Category Archives: Staff Appreciation

Teacher & Staff Appreciation

Read more about teacher and staff appreciation week and check out photos from the different events here!!

We Reached Our Goal! Teachers and Staff will receive gifts $50 Gift Cards to Target this Friday, May 12th!!!

2023 Year-End Collection

The annual Teacher Appreciation Week falls on May 8th-12th of this year. We’d like to extend our gratitude for all the hard work the staff has done with a comprehensive end-of-year gift collection. 100% of the total amount collected will be divided among homebase teachers, specialists, E-Day, and general staff in the form of gift cards to be presented at the end of Teacher Appreciation Week. There are approximately 250 staff people across 4 campuses and our goal is to be able to give each staff person a $50 Target gift card.

Contributions can be made via PayPal or by check. We’re sorry, but cash cannot be accepted. Checks should be made payable to “ECS PCO” and sent to Jill Farringdon, 5539 Pocusset Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. If you send a check, you will receive an email confirmation that the check has been received.

A suggested donation is $15-$20 per student attending ECS, but we are so very grateful for any amount you can comfortably give; no amount is too little (or too much)!

The deadline for making contributions is Wednesday, May 3rd.
Questions? E-mail: staffappreciation@ecspco.org

Link to contribute ECS PCO PayPal collection for Staff Appreciation

WE REACHED OUR GOAL!!!!!!

Staff Appreciation Gift Card Fund Collection

Dear ECS families,

Thank you for all the wonderful photos, drawings, messages, and videos that were posted on the grade-level Padlets and to the ECS Facebook video during Staff Appreciation Week. It really meant the world to our teachers and staff members.

We’d like to extend our show of gratitude for all the hard work they’ve done this year (especially in the last few months!) with an end-of-the-year Staff Appreciation gift card fund collection. We understand this is a difficult time for many families and do not want to put any additional stress on anyone, but if you are able to and want to give any amount, please do. The funds will be used to purchase local restaurant gift cards to help buoy the Pittsburgh area economy. We will be collecting donations until the end of the day on Sunday, June 7. Questions? Contact staffappreciation@ecspco.org.

With gratitude,
The ECS PCO Staff Appreciation Committee

Staff Appreciation Week


This week is Staff Appreciation Week. Sadly, we are not able to do all the fun and interactive events that we usually do for our beloved teachers and staff at ECS. We are postponing our staff gift card donation fund until the end of the year due to the more pressing and immediate need to help our fellow families due to COVID-19. But stay tuned!

To show appreciation from our families, we set up grade-level Padlets (virtual bulletin boards) where you and your kiddos can show your appreciation through a quick note of thanks, a drawing, a photo – whatever you like! Just click the + circle on the bottom-right corner of the Padlet page to post onto the board.

This should fun and easy—please do not feel obligated if this adds too much to your plate. Maybe this could be a distance learning brain break for kids!

To participate, please follow the link below for your child’s grade level. Each Padlet will reach homebase teachers, specials teachers, paraeducators, counselors, and administrators. You can customize your message any way you want—for someone specific, or for everyone who helps shape your child.

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade

Send a note to staffappreciation@ecspco.org if you need a hand or have any questions.

THANK YOU to all the parents and caretakers who are a HUGE part of the education process now. Give yourselves loads of gratitude because you’ve earned it, and this stuff isn’t easy!

Middle School Staff Lounge DONATIONS NEEDED

The PCO Staff Appreciation Committee is asking for donations from families to help get the new middle school staff lounge fully stocked and ready to go!

Donations can be new or gently used (such as plates, mugs and silverware) and can be sent into the middle school labeled ‘For lounge from the PCO’. Any help is greatly appreciated! Sign up here. Questions? Contact staffappreciation@ecspco.org

Staff Appreciation THANK YOU

THANK YOU to everyone who helped make Staff Appreciation Week a huge success this year! It was an amazing show of gratitude towards the hard-working teachers and staff. And a very special thanks to Double Wide Grill, Five Points Artisan Bakeshop, and Tula Organic Salon and Spa, for their generous donations to this event.

Staff Appreciation Week: May 6-10

The PCO is planning a week of gratitude for everyone that works with our students. We will need support from our families to make the week a success!

SEND A NOTE – a simple thank you note from your family to your teacher can go a long way to make their day!

BREAKFAST We are starting the week off on Monday with a delicious breakfast for the staff at both schools. Sign up here to showcase that famous muffin recipe.

LUNCHEONS will be on May 9 at both schools. Sign up here.

CONTRIBUTE to the Staff Appreciation Fund ($10-15/student suggested). The Fund will cover gifts (ECS t-shirts), luncheon catering, snacks for the bus drivers and other treats to show our gratitude. Thanks for all of the generous contributions – we are not accepting any more at this time.

EMAIL Erika Bruce at staffappreciation@ecspco.org with questions.

Mini-Grants Awarded

The ECS PCO and ECS Mini-Grants Committee are excited to announce the following recipients of Mini-Grants for the first of four Mini-Grant cycles this school year:

  • Drum Circles for Lower School ($495) requested by Martin Reidell (Lower School Music)
  • Books for Character Education ($300) requested by Beth Flynn, et al (Lower School)
  • Flexible Seating Classroom ($400) requested by Jodi Chen and Chelsea Knetzer (Grade 2)
  • Building a Multicultural Library ($400) requested by Abbie Yasika (Lower School)
  • Bike ECS ($405) requested by Corey Vasbinder, at al (Upper School)

The next Mini-Grant deadline is December 7. More information on how to apply.