Life at Ellis
Parent Life
We know that students thrive best when parents and guardians work in close partnership with the School. Ellis strives to equip parents with the necessary information and tools they need to raise whole and healthy girls in alignment with our values.
Pandemic Parenting Webinar Series
It’s no longer just the daily grind of dinner plans, pick-up duties, and practice schedules on parents’ minds. With the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are more concerned than ever with the long-term well-being of their children, their family's health and safety, and their future plans. To help parents find real-world solutions and community with one another, The Ellis School is offering a free webinar series for parents focused on belonging, mindfulness, and remote learning.
Parent Association
The student experience is greatly amplified by parental involvement. Parents of Ellis students are automatically members of the School’s active Parent Association, which serves as a liaison between the School and Ellis parents, and supports programs and initiatives on and off campus in meaningful ways.
Health and Wellness
Ellis is committed to supporting girls intellectually, emotionally, and physically as they mature. We know that when a student has a healthy mind, body, and spirit—she is prepared and excited to pursue her academic ambitions. At Ellis, our vision is to not only provide an excellent education for every student, but to nurture and develop the well-being of each individual girl so she can thrive in school and in life.
School Nurse
The School Nurse supports and promotes students' physical health and wellness during school hours.
The nurse is responsible for immediate care of illness and injury, and bridges the gap between healthcare and education to advance academic excellence. The nurse administers prescription and over-the-counter medicines, completes physical health assessments, treats immediate injuries and ailments, manages health forms and emergency action plans, and provides health screenings to students. The nurse also intermittently teaches health classes to students on nutrition, hygiene, body image, and development throughout the course of the year.
A key member of the Ellis Health and Safety Committee, the nurse addresses all health and safety concerns for the School, files incident and accident reports, and keeps track of trends, issues, and epidemics in the region. At Ellis, an open line of communication between families and the nurse is of paramount importance, and parents are consulted on all aspects of at-school care.
School Counselor
The School Counselor offers personalized attention, confidential counseling, classroom instruction on health and wellness, parent education, small group sessions, and developmentally-appropriate guidance to Ellis girls. Whether it’s body image, eating habits, family pressures, or stress relief, the counselor provides tools and suggests strategies that teach students how to set boundaries, reduce stress, resolve conflict, build confidence, and speak for themselves. In addition to independent guidance, the counselor offers parent and family consultations, supplementary support resources and referrals, transition and intervention services, and collaborative teaching in the health curriculum and advisory program.
The Ellis School is committed to providing individual counseling and support services across divisions to serve the social and emotional health of students.
This individualized attention from the school counselor is available to every student, for ongoing support or one-time care, as they recognize and pursue their academic and personal goals. The counseling office operates a confidential and open-door policy that is part of the circle of care at Ellis.
The Uniform
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To show a sense of unity, community, and sisterhood
Ellis students are required to wear a uniform from kindergarten to grade 12. The uniform allows girls to focus on their studies, passions, and ambitions rather than their outward appearance, and simplifies morning routines for parents.
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Dining Services
From a make-your-own waffle station to grab-and-go healthy snacks to homemade, seasonal soups, Ellis dining options made by Metz Culinary Management nourish, delight, and satisfy students.
Featuring cuisines from around the world, our diverse menu offers two main choices per day, each prepared with healthy, fresh ingredients that will fuel her belly and brain for the day ahead. Hot breakfast and lunch options are available daily, and students have the option to purchase a mid-morning snack.
Transportation
Having access to transportation can play an important role in determining where your daughter(s) will attend school. The Ellis School is committed to supporting families in their transportation needs. Please find below, helpful information that will address questions you may have regarding transportation to and from Ellis.
Bus Transportation
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Bus Transportation Eligibility
In accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education guidelines, students who live within a 10-mile radius of The Ellis School campus may be eligible for transportation from the public school district in which they reside. -
Arranging Bus Transportation
The Ellis School will notify your district to arrange for available transportation. The school districts alone determine the eligibility, routes, mode of transportation, and if applicable, bus stops and pick-up/drop-off times. Families are generally notified by the district in mid- to late-August of transportation details.While Ellis does submit information to each school district office for every Ellis family, including new families, certain school districts also require various forms of identification from the family directly to confirm the information we submit. Your school district will contact you if additional information is required. -
Districts that Generally provide bus service to Ellis
- Allegheny Valley
- North Allegheny
- Baldwin-Whitehall
- North Hills
- Carlynton
- Penn Hills
- Chartier Valley
- Pittsburgh Public Schools*
- East Allegheny
- Plum
- Fox Chapel
- Riverview/Oakmont
- Gateway
- Shaler
- Hampton
- South Allegheny
- Keystone Oaks
- West Jefferson Hills
- McKeesport
- Woodland Hills
- Montour
* Pittsburgh Public School District provides transportation for students in kindergarten to grade 8 who live more than 1.5 miles from Ellis and students in grades 9–12 who live more than 2 miles from Ellis. Eligible students in grades 9–12 will receive a monthly PAT bus pass for their transportation instead of being assigned to a school bus. -
For Students moving from Middle to Upper School
Pittsburgh Public Schools provides transportation for students in kindergarten through grade 8 if they live more than 1.5 miles from The Ellis School. Students in grades 9–12 are only eligible for transportation if they live more than 2 miles from Ellis. PPS issues eligible students in grades 9–12 a monthly PAT bus pass for their transportation instead of being assigned to a school bus. -
Other Important Information
- Wilkinsburg School District does not provide transportation for its own students in kindergarten to grade 6, and therefore is not required to provide bus transportation to Ellis students in these grades. However, students in grades 9–12 are eligible for a monthly PAT Bus Pass as long as parents provide proof of residency to Wilkinsburg School District.
- Riverview School District provides transportation for students in grades 7–12 only.
- Some school districts provide only one-way transportation for kindergarten students.
- No public school bus transportation is provided for pre-kindergarten students.
Van Service
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Van service Eligibility
If you reside in a school district that does not provide bus transportation for your daughter(s), the option of a van service that spans the greater Pittsburgh area is available at an additional cost. Please note that van service pricing is subject to change annually. -
Districts that Generally provide van service
Sewickley: $4,000 per year for round trip and $2,000 per year for one way.Murrysville, South Hills, and Northern Communities (Pine Richland, South Butler, Southwest Butler, Quaker Valley, and Mars areas): $4,400 per year for round trip and $2,200 per year for one way.
