09/23/22 School Messenger
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• School News (NEW)
• Upcoming Dates
• Websites to Know (NEW)
• Fliers and community links
• Wanted: Volunteers to help Christina serve lunch (NEW)
• OHSU K-12 COVID-19 Screening Enrollment now open (NEW)
• Office Hours with the TAG Department (NEW)
• From the Library
• Attention parents and caregivers of neurodivergent students
• SES PTSA News (NEW)

School News (NEW)
Thank you so much for those of you that could make it to Back to School Night last night. We know not all families could make it, so we are including our slides from last night.  Have a wonderful weekend.

• K-5 slides
• MS slides
• Specials and class slides found here, as they’re available.

With gratitude,
Eryn & Alix

Upcoming Dates
View the full SES calendar here.

Websites to Know (NEW)

• Sign up to support Christina at lunch (NEW)
• 2022-2023 Back to School Ask
• SES attendance form: English | Español
• Sunnyside School Page
• SES PTSA website | SES PTSA newsletters | After school activities at SES
• SchoolPay | SchoolCafé
• Self-screening tool

Fliers and community links

• The Rainbow School
• Vibe of Portland: Fall Classes
• Vibe of Portland: 2022-23 Art Camps & Classes

Wanted: Volunteers to help Christina serve lunch (NEW)
This year, SES has one person on site for nutrition services: Christina Wolfe. She could use some help! Please sign up here to support her, as you’re able.

OHSU K-12 COVID-19 Screening Enrollment now open (NEW)
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, and SES’s collection day is every Thursday.

Read the full letter here: English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Русский | Soomaali

Office Hours with the TAG Department (NEW)
PPS has scheduled time for parents and guardians to ask questions and receive information related to TAG identification, services, and processes.

PPS will be available on Zoom from 6-7 PM on the following dates:

• September 28, 2022
• October 26, 2022
• November 30, 2022
• January 25, 2023
• February 22, 2023
• March 22, 2023
• April 26, 2023
• May 31, 2023

The first meeting will be Wednesday, September 28, 6-7 PM. The Zoom link for all meetings is: https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/87417090472?pwd=S1pRYkIrZjBpaTRJUmM5NHdKVy9aUT09

From the Library
Summer Reading Prizes! Let's celebrate those Summer Readers!
If your student participated in ANY Summer Reading Program (Multnomah County Library, Powell's Barnes and Noble, or the SES 50 book challenge) Please send them with their completed form, t shirt or a note from you on their library day next week for a small reward from the SES library! (2nd graders can bring them the following week since there is no school on Friday)

OBOB TIME
It's time to OBOB! Is your student interested in OBOB? Oregon Battle of the Books is an annual statewide even and we are big OBOB fans here at Sunnyside. There are two divisions, 3-5 and 6-8 and we will be hosting battles for both! If you already have a team please have your coach fill out this form. If your student is interested but does not have a team, please fill the form out for just your student and indicate that you need help finding a team. For more information on OBOB, please visit the OBOB tab of our Library Website!

Attention parents and caregivers of neurodivergent students
Are you a parent or guardian looking to connect with other Sunnyside families with neurodivergent students? So are we! We would like to get to know you and hopefully support one another through monthly meet ups. Our first meet up will be Friday, September 30 @ 9 a.m. at Tov Coffee & Tea on Hawthorne. 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.

SES PTSA News (NEW)

The latest PTSA newsletter is found here, and includes information about the following:

• Harvest Fair information
• Spin for Sunnyside
• Bike Bus
• … and more!

All PTSA newsletters are found here.

Dear 6th graders and new Middle School Students,

Welcome to Sunnyside Environmental Middle School!
Youʼre invited to 6th Grade and New Middle Schoolers Welcome Day 
Tuesday, August 23rd 10am-12pm 
NOTE: This event is for students only

On this Welcome Day, all 6th grade students and any new Middle Schoolers will learn about the ins and outs of what it’s like to be a middle schooler at Sunnyside. Together, with our middle school leaders and counselors, we’ll get to know each other and our school through activities. Students will leave the session feeling comfortable about life in middle school, having made new connections, and excited to start school on August 30th.

A little about Sunnyside Environmental Middle School:
There are 7 Middle School CORE classrooms, each made up of 6th, 7th and 8th grade students together.

• Core: Social Studies (Grades 6-8, Thematic - Ocean, River, Forest, Mountain)
• Math: 6th-Grade Math, 7th-Grade Math/Compacted Math, 8th-grade Math/Compacted Math
• Core Elective: 6th grade school skills, 7th-8th grade Spanish 1-2 (receive HS Credit)
• Elective Wheel: PE, Art, Media/Library, Science Lab. 

An example of Middle School Schedule: (This is subject to change based on guidelines)

• 8:45 School begins
• 8:45-9:15 Morning Meeting whole middle school in the auditorium every Monday and Friday.
• 9:20-10:20 Specials or CORE (Specials are Media, Science Enrichment, PE, Art/Environmental Justice elective)
• 10:25-11:25 Specials or CORE (Specials are Media, Science Enrichment, PE, Art/Environmental Justice elective)
• 11:30-12:05 lunch and recess entire MS
• 12:10-1:05 CORE
• 1:10-3:15 6th Grade Math/School Skills and Community (6th grade only, 2 hour afternoon block)

Other things to look forward to in 6th grade:

• Gardening
• K-5 Buddies
• Service Learning
• Outdoor School (dates TBD)
• MS Dances
• Overnight trip in the spring

We are very excited for the upcoming school year. This yearʼs middle school includes a truly great mix of 6th, 7th and 8th graders.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Rebecca Johnson rjohnson10@pps.net
SES middle school counselor 

Dear Sunnyside Community,

As many of you know, we are heading into fall and to the rainy season. I have worked with the Sunnyside Safety Team to update our indoor lunch plan to adhere to the latest guidelines.

I have made sure that we have six feet apart in the school cafeteria, in the hallway, and in the auditorium for students to eat inside if necessary. In addition, I have two air filters running in each of these spaces, fans, and windows/doors open. We will have lunch volunteers who will be helping to supervise these spaces and we can make available spaces outside for students to sit if you do not want your student eating inside. Please note, if you do not want your student inside, please let them know that they need to choose on their own to go outside and eat under the supervision of the volunteers. With the amount of supervision that is needed by school personnel, we cannot track individual requests and students will need to choose to go outside on their own. If you choose to pick your student up because it is raining, please do so by 11:00 AM so that school staff can all help supervise lunch and recess as needed.

I will try to watch the rain and if we can go outside and eat without it pouring, we will do so. Please use your best judgement as a parent to decide whether or not to pick your child up. Please send your child in warm and rain appropriate gear.

If you have further questions or questions about our COVID safety plan, please reference the COVID presentation and the Back to School Night Presentation. Both are attached below.

I know that there are many concerns about COVID and safety in our schools. Please rest assured that I consider those concerns when making a plan and any instances or reports of COVID exposure will be investigated and reported to our team of nurses at the MESD and appropriate notifications will be made.

In partnership,
Dr. Eryn Berg
Principal, Sunnyside Environmental School
https://www.pps.net/sunnyside
Sunnyside BTSN slides
She/ Hers/ They (Why?)

Every corner of my heart loves you

In a field of fields you are the largest field
In a field of moons you are the most moons

~ Anis Mojgani
  The Piano Farm

Hello families!

We look forward to seeing you all tonight at Back to School Night (virtually). Classroom teachers have emailed you their zoom or google meet links; here's a reminder of the schedule:

• 6pm: All School Welcome Via Zoom-Alix and Eryn
  https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/82127272256?pwd=VkhUbDBsSWJZVlJCQzBFVXB5SlZuUT09
  
• 6:15-6:45pm: Grades K-2 meet with your student’s teacher
  
  
• 6:45-7:15pm: Grades 3-5 meet with your student’s teacher
  
  
• 7:15-7:45pm: Middle School classes meet with your student’s core teacher

Specialists:

• PE: meet.google.com/ttv-nwcv-ufo
  6:30-7:00 for Middle School, 7:00-7:30 for K-5
  
  
• Art: meet.google.com/kdp-dunn-rmm
  6:30-7:00 for Middle School, 7:15-7:45 for K-5
  
  
• Library: meet.google.com MEET CODE: sunnysidereads
  6:30-7:00 for Middle School, 7:15-7:45 will be for K-5 

SPED staff: https://meet.google.com/dzb-bnjn-eoe
6:30 - 7:45
Adrianne / Eva / Ellen / Megan

Counselors: https://meet.google.com/fjv-yecw-bci

• Grades 3-5 6:20 - 6:45
• Middle School 6:50 - 7:15
• Grades 1-2 7:20 - 7:45

Can't wait to see you soon!
Alix and Eryn

Dear PPS Families,

On September 24, 2021, we expect some PPS students to participate in a Climate Strike. Students are planning to walk out of class and gather at the Oregon Convention Center at 11:00 am and then march to city hall to share their concerns related to climate change and climate justice.

PPS is not sponsoring this event, but we do recognize students’ constitutional right to freedom of expression. We also recognize that:

This student-led event involves learning opportunities that align with the spirit of the PPS Board of Education's approved Climate Justice Resolution #5272.

Our district vision, PPS reImagined, includes a graduate portrait that describes expectations for student growth in their understanding of racial equity and climate justice issues.

The subject matter aligns with both our district policies and core curriculum.

Please talk with your student about this event. Once students leave our campus for unsponsored events, Portland Public Schools can no longer guarantee their safety. We ask you to please discuss your family's expectations with your student about their participation, safety during walkout and demonstrations, expectations regarding COVID-19 prevention strategies (masks, physical distancing, etc), and communication with you if they choose to leave school during the day.

For our high school students: Consistent with Oregon law and district policies, students must make arrangements with their teachers or principals for addressing any missed school assignments (including quizzes, tests). High school students must make arrangements and have parent/guardian permission with their teachers in order to receive an excused absence if they choose to take part in local climate strike activities. Staff will not be able to supervise students after they leave campus.

For our high school student athletes: Additionally, student athletes who choose to participate in activities on September 24 must communicate with teachers prior to participating in the walkout to talk about missed work and have a parent/guardian or the student give advance notice to their school’s athletic director of their participation in the strike. If these actions are taken, student athletes will be eligible to play in games or practices that afternoon/evening.

For our elementary and middle school students: Elementary and Middle School students will be asked to remain in the building. Parents may choose to sign their students out and participate with them. If parents plan for an adult other than parent/guardian to check out their student, you will need to update the school that another adult is authorized to pick up your student.

Students who are not in class will be marked absent, and regular attendance phone calls will be made through our standard notification system. Once students leave school grounds we cannot ensure their location or their safety. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we encourage limiting large gatherings to avoid possible spread. Please discuss with your student your family’s expectations for the day. Please reach out to your principal with any questions or concerns.

Finally, per PPS reImagined, our district vision, we recognize that student leadership and advocacy is an important part of the educational experience:

PPS Climate Justice Youth Advisory Group: We encourage students to join the PPS Climate Justice Youth Advisory Group, which serves to advise PPS senior leaders on the future of climate justice efforts in our school district. For details, please contact Yian Saechao, PPS’ Youth Engagement Specialist at yisaechao@pps.net.

Climate Crisis Response Policy Survey: We also encourage your students and you to provide feedback via this survey on our emerging Climate Crisis Response Policy, a set of policy strategies the PPS Board of Education is considering to reduce PPS’ greenhouse gas emissions and build a culture of learning, responsibility, and resilience around climate justice.

Thank you.

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.