Sunnyside PTSA Weekly Update Wednesday, February 15, 2023
~ Find the latest Messenger newsletter from the SES office here. ~

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Hello Sunnyside,

Wow, what an incredible PTSA meeting, chock full of smart feedback from your amazing kids! This week, Principal Eryn asked the 5th graders what they would buy if they had $2,000 to spend on anything they wanted for the school. Their answers were varied, but specific!

– a better playground
– more swings
– more school supplies (so many dried out highlighters!)
– lots more playground balls!

Thanks to all of the parents who have already contributed toward our school fundraising this year. We couldn’t do it without you! Next month, we’ll meet on March 10. Let us know in advance if you’re interested in speaking or being added to the agenda. Thanks again to the amazing Oblique Coffee Roasters team for keeping us caffeinated! ❤

Auburn + Heather, PTSA Co-Presidents

Special Events + Celebrations 🎂
SES Pi (π) Day Celebration – Tuesday, March 14 🥧🎉
This fun SES tradition has been dormant for a few years, but the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are bringing it back! On Tuesday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m. , all are welcome to join us in the Auditorium for student-led Pi activities, a Pi digit memorization contest for kids, special guest speaker Traci Kiyama (math teacher at Catlin Gabel) and, of course – eating PIE! The event is free and open to all, with a focus on our 3-5 community.
Questions or ideas? Steph Barnhart at stephbarnhart1.
SIGN UP TO BRING PIE OR VOLUNTEER AT THE EVENT: bit.ly/SES-PiDay- Volunteers

Volunteer + Donation Opportunities 🙋
Feminist Club and Comic Book Drawing Clubs Need Parent Leaders! 👧📝
We have some amazing student-led clubs at Sunnyside, but not always enough adults to make them happen. Currently, the Feminist Club is a group of enthusiastic fifth graders who meet on the playground during lunch time. They’d love a designated adult volunteer and a space to meet regularly between 11:50 and 12:15 one time each week. The Comic Book Drawing Club would like to meet after school and is also looking for leadership and a meeting space. If there is an adult interested in helping with either club, propose a day and time that works for you! Contact leslielothamer to get connected.

Donations + Volunteers needed for Community Kitchen cleanup project! 🔪🍳
Our wonderful partners at Campfire Columbia after school program is cleaning up, organizing, painting and giving our community kitchen a new life! We are so grateful to them for taking this on as a community service project, and we’re hoping to supply them with everything they need. The team is in need of a few donations, if you are interested in contributing:

– new or gently used paint brushes 🖌
– paint (all one color preferably for cabinets) 🎨
– rollers, trays, and supplies for painting 📥
– Home Depot gift card 🚧👷
– cabinet and drawer hardware 🚪

In addition, if you’d like to help with the project, we are seeking SES volunteers Mondays – Thursdays from 4-5 pm in the SES cafeteria between Feb 21 and March 6! If you’re interested in helping or have questions about how to donate or help, please email Cyric Willard at cwillard. 🔥🔥

Time to get registered for READ-A-THON! 📚
READ-A-THON ru ns from Feb 21- March 9th! STARTING TODAY, you can go to MYBOOSTER.COM to sign your kid up to help raise funds during Read-a-thon. It is really easy! PLEASE sign up and share with at least one person.
The first five classes that get 90% or more registered students will get a treat!

See the graphic below or go here to see how to sign up.

READ-A-THON – Calendar:

  • Feb 21 READ-A-THON begins. Your student will come home with a packet. The packet has a reading map to keep track of reading and OFFLINE fundraising. This packet is what they will turn in at the end to get credit for reading units. They will also get a bookmark with a reading tracker to help keep track of reading as well. Start collecting pledges. Share your online page to collect funds from friends and family far and wide!
  • Feb 22 Carson Ellis visits K-5. Buy a signed copy of Carson’s picture book This Story Is Not About a Kitten which will help raise additional funds for our school.
  • Feb 23 Emily Whitman visits 3-8th. Buy a signed copy of Emily’s chapter book, winner of the Oregon Spirit Book Award, The Turning which will help raise additional funds for our school. Also, this is the same day as our Dairy Hill READ-A-THON kickoff fundraiser. Celebrate reading AND eat ice cream! Dairy Hill will donate 10% of all gross sales for the ENTIRE day to SES!
  • Feb 24 DRESS UP DAY – Rainbow Day! Dress in as many colors as possible. Be a rainbow!
  • Mar 1 Alissa Sallah visits 6-8th. Buy a signed copy of Alissa’s graphic novel Weeaboo which will help raise additional funds for our school.
  • Mar 3 DRESS UP DAY – Pajama Day read-in event. Enjoy cozy read-in time during recess.
  • Mar 7 Amber J. Keyser visits 6-8th. Buy a signed copy of Amber’s chapter book The Way Back From Broken which will help raise additional funds for our school.
  • Mar 9 DRESS UP DAY + FINAL READING DAY – Dress as a Book Character Day
  • Mar 13 to 24 TURN IN READING MAP SIGNED BY A PARENT (and any offline donations) to the office.

Thanks so much for your support of our students in their endeavors! Please reach out to Leslie Lothamer at leslielothamer with any questions.

Fundraisers 🎉
The SES Spring Auction is coming back, and we’d love your involvement! 🎉
Details for our Spring gala are coming together! More information to come at Friday’s PTSA meeting, including our exciting announcement regarding the wonderful venue and date we have locked in. It’s going to be an evening to remember!

So, how can you get involved? Well, the gala is our biggest fundraising event of the year–and it’s put on by SES PTSA’s all-volunteer Spring Gala Committee on behalf of Sunnyside Environmental School Foundation (SESF). The purpose of this event is to raise funds that support FTE school staffing for next year as well as our school’s required contribution to the Fund for PPS, which promotes funding equity across the district. This year’s gala will take place in early May. We are still in need of the following:

  • Party Board hosts – many! 👯
  • Class Creative Art Projects Coordinator 🎨
  • Planning Committee Members 👬👭
  • Silent auction donations! 🍾💰🔮🏖🎠🎭

That last bullet point is a biggie: One way every parent can participate in the success of our Spring Gala is by donating to the online silent auction! Reflect on what community connections or resources/talents you might have to contribute and let us know! Some of the things that are most successful are often unique experiences or one-of-a-kind items. 🎢🎪🚝

We are looking for things like vacation homes near or far, business vouchers or merchandise, themed gift baskets, local and handmade goods, professional services, and exclusive opportunities. Have an idea you’re not sure about? Ask us and we’ll see how we can make it work! To learn more about each need, sign up for a role, or give us your event ideas, please fill out our Spring Gala Donations Form. ❤

As always, consider donating to Fred Meyer Rewards and change your beneficiary to Sunnyside Environmental School!

Questions, ideas or submissions for future newsletters? Email Heather at tanky34 or Auburn at auburnmarie3
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