Welcome Students & Parents!

Welcome to the 2008-2009 School Year! I would like to take a little of your time to introduce myself, let you know about some of the exciting things that will be happening this year, and to ask for your help in making this a wonderful year.

It is amazing for me to realize that I have spent five of the last six years deeply involved with the Sunnyside Environmental School (SES) community. This will be my fourth year as a Core teacher at SES. After doing my student teaching at SES, I taught here for two years and then, after the 2005-2006 Year of the Mountain, I joined the Peace Corps and moved to Guinea, West Africa. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I was placed by myself in a small village and taught mathematics at the local middle school. Some immediate differences were that I was teaching in French and my class sizes ranged from 85 to 100 students! Unfortunately, political unrest and forceful military response caused the evacuation of all Peace Corps Volunteers in Guinea and the eventual suspension of the program. At that point, I embarked on an extensive trip through West Africa experiencing different cultures and ecosystems. I returned to Portland and Sunnyside last school year.

The Year of the Mountain is filled with interesting projects and activities. The fall will primarily focus on geology. The Pacific Northwest has amazing geological features such as the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the Cascade Volcanoes and lots of faults. A highlight will be an overnight trip to Mt St Helens.

The many activities that take place at Sunnyside require a lot of help from you, the parents. Most Tuesdays, our class will take a trip in the greater Portland area. In order to make this possible, at least one additional adult must be available to travel with me or the class will be unable to go. Volunteering on field studies will be greatly appreciated by this class and is a great way to participate in your child’s education while meeting their friends. The last week of September will be a major volunteer need week. We will go to Mt St Helens and prepare community meal during this week so all help will be greatly appreciated.

In addition, there are many ways to showcase your skills and abilities while helping out in the classroom. Just let me know what you would like to do to help!

In addition to the curriculum taught during the year, I feel that it is extremely important to build a strong community within the classroom that fosters respect for all members and a curiosity in learning. Please let me know if there are any needs that your child requires as the year progresses.

I am very excited to be working with your children and am looking forward to a wonderful year.