Intermediate School February Newsletter (22–23)
Important Dates
2/6: Last Home Basketball Game at Kingsley at 5 p.m.
2/9: PCO Meeting at 6 p.m. (Virtual Only)
2/10: Half day 11:30 dismissal
2/10: PCO Game Night at 6 p.m. at Intermediate School
2/15: ECS Board of Trustees Meeting at 6 p.m. at Middle School
2/17: K–5 Career Day
2/20: No School
2/22: K–5 Parent Literacy Night at 5:30 p.m. at Intermediate School
2/24: Half day 11:30 dismissal
3/1: Deadline: K–5 Yearbook Cover Competition
Dear ECS Intermediate Families,
I hope everyone is doing well. In various conversations that you have had with your child’s teachers, the term ME Time may have been mentioned. ME Time is a way for the educators at the Intermediate School to provide additional instruction and/or enrichment in Literacy or Math. Please feel free to watch this video which will give you more information on the structure of this time with students. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in your child’s education.
Take care,
Laura Williams
Intermediate School Principal
What’s new at the Intermediate School?
Attend the K–5 Parent Literacy Night
Join ECS for the K–5 Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, at the Intermediate School to learn more about the K–5 literacy program, how we support students’ literacy skills through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, (MTSS), and learn strategies that can easily be implemented at home to boost your child/children’s literacy skills. Learn more and RSVP by Feb. 17…
Participate in the K–5 Yearbook Cover Competition
Submit your original design for the K-5 yearbook cover contest! The winning designs will be on the front and back covers of the 2022-2023 yearbook! Learn more and submit today!
Share Your Photos for the K–5 Yearbook
Have candid photos you'd like to share for the yearbook? Send them in by April 1.
Register for After School Care for the 23-24 School Year
Interested in aftercare for your 3rd-5th grader next school year? Have your student join Venture Outdoors for afternoons filled with outdoor fun and learning! Registration for currently enrolled families opens on February 1 and for new families on February 14. Part-time care options are available. See FAQs and register here - www.ventureoutdoors.org/ecs/
Career Day
We are looking forward to resuming our annual in-person Career Day on Feb. 10th (Middle & High School) and Feb. 17th (Primary & Intermediate)! Focusing on UNSDG #11, we have received over 100 volunteers to join us! We look forward to sharing Career Day highlights with you next month!
At ECHS, college and career exploration happens throughout the year! We are excited to expand our vision for college and career by building Naviance lessons into Studio, attending a College Fair, and growing our internship program. Additionally, our 10th graders will have the opportunity to take the PSATS. Although ECHS is not an official SAT test center, we will be providing our Juniors with information on where they can take thee SAT this spring. We have also added “SAT prep” to the list of activities students can take during their activity period.
PAAR’s Strengthening Families Group
Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) has a Strengthening Families Group starting Monday, February 6th from 5:30 PM-7 PM in person at their South Side Office.
This group is for any children ages 6-9 and their caregivers. Pizza dinner will be provided. Any family in the community is welcome to attend. The family does not have to have a history of sexual abuse or trauma.
Interested? Please register on the PAAR Website: https://paar.salsalabs.org/StrengtheningFamiliesGroup/index.html
K-5 SEL & Counseling Lesson Updates
During the month of February, counselors will focus on hosting Career Day (Feb. 17th) and providing additional lessons around career awareness. Teachers will continue SEL lessons around problem-solving skills and using tools/strategies to help manage big/uncomfortable feelings.
BikeECS is returning to Intermediate School!
Check out this letter for more information. We are looking for volunteers to ride with us during your child's Long Block PE classes(3rd: 8:55-10:35am, 4th: 11:40-1:20, 5th:1:35-3:20) on rotating days throughout March and April. No experience is required. Sign up here for one class or a few! Questions? Reach out to Laura.Brienza@ecspgh.org, or your child's PE teacher, Mr. Larry Fingers.
This Month’s Cultural Celebrations
Our ECS community is made up of many different cultures! Once a week during Morning Meeting, we take some time to celebrate cultures, traditions, and world events. During this month we are celebrating Black History Month! During this month, we celebrate the contributions African Americans have made to US History. If you would like to share something about your family's culture, please email Chelsea.Young@ecspgh.org.
In Case You Missed It
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Control of head lice in our school depends on prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. Your help in inspecting your child weekly throughout the school year for the presence of head lice would be greatly appreciated. Please note that whole grade head checks are not completed when lice is detected as this practice has shown to be non productive. (Nurses will check locker and table mates, and any child scratching their head.)
We suggest the following procedures for inspecting your child for head lice:
1. Under bright light begin looking at the back of the head just above the neck area.
2. Part the hair section by section and look closely for head lice or nits (eggs). Eggs will usually be located near the scalp.
3. Depending on the length and thickness of the hair, it should take between 5 and 15 minutes to properly inspect a child's head.
Please wash your child’s coat, book bag, and anything else that stays at school. If a child complains that his or her head itches at school, a head check will be completed by the nurse. Please inform the school if your child contracts head lice so the nurses can check close contacts. Lice have a short life span of 24-48 hours when off of a host. Students with lice may return to school after the first treatment has been completed.
If you have questions or need additional information, please speak with your pediatrician.
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Arrival: Students being brought to school by car, bike, or on foot will be accepted at the Henrietta Street entrance between 8–8:20 a.m.
The front door will close at 8:20.
Please use the visitor parking spaces on Milton Street, adjacent to Turtle Park, if you must park your car during student arrival. Please do not park in front of the school or on Milton Street.
Please avoid obstructing neighbors’ driveways.
Please be aware of cyclists in and around Regent Square.
Please do not make a U-turn on Henrietta street (the street in front of the building) or turn left on Milton. Instead, please continue straight down Henrietta and turn left on LaClair.
If you arrive after 8:20, please bring your student to the front door and ring the bell. The office manager will confirm the receipt of your child and they will have you sign in at the table in the foyer. Your child will report to the office and will receive a pass to class.
Dismissal: Student dismissal begins at 3:20 and concludes at 3:50 p.m.
Do not stop or park in front of the school or on Milton Street. Please park on the east side of South Braddock Avenue.
All dismissal transportation changes have to be submitted to transport.int@ecspgh.org by 11 a.m. of the effective date. Please arrange for early dismissals prior to picking your child up. All early dismissals pick ups must be completed by 2:50 p.m. Once at the school, please ring the front doorbell and ask the office manager for your child. Your child will meet you at the front door
All pick-up students will be dismissed from the side exit of the school building, next to Turtle Park.
Dismissals from the office are for pre-arranged early dismissals only. Please pick your child up from the designated dismissal location outside of the school.
Make sure that your child has checked in with the staff member assigned to their dismissal prior to leaving.
Please avoid obstructing neighbors’ driveways.
Please be aware of cyclists in and around Regent Square.
During severe weather incidents (such as thunderstorms) parents may pick up students from the school gym.
Please do not make a U-turn on Henrietta Street or turn left on Milton. Instead, please continue straight down Henrietta and turn left on LaClair.
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Intermediate School students are dismissed at 11:20 a.m. on half days.
Intermediate School Hawk Highlights From Last Month!
Check back next month!