Fundraising

2019-20 Back-To-School Request Sunnyside Environmental School

August 28, 2019
The Back-to-School Request helps fund Sunnyside’s enriching programs such as the:
  • Sustainability Program,
  • Art Enrichment Program,
  • Classroom Supplies; and
  • Go Fund scholarships to ensure all students attend their grade-level off-campus trips.

The amount requested ($195 per student) is determined by calculating roughly what all of our fundraising needs are to support
our great school programs each year, and then dividing the number of students enrolled at SES.

Please give as you are able and know that there will be fundraisers and classroom asks big and small throughout the year to support all of our students, classrooms and grades.
Your donations pay for important programs unique to Sunnyside. It takes all of us to make Sunnyside a special school.

Thank you for all you do to support the children at SES! If you have questions or concerns please call Principal Amy Kleiner 503-916-6226 or visit www.sesptsa.org.
 
NOTE: We are using SchoolPay this year to collect payments. Please login to your School Pay account and select “FY 2019-20 Back to School Ask” There is also the option make a donation in 10 monthly payments.
 
[button color=”light” link=”https://www.schoolpay.com/parent/payments/groups” target=”_blank”]Donate to 2019 Back to School Request NOW[/button]
 
[button color=”light” link=”/wp-content/documents/Back%20To%20School%20Ask%202019-2020.pdf” target=”_blank”]Download the form to pay by mail or in person[/button]
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Community

SES Foundation Auction – letter from the Principal

May 17, 2019

To the Sunnyside community,

I want to thank all of you for your generosity at last weekend’s auction. For me personally, I spent last Sunday with an authentic, “happiness hangover” (for lack of a better descriptor). So many community members, parents and guardians came together to organize, host and execute an event that, for me, affirmed the strength and solidarity of our SES community. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I left the auction feeling so thankful, so grateful and so proud.

As a reminder, funds raised from our auction directly pay for funding of staff members. Our goals were/are to fund 1) a part time book clerk to support our K-8 library program, 2) a part time administrative assistant to support our place-based day and overnight trips for K-8 students, and 3) .25 (¼) of a 3rd grade teacher so that students in this grade can be in right-sized classes for their entire week next year. We are hoping to earn enough to provide 3, full sections of 3rd grade so that class sizes can be smaller in this grade level.

This community is so, incredibly generous. The auction alone grossed over $54,000, with some unexpected, large, charitable cash donations from several people–one family gave $5,000, several families gave $1,000, $500, $250, $100 and so on. Thanks to our families, staff members and community, this auction grossed more than any other auction we have ever had. Relatively speaking, we are close to reaching our goal of fully funding all of the positions above!

The PPS foundation’s policies make sure that each school contributes to a collective “pot” in order to provide funds for schools who may not have the capacity to raise such a large amount of money for staffing. Mathematically, after our expenses for this event are paid, our net income from the auction is about $46,000. Based on PPS rules, for any dollar amount beyond $10,000, 33% of the remaining funds are given back to this communal account for other schools. This said, as of today we have about $35,000 net for Sunnyside. This is such a gift for our students, thank you!

In order to fully fund the positions described above, our goal is to raise $50,000 net. I’m writing today to ask that your family consider making a donation in the next week, especially if you were unable to attend Saturday’s event. I’ve provided links to make this easy for folks, and these links can also be sent to extended family, friends, SES alumni, etc. While we did receive some generous, large cash donations, it’s also true that every dollar counts as we face the budget cuts upon us for next year. If you’re able, please consider making a donation–large or small– so that we can continue to provide our students with the rich, robust school program that makes Sunnyside so special

There are two ways to donate at this time, and all donations are 100% tax deductible. Once a donation is made, our auction committee will immediately provide you with an invoice that includes our tax ID number for your records. Here are the ways you can help us reach our $50,000 net goal:

–We have many raffle tickets left for the Hawaii trip, and if we sell all of them we will earn an additional $3100 toward the staff positions listed above. Please see the link below to purchase raffle tickets with the potential to win a family trip to Hawaii!

https://sesauction.schoolauction.net/auction2019/catalog?id=2

–Much of the money raised on Saturday came in the form of cash donations. This was so unexpected, and so incredibly generous. Please consider adding to these funds by making a cash donation toward these important positions. The link below makes it easy to donate online.

https://sesauction.schoolauction.net/auction2019/give/index

Thank you again for all you do for this school. As principal and as a Sunnyside parent, I always feel grateful. I always feel lucky. I always feel proud. Seeing our community come together on Saturday on behalf of all of our children was truly one of the best Mother’s Day gifts I could have ever asked for. For me, while of course the money is important, the love, the solidarity and the sense of community I feel is a gift that no amount of money could ever buy. I was truly blown away by this, and I thank you all for your continued support and donations.

With so much gratitude,

Amy

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After School

Get your tickets for the SES Foundation Auction

April 30, 2019

The auction will take place May 11, 6pm at Beeswing Cafe. Purchase tickets in the hall at SES on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays or online here. Find out all the details, preview auction items, buy raffle tickets and buy tickets at https://sesauction.schoolauction.net/auction2019/homepages/show.

The SES Foundation Auction is a fundraiser for the SES Foundation, which supports hiring staff in our school. In the current budget era we need the foundation more than ever to help us fund some of the amazing extra staff we are so fortunate to have (think art, music, PE, counseling, etc.) at Sunnyside.  

In addition to fundraising, the auction is SUPER fun! So even if you don’t plan on spending lots of money, you can still come and have fun with fellow SESers.

We will have:

  • Live karaoke with Mo and the Dad Band
  • Delicious food and desserts catering to all the diets
  • Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Silent auction & a LIVE auction

We need help to make this all happen. Please check out our sign-up genius and sign up for a volunteer shift or two.

If you have any questions, please contact Corby Watkins. Can’t wait to see you there!

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Fundraising

Easy ways to support SES (without spending a dime)

December 1, 2017

As we gear up for holiday shopping, I want to remind you of a few opportunities we have to give back to SES without spending a single extra dime. Easy money! Though the individual amounts seem small, they add up to a great deal for our sweet school.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards allows you to pick an organization to which they donate a percentage of all you spend. Follow this link and sign up if you haven’t already. Type in Sunnyside Environmental. You can choose the PTSA or the school account. Either one helps the school.

Amazon Smile also allows you to pick a non-profit to benefit from your shopping prowess. Visit the Amazon Smile page to get set up. Once you choose your charity (Sunnyside Environmental School), you won’t have to remember to do it again. You can even see how much your shopping has given back to SES on the home page. This is a great one for out-of-town family because they can give to SES when they shop at amazon as well. The only think you need to remember is to shop through Amazon Smile and not amazon.com—regular amazon.com purchases do not count toward Smile and thus no money to SES. Sad!

Powell’s also has a rewards program. If you click this link to get to Powell’s (using SES’s partner ID, 34798), they will donate a portion of each sale to SES.

Office Depot will donate 5% of any qualifying purchase back to SES. If you shop at the local Office Depot (323 SE MLK Boulevard), you can just ask them to apply the 5% Back to Schools to Sunnyside Environmental School. If you are shopping at another Office Depot, online or over the phone (1-800-GO-DEPOT), you can use the School ID 70084282.

Gift Cards! There is a wide variety of gift cards for you to peruse at the gift card table on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Gift cards are great for your shopping experience and they make amazing stocking stuffers. Just sayin’.

The Giving Tree is up in the main hall again this year. Though it doesn’t bring money into the coffers of the PTSA or the school, it supports our community at its foundation. Learn more about this program here.

Thanks for all that you do for the school. Every little bit helps!

Warmly,
SES PTSA

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Support Public Education

House Bill 2632 – Lower property taxes & boost school funding?

May 22, 2013

There is a new idea in Salem in the form of House Bill 2632. Check out this short story from the Oregonian and if you are in support, contact your legislators and let them know today!

Oregon House will vote on bill to divert $4.5 million from PDC to schools

on May 22, 2013 at 12:11 PM

jules bailey

SALEM — Because of Oregon’s quirky property tax system, a bill heading to the floor of the Oregon House
could simultaneously lower property taxes in Portland and boost funding for schools.

That contradictory effect is the result of the interplay between the taxing authority of Portland’s urban  renewal agency, the Portland Development Commission and Portland Public Schools.

Currently, the PDC can divert funding from other property tax districts such as the city of Portland, Multnomah County and Portland Public Schools. And because the agency’s taxing authority predates 2001,     it can also divert money raised by local option levies.

House Bill 2632 would remove that authority. It would affect nearly 100 urban renewal agencies statewide,   but the vast majority of the monetary impact would be seen in Portland, where the PDC currently diverts    $7.5 million from Portland school levies.

If the bill passed, that $7.5 million would be sent back to schools. Along the way the tax would be subject to “compression” thanks to Oregon’s property tax limitations, resulting in $4.5 million in new revenue for Portland Public Schools and a $3 million tax cut for property owners.

“We think the voters want that money to go to education and we want to find a way to get that back,“ said David Williams, a lobbyist for Portland Public Schools.

There’s one glitch left to work out. Multnomah County thinks it could cost up to $300,000 to reprogram the county’s tax assessment system to handle the complex transaction.

The House Revenue Committee unanimously approved the bill Wednesday morning, acknowledging that the Senate may need to amend the law to make it phase-in over time, allowing for tax assessors to upgrade software.

That’s a small price to pay for a $4.5 million shot in the arm to schools, said Rep. Jules Bailey, D-Portland.

“We shouldn’t let a small one-time cost in administration get in the way of getting more money to schools and critical services,” Bailey said.

–Christian Gaston

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Support Public Education

Stabilizing School Funding in Oregon

May 10, 2013

While we work toward ways to continue to provide our children with the best possible education we can at Sunnyside, it is clear that to ultimately stabilize school funding, we must put pressure on our state legislators and the Governor to do more and sooner than later to fix the ways they fund our k-12 public education here in Oregon.

letter

To do this, they need to hear from their constituents and they need to hear often.

To find you Oregon legislators, go here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/
Call, email, write — tell them you want them to pass a budget with no cuts to k-12 schools NOW! To send your thoughts to Governor Kitzhaber, use his contact form here: http://www.oregon.gov/gov/Pages/ShareYourOpinion.aspx

Thanks and stay tuned for more ways you can help.

 

 

 

 

 

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Support Public Education

Chance to talk money for schools TONIGHT Thursday March 21st @ Winterhaven

March 21, 2013

Sunnyside parents have been invited to join the parents and PTSA of Winterhaven School TONIGHT (March 21, 2013) … it’s all about 

winterhaven (1)

money for schools! Please attend and learn more about the process of funding schools, both in general and for this specific year.  

·When: Thursday, March 21st, 6:30 – 8:00

Joining us will be:·Where: Winterhaven School

·Ruth Adkins, Portland Public Schools Board Member

·Deborah Kafoury, Multnomah County Commissioner, former Oregon State legislator, school funding advocate and Winterhaven parent

·Otto Schell, Oregon PTA Legislative Director

·Mark Sandilands, Winterhaven Principal

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Support Public Education

Your chance to speak out – Gov. Kitzhaber in Portland Monday Town Hall March 18th

March 15, 2013

This Monday, you’ve got an opportunity to speak out and make a difference for school funding.

Gov. Kitzhaber will be in Portland on Monday evening for a town hall

ImageProxyOregon has the third largest class sizes in the country, and one of the shortest school years.on education. It’s your chance to make your voice heard about the need to put more money into our classrooms  by reining in out of control tax breaks and using tax dollars   efficiently. Visit this link to let us know you’ll be there:http://ouroregon.org/townhall                       

 Kitzhaber Town Hall on Education Monday, March 18 6-7:30pm, Madison High School 2735 NE 82nd Avenue Portland, Oregon 97220 The questions for the town hall are being moderated by the Portland School Board—get your question in now by submitting them to the PPS Facebook page. Here are some facts to help you put your questions together:  

  • Over the next two years, Oregon is expected to give away more than $36 billion in tax breaks.
  • Since 2009, the amount of money Oregon gives away in tax breaks has grown by 29%, even while budgets for schools and critical services have been cut.
  • Oregon is now tied for the lowest business taxes in the nation.
  • Funding for K-12 schools is $3 billion below what experts believe we need in order to provide a quality education for every Oregon kid.

 

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Support Public Education

A Better Way Forward Proposed by Our Oregon

March 4, 2013

Our Oregon has already responded to the new legislative budget proposal. Here is an excerpt from their blog today: Path Forward

There’s a path forward to protect our schools, health care, and the critical programs that keep our communities safe and healthy.

This morning, the chief budget writers of the Oregon legislature released their proposal for how to fund schools, health care, and public safety over the next two years.

While the co-chairs of the Joint Ways and Means Committee have recognized that it’s critical to put more money into the things that matter most—K-12 classrooms, senior care, and help for struggling families—there’s still much more to be done to make sure the budget isn’t balanced solely on the backs of the middle class.

There’s a way to stop cuts to things that matter most, protect retired seniors, and make sure large corporations and the wealthy are paying their fair share. Time is of the essence! If you want your voice heard in support of Our Oregon’s proposals, you need to contact your legislators by email or phone as soon as possible this week!

In order to protect the priorities that all Oregonians value, we’ve identified more than $700 million that can be used now to hire back teachers, lower class sizes, protect senior health care, and ensure that critical services are there for families when they need them.

Our proposals include $278 million in government savings, nearly $300 million by capping tax breaks for wealthy households, and using some reserve funds now.

See the entire blog with details on their proposed ways to stop cuts here on their Sockeye Blog.

You can find your legislators and TAKE ACTION TODAY to let them know that you support these cost savings proposed by Our Oregon.

Here is a handy graphic of the proposals they are making:

PathForwardProposals

 

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Support Public Education

Big week in Salem for Education Funding

March 4, 2013

This week appears to be an important one when it comes to Education and the State Budget. Check out the story by clicking on the headline link below:

K-12 schools get big increase, PERS gets cut in Oregon budget proposal

Legislatureand stay tuned. I will attempt to post updates as I see or hear about  them. This would be a good time to contact your legislators in Salem to let them know your opinions on the different options being put forth …

You can find your legislators here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ and/or write to them here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/

 

 

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