Dear ECS Families,

Happy New Year! Before the break, our students enjoyed several cultural celebrations, field trips, and hands-on activities district-wide. As we near the end of the second quarter on Friday, January 19, I look forward to reflecting on the first half of the year and focusing on the days and weeks to come.

With many winter activities like SkiECS and the PCO’s Ice Skating Night approaching, I am reminded of ECS’s commitment to out-the-door learning. Please know that while the weather is a bit chilly, learning never ceases and our outside environment, even in the cold, serves as a teaching space and tool for students. While ECS may limit outside time pending inclement weather, please remind your student of the importance of dressing for winter hikes and exploration.

Finally, our ECHS and ECMS Hawk Basketball teams could use your support during the home games listed on the Key Upcoming Dates graphic below. Join me in cheering on our Hawk basketball teams! Go Hawks!

Sincerely,

Dr. Amanda Cribbs, EdD
Superintendent

What’s New at ECS?

CEO Succession Planning Update
The CEO Succession Planning Team received several RFPs for qualified executive consultants on Dec. 11 and interviewed nine agencies to present to the ECS Board of Trustees. Read more…

Last Call! Student Career Day Volunteers Needed
ECS is looking for presenters of color, women, entrepreneurs, and trades whose occupations are diverse and support the ECS mission and UN SDG goal #12 for its 2024 Career Month in February. Please complete the form by Friday, January 12. Learn more and sign up!

DEADLINE APPROACHING: Enrollment for the 24–25 School Year Is Closing!
Let your friends and neighbors know about our open enrollment! The application deadline to be considered for the lottery is Jan. 31, 2024. Learn more…

Sibling Preference for the 24–25 School Year
Have a sibling who would like to attend ECS for the 2024–25 school year? Please complete an application in your SchoolMint account by pressing the add new student application after Oct. 2. The application deadline for sibling preference is January 31st. Current students do not need to apply. Re-enrollment will occur in March.

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

🌯 Order Chipotle on Jan. 17 from 4–8 p.m. 🌯
When you order from Chipotle on Jan. 17 from 4–8 p.m. either by using the online code 64ZHN9T or by showing the flyer at the Centre Avenue (East Liberty) Chipotle, 33% of the proceeds will go to SkiECS to support scholarship families.

Purchase a SkiECS Hoodie by Jan. 11!
Support our SkiECS Club! Order a Ski Hoodie by January 11th! Orders will be sent home with your student by the end of January! Buy the ECS Ski and Snowboard Hoodie here!

Upcoming Events

Save the Date: Summer Camps and Winter Clubs Registrations 🏕️🎣
ECS believes in supporting the whole child all year long. Keep an eye on your email for information regarding registration for ECS’s summer camps and winter clubs in mid-January. Learn more…

Save the Date: Student Career Days
During Career Month, students will hear from diverse presenters and learn about a variety of occupations and opportunities that lie ahead. Save the date!

K–5 Career Day: Friday, Feb. 23
6–12 Career Day: Friday, Feb. 16

Hawks Out of School!

Middle School and High School Boy’s Basketball Teams
The ECHS basketball team is returning to the SWPAA league for the 2nd consecutive year, and ECMS is pioneering its very first Middle School Basketball team! Check out both basketball schedules below:

Congratulations!

Earth Force Podcast's Special Guests
Ms. Ford along with two 8th grade students, Evy and Charles, and Communitopia participated in an interview on behalf of the ECS Middle Climate Action Team for the Earth Force podcast to talk about ECMS's composting campaign. Listen to the podcast.

Wake Up ECS Team Attended the December Board Meeting
At the December meeting, the Wake Up ECS Team met the ECS Board of Trustees, conducted a live interview with Board of Trustees President, Dr. Adam Tobias, and created a special in their episode to commemorate the occasion. Learn more…

PCO News

PCO Meeting
Attend the PCO’s Jan. 10th Meeting at the Intermediate School from 6–8 p.m. Learn about Firearm safety from Be SMART, an organization dedicated to responsible gun ownership, and chat with Board of Trustees Member, Rohit Acharya. Learn more…

Student Services News

Attendance Reminder - Excused Absences
Here is a quick reminder of our attendance policies. A student can have up to 10 absences excused by a parent without a doctor's note in a school year. You can complete the online parent excuse form here. After a parent excuses 10 absences, all additional absences must include a doctor's note to be excused. Any absence after 10 that does not include a note from a physician will be marked as unexcused and district truancy procedures will be followed. If you need a doctor's note for an absence, call your PCP or visit one of these options.

Sleep Resources
Quality, restorative sleep is important for healthy growth and development. Lack of restful sleep diminishes students’ ability to concentrate, learn, and manage emotions throughout the day.

While the things that keep us up at night may often feel outside of our control, there are some concrete ways to support healthy sleep habits – for example: limiting screen time and phone access at night, developing sustainable bedtime routines, and utilizing natural supports to develop healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress.

Here are the recommended hours of sleep per age group according to the National Sleep Foundation:

Children 3 to 5 years of age should sleep 10 to 13 hours per night
Children 6 to 13 years of age should sleep 9 to 11 hours per night
Teenagers 14 to 17 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per night

If you or a family member could use some help getting a better night’s sleep, check out the resources below or contact your child’s pediatrician.

In Case You Missed It

East Liberty Target Policy Change
Beginning, Wednesday, January 3, 2024, no one under the age of 18 will be allowed on the East Liberty Target property or be able to enter the East Liberty Target store without a parent or guardian. This policy will be in effect 7 days a week all hours of the day.

Official Social Media Pages
As a reminder, ECS encourages families to follow its official, district-run social media pages to stay up to date on school happenings. Please review the links to ensure you are following accurate, ECS-owned social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.

2023–2024 Family Calendar

Subscribe!

Half-Day Dismissal Times
Know your building’s dismissal time on Half Days:

Primary: 11:30 a.m.
Intermediate: 11:20 a.m.
ECMS: 11:50 a.m.
ECHS: 11:38 a.m.

ECS 🦅 January 2024 News