Alliance HS at Benson Campus

Upcoming dates and activities:  

• We won a Multnomah County Youth Action Grant of $960!   Students wrote and submitted a grant to make a documentary to gain support for and educate others about alternative education in Portland Public Schools. 
• No school May 28th in observation of Memorial Day.
• Graduation is on June 7th.
• Last school day is May 25th for seniors and June 13th for all other students. 
• Student Council - Each second Thursday of the month students will have an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns and be involved in decision-making.   
• Mercy Corp and Global Citizen Corp - On June 6th from 5pm -8pm, we will continue our partnership with Global Citizen Corp and Mercy Corp to learn how to be an agent of change in our local community and the global community.  We will correspond with youth around the world, learn about issues that continue the cycle of poverty in different regions of the world, and design a project that is aimed at addressing a social issue in our community.  We will meet monthly at the Mercy Corp Take Action Center to work with Mercy Corp educators.  See Amanda or Steve for more information.
• Alternative Pathways:  A representative from the Alternative Pathways program will be here every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2-5 "to assist alternative high school students who are the first in their family to go to college, are from low-income families, and/or who have the potential to succeed in postsecondary education. Their goal is to increase the number of youth who graduate from high school or earn a GED and enroll in a postsecondary institution. To achieve that goal we provide students with academic, career, social, and cultural opportunities. We have been in alternative high schools throughout Portland since 1998."  For more information go to  http://www.mesd.k12.or.us/ae/alt_pathways/
• ASPIRE:   This year we will have four Volunteer ASPIRE Advisors that will also join us on Tuesdays from 3-5pm and 6-8. "Volunteer ASPIRE Advisors are assigned to work one-on-one with students, guiding them through important steps toward postsecondary education."  For more information go to  http://www.oregonstudentaid.gov/aspire-students-and-families.aspx

Alliance High School at Benson is available to any secondary school student in the PPS district, upon approval through an interview process.

Grade levels: 10-12

Vice Principal: Lynn Buedefeldt

Purpose: Alliance High School at Benson has two central purposes:

• to provide an alternative educational experience for students who have not experienced success in other high school environments
• to provide students who are working, taking care of children or otherwise attending to family and personal obligations with instruction in all required areas toward graduation with a standard diploma

Student Learning Environment:

Alliance High School at Benson provides a flexible scheduling program that is well-suited to teens seeking a high school diploma and who want a smaller educational environment. Students who were unsuccessful attending school during the day or attending comprehensive high schools will find an environment that is personalized and flexible.

It is a goal of the Alliance High School at Benson program to help students build a positive self-image. The program is designed to assist maturing and self-directed young people in assuming responsibility for their education.  Small classes, faculty advisors and positive reinforcement are used to encourage students to plan and achieve goals.

Students can earn credit through work experience, volunteer opportunities, and community-based education.  For example, each month students will have the opportunity to participate in off-campus learning opportunities.  In the past, we have partnered with Mercy Corp Take Action Center, PlayWrite, Food Bank, Hoyt Arboretum, OMSI, Oregon Zoo, Old Library Studio and Crystal Springs Rhododendren Garden.  This year, we plan to offer additional off-campus learning experiences and focus on connecting these experiences to both potential careers and to citizenship in our community, city, country and world.

Curriculum Components:

We place a strong emphasis on both individualized and group instruction. 

Students have the opportunity to select classes in areas of interest and credit or skill deficiency. There are 13 periods of classes and specialized tutoring opportunities each night, Monday through Thursday, from 9 am to 8 pm and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. Classes offered have included: American Way of Life, Astronomy, Biology, Calligraphy, Creative Writing, Entering the Workplace, Mass Communication, Parenting, Play Reading, Projects on the Internet, and Writing for Publication. Self-study projects as well as computer-assisted instruction are offered. Special emphasis is placed on reading, writing, and mathematics to ensure students are prepared to meet State Standards and to earn a PPS diploma.

Mission Statement:

Alliance High School at Benson provides a positive learning environment for alternative students who need to attend a school with flexible schedule as well as for students who would benefit from a small-school environment. Our mission is to educate individuals to think and communicate critically, creatively, and effectively as they become life-long learners and contributing citizens of the world.

Core Values:

• We build on the strengths of our students, staff, and community, creating a culture of educational excellence.
• We challenge our students and staff to attain the highest standards in education, both inside and outside of the school environment.
• We trust and treat each other with respect as unique individuals, possessing intrinsic value and capable of positive change.
• We foster an environment of openness, flexibility and collaborative decision-making among all members of the Alliance High School at Benson community.
• We demonstrate accountability through student success in completion of their high school education and achievement of their personal goals, and their readiness to enter the world of post-secondary education and work.
• We serve our community by providing assistance through student and staff commitment to service learning and responsible citizenship.

If you are determined to continue your education, you owe it to yourself to find out more about Alliance High School at Benson. Call 916-6486 for an application, and set up an interview.