PCK Weekly Newsletter

There are just under three weeks left to submit your nominations for DCSD's Apple Awards!

These awards celebrate the educators and staff who ignite a love of learning and lead with exceptional innovation in our schools.

We're thrilled to have already received several nominations, and we're so grateful to our community for taking the time to recognize the individuals who make a lasting difference in the lives of students. These heartfelt submissions remind our staff just how valued they are. Nominations provide powerful motivation to keep doing the incredible work they do every day.

If you'd like to see the nominations we've received so far or submit one of your own, just click the button below. Nominations are open through October 20.

There are several exciting ways for PCK families to get involved and support our school community! As part of our charter, each PCK family commits to contributing at least 20 volunteer hours by July 1 of each school year. We currently have the following volunteer opportunities available:

Scholastic Book Fair (October 6–10)

We’re still looking for volunteers to help staff our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Shifts are just one hour long, and every hour you can contribute helps make this event possible and successful.

Hearing and Vision Screenings (October 28 & 29)

Free screenings will be offered for students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, as well as for new students in grades 4, 6, and 8. To help the days run smoothly, we need 12 volunteers each day to assist with transitions and maintain a calm, organized environment. Your support ensures the process is efficient and comfortable for all students.

K–1 Volunteer Opportunities

Families with students in Kindergarten and 1st Grade are invited to volunteer in the library, art, and technology classes. These are great ways to engage directly with your child’s learning experience!

Thank you for giving your time and energy to help strengthen our school community. Your involvement makes a lasting impact on our students' success!

If you haven’t signed up for parent-teacher conferences yet, please be sure to do so soon! Conferences will take place next week on Wednesday, October 8, and Thursday, October 9.

You can access the sign-up page below, which includes links for K–6, middle school, and integrated learning conferences. Be sure to read all instructions on the page carefully before starting the sign-up process.

In collaboration with Deputy Sandifer we have created another resource to help make our carpool procedure easier to understand. This video walkthrough helps to clarify our carpool procedure surrounding carpool pick-up times.

We appreciate your continued attention to making sure our carpool runs safely, efficiently, and with as little impact on traffic as possible.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Deputy Sandifer directly via email at SRO@ckcs.net.

Now that October is here, Halloween is just around the corner, and so are our school celebrations! This year, our Halloween parties and Trunk-or-Treat event will take place on Friday, October 31.

Classroom parties will take place either before or after the annual costume parade, and this schedule will be shared in the near future.

If you’d like to attend your student’s party or watch the parade, please make sure to fill out the RSVP form linked below. With many visitors expected, RSVPs will help us streamline the check-in process and minimize wait times for visitor badges at the front office.

Stay tuned for more details coming soon about costume guidelines, Trunk-or-Treat displays, and volunteer opportunities.

PCK's Art Department is inviting families to participate in a collaborative art project starting this month. Each month, the art department will be collecting rocks of specific sizes to help create an art project that will serve as an enhancement to our school grounds.

For this month's collection, we are seeking smooth, flat, round rocks in a variety of colors, measuring between two and four inches in diameter. Donations can be placed in the bin located in front of the health room, near the school's main entrance.

We'll share updates throughout the year on this project, with the completed artwork revealed at the end of the school year. Questions about donations should be directed to PCK's Visual Arts Teacher, Kate Dulaney, via email at kdunaley@ckcs.net.

Thank you for helping to make this project a success!

DCSD will be hosting a Diwali celebration on October 28. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, and is celebrated with family gatherings, festive meals, and the lighting of lamps.

Families who wish to attend the Diwali celebration must RSVP by October 7. We encourage you to join us in celebrating this festival and learning more about the rich cultural heritage of Diwali.

We’re still looking for passionate individuals to join our Community Engagement Committee!

This committee will play an important role in creating meaningful opportunities for connection that celebrate the rich diversity of our families.

Whether you have experience in event planning, a background in volunteering, or simply a desire to make a positive impact in our school community, we’d love to have your voice at the table.

If you're interested be sure to submit the form below by Friday, October 3, at 4:00 p.m.

Our boys soccer and girls volleyball teams had a great time hosting students at their camps earlier this week! Campers learned the fundamentals of each sport while taking part in fun, interactive games that helped them put their new skills into practice.

Don't forget our final camp of the season, Spirit Camp, is coming up next week from October 6–8. Students will have the opportunity to learn a routine with the PCK Spirit Team, with the camp culminating in a performance during the volleyball game on October 8.

Homework Club will take place all school year, and is exclusively offered to our 3rd-6th grade students.

At this club students will have the opportunity to work on their homework while a teacher is there to guide them through. Homework Club will meet from 3:20-4:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday in Room 115, next to the Art Room.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 8 at 8:15 am in the MS Commons. This meeting will has a virtual option, which can be accessed by clicking the button below.

We warmly invite the PCK community to join us for an opportunity to engage with our team and learn more about the vital role we play within Parker Core Knowledge.

The SAC serves an essential function by providing accountability in an advisory capacity. Our purpose is to inform, encourage, and create opportunities for parents or guardians to engage meaningfully with the school's performance, budget and improvement plans.

This week, we're excited to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on Jessica Norton for stepping in just when we needed her most!

Last week, students were treated to their Fund Run celebrations after achieving fundraising goals. One of those rewards was a snow cone party for Ms. Donovan’s class. Just as the celebration was about to begin, we hit a snag: there was no snow cone machine in sight!

Enter Jessica. With perfect timing, she came to the rescue with a snow cone machine, saving the day and making sure every student got to enjoy a well-deserved treat.

Thank you, Jessica, for going above and beyond at the last minute to create a fun and memorable experience for our students. Your support helps make our school community so special.