The 1977 Trail Blazers, the 2017 Thorns and the city’s views of Mt. Hood fill much of the Venn diagram where Portland and excellence intersect.

Now, you can add noodles to the list. (Or, specifically, noodles served in public schools.)

That’s right: a trade publication that covers non-commercial food service named Portland Public Schools’ yakisoba noodles America’s best pasta meal served in public K-12 schools.

Food Management’s Becky Schilling gathered a panel of child nutrition professionals to test various offerings from across the country and Portland’s locally sourced yakisoba made the cut.

The dish was developed by district alumn Lola Milholland, whose company, Umi, created the noodles so they can withstand the heat of an oven using a combination of boiling and chilling the food before it’s cooked in district kitchens.

The yakisoba is served at district elementary and middle schools.

Here are some of the other major education stories from Portland and beyond:

Your friendly neighborhood education reporter is hitting the books again

Last time we did a tour of Portland’s public libraries, we visited neighborhoods on the east side of the Willamette. On Monday, you can find The Oregonian’s education reporter at the Hillsdale neighborhood branch of the Multnomah County Library, 1525 S.W. Sunset Blvd., from 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Feel free to stop by whether you’ve got a story idea, news tip or want to chew the fat about the newspaper or website.

From the reporters’ notebook

Franklin High School snagged two fall sports championships this month. The Lightning notched its first boys’ soccer title weeks after the cross country team took the crown at the state meet at Lane Community College in Eugene. The school’s Aidan Palmer and Charlie Robertson set the top two times, respectively, for the boys and Kaiya Robertson and Autumn Ost coming in seventh and eighth for the girls.

As Portland Public Schools plans for an infusion of state cash as part of the $1 billion per year corporate tax passed by Oregon legislators this year, the bill may also further bump the price tag of construction projects voters approved in 2017. The district’s bond accountability committee found that contractors working on those buildings may pass down as much as $4.4 million in gross receipt taxes to the district. The district is anticipated to get more than $40 million in Student Success Act funds next year.

The PTA-run Clothing Center at Madison High School’s Marshall campus is looking for volunteers and donations as the cold season arrives. The center is accepting new and gently-used clothing ranging in sizes from 4T to 4X and is in particular need of teen-sized coats. Donations can be dropped off at any district school. Officials say items should be clean and placed in a bag clearly labeled “PTA Clothing Center.” The service is open to families with students in Portland Public Schools from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays that school is in session. The center can serve up to 60 people per day — students receive three pairs of new underwear and socks, a pair of pants, shoes, two shirts and a coat. Forms are available at each district school office.

Other education stories from the Portland area:

The Corbett School district has long relied on an open enrollment law to bolster the number of its students. But now that the law has expired, the school board has decided to go the charter route so that it can bypass the inter-district transfer process, which requires families get permission for their kids to attend school outside of their home district. OPB’s Elizabeth Miller has the story.

Education stories from around Oregon:

Education and health services leaders in Central Oregon say de-stigmatization goes a long way in addressing youth mental health concerns. Representatives from the Bend-La Pine School District and local health care provider Mosaic Medical told the City Club of Central Oregon that helping kids open up about their mental health is one way to help them feel comfortable seeking resources. The Bend Bulletin’s Jackson Hogan reports.

You can also read The Oregonian’s 10-part series on youth mental health here.

The Eugene School Board adopted a policy to provide free menstrual products in district bathrooms for grades six through 12 this week. Students who testified in favor of the resolution framed it as an equity issue, saying a lack of access could lead to anxiety for some students. The Register-Guard’s Jordyn Brown has the story.

More education headlines from The Oregonian/OregonLive:

Portland students say they don’t feel like they matter at school. District officials want to change that

Former educator sentenced in Oregon to 15 years in prison for sexually exploiting young girls online

SW Portland middle school principal steps down months before retirement

Count of homeless students in Oregon increases 2%

Threatening bathroom message at Portland high school prompts police patrols

Beaverton 5th grader elected Oregon’s next kid governor

Liberty High swim team member found dead under pool cover in Hillsboro

Beaverton’s Highland Park Middle School closed Friday after asbestos found in gym

Portland schools may place bond on November 2020 ballot, but price remains a question

From other Portland-area media:

Oregon school districts ask community for input on spending new state money (OPB)

Mt. Hood Community College staff, grads and students defend programs on chopping block (The Portland Tribune, subscription)

Molalla teachers stand up for LGBTQ students, staff (The Molalla Pioneer, subscription)

And across the state:

On-time graduation increases while grade-level expectations decrease (The Creswell Chronicle, subscription)

Bend La-Pine School District to distribute safe firearm storage information (OPB)

To offset costs, University of Oregon hopes to grow: Tuition board meeting recap (Daily Emerald)

UO physicist David Sokoloff to receive 2020 Oersted Medal (Daily Emerald)

UO changed the way it manages compost. Here’s why (Daily Emerald)