School staff are away on summer break. If you need to register your student, PPS' Enrollment & Transfer department will remain open and can assist you with the process. Please visit their website https://www.pps.net/enrollment-transfer for more information, including the link to online registration and the department contact info.
Take care, have a happy and healthy summer.

To SES families,

As the office closes for summer, we wanted to send one final email to provide an update on staffing/grade level changes for next year. Our administrative team will be back working on August 10, and will update you again at that time on any potential changes. 

Below you will find the grade level assignments for the 2021 - 2022 school year. Please note that for middle school, the pandemic did not allow for our typical, place-based environmental science curriculum. For 8th grade students, we have made draft class lists and they will be released in mid-August. Please note that if your child had, for example, Year of the Ocean as a 6th grader and they are, again, assigned to Year of the Ocean, this is an intentional placement and the curriculum and field studies will not repeat. School staff will be available to answer any questions you may have about curriculum and/or class placement in the latter half of August. The kindergarten and 1st grade classes from the 2020-21 school year will advance to the next grade level as cohorts. Grades 3rd-8th will intermix, not moving as cohorts, with class placements coming to you later in the summer. 

We were fortunate to receive a stable staffing allocation, as well as 20K in funds from the PPS equity bank. This staffing allowed us, with some generous support from family donations, to keep our 2, important part time positions: Kieran Cannistra, school secretary, and Becky O’Leary, book clerk. Thank you! 

Kindergarten - Logan Middleton and Allye Kaplan

1st grade - Corbin Lichtinger and Eric Fass

2nd grade - Michelle Strobel and Angel Levan

3rd grade - Levia Friedman and TIffany Koyama Lane

4th grade - Asa Gervich and Jeremy Thomas

4th/5th grade - Leo Soell

5th Grade - Heather Chaney and Monica Semeria

Year of the River - Sarah Conley (formerly our school secretary, woo hoo!) and Cori Longstreet

Year of the Mountain - Robin Godoy and Michael Jansa

Year of the Ocean - Becca Hawk and Carrie McCoy

Year of the Forest - Tara Branham

6th grade math community - Carrie McCoy, Sarah Conley and Robin Godoy

7th grade common core math - Sarah Wagner

8th grade common core math - Karen Shay

7th/8th grade compacted math - Tara Branham

7th grade Spanish - Michael Jansa + open position, hiring now 

8th grade Spanish - Cori Longstreet  + open position, hiring now 

Learning Center - Adrianne Lemay, Eva Fraser, Ellen Reeser

Paraeducators - Angela Gonci and Debra Meskimen 

Speech pathologist - Megan Brown 

School psychologist - Grace Le Chevalier

Counseling team - Rebecca Johnson and Ashley Bevan

Social worker - Nicole Costello 

PE - Iris Powell

Library - Gillian Grimm

Science lab - Sarah Wagner

Art - Indigo Corwin

Part time academic/social support grades 6-8 - Karen Shay 

Principal secretary - Michelle Schaefle 

School secretary - open position, hiring now  

Administrative team - Alix Pickett and Eryn Berg 

Aurel Coste, Julie Manzella, Sarah Rosman and Debra Jablonski have moved into different positions in PPS and/or on to new adventures in their careers. We are forever grateful for their presence in our community, and they are “forever family.” 

Have a restful, healthy summer and we will see you in August! 

-Alix, Eryn and Amy

View the slide deck from the June 2 2021 middle school information night.

Dear PPS Families & Community,

Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and support as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times. In our ongoing effort to support the needs of all our students, PPS is offering an Online Learning Academy (OLA) for students who cannot attend in-person due to COVID-19 related health reasons.

Dear PPS High School Families,

Yesterday, Multnomah County Health announced updated guidance for mask-wearing: Wear a mask when indoors around people you don’t live with, whether vaccinated or not. This update is in response to increases in Delta variant cases in Oregon and is consistent with evolving guidance from state and national public health agencies, including the CDC, which today will advise that vaccinated people who live in high-transmission areas wear masks in indoor public spaces and that K-12 schools require masks for all.

Yesterday, Multnomah County Health announced updated guidance for mask-wearing: Wear a mask when indoors around people you don’t live with, whether vaccinated or not. This update is in response to increases in Delta variant cases in Oregon and is consistent with evolving guidance from state and national public health agencies, including the CDC, which today advised that vaccinated people who live in high-transmission areas wear masks in indoor public spaces, and that K-12 schools require masks for all.

All of us at Portland Public Schools are mourning the loss of Paul Edward Coakley Sr., a beloved educator who passed away on July 18, 2021. He was 67.

6/11/21 School Messenger
Español

School News (NEW)
Upcoming Dates
Websites to Know
PPS Meals Update: How to Access Meals Starting June 21 (NEW)
Summer Programming and 2021-22 Virtual School Options (NEW)
Garden Volunteers Needed
Art News from Indigo
Continuum of Care for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Mindfulness Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers
COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form for Students Ages 12-14
Fliers from the District (NEW)
Anti-Racist Reading and Resources (NEW)

School News (NEW)
Hello SES families and happy last day of school!

We had a wonderful, love-filled day today. Despite the many ups and downs over the last year (plus), it was wonderful to see children close the year with joy and excitement in their respective classroom communities.

Today marks the last day for students; however, the office is open for a few more weeks. You can expect a communication next week from our administrative team—information about some staff changes for next year, summer wishes and farewells, and some additional, technical information from PPS and SES.

Have a wonderful weekend and a fabulous kick off to summer!

-Amy and Alix

Upcoming Dates

Websites to Know
Can My Child Go to School Today?
District COVID Resources & Info
PPS Family Resources Page
Sunnyside School Page
SES PTSA website
SES COVID Fund on Venmo

PPS Meals Update: How to Access Meals Starting June 21 (NEW)
Though the school year is ending, PPS will provide opportunities for all families across the city to access meals during the summer. In addition to supporting many in-person programs, PPS will also provide grab-and-go meals at various schools and parks throughout the summer. For more information, please read this update.

Summer Programming and 2021-22 Virtual School Options (NEW)
Please look next week for a full catalog of summer programming on PPS campuses, including arts, child care, enrichment, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), and youth employment programs.

Looking to the 2021-22 school year, PPS plans to welcome students in all schools for full-day, five-days-a-week, in-person learning, starting September 1. In the coming weeks, PPS will share details about virtual school options for families who are not ready to send their students back to in-person learning just yet.
 

Garden Volunteers Needed
Some folks did sign up to water the SES GARDENS (THANK YOU!), but we need more volunteers. Steph is only able to come in twice a week and with these hot/dry summer days, the gardens just won't make it without more volunteers. Thank you to those early signer-uppers :)  Please add your email to the sign-up so we can be in touch this summer.
 
If you haven't already signed up, please email Steph at sunnysidesustainability@gmail.com and she will get you all the details you need to help keep these gardens growin!

Thanks and be well.

Art News from Indigo: Monica and Heather's Hybrid Students Participated in the HeART of Portland
More than 200 PPS students contributed pieces guided by the theme "Postcard to the Earth," inspired by the work of Ansel Adams, the seminal American photographer. Sixteen SES student Art pieces are being displayed from June 1 to June 30 in the Portland Art Museum gift shop in conjunction with the museum’s current Ansel Adams exhibit.

The PPS pieces are viewable at no cost through the gift shop window (outside the museum in the main courtyard), and guests can also get a closer look and inside admission with a ticket to the Adams exhibit. All students 18 and under have free admission to the museum, but will need to reserve tickets ahead of time. Please see the Portland Art Museum website to purchase/reserve tickets and to see updated days and hours, and information on mask requirements and capacity restrictions.

The student pieces also are available for online viewing. Scan the available QR code on the display flyer to view on your phone, or go directly to the online display to view on a computer. You can also see selected student works from many PPS schools in a special virtual exhibition during the month of June at www.ppsartgallery.com. I hope your summer is filled with creativity.

Sending positivity, Indigo

Continuum of Care for Mental Health and Substance Abuse
See the following newsletter from PPS:

Dear PPS Community,

As this is the last week of Mental Health Awareness month, we want to ensure that everyone has information about our continuum of care for students who experience mental health and substance use challenges. We also want to highlight services for our BIPOC students and families.

Read the complete newsletter HERE.

Mindfulness Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers
Emerge into summer with a small gathering of Middle Schoolers at Mt. Tabor Park Tuesday 6/15 and Thursday 6/17 from 10:30-12. We will practice mindfulness techniques to center into summer, de-stress from this unique and challenging school year, set personal goals, laugh, play, create art, reflect and share. Sign up with a friend and join Karen Shay for this short chill summer camp. Sign up using this EventBright link or email karen2shay@gmail.com.

COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form for Students Ages 12-14
The Oregon Health Authority recently announced the approval of Pfizer’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccination for individuals age 12 and up. In order to receive the vaccine, students ages 12-14 must be accompanied by either a parent, a guardian, or someone designated by the parent. If accompanied by an adult other than a parent, a student must have a parent-signed consent form. Below is the consent form in all PPS-supported languages:

English | Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Soomaali | Русский

Please visit the PPS Student & Family Vaccination website for information about our supported Wednesday vaccination opportunities at the Oregon Convention Center, which includes shuttle bus availability for students and families at five PPS locations. You can also visit all4oregon.org for vaccination opportunities throughout the week.

Fliers from the District (NEW)

• Portland Playhouse Theatre Summer Camps Fliers

Anti-Racist Reading and Resources (NEW)
Portlander esperanza spalding has embarked on a mission to build a local BIPOC artist sanctuary, PRISMID SANCTUARY and SAL. spalding has launched a $300,000 campaign, the majority of which will be used to purchase property in North Portland. Additional money raised will go towards artist residencies and organic farming at the sanctuary.

spalding hopes the creation of this space will serve a need among Portland musicians, artists and cultural workers to be able to gather, share work and connect with land and community. She writes, “BIPOC artists are frontline cultural workers, in the sense that, we’re needed to triage, respond-to, and alchemize into beauty the violent chaos of our times. To do this cultural metabolizing work best, artists need the renewal and invigoration that comes in the healing presence of nature and fellow BIPOC creatives.” Learn more about PRISMID SANCTUARY here. You can donate to spalding’s vision here.