New Families

The school calendar is currently available on the website. ECS highly recommends you subscribe to the Google public calendar, however, there is a PDF copy linked as well.

ECS will announce the next academic school year calendar in the spring.

Primary School

Arrival: Students being brought to school are accepted between 8:00 and 8:20 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 8:20, you must sign your student in at the front entrance

• DO NOT obstruct or park in a neighbor’s driveways and do not double park on the street.

Dismissal: Begins at 3:20.

Intermediate School

Arrival: Students being brought to school by car, bike, or on foot will be accepted at the Henrietta Street entrance between 8 and 8:20 a.m.

• The front door will close at 8:20.

• If your child plans to get breakfast, please plan to have them arrive prior to 8:10 to allow time for receiving breakfast, eating, and then arriving at home base.

• Please use the visitor parking spaces on Milton Street, adjacent to Turtle Park, if you must park your car during student arrival. Please do not park in front of the school or on Milton Street.

• Please avoid obstructing neighbors’ driveways.

• Please be aware of cyclists and pedestrians in and around Regent Square.

• Please do not make a U-turn on Henrietta Street (street in front of the building) or turn left on Milton. Instead, please continue straight down Henrietta and turn left on LaClair.

• If you arrive after 8:20, please bring your student to the front door and ring the bell. The office manager will confirm the receipt of your child and they will sign in at the front desk and receive a pass to class

Dismissal: Student dismissal begins at 3:20 and concludes at 3:50 p.m. Please be timely in picking your child up as close to 3:20 as possible. If you are running late, please contact the school.

• Do not stop or park in front of the school or on Milton Street. Please park on the east side of South Braddock Avenue.

• All pick-up students will be dismissed from the side exit of the school building, next to Turtle Park.

• Dismissals from the office are for pre-arranged early dismissals only. Please pick your child up from the designated dismissal location outside of the school.

• Please avoid obstructing neighbors’ driveways.

• Be aware of cyclists and pedestrians in and around Regent Square.

• During severe weather incidents (such as thunderstorms) parents may pick up students from the school gym.

• Do not make a U-turn on Henrietta Street or turn left on Milton. Instead, please continue straight down Henrietta and turn left on LaClair.

• Make sure that your child has checked in with the staff member assigned to their dismissal.

All early dismissals MUST be pre-arranged with the office prior to dismissal.

• Please arrange dismissal by 11:30 a.m. via email (transport.int@ecspgh.org). Any dismissal notifications after 11:30 a.m., please call the office at (412) 247-7970 x 2400.

• Students will only be released to pre-authorized adults/person(s). All unauthorized people will need the consent of the parent/guardian via email and/or phone call listed on the student’s profile. These individuals must be 18 years of age or older with valid identification.

• Once at the school, please ring the front doorbell and ask the office manager for your child. Your child will check in with the office and meet you at the front door.

• Early dismissals will NOT take place after 2:50 p.m. If you arrive after 2:50 p.m. for an early dismissal, you will need to wait until your child is dismissed at their normal time.

Middle School

• Please do not park on Columbo St.

• Please do not block neighbors’ driveways.

  • Middle Arrival: 8:20–8:40 a.m.

  • Middle Dismissal: 3:40–4:10 p.m.

    • Pick up occurs in the back lot off of Black Street.

High School

• 7:45 a.m. - Earliest students are permitted to enter the building.

• 7:49 a.m. - One minute "warning" bell

• 8 a.m. - School start time

• 3:22 p.m. - Dismissal

If a child is absent from school, an office manager will email home and confirm the absence. The office manager will remind the parent/guardian to submit a written excuse upon the return from school. The excuse must be in writing and submitted to the office or by e-form within three days of the child’s return to school. The e-form is located on the family portal homepage. For more information about absences, please visit the family handbook.

An email will be sent at the beginning of the school year with information about your homebase teacher. You will need to log in to ALMA to see your child’s homeroom teacher. You will be able to email the teacher directly from Alma.

It is very important that every student maintain an up-to-date address and telephone number record at the school office. If you have a change in address during the school year, notify the Office Manager at your school immediately.

Guardians can update their email addresses and phone numbers via the parent portal of our student management system, Alma.

Please note that changing your address in SchoolMint does not change your address until you notify the school. For each address change, an address change form must be completed and a new proof of residency must also be submitted. It can take up to two weeks to arrange for transportation from your home district of residency.

ECS uses an online student information system (Alma) that can be accessed by parents and students. Families and students are able to view academic information specific to each child. Your child’s grades, attendance, report cards, student profile, and more can be viewed by logging in. Report cards are issued 4 times per year and can be accessed by logging into Alma.

How do I get information regarding logging into Alma?

An activation email will be sent to you with information regarding your Alma account, usually at the beginning of August. If you are having difficulty logging in or need additional help, please email helpdesk@ecspgh.org.

Digital quarterly report cards that show student progress in each content area will be available via our student information system parent portal, Alma.

We encourage you to plan family vacations around the school calendar. ECS students may be excused from school to participate in family trips with principal approval. ECS families wishing to travel during the school year must submit a written request to the Principal for approval of the travel dates. The Principal must receive a parent’s written request (hard copy or email) at least two (2) weeks prior to the travel dates. Parents will be informed, in writing, when the dates are approved or the reason(s) for the request being denied. There will be no trip absences approved during the first two weeks of school; however, extenuating circumstances will be considered. ECS Administration will review the following when deciding whether to approve a trip: the length of the trip – up to 10 days per year will be considered for approval; the number of absences and late arrivals accumulated prior to the scheduled trip; student’s academic performance and ECS’s standardized testing schedule.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to contact the student’s teacher(s) a minimum of one week in advance of travel to request assignments that will be missed. All work must be submitted to the teacher(s) upon returning to ECS. Requests for approval will not be accepted after the travel dates. Unapproved trip dates will be considered an unexcused absence.

At ECS, we believe celebrating milestones is a key part of the school experience. To ensure student safety and adherence to our wellness policy and agreements with the National School Lunch Program, we do not accept outside food, trinkets, or gifts for classroom celebrations. Instead, students will be able to choose an activity from a classroom choice board EX: classroom wide dress down day to celebrate the birthday student, book donation to the classroom library.

We invite you to contribute to a communal celebration fund that will benefit all students. Examples of these celebrations are schoolwide - i.e. pumpkin celebrations, middle/high school dances, etc.

To donate, you can use the links below, or look for the appropriate QR code on  your student's school page. Funds help the Food Service Department purchase approved items for school-wide events and celebrations throughout the year. This new process allows us to celebrate together as a community, ensuring that every student feels included and safe.

K-5 Communal Celebration Fund

6-12 Communal Celebration Fund

ECS is proud of its robust Parent Community Organization (PCO). The mission of the PCO is: to represent the voice of parents alongside the school administration and staff; to serve the greater Pittsburgh community and to maintain a positive presence therein by being a model and advocate of sound environmental practice; to engage in innovative and effective fundraising and development activities; and to enhance the educational experience and personal growth of students, teachers, and families.

• Having a child enrolled at ECS automatically makes you a part of the ECS Parent Community Organization

• We are a 100% volunteer-run organization and have no dues or mandatory fees

• Being involved with the PCO is a great way to help shape the community in which your child learns and thrives—and there are a variety of ways to be involved. Here are just some examples of ways the PCO helps support the broader ECS community

  • Fundraising (e.g. restaurant fundraisers, Friendsgiving, Blooming bash, bake sales, uniform sales)

  • Community events (e.g. Fall festival, gingerbread house event, ice skating, family game nights, Kennywood day)

  • Coordinate volunteers for events

  • School directory and yearbook

  • Mini-grants to help support classrooms/students

  • Helping hands

  • Staff Appreciation

Learn more about the PCO and how you can get involved here.

Please note that individuals who volunteer for in-school activities with students must submit clearances prior to volunteering. Learn more about the volunteering process here.

Yes! ECS partners with YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh for its after-school care at the Primary School and Venture Outdoors at its Intermediate School. The YMCA’s and Venture Outdoors core values and mission closely aligns with ECS’s to grow active, engaged, and thoughtful citizens and helps the district get kids outside after school. To learn more about both programs, please visit https://ecspgh.org/after-school-programs

Registration for after-school care starts at the conclusion of the school year in preparation for the next school year. Seats are limited and once filled, students will be added to a waitlist.

Yes! ECS offers a variety of age-appropriate out-of-school time offerings for students district-wide. Check out the following opportunities based on your student’s building:

1/2 Day Adventures: K–5 Only
Clubs: K–12
Athletics: 3–12

After-school care is only offered to students in grades K–5 and is an extension of the school day for families that need after-school care.

ECS’s out-of-school time programming occurs outside of school hours and is student interest-based and may include clubs like chess, GSSU, eco Stewards, and BSU and/or athletics like soccer, futsal, cross country, and basketball.

Registration for Out of School Time programming such as clubs and athletics occurs seasonally. Families will have the opportunity to register for Fall, Winter, and Spring programming.

Yes, ECS focuses on educating the whole child, even during the summer months! Summer programming is provided district-wide. Learn more here.

ECS’s Health Services team consists of one full-time health office nurse at each building and one K–12 certified school nurse. The team is dedicated to the health and well-being of our students. All new students must have the following health forms:

Immunizations-Any new students to ECS must have their immunization record in order to submit the registration packet.

Physical Exam-All new students must have a physical examination form submitted by Dec 1st. If your child has had a well-child visit dated after August 1, 2022, then your physician will be able to fill out the Physical Exam Form. Families are all also able to give permission for the school physician to perform the required physical exam at school.

Dental Exam-All new students must have a dental exam form submitted by Dec 1st. If your child has had a dental exam dated after August 1, 2022, then your dentist will be able to fill out the dental form. Families are all also able to give permission for the school dentist to perform the required dental screening at school.

All forms and other information can be found here.

Medications at School - All medications (prescribed, over the counter, or herbal) needing to be taken during school hours, must be accompanied by an ECS Medication/Procedures or Physician’s order form. A new form is needed for any changes in medication, dose, route or frequency. This form is valid for one school year and must be completed annually.

Students with Allergies/Asthma/Seizures or Diabetes - Students with severe food allergies/bee stings, asthma, seizures or diabetes are required to have an action plan on file. These forms are valid for 1 school year and must be completed by the physician yearly.

Form can be found on the Health Services webpage.

Forms - Any form (physical exam or dental exam) dated after August 1st of the previous year is acceptable. You can also print off the visit summary from their health portal online.

You can call your dentist and ask them to fill out the form. The dentist can fax the form to Intermediate fax 412.345.5697

Provide a dental summary or any proof of your child being seen by the dentist (paper excuse, dental bill, etc)

Please email our Certified School Nurse, Judy Brand at judy.brand@ecspgh.org

Maryssa McGuire, Director of Psychological and Student Services at maryssa.mcguire@ecspgh.org

Please contact Rachel Lendyak-Peters at rachel.lendyak-peters@ecspgh.org

Please contact the school counselor at your building or email counselors@ecspgh.org.