are focusing on catching our students doing the right thing or caught being good. We accomplish this goal in the classroom through our behavior expectations and by handing out yellow “S.T.A.R” tickets which stands for Strive to do your best, Take responsibility, Always work together, and Respect yourself and others. Students can also earn yellow “STAR slip” by going out of their way to help another student at recess or by helping out with our ongoing campus beautification projects. Once a month students, teachers, and parents come together for our Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) assembly where students are recognized for earning a yellow slip and they are given a certificate. Furthermore, at PHE we also firmly believe in restorative justice if a student makes a poor choice. The student is given an opportunity to address the issue and make it right.

End of the School Year/Summer

Hard to believe the 2017-2018 school year is over. Students have completed all their requirements and are moving on to the next grade level. We will miss our promoting 6th graders, but we wish them of luck in intermediate school. As for our students who will be returning to PHE in the fall, they should definitely read a lot over the summer and keep a writing journal of their adventures. School will resume on Monday, August 27. Go Explorers!

2018-19 Welcome Message

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year. Here at PHE we have many exciting things happening. First, we have wrapped up construction on our 10 lower playground classrooms. Each room is outfitted with two floor to ceiling whiteboards, two new 75 in. TV monitors, brand new energy efficient lights, new audio/visual equipment, new carpet, new A/C, and brand new 21st century furniture! Next, two of the new classrooms have been set aside, one as a music room and as our PHE STEAM Lab. Right outside the STEAM Lab is our Outdoor Learning Center where all of our Explorers will be connecting the new NGSS Science standards to the outdoors. In addition, you may have noticed that the blue fences have not come down around the old 3/4 grade wing. Phase two, which includes those classrooms is due to wrap up sometime in December. Finally, class lists will be posted on Friday, August 24 @ 5:00 p.m. You can access your child's teacher through the SVUSD Parent Portal.

I look forward to seeing everyone for the first day of school, Monday, August 27 @ 8:00 a.m..

Go Explorers!