Intermediate School Nov. Newsletter (21–22)

Advice from a Pumpkin

“Be well-rounded
Get plenty of sunshine
Give thanks for life’s bounty
Have a thick skin
Keep growing
Be outstanding in your field
Think big!”

-Unknown

Dear Intermediate Families,

I hope you are doing well and are enjoying the beautiful Fall foliage that we are currently experiencing. This is one of my favorite times of the year. The leaves displaying their brilliant colors are like the trees’ last hoorahs until we see their Fall glory again next year.

At the Intermediate School, we just completed our Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Students decorated pumpkins instead of carving them and used only recyclable materials. This event was a great way to get the children into the season’s festivities while focusing on environmentally friendly and sustainable elements. Students who placed first, second, third, or fourth in the competition earned points for their House - Umoja, Inzet, Karuna, or Odwaga.

It was a joy to see this competition spark student’s curiosity and challenge them to take a deep dive in the school’s mission to create something amazing. Please find below some of the pumpkin decorating contest entries.

Sincerely,

Laura Williams

What’s new at the Intermediate School?

Student Services Information
Excused Absence Form: Please use this new excused absence form when your student misses school: https://forms.gle/5fSndGzhTq6RjKsj6. We check this regularly to make sure our records accurately represent your student's attendance.

Parenting While Black: ECS is excited to be partnering with The University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work to offer their Parenting While Black (PWB) program. This program provides parents with tools to both support their children’s healthy development and their own wellness. It will include eight virtual sessions that use a combination of presentations, activities, and group discussions to promote successful parenting in the face of oppressive factors in the African American context.

These proven techniques help strengthen parents’ abilities to support student mental health and thriving, while also reducing the parents’ depression and stress. Details are still being finalized, but the program expects to begin in late January. If you are interested and would like more information, please email your building's social worker, Jessica Segal.

Food Services Information
At ECS, we are committed to providing our students with healthy and fresh meals while keeping costs low and reducing food waste. Occasionally substitutions and menu changes are necessary. These changes are often due to the availability of fresh produce or other supply issues. Currently, food service is being affected by nationwide supply chain issues. Please be patient as we work closely with our food service provider to ensure nutritious and safe meals for all of our students.

In Case You Missed It

Attendance Matters
Regular school attendance is much more than just a state law. Attendance patterns in elementary school can have lasting impacts on student achievement in middle school, high school, and beyond. While missing one or two days a month may not seem like a lot, within a school year, that student will miss out on 10% of learning opportunities. If you need help establishing routines around attendance, please reach out to your school social worker for support: Jessica Segal (K-5) x9431.

Enrollment for the 22–23 School Year is Open
Siblings Preference: Please complete an application for any siblings of current students that would like to attend ECS for the 2022–23 school year. Current students do not need to apply, and ECS will send re-enrollment information to all current families in January. Learn more about sibling preference...