About the PCO

The Parent Community Organization was founded in the summer of 2008, shortly before the Environmental Charter School opened its doors to students in August 2008. All parents and guardians of current ECS students are automatically PCO members, as are all school employees and Board of Trustees members. We have no membership dues. But we hope you will join us at PCO Meetings, PCO Events, and as a Volunteer. And we also invite you to join our discussions online at the PCO Facebook Group and ecs_pco on Instagram

The ECS PCO is a 100% volunteer-run organization that exists to build and support positive relationships between ECS families, staff, board, and the greater community in order to help shape the community in which our children learn and thrive. In addition to the many fun social events aimed at gathering families in a positive environment, the PCO is also responsible for raising funds that directly benefit the ECS community, by supporting a variety of projects, some of which include:

  • Mini-Grants, which have funded a variety of student/staff projects including the establishment of the Black Student Union; athletic gear; garden supplies; musical instruments; among many more!

  • Teacher & Staff Appreciation

  • Used Uniform Collection and Re-Sale

  • Community Events

Check out the ECS PCO 2023 Fall Wrap-Up and ECS PCO 2024 Spring Wrap-Up for a more specific list of recent accomplishments.

The ECS Parent Community Organization (PCO) supports the ECS community (including students, teachers, staff, and families) by promoting active collaboration and engagement in the education and social well-being of ECS students, while also helping to provide supplemental resources and opportunities that support the school’s program.

The PCO Values…

    • Student Well-Being: Nurturing students’ growth through active family engagement

    • Inclusion: Building community through an inclusive, kind, and positive approach

    • Communication: Acting as a hub for communication between families and the school

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PCO Pulse Newsletter

Stay informed about ECS PCO happenings by subscribing to our weekly Wednesday newsletter which provides news about ECS events and activities, PCO meetings, community opportunities, and more.

PCO Meetings

All ECS families are invited to all PCO meetings. We’ll have 15 minutes of social time to meet and greet fellow ECS parents and guardians, followed by a PCO business meeting. Questions? Email parents@ecspco.org.

Community Support / Staff Appreciation

  • The PCO collects funds from parents twice each year to gift to staff in appreciation for all they do for our ECS community. Be on the lookout for a request and consider contributing to support this effort.

  • Wondering what to do with those outgrown uniforms? Consider donating them to the PCO's Uniform Re-Use Market. Gently worn uniforms are collected several times throughout the year and re-sold (low-cost) at various school events. Stay tuned for the next re-use market date, or reach out to parents@ecspco.org with any questions.

  • The PCO collects and organizes lost & found items, sends out photos to parents, and coordinates pick-up of items.

  • A yearbook for grades K-5 is designed, printed, sold, and distributed by the PCO. Candid photos of your students in and out of school. Please label photos with your student’s name and please have permission to share if other students are included in the picture. Please send to yearbook@ecspco.org or to Tia at 412-334-5088.

PCO Events

Visit the ECS Calendar for more information about ECS and ECS PCO meetings and events. Please visit the volunteer page to contact an ECS PCO events, community support, fundraising, or communications committee.

Featured
PCO Blooming Bash 2025
PCO Blooming Bash 2025

  • October 25, 2024.

  • December 13, 2024.

  • Stay tuned...

  • January 24, 2025. ECS Ice Skating Night has reached maximum capacity, so unfortunately there are no more tickets available. We're sorry if you were not able to attend, but we hope you will keep an eye out for more great PCO events in the future!

  • Stay tuned...

Featured
Fall Fest 2024

Fall Fest 2024

Fall Fest 2024

Fall Fest 2024

Fall Fest 2024

Fall Fest 2024

Fundraising

The Environmental Charter PCO raises funds to serve, support, and enrich the education and environment for the students, staff, and the greater ECS community. Financial contributions made directly or through community partners allow the PCO to bridge the gap between public funds and actual expenses, helping to make certain programs possible. Fundraising supports a variety of projects related to educational enrichment such as school-wide improvements, classroom materials, extracurricular activities, etc.

You can support the PCO's fundraising efforts by making a donation at the link below, and/or supporting one of the many fundraising initiatives listed below. Thank you!

Current Fundraising Efforts

  • Wear the Wild at the Blooming Bash!
    March 1, 2025  | 7-10pm  |  Union Project

    You are cordially invited to the 2025 Blooming Bash, the PCO's biggest fundraiser of the year! Proceeds from this event directly support all of the PCO's activities throughout the school year. Click here to buy tickets.

    This year we've lowered ticket prices to only $30/ticket and moved to a bigger venue. Expect a delicious spread from Big Burrito, decadent desserts donated by BB&Bur Bakery, and live entertainment, brought to you by ECS parent dj bonuschopper and ECS staff-led Bindley Hardware Co.

    WEAR THE WILD! In true ECS fashion, we're embracing the wild for this year's theme. Ideas include animal ears, masks or prints; a T-shirt with your favorite plant species or national park...or whatever the wild means to you.

    Not able to make it this year? You can DONATE directly at this link. You can contribute to the event WISHLIST or consider contributing an item to our AUCTION, or bid virtually! There's an option for everyone.

    We are grateful to our sponsors for helping make this event possible:

    Mountain Laurel- $2,500:

    Butterfly Milkweed- $1,000:

    Black-Eyed Susan- $500

    Family Sponsors

    • Marinov Family

    • Sheridan Family

    In-Kind Sponsor

    ECS PCO Blooming Bash hosting committee:

    • Jonathan Baldwin

    • Molly Campe

    • Araceli Gonzaga

    • Chrissy Lockard

    • Becky Marinov

    • Sara Raszewski

    • George Roberts

    • Stevie Sheridan

    • Stephanie Slogar

    Email bloomingbash@ecspco.org with any questions

  • Thanks for attending our Fall Parents Night Out! Stay tuned for more events designed to bring parents together.

    • Fall Mum Sale — September 27, 2024

    • Spring Plant Sale — May 16, 2025 (link to order coming soon)

  • May 16, 2025 (link to order coming soon).

    • Box Tops for Education: Download the new app and collect Box Top labels for ECS everytime you shop. Go to www.boxtops4education.com/newbtfe for more information on the new app and collection process.

    • Oliver's Labels: ECS PCO earns a 20% commission from all purchases made through this link www.oliverslabels.com/ecspco. You'll find a wide variety of labels for kids and adults, bag tags, wall decals, car decals, business decals, and more.

    • Emily Press Labels: We partner with Emily Press Labels to offer customized ironon or stickon labels for clothing, lunchboxes, books, water bottles and more! We earn commission from every sale. http://www.emilypress.com/ecs

    • Rite Aid Wellness + Card ­ RXfundraising: Do you have a Rite Aid Wellness + card? Link it to RXfundraising and earn money for ECS every time you use your card at Rite Aid. Go HERE for details and to sign up.

  • Check out the PCO Fundraiser Guidelines .

    Reach out to the Fundraising Committee Coordinator at fundraising@ecspco.org

PCO Finances

Please review the instructions for requesting any of the following from the ECS PCO before completing the corresponding request form below.

Mini-Grants

The Mini-Grants program is open to all ECS staff members, parents, and community members. We invite and encourage each grade level to participate. PCO Mini-Grants are awarded up to a limit of $500 dollars each. The committee will notify applicants of the status of their application within approximately two weeks of each deadline.

  • Wednesday, September 25, 2024

  • Wednesday, December 4, 2024

  • Wednesday, February 5, 2025

  • Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    1. Complete the application.

    2. After completing the online application, it will be automatically routed to the mini-grants committee.

    3. The PCO Mini-Grants Committee will review and score each application based on the criteria listed under Mini-Grants Judging Criteria and provide their recommendations to the PCO Steering Committee. The mini-grants committee may request additional information to clarify sections of the application.

    4. All PCO Steering Committee members will vote on whether or not to award the recommended applications.

    5. Applicants will be notified of the approval or rejection once recommendations have been accepted by the PCO.

    Once an application has been approved, there are three ways to gain access to these funds

    • Personally pay for the approved expenses and be reimbursed by the PCO.

    • Submit a purchase order with the vendor invoice for the approved expenses to the PCO Treasurer (treasurer@ecspco.org) and the vendor will be paid directly.

    • Submit a purchase order with order details for the approved expenses to the PCO Treasurer and the PCO Treasurer will order and pay for the items directly

    All expense receipts must be submitted using the online Purchase and Reimbursement Forms, 60 days after the grant is approved. Please notify the Mini Grants committee (minigrants@ecspco.org) and PCO Treasurer (treasurer@ecspco.org) if you do not plan to utilize the funds within 60 days of approval. All Mini Grants must be used by the end of June of the school year in which they are awarded.

    The ECS PCO complete Purchase and Reimbursement Forms and Instructions can be found on the ECS PCO website at https://ecspgh.org/pco#PCOFinances

    • Number of students benefiting

    • Level of enhancement or innovation;

    • Sustainability/percentage of reusable products

    • Maintenance costs and solutions

    • Connection to curriculum.

    Note: We are unable to fund field trips and home learning pods.

    Each of these criteria will receive a rating of 1 – 5 from members of the Mini-Grants Committee, with 5 being the highest possible score for each. Each member of the Committee will provide a total score for each grant along with a recommended award, which are then averaged and voted on by the Committee before being submitted to the PCO Steering committee for final approval.

    The Committee may recommend an award that is less than the full amount requested in your application.

  • This year, the PCO has awarded mini grants to support the following projects/activities:

    • Backpacks for Frick Park Field Studies Program at the Intermediate School

    • T-Shirts for the Gender and Sexuality Student Union (GSSU) at the Middle School

    • Equipment for Strength and Conditioning Program at the High School

    • Supplies for the new ECS Cheer Team

    • Team gear for the ECHS Basketball Team

    • Cap & Gown Photos for the Senior Class

    • Adulting 101 Holiday Cookie Baking

Contact the PCO