Author: Conor Lirot

Pedestrian Fatality on Belmont

On Saturday September 5th around 8 p.m, 25-year-old Simon Williamson was struck and killed by an automobile near 36th Avenue and Belmont. Social media posts suggest that Simon was new to Portland, was a non-driver, and moved to Sunnyside to be within walking distance of friends. He stepped out of his apartment less than a block away to get groceries at the time of the incident, according to his sister.

I am also somewhat new to Portland, a non-driver, and live close to Belmont. I urge our neighborhood to come together and push the city to transform Belmont into a safer, more pedestrian-friendly corridor.
I am also expecting a newborn child in the coming months, and it disturbs me that this fatality occurred just steps away from our very own Sunnyside Environmental School. The extra-wide street, worn and faded crosswalks, dim overhead lighting, and fast drivers mean that pedestrians—many of us Sunnysiders—must literally gamble with their lives to cross the street.

Many Sunnysiders, such as Carlos Nuñez, have already taken action by submitting a request on PBOT’s website (portland.gov/transportation/823-safe) to add flashers at 36th and 37th on Belmont. Please join in this action—the more neighbors who report this traffic safety concern, the better. The SNA Land Use & Transportation Committee is working on a letter to the city demanding safer conditions on Belmont. If you’d like to get involved, please email [email protected].

Our Neighborhood School Is at a Crossroads

Portland Public Schools is weighing its biggest round of school changes in a generation. On October 6, the district presented two “rightsizing” scenarios that would close up to 14 schools and redraw 38 of boundaries across the city. The PPS board is expected to vote in December, with changes starting in Fall 2027.

Sunnyside Environmental School (SES) isn’t on the closure list. But both scenarios would turn it into a K-5 school, ending its middle grades and the environmental program that has defined it for over 30 years. The district’s own projections show enrollment at the school falling to about 235 students by 2031—even with the inclusion of former Buckman students—well below its target of 360. That could leave SES vulnerable to full closure later, and the neighborhood with a large vacant building. 

This is something every neighbor and business owner should care about, even if you don’t have kids attending the school.

Sunnyside is one of only 12 PPS schools with growing enrollment, and far more families apply than there are seats. With births in our area down 35% in a decade, having a school that families compete to get into helps keep young families here.

It’s also a true walking school. Today, 96.8% of students live within a mile. Under the proposals, that drops to 65.5%: That means more cars crowding Sunnyside streets and fewer customers walking to local businesses.

Sunnyside students invest in their own school and in our community, too. Last year, kindergarteners through 8th graders spent a combined 7,000 learning in, and tending to, the school’s living garden classroom. Middle schoolers spent about 1,285 hours restoring local land and water with groups like SOLVE and Friends of Mt. Tabor Park. And the school serves kids who struggle with traditional classroom learning; many families say it’s why they stayed in Portland schools.

Sunnyside families are asking PPS to slow down and make a plan that works for students, families and neighborhoods. Neighbors can learn more and sign the school’s community letter at save.sesptsa.org, and share your views with the school board before December.

Sunnyside Tails: Honey

MJ Johnson has almost always had a dog—usually a big one. A few years ago, she was between pups and unsure if she should welcome another at her age, then in her early 70s. Maybe it was time for a smaller dog? She visited the Oregon Dog Rescue in search of a just-right companion. That’s where she met Honey, a year-old tan-and-white chihuahua mix who needed a home.

Now four, Honey is “absolutely the most extroverted dog I’ve ever owned, and I’m 76 so I’ve had a few,” said Johnson, who has lived in Sunnyside since 1995, and who grew up in the Richmond neighborhood.

Honey loves her walks with Johnson, who finds that her dog’s fame has spread far and wide in the neighborhood. “People will say: ‘Is that Honey?’ and I won’t have a clue who these people are,” she said.

At 18 pounds of snuggable sweetness, Honey delights in jumping in visitors’ laps for a cuddle. Everyone on Johnson’s street knows Honey, who pokes her head through the lattice fence to greet both people and dogs walking by. “She has a huge fan club,” Johnson said. Honey even has a special squeal for delivery drivers, who she knows come bearing treats. (UPS driver Stefan is her favorite.)

“She is an absolute joy,” Johnson said. “A little barky when you’re across the street but nobody’s perfect.”

If you’d like to nominate a neighborhood pet for a future Sunnyside Tail feature, email [email protected].

Tech Tips

Let’s Rethink Addictive Tech This Holiday Season

Do you wish you knew more about safer, healthier tech options for kids? Are you trying to delay purchasing a smartphone, but still need a way for your child to communicate with friends and family? Are you tired of wrestling with parental controls that never really work? There are better tech options for kids and teens out there, but so few parents know about them.

Since 2007, Big Tech has been engineering their products—smartphones, apps, etc.—to be addictive, which ultimately makes them more money. This is why parenting around tech has become so much more difficult in the last 20 years. But we don’t have to accept this business model. There are lots of small tech companies creating products that allow kids and teens to use tech as a tool without the worry that it will take over their lives.

So how do you choose tech for kids that does only what we need it to do, nothing more? When our kids get old enough to walk around the neighborhood themselves and want to connect independently with friends outside of school, we often consider getting them a phone. When we think phone, we usually think smartphone, and smartphones are SO much more than a phone. They’re super computers in our pockets full of addictive apps, opportunities for endless scrolling, and portals to every corner of the Internet. Getting our child a smartphone for communication means we’re choosing tech that does way more than we need it to; all those extra things can become a battle. The phone feature rarely causes problems, it’s always another function like texting, social media, gaming, YouTube, porn, or gambling that becomes addictive.

Likewise, when our kids need a device for homework we often get them a laptop, only to find that parental controls are hard to set up—and easy to get around. Then we’re stuck policing our kids while they try to do homework on a device with YouTube just one click away.

Luckily, there are products out there that make tech easier for parents to manage and are healthier for kids. These products were often created by parents who didn’t like the all-or-nothing choice. They couldn’t find a better option to the addictive tech that monetizes kids’ attention at the expense of a healthy childhood, so they decided to make one.

There are wonderful new wifi landline phones just for kids – Tin Can, MyPhone, Waffle and Ring Ring Club. These phones bring back the joy of talking on the phone and the independence of kids making plans themselves. No screen, no Internet, just a friend at the other end of the line. When kids get a little older, WaffleGo is a screen-free option to keep them safe while they’re out-and-about.

By middle school, tweens often need a device with more capability, but they’re not yet ready for the responsibility of a fully-loaded smartphone. Starter phones like Gabb, Troomi and Pinwheel are healthier alternatives because parents get to choose what goes on them. These phones are like learner’s permits so parents can introduce tech intentionally.

Kids often have a grandparent wanting to get them an iPad as a holiday gift, even while their parents don’t feel ready for tech battles. A much healthier, non-addictive alternative to the iPad is Daylight Computer’s new Daylight Kids. It has a blue-light-free screen, robust parental controls, and is designed to foster self-regulation, not iPad meltdowns. For teens, the original Daylight Computer is a healthier, less distracting option for homework.

What about cameras and music? Companies like Camp Snap and Paper Shoot offer kids a screen-free camera experience, while Mighty Player and Kite bring back the joy of listening to music on a screenless device.

We don’t have to accept Big Tech’s business model for our families anymore. Let’s rethink addictive technology this holiday season!

Want to see some of these alternatives up-close? Stop by the Alternative Device Fair December 5th, from 2–5 p.m. at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church (2800 SE Harrison). Co-hosted by Mindful Media (mindful-media.net) and Oregon Unplugged (orunplugged.org), we’ll be raffling off several alternative devices so come put your name in the hat!

News From Sunnyside Environmental School

November brings a quieter rhythm to Sunnyside Environmental School, but there’s still plenty happening around campus.

We Need Your Voice

As Hanna wrote in “Our Neighborhood School Is at a Crossroads”, please consider signing a community letter to keep Sunnyside K-8 with our environmental focus (save.sesptsa.org). You can write to the PPS board and legislators (savepdxschools.org/take-action) and tell the Governor (bit.ly/write-governor-PAT). Sign up for PAT’s Listserv at bit.ly/PATCommunityList to stay informed.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon — Nov 13

Join us on Friday, November 13th, for the Grade 6–8 musical production of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, presented in partnership with the PTSA and Portland Drama Club! This year’s production has just one performance at 6:30 p.m. Come cheer on our student performers and enjoy an evening of theater in the neighborhood. Concessions and ticket sales support Portland Drama Club’s drama scholarship fund, helping ensure that all interested students can participate in this wonderful program.

Support SES and Show Your Sunnyside Spirit

We’ll be selling Sunnyside shirts during our Friday fundraiser in the outdoor classroom. Our community fundraisers help support garden-based education, music, and field study opportunities for SES students.

Have questions about SES? Email [email protected]