Middle School April Newsletter (23–24)
Important Dates
4/8: No School - Eclipse
4/10: No School - Eid-al-Fitr
4/11: PCO Yearbook Order Deadline
4/12: Deadline to Purchase PCO Blooming Bash Tickets
4/17: ECS Board of Trustees Meeting at 6 p.m. at Middle
4/19: Half Day for Students/Conferences
4/19: Walk, Bike, and Roll to School - ECMS
4/22, 24, 26: PSSA (ELA) Testing
4/23: No School - Conferences
4/24: Executive Functions with Dr. Chase at 6 p.m. at Middle
4/25: Take Your Child to Work Day
4/27: PCO Plant Order Deadline
4/29, 30: PSSA (Math)
5/1: PCO Meeting at 6 p.m. at Intermediate
5/1, 2: Science PSSAs
5/3: Spirit Day
Dear ECMS Families,
I wanted to take a moment to talk about a pretty significant change for the upcoming school year. For the 2024-2025 school year, we are pausing looping for our 6th and 7th graders in order to give our teachers an opportunity to dive further into their curriculum to increase rigor and improve differentiation practices. We know from our 5th and 8th grade academy that spending multiple years teaching the same grade-level content allows time for teachers to plan higher level instruction that challenges and meets the needs of all students. While I acknowledge that there are some drawbacks to not looping, I believe that the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.
The change will mean that students in the 6th grade will move to a new set of teachers in the 7th grade and the current 6th grade team will receive students from our 5th grade academy. At this time, this change is only set for one year. We will make a decision by this time next year on whether to continue the pause or return to our looping model based on the feedback that we receive from staff, students, and families.
Nick Tutolo
ECMS Principal
What's new at Middle School?
ECMS Bike, Walk, & Roll to School Day
ECMS Bike, Walk, & Roll to School Day is coinciding with ECMS's Earth Day Celebration on Friday April 19: All 6th-8th students can join our partners BikePGH, Pogoh, & Safe Routes to School for a celebration in the back lot during arrival: There will be a track set up to walk, bike, or roll on before you start your school day, as well as a raffle for all those who participate! Students are also encouraged to walk, bike, carpool, or bus to school.
Executive Functions: What are they, why are they important, and how can I help?
Join ECS and special guest, Dr. Cheryl Chase, a renowned clinical psychologist specializing in child development and diagnosing/supporting children with ADHD, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Learning Disorders, and emotional concerns, on Wednesday, April 24 at 6 p.m. to learn about “executive functioning” and practical strategies to support children with weak executive functions at home and in school. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Learn more and register today…
Green Roots: A Sustainable Affair
ECS’s fun-packed, sustainability events are back in honor of our Earth! RSVP for your student’s Green Roots: A Sustainable Affair event to learn about the school's commitment to the SDGs, participate in activities, and meet community partners.
6–12 Sustainability Fest: Friday, May 10, 2024, from 6–8 p.m. RSVP
This year's event will feature:
S'mores & Camping 101, Cornhole & Ping Pong
Black Out Poetry & DJ
Bike ECS & Bike People
Student Art Showcase
Environmental Citizenship & 8th Grade Capstone Presentations and award ceremony with Keynote Speaker, Camila Rivera Tinsley
This Month’s Cultural Celebrations
Arab American Heritage Month: During the month of April, we will be celebrating Arab American History Month by uplifting the many positive impacts that Arab Americans have had in this country while acknowledging the many challenges that they have faced.
April is Earth Month! Celebrate Earth Month and the weeks leading up to the GreenRoots Sustainability events by taking part in the GreenRoots Calendar! Get involved, document your participation using this form, and have the chance to win fun prizes! Learn more…
In Case You Missed It
Robotics: Two VEX Robotics teams were state champions and are on their way to VEX Worlds in Dallas, TX. Please congratulate Dae’Jour Pickney, Judah Paris, Kai Richardson, Sean Leben, Harper Boehm, Owen Machosky, Owen Lang, and Sam Kanner!
Talent Show: Thank you to all 30 students who participated in the talent show. We had three winners voted on by those who attended: Lucas Merlina, The Presidentials (Gary Phillips, Adam Stoller, Ethan Hall, and Dylan Henniquan) and Declan Burdette.
Cell Phone Policy: Cell phones should be turned in daily to grade-level teachers. If a student is caught with a cell phone, it will be confiscated and need to be picked up by a guardian.
Headphone Policy: Headphones should not be worn by students during the school day. They should be off and away. If a student is wearing headphones, they will be confiscated and a guardian will need to pick them up.
View the Middle Food Allergy Flier_2022.2023
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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 31. 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.”
Enrollment for the 24–25 School Year Opens Oct. 2!
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…Family Portal on the ECS Website
Based on feedback from last year’s communication survey, ECS has identified areas of improvement on the website. ECS is pleased to launch its Family Portal, a designated space for current families to view and learn information. Browse the Family Portal.Volunteering & Clearances
ECS values volunteers in our district. To learn how to volunteer and what clearances are needed visit the Family Portal Volunteer page.Receive Board Meeting Reminders Did you know that ECS has monthly Board of Trustees meetings? Opt-In to receive Board Meeting Reminders that will include the date, time, and location of the meeting as well as links to the agenda draft, sign up to speak form, and YouTube Live feed.
Last Month’s Hawk Highlights
ECMS had a great talent show and the robotics teams won states!
