March 3 High School Newsletter
Announcements from Dr. Virginia Hill.
Dr. Virginia Hill, High School Principal
Email: virginia.hill@ecspgh.org
Phone: x576
Schedule Change!
With the move to a hybrid model we are noticing a need to change our morning announcements time. Morning announcements will now begin at 9:05 a.m. Please be sure to log on to the Morning Announcements link at 9:05 a.m.! Also, we will be adding an additional synchronous session to the week for Electives. Starting the week of March 8th, students will now have three synchronous elective sessions: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1:10 p.m. Tuesdays at 1:10 p.m. will now be an office hours/study hall for all students.
In-Person Safety Protocols
COVID procedures are still in effect. It will be important to keep your mask on except while eating. Keep six feet of distance. Frequently sanitize and/or wash your hands, especially before eating. Cough and sneeze into your mask and elbow. Do not remove the mask to cough or sneeze. Try not to touch your face. With a little bit of thoughtfulness and effort, we can all stay healthy and well.
HAC Access for Progress Reports
Progress reports are now available via the Home Access Center (HAC). You should have received an email at the beginning of the school year with instructions on how to access HAC and your username and password. If you do not know your HAC login credentials or need any assistance accessing HAC, please send a request to our Help Desk.
To get access to HAC, go to hac.ecspgh.org and change the district to "Environmental Charter School Live." To view progress reports, click on the "Grades" box and then the "IPR" tab.
ECS Activities to continue during hybrid model!
Visit the Activities website for details and to sign up!
6-9th Grade Social Hikes
Friday, March 5th, 3–4 p.m. @ Homewood Cemetery. A leisurely stroll along the snow-free pavement for a change of pace!
Watershed Task Force Meeting: Heath's Run - March 2021 Virtual
We'll review priorities established by each group last year, talk about the next steps, and discuss upcoming city-wide initiatives like PWSA and the City's Stormwater Master Plan, plus their ongoing code and fee work. RSVP to receive the Zoom link and information to the session.
We hope you can join us!
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Time: 5–6 p.m. RSVP here.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is also sponsoring the Peepers Prowl!!!
Bring the sounds of spring into your home on this live virtual hike with Naturalist Educator Stephen Bucklin. Together we will visit a wetland to experience amphibians on their annual return to their breeding grounds. Sign up to receive a reminder!
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2021
Time: 7–7:30 p.m. Sign-up here.
Parenting While Black
The University of Pittsburgh Center on Race and Social Problems is excited to write and share their newest program, Parenting While Black (see attached flyer), a program designed to support parents in talking to pre-teens and teens about race and in ensuring their success in middle and high school. They are looking for parents of youth between the ages of 13-18 to participate in a 6-week curriculum starting at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2021. Participants will be offered $100 for completing all six sessions, and $50 for attending at least 4 of the sessions. Payment will be issued in the form of a gift card. DUE TO COVID-19 safety concerns all sessions will be held via zoom. To register, Parents can click the link below or scan the QR code on the attached flyer and complete the short enrollment survey. After receiving the enrollment information, we will call parents to confirm their registration by Friday, February 19th (Please try to register anyway friends).
To register, please click here
Why is the University of Pittsburgh’s Center on Race and Social Problems doing this work?
Dr. Huguley is a researcher in the Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh and developed this program to be hosted in the community about best practices in socializing our youth around racial identity and race issues (racial socialization). Research has shown that racial socialization has positive effects on positive identity, academic achievement, and psychological well-being. This program will allow us to share this information with families, as well as to come together and share what works for them with their children. We will be evaluating the effectiveness of this program along the way.
If you have questions about the program, please contact Dr. James Huguley at huguley@pitt.edu or Cecily Dyan Davis at cecilydavis.msw@pitt.edu.
Kingsley Center, Last Call to Sign-up!
ECS will be offering a free fitness membership to Kingsley Association for all 9th graders who would like one. Please fill out this form if you are interested. Membership includes full access to the facility, including the fitness center, gym, pool, and all fitness classes. For more information about the Kingsley Association, please email christine.adams@ecspgh.org. We will not accept requests for membership after Friday, March 5, 2021.
Together We Can Do Something Great!!!
Untold stories, hidden genius, and forgotten importance are thoughts I cannot shake about the National Negro Opera House. At this pivotal time in history, I long to bring the stories of this forgotten treasure to everyone’s attention. Mary Caldwell Dawson contributed so much to the Pittsburgh area and the nation, but she is not well known. This is tragic. A portion of Mrs. Dawson and her husband’s sacrifices have been left to crumble in ruins. Mrs. Dawson is one of the significant Pittsburgh African Americans that has been overlooked and unremembered. We can bring the voice back to this forgotten treasure. We can bring Mrs. Dawson and many other Pittsburgh African Americans from the past forward into the present by honoring their memory. Please consider giving to the restoration of the National Negro Opera House. ECHS students set a goal to raise $70, 000 for the stabilization of the National Negro Opera House by June 18, 2021. This is an audacious goal, but one that I am challenging you to help us reach. Look for future fundraisers for the Opera too! Please consider donating to support our initiative.