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   

Please click on this link for access to all MLC Newsletters for 2021-2022.

Dear PPS Community,

This morning, the Oregon Department of Education publicly released this past spring’s summative assessment data. I’m pleased to share that PPS avoided significant setbacks, but the data nonetheless shows the negative impact of the pandemic.

Dear PPS K-12 students and families,  

PPS is partnering with OHSU to offer free weekly COVID-19 testing for students. Participation in this program is completely optional but encouraged. PPS students may participate in the program regardless of vaccination status. Participating students will submit spit samples in pre-labeled test tubes to their school on a designated day each week, regardless as to whether they have symptoms. Schools will begin collecting spit samples starting September 27th-29th.

Dear Familias, Students and Colleagues,

One of my favorite experiences in my nearly thirty-year educational career was in my first year teaching. I was a Spanish bilingual teacher, and I was happy and proud to be “el maestro” – a role that carried esteem and respect in the predominantly-Latino neighborhood where I lived and worked.

Dear PPS students and families,

I want to share with you a very enthusiastic “Welcome Back!” I hope you enjoyed your summer break and are eager and energized for a fantastic school year.