Primary School August Newsletter (23–24)
Important Dates
8/17: Meet and Greet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
8/22: First Day of School
9/1: Spirit Day - Wear Green or your ECS Gear!
9/1: Primary School Community Meeting
9/4: No School - Labor Day
9/6: PCO Picnic at Turtle Park at 5 p.m.
9/6: PCO Meeting at Intermediate School at 6 p.m.
Dear ECS Primary Families,
Welcome Back!
We want to wish all of our new and returning families a warm welcome for the 2023–2024 school year. We are thrilled to have our littlest learners starting a year full of learning, play, and joy!
At ECS Primary, we are a family and truly believe that we are all on this academic journey together. We work hard, play hard, and take care of each other. We want each child and family to feel connected to each other and ECS. We know that it takes a village to support the growth and development of every child. Open lines of communication are essential for our village to be successful, so please never hesitate to reach out to a teacher or principal; we are always here to collaborate. When we are all working together, we can support all of our children to be empowered, independent learners that can change the world!
Our annual Meet & Greet is on August 17 from 5:30–7:30 p.m.! Students and families are welcome to visit our classrooms, find their names, discover their spaces, see their cubbies, talk with friends and teachers, find their former teachers, and tour the building and grounds. Since there are no formal presentations, please come when you are available and enjoy this flexible, social time with the ECS Primary Family. We are so excited to see everyone!
We hope that your little one returns to school on our first day, August 22, with excitement that we will continue to foster throughout the year by creating unique learning experiences that spark delight and wonder. We look forward to another year of learning with all of you. Kindergarten families, please ensure you know which day your child will attend for orientation days. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Meet your grade-level team
Take care, get outside, and play,
Ashley Bergman
Primary School Principal
ashley.bergman@ecspgh.org
What's new at the Primary School?
First Day To Dos:
Please make sure the office knows how your child is getting home!
Family members can walk their children to class the first 2 weeks of school, we ask that after that time students are walked to the front or back doors only.
Please feel free to send a picture of you/your family to school as a comfort item for your child.
This article is a wonderful resource for supporting your child’s transition back to school.
Please keep in touch with the school staff. Working together is the best way to support your child.
This Month’s Cultural Celebrations
Every month, ECS Primary celebrates different cultures, traditions, holidays, and experiences. Check back next month and follow along with your student as they learn about world celebrations. Please email Chelsea.Young@ecspgh.org with any questions!
Childhood Wellness Tips
Check back next month!
In Case You Missed It!
-
NEW! 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.ALMA- ECS’s Parent Portal
Alma account activation emails for new families were sent Friday, 8/11/23. If you have not received an activation email or are returning to ECS and have forgotten your Alma username or password, please send an email to the ECS Help Desk.Be sure to check your and your student(s)' information in Alma and let us know if anything needs updated. New students and 5th graders will receive their Alma login credentials once they have returned to school.
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. -
Primary School dismisses at 11:30 a.m. on half days.
-
ME TIME is a time of day where students are working on skills and strengths in Literacy or Math. Students are in groups all over our school building to support those strengths and skills. They could be working with any of the educators in our school building in numerous locations. If you would like to know more about your child’s ME TIME please reach out to your child’s homebase teacher.
-
Please send in a water bottle to school with your child. We are outside often and students need to be able to bring water along.
Please put sunscreen on your child prior to school as it may be sunny while we are outside!
-
Arrival
Students being brought or bused to school will be accepted between 8:10 and 8:30 a.m.
Students will be accepted at the back and front doors only.
Do not stop or park on South Braddock Avenue; South Braddock Avenue is for buses only.
If you are driving by to drop off, please turn onto Brashear Street and drop your student off at the back gate.
If you do not see an ECS staff member at the gate, please find a parking space and walk your student to the back door
If you are walking your student to the front or back door, please park either on East End Avenue or Waverly Street.
If you arrive after 8:30, you must sign your student in at the front office. When ECS operates as a closed campus due to high community spread, families will sign students in at the table in the front vestibule.
DO NOT obstruct or park in neighbors’ driveways and do not double park on the street.
Dismissal
Students will be dismissed between 3:30 and 4 p.m.
Do not stop or park on South Braddock Ave; South Braddock Ave is for buses only. All pick-up students will be dismissed from the playground space behind the school.
Please park on either East End Ave. or Waverly St.
Do not park on Brashear Street.
Do not block the ECS gate/driveway.
Do not obstruct or park in neighbors’ driveways and do not double park on the street
No child will be permitted to go to an idling or unparked car.
Make sure to bring your dismissal sign. Your child will not be released to an adult without this sign. When you see your child please make sure the supervising adult knows you have taken your child before you remove them from the backlot.
Please arrange for early dismissals prior to picking your student up prior to 3:15 p.m. Once at school, please ring the front door and sign out your student in the office. ***Please note: When ECS operates as a closed campus due to “high” community level, families will sign students out at the table in the front vestibule.***
We will NOT dismiss any student from the front doors after 3:15 p.m.
During severe weather incidents (such as thunderstorms) families should still report to the rear of the building. Students will be dismissed from the two classrooms inside the two back doors.
-
Lunch money is collected online. No cash is accepted at school as lunch money. Schoolcafe.com is our online payment portal. You will need your student’s ID number to add funds to the account. You may also obtain your student’s lunch ID by contacting Niki Hutcherson directly at niki.hutcherson@ecspgh.org. To assist in our record keeping and accounts, ECS strongly encourages families to add funds to your child’s account (suggested $20.00) to help cover last minute purchases. Families who require an alternate payment method can email payments@ecspgh.org or contact Sarah Kegarise in the Business Office at 412-247-7970 ext.9304 Meal participation invoices will be sent out monthly. Parents may also set up balance reminders on scoolcafe.com. Small negative balances can add up, and we appreciate your help in keeping our accounts up to date.
To find your student’s id, please log on to Alma.
-
If a child forgets a lunch at home, he/she/they will be provided with an ECS school lunch. Families can then add money to the child’s account. Students will not be denied a meal or given an alternate meal due to a lack of funds on the account.
Primary School Hawk Highlights from Last Month!
Check back next month.