PCK Weekly Newsletter
January 16, 2025
January 16, 2025
As part of the Apple Award nominations for the 2024-25 school year, we asked you, our families, to nominate teachers and staff who have made a significant impact on your student or family. The response we received was nothing short of incredible, and we are proud to announce that PCK was in the top three charter schools district-wide in terms of nominations.
Even more impressive, multiple educators at PCK received multiple nominations, underscoring the profound impact our teachers and staff have on our school community.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our families who took the time to express their gratitude and appreciation for our staff. Your involvement and support highlight the close-knit and vibrant community we are fortunate to have here at PCK.
Thank you again for helping us celebrate our educators, and for being such an important part of what makes our school so special.
Hello PCK Families,
I hope everyone had a fun filled and relaxing winter break! I enjoyed my time off but I’m glad to be back as I always miss the kids. I spent time over Christmas with my in-laws up in South Dakota but I was able to spend some nice time relaxing back here in Colorado over New Years. Going into 2025, I’m going to be working with the school to be pushing out some internet safety videos, and I can’t wait to see what 2025 at PCK is going to bring.
Reminder for those who stop by the school throughout the day, please don’t park in the handicap parking spots unless you have the appropriate placard or license plates. Even if you’re here for a quick drop off or pick up, you have to park in one of the other unmarked spots along the building. I really appreciate everyone’s help with this and please remember, my office window is right next to those spots.
I hope everyone has a healthy, happy and safe 2025!
Best regards,
Deputy Sandifer
As shared in last week’s newsletter, we are excited to invite you to participate in our upcoming Community Feedback Session for PCK’s Strategic Plan. This session will take place on Wednesday, February 26, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Your insights and input are essential to the continued growth and success of our school. In order to attend and share your feedback, please complete the RSVP form linked below.
We strongly encourage all PCK families to attend, as your voices will help us refine and strengthen our plan for the future. Together, we can ensure PCK remains a thriving and forward-thinking school for years to come.
Our Athletic Department is excited to host PCK’s inaugural Dodgeball Tournament for students in fifth through eighth grade tomorrow on Friday, January 17, from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Sign-ups are open now, but please note that registration will close before the tournament begins.
To join the tournament, students must complete two separate registrations:
Individual Registration: This must be completed first via MySchoolBucks. This is for the single player only and must be done before a student can join a team.
Team Registration: Once the individual player and their four teammates have completed their individual registrations, they may then fill out the team registration form.
We’d like to remind you about our upcoming Coffee With the Director event, happening on Tuesday, January 28, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.. This event will focus on our Student Services Department, and we invite you to join us for an open discussion.
During this session, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, share feedback, and learn more about how we support the diverse needs of our students. Topics will include special education, mental health support, and other individualized student services that ensure every child is cared for and supported.
To attend, please be sure to complete our RSVP form beforehand.
We are excited to announce that the PCK Athletics Department will be hosting Girls and Boys Basketball Camps on February 3 and February 5. These camps provide a fantastic opportunity for students to enhance their basketball skills, stay active, and have fun in a supportive and engaging environment with their peers.
Camp Details:
Girls Camp - Monday, February 3
Boys Camp - Wednesday, February 5
Time - 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
Location - PCK Gym
Cost - $35
PCK has been selected to receive the Leadership Award from National School Choice Week, which will take place from January 26 to February 1.
National School Choice Week highlights the diverse educational options available to families across the country, and we are honored to be a part of this important celebration. The Leadership Award underscores PCK's commitment to providing a dynamic, supportive, and high-quality learning environment where students thrive.
As part of this week of celebration, we invite our families to participate by submitting a testimonial about your experience at PCK. Your story will help showcase the unique strengths of our school and how it makes a difference for your child. We would love to showcase how PCK has helped your student succeed and grow.
Thank you for being an essential part of what makes PCK such a special place. We look forward to celebrating National School Choice Week with you.
Our fifth and sixth grade students are preparing for an exciting and educational experience at Young Ameritowne and International Towne. During their visit, students will assume various roles, including mayor, news reporter, shop clerk, and more. To help them prepare, we will be conducting "job interviews" on Wednesday, February 26, from 1:00 to 2:45 p.m., and we need your support.
We invite parents from all grade levels to participate, as we aim to provide students with the opportunity to interact with a diverse range of adults. Your involvement will greatly enrich their experience and help them build important skills for their upcoming adventure.
If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact Mrs. Beckstrom at hbeckstrom@ckcs.net.
PCK will be offering a valuable opportunity for parents to learn about the Love and Logic parenting approach. This five-week course equips parents with practical tools and techniques to navigate the ups and downs of raising kids, all while creating a home environment built on respect, empathy, and understanding.
The Love and Logic approach emphasizes humor, hope, and empathy in building strong adult-child relationships. It teaches how to set healthy limits, implement logical consequences, and promote independent decision-making in a nurturing, supportive way.
At PCK, we use Love and Logic principles school-wide, and many of our teachers have received Love and Logic for Educators training. This course is highly recommended for parents of children of all ages.
Details:
Location: Parker Core Knowledge
Dates: Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., February 5–March 5
Facilitated by: Kimberly McNulty, Independent Facilitator of the Love and Logic Curriculum
Cost: $200 per person & $350 per couple
If you are interested in learning more about the Love and Logic program, or would like to register please visit the buttons below.
Recently we have received several inquiries regarding the policy on smartwatches, and we would like to take a moment to clarify PCK's stance on smartwatches in school.
As outlined in our dress code, PCK strictly prohibits students from wearing smartwatches during the school day, even if the watch is set to “school mode.” Unfortunately, it is not feasible for our staff to monitor the integrity of each device to ensure it remains in the correct mode throughout the day. For this reason, smartwatches are not allowed on campus as part of our dress code policy.
Additionally, please note that students are permitted to wear only PCK-branded sweatshirts while in class. Non-PCK sweatshirts may not be worn during instructional time, though they are permitted during recess and transitions between PCK buildings.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a focused and distraction-free learning environment for all students.
Chess Wizards will be returning to PCK later this month. Regardless of your child's level of chess experience, this program is a wonderful opportunity for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to develop their skills.
For beginners, Chess Wizards will provide a supportive environment to learn the basics of the game, with plenty of opportunities to play and practice. For more experienced players, the program will offer new strategies and creative ways to improve their game on the chessboard.
Classes will begin on January 27 and run through March 31, taking place every Monday from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
We encourage all interested students to sign-up, regardless of their experience.
It's time to submit an eighth-grade student's yearbook portrait. The yearbook team is now accepting portraits for the 2024-25 yearbook. Please submit your student's portrait via Treering.com under PCK's eighth-grade folder. If you haven't used Treering before, you'll need to create an account. Use PCK's school code: 1015343699083637.
Portrait Guidelines
- Pose: Waist-up only. Head-and-shoulder or full-body poses will not be accepted.
- Framing: Centered, facing the camera, with both eyes visible.
- Dress Code: Adhere to school dress code guidelines. Avoid revealing clothing or spaghetti straps.
- Props: No props allowed (animals, costumes, hats, sunglasses, etc.).
- Background: Simple and uncluttered (avoid solid colors). Natural outdoor settings work well.
- Photo Type: Color photos only. No black and white, vignette, or sepia.
- Size/Quality: Approximately 2"x2" with a resolution of 300 dpi.
Due to the exceptionally cold temperatures recently, we understand that many families have been unable to schedule or complete their eighth grade portraits. To accommodate these challenges, we are extending the deadline for portrait submissions.
The new deadline for submitting eighth grade portraits will be Friday, February 21, instead of the originally scheduled Tuesday, January 21.
The Foundation is seeking responses to an important survey for the upcoming PCK Gala. This special evening will raise vital funds to further enhance the opportunities and resources available to our PCK students and community, and we need your support to ensure its success.
Your involvement, whether through a donation, sponsorship, volunteering your time, or sharing contact information for potential sponsors or donors, will be crucial in making this year’s Gala a memorable and impactful event. The survey is designed to identify families and local businesses who can become event sponsors, as well as gather volunteers for key areas such as marketing, communications, decorating, and photography.
We encourage all families to take part in the survey, share your ideas, and help us create an unforgettable evening that will benefit our entire community.
The next SAC meeting is set for Wednesday, February 12 at 8:15 a.m. We welcome your participation and input as we strive to enhance our school community.
If you have any questions about participating in SAC, or if you would like to contribute topics or questions to SAC but are unable to attend, please feel free to reach out to us at our email, SAC@ckcs.net.
This week, we’d like to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on Tony Le, who stepped up as Safety Dad on Thursday, January 9, during one of the snowiest school days we've had to date.
Tony took on this challenging role headfirst, braving the cold to help relieve our staff at carpool, making deliveries throughout the day, and supporting the smooth operation of the school wherever he was needed. His willingness to go above and beyond, especially on such a demanding day, exemplifies the spirit of community that makes PCK so special.
We are incredibly grateful for Tony’s contributions and want to thank him for his time, effort, and commitment. We are lucky to have him as part of our PCK family.