PCK Weekly Newsletter

Hello PCK Community,

I am delighted to extend an invitation to our families for the next Coffee with the Director event, which will be held on Tuesday, January 28 from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

For this gathering, we will be focusing on Student Services at PCK. We encourage you to join us for an open discussion where you can ask questions, share feedback, and learn more about how we support the diverse needs of our students. This conversation will specifically address topics such as special education, mental health support, and other individualized student services that ensure every child is cared for and supported.

Our Student Services team works tirelessly to ensure that each student's needs are met with a combination of compassion and expertise. Through strong partnerships with families and staff, they deliver customized services that cultivate a supportive learning environment, enabling students to thrive in and beyond the classroom.

We look forward to your participation and encourage you to bring any questions or concerns you may have. If you would like to attend, please fill out the RSVP form below.

Warm regards,

Dr. Weyman

This week, we are delighted to spotlight the remarkable achievements of two eighth-grade students, Carden Singer and Lilia Lastar. Both Carden and Lilia secured top-three placements in a prestigious national competition organized by Carnegie Mellon University’s CS Academy.

The competition, designed for students in the Exploring Programming class, tasked participants with creating and submitting Python projects utilizing the graphics package provided by Carnegie Mellon. The top four projects from the eighth-grade class were selected by Mrs. White and Mrs. Yanzito to represent PCK in this highly esteemed contest. Submissions were evaluated based on criteria such as originality, design, and technical execution.

In recognition of their outstanding work, Carnegie Mellon University commended both Carden and Lilia, as well as the PCK Technology Department, for the exceptional quality of their projects. The entries were praised for their impressive graphics, interactivity, and integration of external elements, all of which distinguished them in a pool of highly competitive submissions. The university also noted that this year’s contest was the most competitive in its history.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Carden and Lilia for their outstanding accomplishments. Their success is a testament to the boundless potential of all PCK students and the excellence they continue to embody. If you would like to play either Carden or Lilia's award-winning games, you can do so below.

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.

As we begin the month of January, National School Choice Week is just around the corner. For those who may be unfamiliar with this event, or for those seeking a quick refresher, please take a moment to review the FAQs below.

What is National School Choice Week?

National School Choice Week is an annual nationwide event that celebrates educational options and raises awareness of the importance of providing families with the opportunity to choose the best educational path for their children. It also acknowledges the dedication and hard work of educators who strive to foster academic excellence in schools across the country.

Why is it important?

National School Choice Week holds particular significance for PCK, as Colorado ranks among the top three states in the nation for charter school enrollment. Over 15% of students in Colorado attend charter schools, making this week an important opportunity to spotlight what makes PCK stand out amongst them.

This year, National School Choice Week will be observed from January 26 to February 1. In honor of this occasion, we invite you to participate in showcasing what makes PCK exceptional. We are seeking parent and student testimonials that highlight the unique educational experience here at PCK. Your voices are vital in demonstrating how our school prepares students to be critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and future leaders.

To share your testimonial, please complete the form linked below. Your input will help us celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students and staff during this meaningful week.

PCK is pleased to announce an upcoming community feedback session, during which our Strategic Planning Committee will present its vision for the future. This event will provide a significant opportunity for us to share our plans and solicit input from our families as we collaborate to shape the direction of PCK for the next 30 years. Please keep an eye out for more details to come in the near future about this community event.

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 level.

We are excited to announce that our Calligraphy Club is now open for sign-ups for students in grades third through sixth. Starting on January 14, the club offers a fantastic opportunity for young artists to explore a variety of writing styles in a fun and engaging environment.

Throughout the sessions, participants will practice different lettering techniques, such as bubble, cursive, block, and gothic styles. Each week, students will choose words and phrases to refine their skills and express their creativity.

Club meetings will be held every Thursday from 3:10 to 4:15 p.m. in Mrs. DeHaan's room in the 5/6 building. The final session for the school year will take place on March 4.

We invite interested families to register their student for the club through MySchoolBucks below.

We would like to remind you of an important policy regarding medication at PCK. For the safety and well-being of all students, we require that any medication your child may need be stored securely in the Health Room. Students are not permitted to carry medication with them throughout the day. This includes any pills, regardless of type, which must be checked into the Health Room for safe storage.

Additionally, if your child needs to take medication during school hours and has supporting documentation to do so, it must be done under the supervision of our on-site healthcare staff. PCK is not a self-carrying school, and this policy is strictly enforced. We have this protocol in place to prevent any potential safety concerns, such as younger students mistakenly identifying pills as something edible.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Should you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact our Nurse, Jacenta Wirth.

In an effort to protect the learning environment and ensure that every student can make the most of their instructional time, we wanted to remind our families we are no longer allowing siblings of students with performances during the school day to be pulled out of class. This decision was made with the goal of minimizing interruptions to our students' academic progress and maintaining a focused and productive learning atmosphere.

We understand that performances are exciting and important events, and we truly appreciate your understanding as we implement this rule. It is our intention to balance the value of these extracurricular experiences with the critical need for uninterrupted learning for all students.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we continue to prioritize the success and well-being of every student at PCK.

Registration is still 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. Rehearsals 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.

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 extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our families who participated in our Holiday Card Drive. Your contributions brought an abundance of holiday cheer, reflecting the spirit of our PCK community. These thoughtfully crafted cards will now be repurposed to spread joy and warmth again during the upcoming Valentine’s Day season.

Thank you once again for sharing your holiday spirit with us and for helping to make this initiative a success. We hope that each of our families enjoyed a festive and rejuvenating holiday season.

The foundation is launching 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.

Upon returning from Winter Break, the PTO swiftly resumed its efforts by offering a breakfast for our staff during the inservice day on Monday, January 6. Providing this meal on such occasions serves as a gesture of support, reinforcing that our school community values the professional development of our educators. This commitment ultimately benefits both our staff and students.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the volunteers who contributed to making this gesture possible. We look forward to continuing to support our staff through meaningful volunteer efforts throughout the year.

Dear PCK Families,

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all who participated in the School Fundraising & Donation Allocation Survey. Your thoughtful input is invaluable and plays a significant role in shaping the decisions we make moving forward.

This week, the School Advisory Committee (SAC) convened to review and analyze the survey results. Understanding the priorities that matter most to our families has been extremely insightful. The survey results revealed that the key priorities for our community are enhancing the educational experience for students, supporting our teachers, and improving the school’s facilities and resources.

One common theme that emerged was the preference for fewer school-related requests. In response to this feedback, we have brainstormed ideas and developed recommendations to consolidate and simplify requests from the school, PTO, and Foundation. Our aim is to reduce the number of individual "asks" while ensuring that PCK continues to have the resources necessary to deliver a high-quality educational experience.

We remain dedicated to supporting our students and teachers while making these processes more manageable for our families.

Warm regards,

The SAC