Dear ECS Families,

Today marks the beginning of the second semester, and with it comes a variety of adventures for all of our students to enjoy. As my own child started Kindergarten this year, I understand the important milestones that school-aged children experience annually including commemorating their 100th day of school, showcasing their talents at events, attending dances, and looking forward to Spring occurrences outdoors. The last semester was filled with successes, events, celebrations, and most importantly, learning and development.

Today, I’m writing to share with you some of the moments captured in our K–12 community over the past 23 weeks. At the district level, we are celebrating the conclusion of our pre-construction phase of the high school building and preparing to shift into the construction and creation of the actual building. If you have yet to do so, sign up for Thursday’s ECHS Construction Family and Staff Reception at 6:30 p.m. to learn more about the ECHS building and its connection to positive student outcomes and sustainability.

At each building, several of you participated in out-of-school time programs, PBIS rewards, dances, and more. These events intentionally wrap their arms around educating the whole child, strive to provide outdoor encounters, and partner with community organizations to deliver a variety of activities to help your student grow and flourish. ECS also expanded its robust student services team to allow for a school counselor, social worker, and nurse in every building, and the district recently purchased three vans to transport students to events, games, and field trips.

At Primary School, I was thrilled to see community meetings return. Witnessing students laughing, smiling, and singing fills my heart knowing that last year, community meetings were not feasible given the pandemic. Both our Primary and Intermediate schools were awarded the title of a “Banner School” for their Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) initiatives, advocated for our Earth during the climate strike, and celebrated the Pumpkin Parade. Separately, the Intermediate School implemented the 2nd year of its house system, and its food drive collected more than 3,147 items!

Our Middle School’s Block 0 activities continued to be a hit with our 6–8 graders as it allows students to select from interest/need-based options, amplifies student voice and choice, and helps build a communal culture of equitable enrichment activities that everyone can access. ECMS hosted its first Visual Arts Showcase and Coffee House, our instrumental students participated in annual concerts, and the upper parking lot was developed into an additional green space. Outside of activities, students developed their skills in core subject areas such as science, math, and cultural literacy. Take a look into the day in the life of an 8th-grade science student.

I am overjoyed that our high school students are taking deep dives into the ECS experience by participating in traditional school dances, pep rallies, and out of school time activities like basketball, volleyball, student government, student newspaper, GSSU, and chess club. I am proud to see several students taking advantage of our dual enrollment program through Chatham University and participating in AP and Embedded honors courses.

Finally, I would be remiss to not mention our faculty and staff successes as well:

Deirdre Keller, ECS ESY Teacher, was featured in Grow Pittsburgh’s Grower Spotlight. Read her interview…
Jamin Harris, ECS Technology Support Specialist, earned an M.S. in Leadership from Duquesne University.
Cynthia Gilmer, ECS's Director of Secondary Curriculum, has been named to the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Women of Excellence list. Learn more…
ECS’s student services team raised $2,900 to support ECS families in need throughout the holiday season. With the PCO matching up to $2,000, a total of $4,900 helped 89 ECS families with a minimum of $50 gift cards each.
ECS’s tutoring partner, Open Literacy, was mentioned in A+ Schools’ community report on page 14.
Bike ECS coordinator, Laura Brienza, was nominated as a monthly Spotlight instructor for the American League of Bicyclists. Read more…
Dr. Hill, Director of K-5 Academics and Interim COO, was mentioned in the Dare to Lead Brené Brown Podcast on Dec. 5, 2022. Listen here...

As I reflect on this past semester, I know there are many moments, successes, and celebrations that I’m not touching on, but each class, event, and activity are rooted in educating for sustainability. I am proud of our community's accomplishments so far this school year, and I consider myself fortunate to work alongside talented and insightful faculty and staff that are dedicated to ECS’s mission of high-quality education that promotes love and preservation of the environment.

Looking forward to the last semester of the year, please know that I, along with everyone at ECS, am committed to optimistic transitions to the Spring and beyond. We will continue our dedication to a rigorous education plan and a diverse student experience that not only takes into consideration learning loss caused by the pandemic but also looks to the future of educating for sustainability and graduating global citizens.

Sincerely,

Amanda Cribbs, EdD
Superintendent

Half Year Hawk Highlights 2023

Environmental Charter School
(K–12)

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