PCK Weekly Newsletter
February 1st, 2024
April 11th, 2024
We are excited to announce a couple of updates as part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students.
First, we are pleased to announce the addition of a new full time School Resource Officer (SRO) for the 2024-2025 school year. The presence of an SRO plays an important role in promoting a secure and nurturing learning environment for our students. The SRO will work closely with school administration, staff, and local law enforcement to provide proactive security measures, respond to any potential threats, and foster positive relationships within our school community.
Second, we have introduced GoGuardian to our school’s digital infrastructure. GoGuardian’s services allow PCK to manage and monitor internet activity on school-issued devices, ensure students are accessing appropriate content and staying focused on educational tasks. You can read more about GoGuardian in the GoGuardian newsletter section below.
These additions will strengthen our comprehensive approach to school safety and contribute to a positive learning environment for all students. School safety is a collaborative effort, and we encourage open communication between parents, students, staff, and school administration. If you have questions or concerns regarding our safety protocols or any other matter, please do not hesitate to reach out to your school administration team at admins@ckcs.net.
Help Us Fill Our Character Board!
Resourcefulness is the character trait for April and April is also the month to celebrate Earth Day!
Resourcefulness: Making wise use of what others might overlook or disregard.
To begin this month of resourcefulness, we are challenging our students to demonstrate resourcefulness in regards to material items and natural resources. Below is a list of ideas for how your student(s) can be resourceful and reduce their impact on our environment. As your student completes one or more of these activities, please take a picture and send it digitally to admins@ckcs.net. We will post these pictures on our Earth Day bulletin board.
- Repurpose or reuse items
- Do a litter pick up
- Plant a tree
- Collect rainwater for watering
- Walk or bike instead of driving, when possible
- Recycle
- Swap plastic water bottles for reusable bottles
- Only take food you will eat (not waste)
- Eliminate use of plastic straws
- Turn off lights and faucets when not in use
- Plant native flowers or grasses
- Leave no trace when exploring outdoors
There are many more opportunities to practice resourcefulness in our local community. Be creative and send us your pictures!
Dear Parents,
To help keep your child safer and more scholarly online, Parker Core Knowledge (PCK) has upgraded our online security and adopted services provided by GoGuardian.
It may be helpful to know that over 10,000 other schools use GoGuardian to protect 5.5 million students across the world.
How are we using GoGuardian?
We have chosen GoGuardian Admin and GoGuardian Teacher services to:
Help protect students against harmful and inappropriate online material
Help students stay “scholarly” and more focused when learning online
Help assess students’ progress toward class assignments
Facilitating communication between teachers and students during class time
When and how does GoGuardian operate?
GoGuardian’s web-based services operate on our school’s managed Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals accounts (i.e. when a student is logged into a Chromebook with his/her school email address).
What are the school’s responsibilities?
PCK selected GoGuardian services to help our students stay safer and more scholarly online. We work with students during technology to help teach them digital responsibility and safety. Additionally, we will train teachers about how to operate GoGuardian and about our policies and procedures to help protect student privacy.
What are my parental/guardian and child’s responsibilities?
We ask that students use their school-managed Google accounts and school-managed devices for educational purposes within the boundaries of PCK’s Chromebook Policies and PCK's Technology and Acceptable Use Policy.
When a student is off campus, parents are responsible for supervising internet access and usage. We encourage you to discuss rules for appropriate internet usage with your child, and to reinforce lessons of digital citizenship and safety with him or her. We also highly encourage you to report any potential cyberbullying or other sensitive issues to us.
How does GoGuardian help protect my child’s privacy?
To help your child remain scholarly and safe online, GoGuardian collects certain personally identifiable information about your child. GoGuardian has consulted with privacy experts, participates in privacy organizations, is a proud signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, and has been awarded certifications by iKeepSafe for complying with both the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and California student privacy laws. For more detailed information about GoGuardian, you may visit GoGuardian’s website, Trust & Privacy Center, and GoGuardian’s Product Privacy Policy.
We are here to answer any questions that you may have.
Sincerely,
PCK Administration
Buy Your 23 - 24 Yearbook!
The school year has flown by, and now it is almost over. Soon your child will be moving on to the next grade!
Don't wait to purchase your child's school yearbook this year. Yearbook signing at the end of the year is a significant event for our students. It's a chance for them to cherish memories with their classmates and bid farewell.
Deadline: April 25th
Solar Eclipse
Thank you to our amazing volunteers that made our Solar Eclipse such a great success!
Spring Concerts
The Concert will be in the Events Center at 2pm.
Friday (4/12) - 1st Grade Spring Program
🎨 From the Artroom
Please come help our littlest learners navigate art supplies and get creative. Volunteers may be asked to help prep/clean up materials and or assist students in art class.
In order to help keep us focused, please do not bring additional children to the classroom and silence your phones while you're with us. When signing up, please limit your slots to 3 per family initially in order to try and allow as many families as possible a chance to join in the fun. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Kindergarten
First Grade
Board Spotlight
It is with great pleasure that we extend a warm welcome to Dr. Leanne Weyman, who will join us as the new Director of Parker Core Knowledge on May 28th.
In her own words, Dr. Weyman shares, "I am thrilled to be joining the Parker Core Knowledge family! I hope to meet each of you, as well as your amazing students, over the course of the next few months. I look forward to working together, hand-in-hand, to build upon the strong foundation of excellence at PCK! Thank you for the warm welcome, and I can't wait to get started!"
Please join us in welcoming her to our school community.
We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to Heather Newbrough for her outstanding service in filling the position on an interim basis. Heather's dedication and commitment during this transition period have been invaluable to our school community, and we are deeply appreciative of her efforts.
Board Elections
The upcoming board election is an exciting opportunity for the community to choose the individuals who will help lead and shape the future of their children’s education. The candidates running for the board bring a diverse set of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table, making this election a critical moment for parents and educators to participate and cast their votes. Each candidate has a unique vision for the school’s success and is passionate about providing high-quality education to all students. Please review their bios below before the upcoming election on April 16th.
Be sure to cast your vote on April 16th when you receive the link for the board election.
William E. Gustashaw, PhD
Bill Gustashaw is an educator with over 25 years of experience in the field. His area of expertise
is working with students with disabilities, particularly students with learning and behavior
disabilities and state and national education policy. He holds a BA in Criminal Justice and
Political Science from Indiana University, MS in Special Education from Indiana University and
a PhD from the University of Virginia in Special Education and Policy. While he was a graduate
student at UVA, E. D. Hirsch, creator of the Core Knowledge Curriculum and founder of the
Core Knowledge Foundation, was Professor Emeritus and heavily influenced the programs in the
School of Education.
Bill and his family moved to Parker, CO in 2010 due to his wife Sarah relocating for her career.
Upon moving to Parker, he and Sarah immediately fell in love with the sense of community of
the area. They were very excited to see that a Core Knowledge school existed in Parker.
Fortunately, his son was accepted through the pre-school lottery. Two children completed PCK
through 8 th grade and are now students at Regis High School while the other two are current
students in 5 th and 7 th grade. It is because of the curriculum, character education, staff, faculty and administration that they see the true benefits of PCK for students as they transition into high
school and college.
Bill’s experience in education includes:
- lunch room supervisor
- elementary school night shift custodian
- teacher’s aid
- classroom teacher for students with learning and behavior disabilities (self-contained and inclusion)
- Assistant Professor of Special Education (University of Kentucky, Indiana Purdue University at Columbus, MSU Denver, CSU Pueblo
Josh Haslage
Josh is a parent of two PCK students in 3rd and 1st grades, and one incoming kindergartener. He has a wife, Brittany, who taught 4th grade for several years until they made the decision for her to run the family from home. Their family has been following along with PCK since the 2nd day of
their oldest son’s life when they first heard they needed to get on the waitlist from a nurse at the
hospital! He initially ran for the board in 2021 after hearing that the long serving director was
retiring and wanted to be involved in the next stages of the school’s evolution.
While Josh is a Colorado native, his family life had him moving around the country, and a small
stint in Germany, but always returning to Colorado. After high school he joined the Marine Corps
for 5 years where he maintained the avionics equipment on several different aircraft platforms.
This again took him out of Colorado, and around the world. Upon returning to Colorado to start
his real adult life, he attended Metro State University before settling into a logistics career. He is
currently the Chief Strategy Officer for a local freight transportation company helping them triple
in size over the last decade. When not working, he is helping his kids explore different sports
interests. Hockey seems to be the winner for his oldest son, soccer for the middle, and figure
skating being the biggest interest for the youngest!
He believes in the mission of PCK, and the way they challenge his children to thrive in
becoming well rounded individuals. He enjoys assisting PCK in any way he can to further the
school’s legacy and was heavily involved with the new director search & selection this winter. He wishes to follow through on this next stage of PCKs growth with the new incoming
leadership.
Michelle McLeod
Greetings from Board Candidate Michelle McLeod!
It is the end of my first term and am currently serving as President of the Board. I am seeking reelection because I have a deep respect and appreciation for PCK and its values, curriculum, and enrichment activities. Over the last 3 years, I have had the honor to actively participate in the planning, decision-making processes, and governance activities of the board. Through collaborative efforts with fellow board members, staff, and parents, we have achieved significant milestones and demonstrated a strong commitment to the mission of PCK. I would greatly appreciate the privilege to serve a second term.
I currently have 5 children enrolled at PCK from kindergarten to eighth grade. We chose PCK because probably like many of you, heard from a neighbor, friend, or nurse at the hospital, that it was the premiere educational institution in Douglas County. PCK’s accolades validate we are an exceptional school, but being a member of the PCK family is about so much more. We cherish the bonds we’ve built within the close-knit community.
Looking ahead, I am excited about the possibilities and potential for further growth and impact. I believe that my dedication, experience, and passion for the mission of PCK make me a strong candidate for reelection. I am eager to continue working alongside my fellow board members and stakeholders to further the success of our beloved school.
Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving PCK and making a positive difference in the community that we serve.
Sincerely,
Michelle McLeod
Joanna Sears
I'm Joanna Sears, proud mom of three energetic and spirited girls who thankfully find calm and focus at PCK. We have been a part of the school community for 9 years, and truly appreciate the strong culture, challenging curriculum, and diverse extracurricular offerings (shout out to the music program)! The emphasis on character development has been an important part of our experience, and we’re immensely grateful for the support of the dedicated faculty and staff.
Professionally, I bring over 18 years of management consulting experience, involvement in non-profit committees/boards, and am currently the Chief Operating Officer for Acquis Consulting. In this role, I oversee organizational strategy, operations, communications, employee engagement, and any unexpected curveballs that may come our way. Our company’s culture, which emphasizes “People First” and “Advance Together” principles, aligns well with PCK’s commitment to character and excellence. I am honored to work for a company that truly lives its values and hope to bring a unique and varied skillset to the school board.
Thank you for your consideration - I'm thrilled at the prospect of contributing to the continued success of our children and the PCK community.
Holly Shannon
My husband and I have lived in Parker since 2010 and in the surrounding areas since 1998. I have been passionate about education since I was a child. This passion was why I had my twin boys signed up for PCK since birth and why I chose to live in Parker even before that. I know our school is the best around and will work with the staff, board, and families to ensure it stays that wayI am currently the Vice President of the PTA and a board member on the Foundation. I am sure many of you have seen me handing out fliers or holding signs at carpool. Just a small testament to my commitment to this school.
Outside of my volunteer work with the school I am also a teacher at Code Ninjas, I teach the 5- to 7-year-olds in the JR classes. I am an active member of my HOA and plan events for our neighborhood. Before that I was a Project Manager for Verizon Business, I handled more than 90 business customers and on average 130 projects. I have a diverse background in IT and Project Management as well as education.
In my free time I enjoy reading and playing games with my boys or taking them to museums, concerts, the zoo, and indoor snowboarding. I am always looking for ways to make our adventures educational and fun!
Tian Zhang
I have been impressed with PCK very much since my son enrolled in K in 2020. I would like to get involved more and to serve more on the Board of Directors. As 36.6% of all students represent minorities, particularly 23.3% represent Asian heritage, I feel my involvement can add unique values and perspectives to the Board. Below you will find my work experience and what my personal passions have to offer for my interest in this position.
I came to the US for Graduate School and worked as a Mechanical Engineer before full time raising kids for 6 years. Currently I am a partner in an insurance agency specializing in living benefits and tax-free income. We provide coaching and training to nurture a high-performance team. I enjoy this line of work to know people and to help provide education and protection to families.
I pursued a certificate in Environmental Policy Management as one of my passions is about stewardship of the beautiful nature. Although I did not take positions using this expertise, I have been trying to expose kids to natural exploration as I believe people can't love something that they don't know well. I just started organizing a monthly outdoor activity that combines nature exploring, Chinese learning and movements for kids 0-6 years old.
During 2020, I founded a Chinese parenting group on social media whose members are now over 300. This is a 501(c)(3) organization. I organized the weekly lectures from experts, sharing among peers, and books discussions for over a year. Hosting the weekly Zoom meetings, providing the summaries of the meetings, and planning for all the communications needed for a smooth operation of a community for parents with growing mindsets. Every month the topic changes ranging from understanding kids' drawing to how to discover and enforce the virtues in kids. The outdoor activity mentioned above also got inspiration from what we learned about free play in nature.
I also volunteered for a Non-Profit organization that promotes Chinese learning for over a year, hosting 60+ Chinese Storytime on Zoom.
As all these demonstrate that I am a person holding very high standards for myself and take my commitment very seriously, with due diligence and with great creativity. I am passionate about motivating kids to discover their own paths and achieve their goals, and I deeply believe in our goal in life is to serve, from which we lift others and ourselves.
If this bio is too long, please let me know so I can shorten it. Thanks very much!
Sincerely,
Tian Zhang
Gala Volunteers
- Help with check-in at the Gala - 5:15-6:15
- Help with the wine toss game - 5:15-6:30
- Help with setting up - two opportunities available - One on Friday, April 12th at 9am, and one on Saturday, April 13th at 9am.
24 - 25 Board Members Needed
It is almost time to elect a new board for the PTA. Please reach out if you are interested in a board position for the next term. Details regarding timing will be discussed at upcoming PTA meetings over the next couple of months. The positions of president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary will be open. Joining the PCK PTA is a great way to get more involved at school and give back to our amazing PCK community. The next PTA meeting is April 17th at 6:00pm in the Middle School Commons. Come check out a meeting! Please reach out to ckcspta@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like more information.
Mother/Son Event
Save the Date!
When: Friday, April 19 @ 5 p.m. in the PCK Events Center
What: Colorado Themed Escape Room and Bingo Extravaganza
Cost: $25/pair + $5 for each additional son
Payment accepted via Venmo @ckcspta (tax exempt - do not select goods/services) comment son name/grade)
🍪Thank you Kelly Anderson for the amazing cookies!
Stand Up For Safety
Thank you to John Natoli, Scott Schoenig, Zach Otten, Virgil Mathias Jr, and Sai Neele for being our Safety Dads this week. Our students love having dads here making sure our perimeter is secure, helping with lunch and recess, and assisting with other activities as needed. Dads can stay two shifts or for the whole day. Select the Button below to learn more about being a Safety Dad or to sign up.