We are having our annual 6x12 Open House on Tuesday, November 29th at 6pm.  Please join us to learn about our exciting program; academics, traditions, and opportunities.

All are welcome!

The Enrollment and Transfer Center manages transfers, applications and waitlists for all PPS schools.  The MS and HS Transfer Cycle is open from November 15th through December 16th. Please see their website for additional information.  

Perelandra Scholars Program at Portland State University, now in its second year, is designed exclusively for high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit in high-level humanities courses, taught in person on the PSU campus. Here’s what they tell us about their offerings:

FALL 2022 COURSES

The Idea of the Nation (1 credit)

Mondays 7:10 - 9:20pm

Nov 7, 14, 28, Dec 5, 11

In this course we will examine what it means to be a nation, when national identity is a force for liberty and when a source of conflict, how the national idea has developed in America as compared with other countries, and the importance and challenges of national identity today as compared with its alternatives.

Students will get to discuss these questions with international speakers (via Zoom, although the class is in-person). This year’s speakers will discuss national identity in Russia, Ireland, Israel, and India. Readings include Ernest Renan’s essay “What Is A Nation?”

Identity and US Politics (1 credit)

Tuesdays 7:10 - 9:20pm

Nov 8, 15, 29, Dec 6, 13

What are the enduring philosophical disagreements between left and right and how do these shape political discourse today? How can we cultivate a more thoughtful, political culture, even in disagreement? In this course we will look at the ideas of two foundational thinkers of the modern left and modern right: the fiery revolutionary Thomas Paine, and the statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke. We will draw on their wisdom and insight to deflect on American political division today.

Students will converse in real time via Zoom with exciting guest speakers about how contemporary US politics is impacted by group identities based on race, faith, class, and gender; how social media impacts political activism today; and how these issues play out comparatively in other countries. Readings include Yuval Levin, The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left. All course materials provided free of charge. 

WINTER 2023 COURSES

(NEW!) Film Classics and the Four Loves (1 credit)

Mondays 7:10 - 9:00pm

Jan 9, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 27 (Note time difference and 6 sessions instead of 5)

One of the great American art forms is the Hollywood “screwball comedy” of the 1930s and 40s, with roots in Shakespeare, and a level of delight and canny wisdom about men, women, and relationships. In this course we will discuss four classics of screwball in connection with excerpts from C. S. Lewis’s book The Four Loves, his exploration of friendship, affection, and romance. 

The films are: It Happened One Night (1934), The Thin Man (1934), The Philadelphia Story (1940), and The Palm Beach Story (1942), plus a comparative look at French film in Pauline at the Beach (1983). Note: Students will view the films at home, and so must have access to a streaming service such as Amazon or YouTube, or to the films on another platform.

Fantasy Literature and the Religious Imagination (1 credit)

Tuesdays 7:10 - 9:20pm

Jan 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb 7 

Through extended discussion of C. S. Lewis’s novel Perelandra and other texts, we will explore how fantasy writers have engaged questions of good and evil, faith and redemption, through the literary imagination. Additional readings include excerpts from J. R. R. Tolkien’s “On Fairy Stories,” G. K. Chesterton’s “The Ethics of Elfland,” and the book of Genesis. All course materials provided free of charge.

The cost is $75.00 per class and there are scholarships available.

Information and Registration: https://www.pdx.edu/judaic-studies/perelandra-scholars-program

If your high school student is behind in credits toward graduation, would rather take a particular graduation required class outside of the regular school day, or would like to get ahead on their graduation requirements, this is an excellent opportunity. 

• Classes will be held from October 3 - January 19, 2023. 

• Classes meet from 5:00 - 8:00pm, once per week, for 13 weeks.  

• All classes are in-person and attendance is required. 

• Our Evening Scholars sites are:  Roosevelt, Kenton, Grant, McDaniel, and Franklin campuses.  

• To register, students must meet with their counselor to review their transcript, and registration is by the counselor

Please contact your counselor, Gretchen Benner for class options/availability, if you’d like to register, or if you have any questions.  gbenner@pps.net   

In Gratitude

November 17, 2022

Dear PPS families and students,

Every week, I am filled with joy and gratitude when I visit our school communities. We have a community that continues to demonstrate a commitment to the success of our children and youth. We have adults who care deeply for our students, and who work hard to ensure each child thrives.

Dear PPS Community,

I want to recognize, on this Veterans Day, all those individuals who have served our country, especially those members of our families and local community who have previously worn a uniform. I want to take this moment to also thank the many veterans who continue their public service by choosing to work in the Portland Public Schools.

Dear PPS Families,

There has been a surge in pediatric respiratory illnesses other than COVID-19 such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus/enterovirus, and influenza around the country this fall. Health departments in other states have seen children presenting with multiple respiratory illnesses. According to the Oregon Health Authority, rates of respiratory disease are currently relatively low in our state, but that could change based on the arrival of winter weather, and any increase in rates has the potential to overwhelm our hospital system.

PPS takes these steps to ensure healthy school environments so that in-person learning can continue. In accordance with CDC guidance, we are also urging families to take steps to protect themselves and minimize the spread of communicable diseases in our schools. 

Dear PPS Families,

Every special education student deserves a high-quality and equitable learning experience. This belief is born from my lived experiences as an educator, and from my relationships with students receiving special education services and their families. Students that receive special education services are our community’s children, and the reason why many of us became educators.