Sunnyside Neighborhood Association

School is back in session

The 2026/27 school year has started and activities at SES are in full swing. Kindergarteners started their first day of school, Middle Schoolers will be taking their yearly trip to different fountains around the city to build community and set the stage for the year, and all students will be harvesting from the garden and cooking using those fresh ingredients.

Safety

School was back in session as of August 26, so please remember to drive slowly around the school. Many students will be walking and the Bike Bus will be back in action. Note: At press time, PBOT was working on making Salmon and 35th a 4-way stop. Make sure to stop in all directions when crossing this intersection.

September 4th, Community Social 3:15-4 on the Playground

Join SES for the Community Social this year. This is a great opportunity to learn more about upcoming events at the school, after school programs, meet other people from the neighborhood, learn about volunteer opportunities and how to stay connected with the school. There will be lots of treats!

Continued: What do SES staff do when they aren’t teaching?

Eryn Berg, SES Principal, is a poet. Every email she sends out to the SES community ends in a poem. Often she will use her poetry to share her feelings and views about what is happening around us. Her poems wrap the community into a hug and often describe what we are all feeling. This summer she was invited to join a writing retreat called GoodWorld Journeys. This retreat is invitation-only and provides participants with the opportunity to share and develop their writing craft with the support of literary guides and seasoned authors. The power of storytelling is one that transfixes and guides us all. The inspiration that Eryn receives at the retreat will inevitably be transferred to SES staff, students and families.

Rebecca Hawk, SES MS Teacher (Year of the Mountain), and Carrie McCoy MS Teacher (Year of the Ocean) participated in the ARETS (Authentic Research Experience for Teachers) at the HJ Andrews research forest. ARETS places public school teachers with researchers at three different Long Term Ecological Research Sites (LTER). The program places teachers in the Arctic to study the tundra, Santa Barbara to study the ocean, and at the HJ Andrews Forest in Oregon to study the forest. They studied environmental changes at different burn sites and aquatic insects among other things. That opportunity gave way to a once in a lifetime opportunity. Last year Rebecca organized an overnight trip with her class to visit the HJ Andrews research forest to study the burn sites. Carrie McCoy is a wildlife photographer and can be found photographing orcas and other marine life when she is not at SES. Her classes head to the coast each year for beach clean-ups, and go downtown to speak to lawmakers to advocate for laws that protect orcas and other sea animals.

SES curriculum is focused on place-based learning and SES teachers live that concept making their teaching inspiring for their students and helping them understand the possibilities available to anyone who wants to get out in the world and make a difference.

Have questions about SES? Email [email protected] and maybe I’ll answer them in a future column!

Sunnyside has many watering holes but did you know we have three places to drink natural wine? First things first: Natural wine is made from grapes that are organically grown and fermented with native yeasts (found in the cellar or on the grapes themselves). It also doesn’t have any synthetic chemicals added during the wine-making process. (You’d be surprised how many mass-market wines do.) And natural wine has either low or no sulfur. All three of these spots have outdoor seating—and in addition to wine you can order beer and NA beer options.

Randy Spencer opened Company in August 2022. Open seven days a week, Company often has wine tastings—including a recent one featuring natural wines from Albania. They also host DJs, book signings, and Friday music gigs. (Wednesday-Sunday mornings, the space also morphs into Maggie’s Coffee.) “We try to involve the community in a cultural exchange,” says Spencer. “Come for the drinks; Stay for the company.” 

Victor Martinez, also the owner of Ardor wine shop, opened Nil in December 2021. Nil has a sleek bar with stools where guests can perch, appreciating work by local artists while learning more about natural wines from Martinez. He also hosts fun events like book swaps, ‘zine release parties, and—on the last Tuesday of the month— “Tuesdays are Dead,” where he projects a live Grateful Dead show.

Marc Kramer opened his Southeast Portland tasting room in 2024 to showcase the low-intervention wines he makes at Oak Flat Vineyards. The vineyard, dedicated to Rhône-style wines, is located near the Dalles in the Columbia Gorge—but the tasting room and winery are right here on the corner of Belmont and 47th. Kramer’s focus is on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (in-the-know wine-drinkers call this popular Rhone-style blend GSM). Though Kramer doesn’t use the term “natural” to describe his wines, he practices “beyond organic” agriculture and adds no synthetic chemicals to his wine. You can order fantastic food here, as well. In addition to French dishes like steak Béarnaise, and duck à l’orange, you’ll find a charcuterie plate and Little T baguette sandwiches on the menu. Wines by the glass start at $14 and you can get a free flight with the purchase of two bottles.

Company: 916 SE 34th Ave.; companybar.co
Nils Wine Bar: 4243 SE Belmont St. #300; nilwinebar.com
Oak Flat: 4701 S.E. Belmont St.; oakflatvineyards.com