SES Messenger

Hello Sunnyside Community,

I just want to give a special shout out to our Classified Staff this week as it is Classified Appreciation Week and we couldn't do what we do without our amazing staff that includes:

Will, Clyde, Ricardo as our esteemed custodians

Jenny, Michelle, and Kieran, our amazing office team

Jo, Debra, and Angela, the magical para educators who support our SPED students

Becky in the library who never hesitates to support our whole school with her infectious energy.

THANK YOU to all these people who keep us running.

Also wanted to mention that we will hold a lockdown drill on March 18th. We hold these drills in accordance with the PPS office of emergency management. We know that these drills can be traumatic for our students and I wish that we lived in a world where these were not necessary. Resources for you and your family if you wish to discuss further are here.

This week and next week during our weekly Counseling lessons, Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students at our school will learn about Sammy the Sasquatch, Crittertopia, and the many ways Sammy practices safety. Crittertopia is kept safe by the Critter Elder’s magic. While it’s very unlikely a curious human will accidentally wander into Crittertopia, Sammy & Friends practice keeping Crittertopia safe by doing a Lockdown, “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight.” For more information on Sammy & Friends and resources to help empower your kids at home, please see that attached document.

Please enjoy the Friday day off for Sunnyside Families. We do this because we run the Harvest Fair in October and the Riparian Festival last month. These are considered curricular events because of the curriculum showcases that are run during each event. We are grateful to our teachers who spend many hours of their free time preparing for these events and volunteering their time, and this is one way in which we can continue to hold these important community events. Thank you for your support.

Eryn

• Fri, Mar 8: NO SCHOOL for SES only
  

• Sat, Mar 9, 6pm: SES MS Musical [Note corrected date and time]

• Sun, Mar 10, 2pm: SES MS Musical [Note corrected date and time]

• Fri-Sun, Mar 15-17: Cowbell Cheese Catalina Fundraiser
  

• Mon-Fri, Mar 18-22: K-5 Spirit Week

• Tue-Thu, Mar 19-21: MS mini-classes

• Wed, Mar 20, 8:45am: SES PTSA meeting: SES room 102

• Mar 25 - Mar 29 - NO SCHOOL. Spring Break

• Thu, Apr 4: End of quarter

• Fri, Apr 5: NO SCHOOL (professional development day)

• Fri-Sun, Apr 5-7: SES Westwind Family Weekend

• Mon, Apr 8: School in session (makeup day)

• Fri, Apr 12: SES Foundation Auction

The results for top fundraisers, top readers, top classrooms, top grade groups are in! Congrats to all our student winners! You worked hard and you deserve to be celebrated!

We will deliver prize certificates and physical prizes to students very soon. If your student is the recipient of a prize that contains a choice of prizes or gift cards, I have emailed you, so please check your email and respond ASAP. Congratulations to all and thank you!

FUNDRAISING WINNERS:

Top Fundraising Classrooms (Class celebration - class choice):

• K-2 Eric

• 3-5 Heather C.

• 6-8 Michael/Aaron (Mary Lloyd)

Top Fundraisers K-2 (See prizes for each level below):

1. Mara Kelly Patterson

2. Morgan See

3. Leona Light-Solheim

4. Jasper Moreno

Top Fundraisers 3-5 (See prizes for each level below):

1. Billie Castro

2. Hazel Cohen

3. Sylvie Newell

4. Rowan Black O'Neal

Top Fundraisers 6-8 (See prizes for each level below):

1. Leo Cohen

2. Aviva Myint

3. Ronan Hill

4. Ames O'neal

Top Fundraiser Prizes (in each grade group):

• 1st place - Choose one of the following: $250 gift card to a local business of your choice, iPad, Nintendo Switch, one night at Great Wolf Lodge with waterpark passes for 2, or custom designed shoes and backpack.

• 2nd place - $100 gift card to a local business of your choice.

• 3rd & 4th place - $25 worth of gift cards for a local bookstores

READING WINNERS:

HOUSE CUP (Top reading grade group):

• 3rd-5th grade

Top Reading Classrooms (Gift certificate for $200 for the class):

• K-2 Frances

• 3-5 Tiffany

• 6-8 Mary Gage

Top Readers for each grade (in order 1st-3rd):

• 8th - Lenny Anderson, Azure Lee, Sita Niemann

• 7th - Rowan Moon Bell, Ames Black O'Neal, Aviva Myint

• 6th - Ouray Speelman, Ramona Ewald, Ezra Zito

• 5th - Wren Mordarski Stultz, Ash Szatlocky, Malachi Voelker

• 4th - Quill Harrison, Essie Speelman, Henry Radkins

• 3th - Oscar Jagle, Erik Nilenders, Billie Castro

• 2nd - Ben Renfro, Lily Pritchard, Matilda Chase

• 1st - Owen O'Hanlon, Mara Kelly Patterson, Eliza Leschber

• K - Max Renfro, Abigail Ashworth, Colin Kahn

Top Reader Prizes (in each grade):

• 1st place - $40 worth of gift cards for a local bookstores plus a book bundle

• 2nd place - $20 worth of gift cards for a local bookstores

• 3rd - $10 gift card for a local bookstore

Raffle winners:

$10 gift card to Franks-A-Lot: Morgan See, Miles Van Noord, Oliver Walters & Rowan Jankowiak

$10 gift card to Collage art supply store: Jasper Dilley, Orleans Devacourt, Keir Bell, Opal Lichtenstien & Miles Lothamer

$5 gift card to Fat Straw: Ellison Wyatt, Urijah Birchfield, Alden Lillywhite Fidler & Archie Elsom

One free drink card to Monster Tea: Rorik Campbell Cramer, Johnny Susee, Violet Lothamer, June Doherty, Orion Stroud. Norah LeMay, Hazel Cohen, Coen Vinger

Drawing/poster made by Johnathan Hill at our author visit: Miles Poehler

Tickets are ALMOST sold out for the Addams Family starring our SES 5th-8th graders! Come cheer on this hardworking team of spooky characters! There are two shows at Sunnyside: Saturday, March 9 (6pm) and Sunday, March 10th (2pm)! Tickets are $10 and can be purchased HERE! Get them now before they are gone!

WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS to sell tickets, arrange flowers, bake, sell baked goods, and usher! Grab your volunteer slot(s) HERE! See you at the show!

*Poster Artwork by Sita Niemann

ONLINE AUCTION - April 2-12

GALA EVENT - Friday, April 12 at Revolution Hall’s Show Bar
GET TICKETS ($25-$100): ourschool.auction/SESglow

Sunnyside, LET’S GLOW! Glow means to shine, to show exuberance. Glow is a collective bioluminescence, where diverse objects light up in new, radiant forms. Dress in your most radiant, incandescent attire and join us for merriment, games, music by DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, and an incredible live auction hosted by Boliva Carmichaels!

The funds raised by our Auction & Gala are critically important, more than EVER, for maintaining the programs that make SES most special. By supporting staffing costs, the money ensures that our students can continue to participate in unique, place-based learning opportunities. A portion of proceeds also benefit underserved schools through the Fund for PPS.

The gala and auction are about celebrating our community. Tiered ticket pricing ($25-$100) is designed for inclusion, and we encourage everyone to join regardless of if you plan to bid in the auction. There will be prizes anyone could win in our special game of Heads & Tails, and awards for Best Dressed. For help accessing a ticket discount code, email fundraising@sesptsa.org.

Volunteer: Work a shift at the Gala in exchange for a ticket HERE.
Prize Donations: Submit auction donations by March 22 HERE.

Party Board Hosts: Learn more & submit ideas HERE.

Contact Justine Reimnitz (justinereimnitz@gmail.com) or Jessica Maeder (jessicamaeder@gmail.com).

Registration is OPEN for after school enrichment activities offered onsite at Sunnyside Environmental School starting in April. Opportunities include yoga on Mondays, lego robotics on Tuesdays, Spanish on Thursdays and electronic music club on Fridays. Classes start right after school and spaces are limited, so don’t wait to register for your spot. Additional information and registration details can be found on the PTSA website at https://www.sesptsa.org/after-school-activities/.

The 5th grade Kindness Committee is hosting a Sunnyside K5 Spirit Week March 18-22.

Monday: Opposite Day (Students dress like teachers, teachers dress like students)

Tuesday: Character Day (Dress like your favorite fictional character)

Wednesday: School Rainbow Day (Each grade wears a different color: K=red, 1=orange, 2=yellow, 3=purple, 4=blue, 5=green)

Thursday: Fancy Day (Dress up!)

Friday: Pajama Day!

It's that time of year where our kiddos do some vision screening. We need two volunteers from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 18 to help with:

• Ushering classes and kids between rooms

• Helping kids put on nametags

• General student traffic control to keep things on schedule

SIGN UP HERE TO VOLUNTEER. Per usual, must have an active Volunteer Background Check on file with PPS.

Does anyone have a two drawer locking file cabinet collecting dust at their house? One of our 5th grade classrooms could use one and we are hoping to reuse and recycle. Please contact Jenny in the office at jethomas@pps.net.

Garden ask: We are hoping to get donations of green outdoor paint to refresh our raised beds. If anyone has any paint they are not using we would take it. Please contact Jenny in the office at jethomas@pps.net.

Eat Cheese for Catalina! Shop at SES parent-owned Cowbell Cheese on March 15th–17th and support the 8th Grade Marine Biology Trip to Catalina Island! Cowbell Cheese Shop is an importer and distributor of specialty foods, with a focus on traditional European and American artisan cheese. During this special weekend, Cowbell will donate 20% of their sales toward the 8th grade trip.

BONUS: SES 8th graders will be working the counter and handing out samples at the shop! Come through and tell your friends and family! 8th graders can SIGN UP to work a shift and help raise funds! Cowbell Cheese is Located in the Rinella Produce Building, 231 SE Alder St.

Are you a parent or guardian looking to connect with other Sunnyside families with neurodivergent students? So are we! Our next meetup of the 23-24 school year will be Friday, March 15, @ 9 a.m. at 3405 SE Stark Street. We will discuss staffing changes and budget cuts that are impacting our community, share resources, address upcoming annual IEP and 504s meetings, and advocacy plans. Please email kelleymhutch@gmail.com to RSVP, ask questions or, if you cannot attend but are interested in learning more, please email to connect for future meet ups.

Calling all queer identifying families and students...let's create some community and get to know one another! Please join us for a potluck at a home in the Sunnyside neighborhood on Thursday, March 7th (no school the next day!) at 6 pm! Bring the whole family. If you are interested in joining, please fill out this form and we will be in touch with the address and additional details very soon! Can't wait to get to know our rad community better!

The PTSA will be selling student-designed and silk-screened shirts at The Addams Family Musical! Proceeds will benefit the 8th Grade Marine Biology Trip to Catalina Island.

Hey Sunnyside families! Join us for Westwind Family Camp, Friday April 5 - Sunday April 7! Nestled between the Salmon River and the Pacific Ocean, Westwind offers a delightful blend of beach, forest, and riverscapes, where one can enjoy hiking, beachcombing, tidepooling, or more laid back pursuits like reading a good book, playing board games or doing puzzles. A great place to bond with other families and kids, the SES Westwind weekend is a 20+ year tradition. $135 / person covers heated, lit lodging in the camp's cabins and 5 meals. Sign up here: 2024 SES Westwind Family Camp

PPS is working to make our buildings more climate friendly by lowering emissions and increasing health and comfort. To figure out how to prioritize this work, we need your help!

We're asking families, students, and teachers from the Franklin and Cleveland clusters to join us for public listening/input sessions on the district's decarbonization planning. We want to find out what and how we should prioritize this work to help give students and teachers the best possible experience they can have each day in PPS schools. Everyone from the community is invited to join for these 60 minute meetings.

• March 18, 5:30-6:30 PM -- Franklin High School, Room M-223, for all schools in the Franklin and Cleveland clusters (all are welcome)

• You can also attend the Lincoln High School meeting on March 19, 5:30-6:30 PM @ Lincoln HS (Rm. 148 in the Library) if that date works better for you.

Please RSVP here.

If you have any questions, please email decarbonization@pps.net. If you cannot attend in person, you can also submit feedback through this online form.

At PPS, 90% of our greenhouse gas emissions come from our buildings! This is an amazing opportunity for the district to be part of a green future and to make our buildings more sustainable and comfortable for our community.

We appreciate you participating.

Thanks so much,

The PPS decarb team

• Portland Metro Fire Camp for Women (Portland Jun. 21-23, Sherwood Jul. 12-14)

• Sign up to chaperone Middle School field study

• Apply for Free/Reduced Meals - NEW Oregon expanded income guidelines

• Sign up to support Christina at lunch

• SES current volunteer needs

• Konstella - One stop shop for parent information (PTSA)

• 2023-2024 Back to School Ask

• SES attendance form: English | Español

• Sunnyside School Page

• SES PTSA website | After school activities at SES

• SchoolPay | SchoolCafé

• Communicable disease protocol - aka when should I keep my child home from school?

• MESD head lice resources and information