PCK Weekly Newsletter

We are thrilled to share Parker Core Knowledge’s performance in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Colorado school rankings. Below are the rankings for PCK:

#1 in Douglas County District Elementary Schools

#1 in Colorado Charter Elementary Schools

#1 in Colorado Charter Middle Schools

#2 in Colorado Middle Schools

#3 in Colorado Elementary Schools

Out of 778 elementary schools and 392 middle schools across Colorado, our students also ranked as follows:

#1 Middle School Math Proficiency Rank

#2 Elementary School Reading Proficiency Rank

#4 Elementary School Math Proficiency Rank

#5 Middle School Reading Proficiency Rank

These accomplishments are a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of our students, the exceptional skill and commitment of our staff, and the vital support of our PCK families. The results demonstrate the strength of our rigorous curriculum and the shared commitment to excellence that defines our community.

While we celebrate these impressive achievements, it is important to recognize that rankings alone do not define our school. At PCK, we are always striving to improve, ensuring that we are never complacent with our past achievements. Our mission remains to provide the best possible education for our students, preparing them for future success as leaders and scholars.

Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of excellence for our students.

PCK has a history of academic excellence, with our teachers at the core of this tradition. To maintain the rigorous academic standards we strive to achieve, our school hosts inservice days to ensure we are fulfilling our mission and vision to the best of our ability.

Our teachers spent this past inservice day digging into CMAS, DIBELs, and MAPs data. This data shows program trends, growth opportunities, and allows us to celebrate the strengths of our program. They also spent time looking at individual student data to make sure we are best serving each child in our building.

Teacher professional development is crucial for ensuring that our educators stay up-to-date with the latest instructional strategies and curriculum enhancements. This is why much of the day is spent with teachers in safety and curriculum professional development.

Inservice days are not just a break from the routine; they are an opportunity for our teachers to grow and learn new skills that directly impact the quality of education your children receive. By investing in ongoing professional learning, we empower teachers to deliver more effective and engaging instruction, which ultimately supports the success of all students.

Hello PCK families,

I hope everyone is having a great start to fall! I wanted to reach out about the pick-up carpool to make sure you have all the information about some enforcement that is going to start happening.

Drivers are not permitted to stop and wait in any of the lanes on Pine Drive without turning into the school. This includes both the left turn lane into PCK from Pine Drive and the right turn from the turn lane. If you stop in the lane and do not make the turn you are violating state law for obstructing traffic ((42-4-1103(1) Impeded normal flow of traffic). Vehicles may begin to enter that turn lane for pick up no earlier than 3:08 p.m.

Second, if you enter the turn lane before Centennial Drive, you must make a right turn and you are not permitted to continue straight into the PCK turn lane ((42-4-1007(1)(c)) Failure to drive in designated lane). If you arrive at the school and the PCK turn lane is full, please circle around and try again.

We want to make sure that PCK runs safely and effectively for everyone, and all of us have a role to play with this. Thank you so much for your help and support!

As always, please reach out with any questions!

Deputy Sandifer

SRO@ckcs.net

Our Uniform Donation Program is a wonderful initiative that allows our community to support PCK students in need of dress code items. This program is a great opportunity for our families to give back while also clearing out gently used uniforms that may no longer fit their children.

Donations are accepted on the first and fifteenth of each month and can be dropped off at the front office. We encourage you to participate in this program by donating clean and gently used uniforms that align with our dress code. Your contributions will go directly to PCK students who can benefit from them, helping to ensure that every child has access to the necessary attire for success at school.

We greatly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will continue to have in our school.

Next week on Tuesday, October 1 is Colorado’s statewide Count Day.

For those who may not know, Count Day is a critical day for all public school districts in Colorado, including PCK. On this day, the state conducts an official student membership headcount to determine the amount of operating revenue the district receives for the school year. To be counted, students must be enrolled, scheduled, and in attendance on this day.

While we understand that sometimes unexpected absences happen, we kindly ask that you ensure your child is present on Count Day if at all possible. Every student’s attendance on October 1 helps us receive essential funding that directly impacts our school’s programs and resources.

We are excited to announce that the National Junior Honors Society (NJHS) is reintroducing our Homework Help service this fall. This is a wonderful opportunity for your student to receive one-on-one assistance from a member of NJHS. Whether your child is looking for extra support or just needs help with daily homework, our NJHS students are ready to lend a hand.

Homework Help will begin on Monday, October 7 and will be held in the science lab on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:10–3:45 p.m. Each session will cost $10, with all proceeds going toward NJHS dues and funding important initiatives for the honor society.

Questions about placement or registration should be directed to Mr. Robbins via email at drobbins@ckcs.net. He will provide more information and match your student with one of our highly qualified NJHS members. If you would like to proceed with registration, you can do so below.

Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10. Due to these conferences, we will have an early release on both days, with carpool starting at 12:10, 12:20, and 12:30.

Please be on the lookout for our Parent Teacher Conference sign-ups, which will be released on Wednesday, October 2 at 5:00 p.m. You will receive an email at that time notifying you that sign-ups are open and ready to be filled.

We encourage you to sign up quickly, as conference slots tend to fill up fast!

This week we wanted to remind our families once more about our Sibling Status Form. This form has been designed specifically for families with children currently attending PCK, who also have siblings on our waitlist. We want to ensure that PCK students with siblings are prioritized and bumped to the top of our extensive waitlist.

We kindly ask families in this situation to re-submit their sibling information through the form to help us maintain accurate records and streamline the process. The form is quick and easy to complete - only taking a couple of minutes at most.

We look forward to welcoming even more members of your family, into the PCK community.

Our outstanding theatre department will be hosting a hands-on, exploratory theatre camp to introduce students to our After School Theatre program on Thursday, October 10. This camp is an excellent opportunity for students in grades 1-3 to gain insight into the program, as they will soon be eligible to participate. Please note that registration for this camp is limited.

During the camp, students will go behind the scenes of our current production, Aladdin Jr., and explore both cast and crew roles, giving them a comprehensive look at what it takes to bring a show to life.

Each attendee will receive lunch, a t-shirt, and a complimentary ticket to PCK's production of Aladdin Jr. on November 23. The cost for the event is $50 per student, with all proceeds supporting the PCK Music Department.

Don't forget that the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school from October 7-11. We are still looking for volunteers to help with the fair, and volunteers to assist our younger students in making their wishlists prior to the event.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

The success of our Fall Festival depends on the support of our dedicated volunteers, and we cannot make it happen without you. We are seeking volunteers to assist with setup, cleanup, ticket sales, managing games, and more. If you have the availability, please consider signing up for more than one slot.

TICKET INFORMATION

To avoid long lines, we encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance. Tickets are required for all activities except for food trucks and bounce houses. Individual tickets are $1 each, but you can save by purchasing in bundles before October 4, as prices will increase on the day of the festival.

Pre-Sale Ticket Pricing

$1 = 1 ticket

$5 = 6 tickets

$10 = 13 tickets

$20 = 25 tickets

To purchase tickets in advance, please use the button below, or via Venmo @ckcspta (please provide the name of the person picking up the tickets).

Our next SAC meeting is right around the corner on Wednesday, October 9 at 8:15 a.m. in the MS Commons. 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 Blaise Singer at bsinger@ckcs.net.

This week, we are thrilled to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on Holly Shannon for her outstanding support. Holly played a key role in making our 2024 FundRun a success. Not only did she volunteer her time during the event, but she also generously provided food and refreshments for our hardworking volunteers who spent the day outdoors staffing the run. Holly embodies the spirit of the PCK community, and we are grateful for her remarkable contributions.