ECS 🦅 October 2024 News

Dr. Patrick Dowd
CEO

Email: patrick.dowd@ecspgh.org

Dear ECS Families,

Over the last month, I have enjoyed meeting with so many of you. Whether at the morning events, the Curriculum Nights, the Activities Fair, or just a quick conversation at pick-up, it’s a pleasure to connect with you. Thank you for sharing your interest in and thoughts about ECS with me. 

As I mentioned in last month’s communication, I continue to hear three common themes including your desire for the school to deepen its commitment to environmental education; your view that the high school program and the future building is the “capstone” of the ECS experience with the hope that it will encapsulate the work of the Primary, Intermediate, and Middle Schools; and your want for ECS to build onto its strategy to expand and strengthen its partnerships in the community. 

This is all great news to hear because the ECS team shares these aspirations, too, and many of you have also shared with me repeatedly how much you value the support the ECS team provides our students.

At ECS, we embed this work daily in service of students, and one team that I am excited to highlight this month is ECS’s dedicated student services team. School counselors, social workers, psychologists, and health office nurses make up this incredible team with the UN Sustainable Development Goals top of mind to provide a holistic, support system for you and your student. 

Today’s communication is packed full of student services opportunities and contact information, so check it out, and remember that we are here to help!

I look forward to seeing you later this month at the PCO’s Annual Fall Festival and K–5’s Pumpkin Parade. Feel free to also just drop me an email with your thoughts. 

Thank you.

ECS. We Grow Citizens.

Patrick Dowd

CEO

What’s New at ECS?

Sibling Preference

Have a sibling who would like to attend ECS for the 2025-26 school year? Please complete an application by logging in to your SchoolMint account and pressing the add new student application. The application deadline for sibling preference is January 17th.

Current students do not need to apply. Re-enrollment information will be sent to all current families in 2025.

"A sibling is defined as one of two or more individuals having at least one common parent/guardian." Sibling preference does not guarantee enrollment.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month in the United States, a time to raise awareness and encourage people to take action against bullying. The month includes events, campaigns, and activities to create safe and supportive environments.

Special Education Community Opportunities

  • Attend the RMU Trees Network virtual family support group meeting on Monday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. Register here.

  • Attend the Family & Transition Age Youth Event on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (lunch included!). Register here.

Lunch in Celebration of Indigenous People's Day
On Friday, Oct. 18, students will enjoy the Indigenous People's Day Cultural Celebration during lunch. ECS will serve:

  • Wild rice and cranberry

  • meatballs (with traditional seasonings)

  • Homemade hush puppies with honey butter

  • Succotash

Upcoming Events

Save the Date–Digital Harmony: Crafting a Healthy Digital Environment– Nov. 13

ECS will host an adults-only Digital Harmony: Crafting a Healthy Digital Environment for Your Family event on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 6–7:30 p.m. in the Middle School cafe. Learn more in next month’s newsletter.

Congratulations!

2025 Pittsburgh Omega Sylvester Pace HBCU Tour Invitees

The following ECHS students will attend the 2025 Pittsburgh Omega Sylvester Pace HBCU Tour, visiting 16 HBCU schools. The tour takes place April 12-19 2025 from L-R, Dominic N., Caleb D., Keimon W., and Elijah M. (not pictured, Carla T.). The students participated in an extremely competitive application process to be invited to attend this tour.

Scholarships and Acceptance Letters

On Sept. 17., 16 seniors attended the Infinite Scholars College and Scholarship Fair, and each of them returned with acceptance letters and/or scholarship money! A total of $272,500 was awarded to ECS students. Congratulations! The Infinite Scholar College Fair was the first of many that ECHS will attend this year! We look forward to many more college bound ECS students showing off their acceptance letters.

Student Services News

PAAR Family Information

ECS continues its partnership with the Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) to provide students with important lessons about boundaries and consent. Developmentally appropriate lessons will be taught by the school counselor.  See your grade level newsletters for more specific information. 

PAAR Trauma-Informed Caregivers Group

PAAR offers a Trauma-Informed Caregivers Group on Mondays from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom.  This group is open to any adult supporting a child experiencing trauma and will discuss topics such as the impact of trauma on children and their families, using coping skills with your child, parenting tips for children who have experienced trauma, talking to your children about their trauma experiences, and how to best support your child in healing.  Pre-registration is required. Learn more…

PAAR Teen LGBTQ Trauma Processing Group

PAAR’s Teen LGBTQ Trauma Processing Group occurs on Wednesday evenings virtually via Zoom. This supportive and inclusive virtual group is designed specifically for LGBTQIA+ youth who have experienced sexual trauma. This group provides a safe space to explore and process feelings, gain psychoeducational insights into trauma and mental health, and connect with peers who share similar experiences. The goal is to empower participants through understanding, mutual support, and skill-building to help them navigate their healing journey. If you know of any youth that may be interested, please contact PAAR’s Intake and Scheduling department at 412-431-5665 x2 to schedule a clinical intake assessment for this group.

Meet the ECS Student Services Team

ECS is dedicated to supporting the whole child through its committed Student Services Team and in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals #3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and #16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). For more information on the preventative and responsive services offered at ECS, visit our website and reach out to a team member any time throughout the school year. We are here to help!

The ECS School Counseling Team focuses on preventative skill building for school success and overall wellness.

The ECS School Social Work Team focuses on home-school-community connections, supports attendance needs, and aims to break down barriers for school success. 

The ECS School Psychologist Team completes evaluations and collaborates with building based teams to determine student needs and develop support plans that help students succeed in school.

The ECS School Health Office Nurse Team is dedicated to the health and well-being of our students while providing resources, services, and healthy tips to keep students safe and promote good health. 

  • Beth Goetz, Primary School (K-2) Health Office Nurse

  • Allyson Rys, Intermediate School (3-5) Health Office Nurse

  • Judy Brand, Certified School Nurse K-12 & Middle School (6-8) Nurse

  • Caitlin Morgan, High School (9-12) Health Office Nurse

Academic and Behavioral Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

ECS has robust programs to support students’ academic and behavioral success.  If academic, behavioral, or social-emotional concerns are identified, there is a dedicated team of professionals in each school that will implement data-based interventions to help your child find success!

Attendance Works

Regular school attendance is much more than just a state law. Attendance patterns in elementary school impact student achievement in middle school, high school, and beyond. If a student misses one or two days a month, within a school year, that student will miss 10% of learning opportunities. If you need help establishing routines around attendance, please reach out to your school social worker for support. Read more about attendance and chronic absenteeism at Attendance Works.

Go Guardian: Beacon

Beacon is a suicide and self-harm prevention tool that our student services team utilizes to monitor and proactively identify at-risk students. If a student searches a concerning topic on a school computer, the parent/guardian is directly notified.  Please reach out to your building’s school social worker or school counselor with any questions.

School Based Mental Health Services: The Children’s Institute (CI)

ECS is excited to partner with CI to offer space for outpatient mental health services to occur within the school setting. This service can include traditional talk therapy and/or optional medication management, and is billed through your insurance. Enrolled students meet with their CI therapist during the school day. CI accepts a wide range of insurance providers! If you are interested in connecting your child with an outpatient therapist, reach out to your building based school social worker for more information. 

Sleep Resources

Daylight savings time ends Sunday, Nov. 5. General guidelines suggest school aged children should get 9-12 hours of sleep each night and teens should receive 8-10 hours. Check out this article to see if your child is getting enough sleep. Learn more about tips for consistent sleep. 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Updates

Each week, classroom teachers facilitate Morning Meetings (K-5) or Crew (6-12) lessons that align with the CASEL framework and promote social emotional learning (SEL). The Primary and Intermediate buildings utilize the Second Step digital curriculum, while the middle and high school teachers facilitate Wayfinder activities. September topics include growth mindset/goal setting (K-5), and cultural empathy, and overcoming challenges (6-12).

In Case You Missed It

Take the School Climate Survey

as a part of the district’s ongoing efforts to provide quality safety and security measures, parents and guardians are encouraged to participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s School Climate Survey. By clicking the link below, you can select the Environmental Charter School at Frick Park, and anonymously respond to the state’s questions by Friday, Oct. 11

Take the School Climate Survey

Get to Know the ECS Foundation!

Curious about the ECS Foundation and how it supports our school community? Discover what we do, how we fund innovative educational experiences, and ways you can get involved!

What is the ECS Foundation?

ECS Annual Impact Report 

Q1 Frick Park Field Studies

Each quarter, Intermediate students will participate in Frick Park Field Studies. The first quarter included Frick Park 101, Watershed 101, and BioBlitz.

Complete the Excuse Form When Your Student is Absent

Was your child absent this week? Please remember that an excuse must be turned in within 3 days of the absence or it will be marked unexcused. You can submit an excuse in any of the following ways: 

  • Complete your building’s form 

  • Email you child's teacher or school office manager 

  • Call the school office manager 

  • Submit a note from you or a physician

Get Your Clearances, Get Involved!

ECS values volunteers in our district. Individuals must have clearances uploaded into Raptor, ECS’s School Safety Software, in order to volunteer in any of our schools. Learn how to volunteer and what clearances are needed.

2024–2025 Calendar

View this school year’s calendar and subscribe to the online public calendar.

District Communication, Hawk NewsDeana CallipareComment