PCK Weekly Newsletter

This week, our third-grade students participated in their annual Rome Day presentations, where they shared their knowledge about Roman civilization.

Learning about civilizations like Rome is important because it helps children understand the foundations of modern society, including law, government, and architecture. Exploring this culture allows students to appreciate its contributions of the past and how they can continue to shape our world today.

Additionally, presenting on this topic is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their public speaking skills. By researching, organizing their thoughts, and speaking in front of their peers, they build confidence and communication abilities that will serve them well in the future.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and the growth they showed in both knowledge and presentation skills.

Our Athletic Department is hosting PCK's first ever Dodgeball Tournament on Friday, January 17 from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Please note there are two separate registrations to complete if your student would like to join a team for the tournament. The first registration to complete is the individual registration via MySchoolBucks. This is for just a single player and must be completed before they join a team. Once a player and their four teammates have completed their registration they may then fill out their team registration form.

This tournament is exclusively for students in fifth through eighth grade. The bracket will be set up for fifth and sixth grade teams to play each other, while seventh and eighth grade teams will play each other. The final teams standing in each bracket will face each other in the championship match.

This registration will remain open until Wednesday, January 15 at 6:00 p.m.

This month, our focus in character education is on the important trait of empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. We are teaching our students that being empathetic helps them build stronger relationships, solve problems together, and show kindness to everyone around them.

Empathy is an essential skill for students to develop because it fosters a supportive and respectful school environment. When students learn to recognize and respond to the emotions of others, they create a caring community where everyone feels understood and valued. It encourages kindness, compassion, and cooperation, making our school a more welcoming place for all.

For this month’s Character Dare, we encourage you to involve your extended family and friends in a “Kind Conference Call.” Take this opportunity to reach out to a family member or friend you haven’t connected with in a while. It’s a great way to spread kindness, share a moment of empathy, and catch up with someone you care about.

Thank you for partnering with us to make empathy a priority this month.

This week in science, our third-grade classes have been busy designing and developing their very own catapults. This hands-on project has provided an exciting opportunity for students to explore basic engineering principles and understand the physics of projectiles.

By building their catapults, students have learned about forces, motion, and the importance of precision in engineering. These experiments encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, which are essential skills in both science and everyday life.

This project has been a wonderful experience that blends learning with creativity, and we look forward to seeing how their knowledge continues to grow.

Our theatre department has exciting news, as registration is now open for grades sixth through eighth to join the Spring Musical.

Sixth graders are welcome to enroll and will primarily be part of the chorus, while seventh and eighth graders need to sign up for both the elective and the production. Once the Middle School cast is finalized, there may be smaller roles available for sixth graders to audition for in January.

Rehearsals begin on January 7 and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:10 to 5:00 p.m. The big performances will take place on May 9 and 10. The $250 registration fee covers most costumes and show-related expenses.

During Winter Break, all staff and families will receive two test messages from PCK: one on December 30 and another on January 2, both at 2:00 p.m. These messages are part of a system test to ensure that our PCK messaging system is accurately reaching all families with up-to-date communications.

The test messages will be sent via text and email. Please note, no action is required if you receive these messages.

As the winter basketball season for both boys and girls is well underway, it is important for parents to stay informed about their child's game and practice schedule. We strongly encourage all parents of students participating in PCK athletics to save our Athletics Calendar and regularly check it to stay up to date with their team's schedule. The PCK Athletics Calendar is the most reliable and up-to-date of scheduling information for all PCK athletics. To access the calendar, please click the button below.

Starting with our home game on January 7 against Littleton, our eighth grade committee will be selling concessions during the game to support the eighth grade graduation. All items at the concession stand will be priced at just $1.

Concessions will be available exclusively during the boys' and girls' varsity games at all of our home events this season. Your support will help make the eighth grade graduation a memorable occasion for our students.

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.

Please submit your student's portrait by January 21 to ensure inclusion in the yearbook.

We would like to share an important update regarding an upcoming leadership transition within our Preschool. Our Preschool Director, Jessica Griffin, will be leaving at the end of 2024-25 school year. This decision comes as she takes time to support her family with her husband’s upcoming career transition. Jessica has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of our preschool, helping to cultivate an environment where children can develop a strong foundation for both academic achievement and personal growth.

In the coming months, we will be working to ensure a smooth transition and to identify a new Preschool Director who will continue to uphold our high standards and values. We will keep you informed throughout this process as the timeline becomes more clear.

'Tis the season to spread some holiday cheer, and PCK is excited to celebrate this festive time with you and your loved ones. As we come together to share in the joy of the season, we invite you to get creative and design a family holiday card. Bring your card to our Front Office, where our Front Office staff will be putting together a holiday display of all the cards. We can't wait to see the designs and celebrate the season together.

Each week, any items that are clearly labeled with a student’s name are returned to their classroom. However, there are many unlabeled items still remaining at the Lost and Found station.

We kindly ask that you remind your child to check the Lost and Found for any belongings they may have misplaced during the first few months of school. Please note that any unclaimed items will be donated once we return from Winter Break.

We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who took the time to participate in our recent survey. Your valuable feedback plays a crucial role in ensuring that our fundraising efforts and donations are directed toward the areas that matter most to our community.

The survey has now closed, and we are in the process of reviewing the responses. The results of this survey will be discussed at our upcoming meeting on January 8. This will help guide our future initiatives and make sure that we are meeting the needs and priorities of our families.

Thank you once again for your support and involvement.

This week, we are thrilled to shine the Volunteer Spotlight on Patti Sorenson for her outstanding support in our lunchroom. With our lunchroom staff facing challenges due to understaffing this week, Patti stepped up to help ensure that everything ran smoothly.

Patti’s dedication and willingness to volunteer have been invaluable, and she has generously helped in the lunchroom multiple times in the past. Her consistent commitment to supporting our school community is deeply appreciated.

Thank you, Patti, for your selflessness and incredible efforts. We notice the difference you make, and we are so grateful for your continued support.