Primary School October Newsletter (23–24)
Important Dates
10/2: Enrollment for the 24–25 School Year Opens
10/4: PCO Meeting at 6 p.m. at the Middle School
10/6: ECS Spirit Day
10/6: Primary School Community Day
10/9 - No School–Staff Planning Day
10/10- 2nd Grade Health Screening
10/12 - 1st Grade Health Screening
10/13 - No School–Staff Planning Day
10/17 - Kinder Health Screening
10/18 - Board of Trustees Meeting at Middle at 6 p.m.
10/20 - PCO Fall Festival
10/25 - K–5 Curriculum Night
10/27 - Student Half Day, Pumpkin Parade, End of Quarter 1
11/1 - PCO Meeting at Intermediate at 6 p.m.
11/3: ECS Spirit Day
11/3: Primary School Community Day
Dear Primary School Families,
Fall is a magical time to get outside. The chill in the air, the leaves shifting colors, and the smells that change and shift with the wind all bring about a sense of connectedness with nature. We, as humans, need to be outside. We need the wind in our faces, the sounds, the smells, and the textures of the outside. Children need nature! They need to be running, playing, and off of screens. I know it is easier said than done, give yourself a pat on the back for the effort! Please see this graphic to see why children, especially children with adverse childhood experiences need to be outside.
What's new at the Primary School?
Pumpkin Parade
On our half day on Oct. 27, ECS Primary will hold our annual PUMPKIN PARADE from 9–9:30 a.m. on the blocks surrounding the Primary School. Check your grade-level newsletter for more information.
Costume Guidelines for the Pumpkin Parade
1. Students can wear their costumes for the duration of the school day, but costumes should allow students to participate fully in all activities.
2. All costume preparations, like face paint or hair decorations, are to be completed at home. Supplies such as face painting, hair spray, silly string, etc. should not be sent to school.
3. Masks or face coverings may be worn during the parade only.
4. Student shoes should follow the school dress code.
5. Costumes or props that depict violence, weapons, or violent characters are prohibited.
6. Guidelines for wearing shorts and skirts (length, 2 inches above the knee or longer) are consistent with the school dress code.
7. Students who do not wish to wear a costume can wear an ECS T-Shirt and uniform bottoms or dress-down clothes.
This Month’s Cultural Celebrations
Primary Students are learning about Hispanic Heritage Month! Please email Chelsea.Young@ecspgh.org with any questions!
Pittsburgh Promise Information
Reminder: Class of 2028 is the final to receive The Promise scholarship:
We sent a reminder to all families in PPS last week that The Promise is committed to funding scholarships through the class of 2028 (currently in the 8th grade). I am also enclosing an FAQ sheet with additional information as well as the letter we sent to families. The Promise’s scholarship will continue to operate without change until 2028. No action is required of students and families. We are sending these reminders to students and partners now to ensure that as 2028 approaches, students and families clearly understand our eligibility requirements and timeline.
Our Board of Directors and staff will continue to craft The Promise’s post-2028 role and work through our current fundraising campaign. We know we will deepen our direct outreach work through Promise Coaches (currently serving in Carrick, Perry, and UPrep). We also know that we must continue to work towards post-secondary educational access. We will continue to advocate for the public sector to commit to a sustainable policy solution for funding post-secondary education in Pennsylvania. We are pursuing public policy solutions and will continue to keep you in the loop as those projects take shape.
Attendance Waiver: Class of 2023 AND 2024:
Cumulative attendance for the Class of 2023 and Class of 2024 were both impacted by the 2020-21 remote school year, when attendance was difficult to equitably assess.
Therefore, we have waived the attendance criteria for The Pittsburgh Promise scholarship for both the Class of 2023 and Class of 2024.
Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Requirements (attendance is waived for Class of 2023 and 2024):
Live in the city of Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg, or Mt. Oliver from 9th grade through graduation
Attend a PPS high school (or city charter school) from 9th grade through graduation
Graduate with a 2.5 unweighted cumulative GPA* (Promise Extension Program GPA = 2.0-2.49. More on that below)
Graduate with a 90% cumulative attendance rate (again, this is waived for the class of 2023 and 2024)
Must graduate in, or before, 2028
Promise Extension Program Reminder:
Students whose GPA is between 2.0-2.49 unweighted when they graduate are welcome to participate in The Promise Extension Program. These students may use the scholarship at CCAC, a non-CCAC offered program (ex: cosmetology schools), or if they are accepted to any of our Preferred College Partner schools.
More information about the Extension Program is attached (“For HS Staff – Pittsburgh Promise Extension Program Update”).
Promise Portals, Signups, and 2023-24 Signup Competition:
The Promise portal (the application for The Promise scholarship) is now active at www.pittsburghpromise.org/portal for the class of 2024.
I will send each school’s counselors their students’ login information later today. Students should receive a Promise packet in the mail with their login info and portal completion instructions in the coming weeks.
All students have the same password when they first log in: Welcome (capital W).
I will also be reaching out to each school’s counselors to set up Promise presentations to ensure your seniors have all questions about the scholarship answered and to help them register for the scholarship.
As a reminder: we hold an annual signup “competition” among the high schools. Whichever senior class in each group signs up the highest percentage of seniors for The Promise scholarship (by logging into their Promise Portal AND adding schools to complete The Promise application) wins $1,000 toward senior activities/prom. The competition ends on April 1st, but students can continue to add schools to their portal beyond April 1st. The groups are:
Large Schools: Allderdice vs. Brashear
Magnet Schools: CAPA vs. SciTech vs. Obama
Medium Schools: Westinghouse vs. City Charter High vs. Carrick
Small Schools: Perry vs. UPrep vs. vs. Environmental Charter vs. Urban Pathways Charter
Scholarship Payment Details:
The Promise scholarship dollar amount remains the same: up to $5,000 annually for four years of post-secondary education (may be used over a five-year period) for a total maximum of $20,000.
The scholarship may be used at any accredited, Pell-eligible, brick-and-mortar institution in the state of Pennsylvania. This includes colleges, trade schools, and technical schools (including cosmetology schools, barber schools, and nursing programs through hospitals).
Students must attend full-time to receive Promise and a completed FAFSA is required each year (undocumented students must submit a paper form FAFSA to The Promise office).
Out-of-state students may use Promise funds for summer courses, as long as the school is in-state.
Dual Enrollment:
Students can use their potential Promise scholarship funding to pay for courses at CCAC, beginning the fall term of their junior year. This is an advance on their Promise scholarship funding.
Students can take one course in the fall and spring terms and take up to two courses in the summer.
Students must meet Promise residency and enrollment requirements, only (we do not look at GPA or attendance for this opportunity!)
Full Dual Enrollment info (including steps for registration) can be found here: The Pittsburgh Promise: Dual Enrollment
Preferred College Partners Fair: October 19th at the August Wilson Center:
Just a reminder that our annual Preferred College Partners Fair will be held at the August Wilson Center on October 19th. The flyer is attached.
The Promise can pay for transportation. Counselors: please order the bus and send us the invoice.
36 schools will be in attendance, and 19 of those will be offering “instant decisions”.
In Case You Missed It!
Reminder: All electronic devices need to be turned into the office upon arrival including smart watches. Please remind your child they need to turn devices into the office. If any device makes it to class, students will be sent to the office to turn it in.
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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. -
Primary School dismisses at 11:30 a.m. on half days.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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!
