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.

Please join me in welcoming our new Spanish teacher, Peter Gawronski.

Mr. Gawronski comes to us with a wealth of talent, experience, education and enthusiasm. He has taught Spanish at every level from 1st grade through 3rd year college. The former owner of Gawronski Tutoring & Translating, he also speaks German, French and Japanese. When not teaching Spanish, Mr. Gawronski can be found spending time with his family, doing housework to become "inspection ready," or engaging in wholesome recreational activities.

Please give him a warm welcome, bienvenido, youkoso, welcomen or bienvenue!
Eryn

Hello Sunnyside Community,

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that they took the time to enjoy our wonderful September weekend weather. I know that many of you have been asking what we are going to do in case it rains this week and so on. Currently, the district is not allowing tents for use for lunches. I have submitted a proposal for a permanent playground covering and hope to hear back soon as to whether that is a possibility this year and what fundraising would be needed to support that project. Right now if it rains, we will need to use our inside lunch plan and eat inside. We have fans, air filters, windows open, and 15 minute lunches. We will have our students in assigned seats and will try to go outside if we possibly can. If we have to eat inside, we will do so as quickly and with as much mask usage as possible. I know that for many parents, eating inside is not what you feel comfortable with and I understand if you feel that way. We do have as many COVID mitigating factors inside as we can and we are hoping that our weather will hold and not pour down rain.

That said, I am holding a COVID information session Wednesday, September 22, right before PTA at 5:30. Here is the zoom link:
https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/84210816826?pwd=dGsrR1dxL1p2cHlPU2cxNVlWVzFQUT09

I want to take time to answer some of your pressing questions and give people more information about COVID protocols at Sunnyside,

Thank you for your support.

Best,
Eryn 

What an amazing first day! It was so fun and so great to see the kids laughing and learning. Thank you for all you've done over the past 18 months to keep them going. They are amazing humans. Thank you to all of our parent volunteers and thank you to our musicians who made this morning so beautiful.

• When you see your child's teacher in the morning, please drop and go so we can cut down on the congestion.
  
  
• Remember that breakfast is at 8:30, so front doors will be unlocked at 8:30. Students can go right into the cafeteria for breakfast and then head to class.
  
  
• Some teachers have certain spots that they want you to meet them at the end of the day and drop off in the morning, so please meet them there.
  
  
• Middle school will continue to meet on the field for now.

Thank you. We couldn't do this without you!

Giant thank you to all our parent volunteers, our musicians, and the flowers that grace our building. What an amazing first day.

Below are a few pictures of our musicians and teachers.

Yay! School is in session.
Eryn