Holy Redeemer Catholic Grade School

The Holy Redeemer Catholic Grade School is one of two recipients for the 2008 ORCC Dan Moriarty Community Partner Award. Holy Redeemer Catholic School serves a diverse ethnic, cultural and faith community. Its spiritually-influenced curriculum and mission emphasizes justice, service and peace. Building community in the classroom and in the school is of top priority at Holy Redeemer.

Holy Redeemer has been a partner with Portland State University’s Capstone class for two years. Since the spring term of 2006, Holy Redeemer has assertively welcomed Capstone students from all disciplines and majors. After an initial on-site orientation with the school principal, each Capstone student begins sharing at least twenty-five hours of time with Holy Redeemer students grades K-8. Capstone students serve as mentors in language-arts, math, reading, physical education, music, technology, art, library, and in Holy Redeemer’s aftercare program.

Anna Raineri, Holy Redeemer’s principal, is an exemplary Capstone contact. She and the Holy Redeemer community recognize the whole of a community-based learning class. Throughout the two years of this partnership, she has diligently worked with dozens of students to schedule hours and assignments that will bolster the success of both the Capstone students and the Holy Redeemer students they intend to mentor.

At times, the Capstone instructor and the principal have worked together to arrange mini-workshops at Holy Redeemer facilitated by a Holy Redeemer faculty member, and at other times they have been a guest presenter in Capstone classes at Portland State. Still other times they have arranged for parents of Holy Redeemer students to join in panel discussions centered on educational priorities and choices from a parent’s perspective. Just this past fall, Holy Redeemer shared another learning adventure with Portland State University when it opened its classrooms to an AACU (American Association of Colleges and Universities) film project centered on civic engagement.

Holy Redeemer Catholic Grade School is a model community partner for Capstone classes. Their desire to educate students in hope and love, grounded in a spiritual tradition, extends far beyond their own campus in north Portland. Indeed they join Portland State University in letting knowledge serve the city.