PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear PCK Families,

As we move through the school year, we find ourselves reflecting on what makes PCK such a remarkable community. At the heart of our work is a simple but powerful belief: excellence requires effort and intentionality. We know that excellence isn’t something that appears overnight or by accident. It grows from purposeful teaching, consistent habits, and a shared culture that values doing hard things well—and doing them with joy.

Every day, we see students showing grit as they stretch their thinking, ask big questions, and persevere when learning feels challenging. We see teachers who plan with focus and continue learning with intentionality, creating classrooms where curiosity is nurtured and character is strengthened. And we see families partnering with us by encouraging reading at home, reinforcing responsibility, and celebrating growth. These moments, the quiet, steady, and repeated moments, are where true excellence is formed.

Recently, PCK was honored with awards for our excellence at the state level. In U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 School Rankings, PCK earned top honors across Colorado:

• #1 in DCSD Elementary Schools
• #1 in DCSD Middle Schools
• #1 in Colorado Charter Elementary Schools
• #2 in Colorado Charter Middle Schools
• #2 in Colorado Middle Schools
• #4 in Colorado Elementary Schools

These rankings reflect an analysis of 979 elementary schools and 479 middle schools across the state.

While the recent school rankings highlight PCK’s standing across Colorado, what matters most to us is why our students are thriving. It’s because this community believes in something deeper than test scores or accolades. We believe in equipping children with a strong foundation of knowledge, meaningful skills, and the character to live with integrity. We believe that when students learn to lean into effort, they discover what they are capable of more than they knew. And we believe that when families and schools work together with intention, children rise higher than any ranking could ever measure.

Thank you for walking alongside us in this mission. Your partnership, your encouragement at home, and your belief in the importance of a rigorous and purposeful education shape the experience our students have every day. We are grateful for the trust you place in us, and we remain committed to helping students grow into confident learners and people of strong character.

With appreciation and purpose,

Dr. Leanne Weyman

Stephanie Harper

Breanna Warburton

The winners of our annual yearbook contest have been selected! This year’s theme, “One Team. One Dream.”, inspired many remarkable submissions. Students were challenged to incorporate several key elements into their designs, including our mascot, core character traits, and the PCK logo.

After careful consideration, the following students were chosen to have their artwork featured on the yearbook cover:

Cover Page - Elizabeth Klein

Title Page - Eliana Warburton

Back Cover - Janki Topiwalla and Ailyn Wetzel

Congratulations to all of our selected artists, and thank you to every student who took the time to participate. Your creativity, effort, and attention to detail truly reflect what PCK students can achieve when they put their minds to something.

Hello PCK Families!

Well, we knew it was going to be here eventually, but welcome to the first snow of the season! I’m personally excited and very ready to have some cold weather. Since we all know that the weather and conditions can change rapidly, please remember a few keys points for safe winter driving:

• Give yourself plenty of room between you and the car in front of you, as well as plenty of stopping time.
• 4WD is fantastic for snowy roads but please remember it does not mean your car isn’t susceptible to icy conditions so please continue to drive carefully, even with all-wheel or 4WD.
• Make sure your car is ready for the season! Double check that your tire tread, wipers, and car battery are all in good working order.

Last thing, with PCK doing half days for teacher in-service, if you have a family member picking up could you please take a moment to let them know the guidelines regarding traffic safety in the area? Specifically when to arrive for pick up times, where to park, etc.

Enjoy all that the wintertime has to offer and as always, stay healthy, happy, and safe!

Deputy Sandifer

Returning this year is our Holiday Dress Down Week, which will take place the final week before winter break from Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19. As part of this celebration, students are invited to dress down following the holiday theme on the given day. You can find the schedule of themes for the week, along with a brief description of what each theme entails below.

Winter Wonderland Day, December 15 - Students can wear whites, sparkles, or cozy winter-themed clothing.

Candy Cane Day, December 16 - Students are encouraged to dress in red and white.

Hot Cocoa Day, December 17 - Students can come in warm, comfy clothes perfect for a cozy day.

Holiday Character Day, December 18 - Students may dress as their favorite festive character.

Holiday Glam, December 19 - Students can dress in their festive best with sparkles, shine, and holiday flair.

Parents, please note that a common mistake made during this festive week is that students will dress down in pajama pants, which are expressly prohibited with the PCK Dress Code. Please ensure that your student’s outfit is compliant with our dress code.

As we come together to share in the joy of this holiday season, we invite you to get creative and design a family holiday card. Cards that are brought to our front office will be featured in a display to showcase our families and their holiday spirit. We’re proud of our community and how you celebrate. We can't wait to see your designs and celebrate the season together!

Before the break, our 1st grade students embarked on a unique cave exploration lesson during art class. They focused on the famous Lascaux Cave in France, known for the over 600 wall paintings that cover its interior walls and ceiling. These wall paintings are some of the oldest in recorded human history.

This engaging lesson directly supports our Core Knowledge curriculum through multiple standards. First, through art, students learned that it has been an important activity since early times. Additionally, they met a science standard by gaining a better understanding of geology and discovering different characteristics of rock formation.

To make the experience immersive, the students even used headlamps to guide their studies, simulating the light conditions of a true cave exploration!

PCK's Middle School Winter Dance is this Friday, December 5, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. in the Middle School Commons. This dance is exclusively for our 7th and 8th grade students.

Please note that tickets can only be purchased at the door the day of the event. This ticket sale is cash only.

A friendly reminder: our morning drop-off cutoff time is 7:55 a.m. If your student arrives after 7:55 a.m., please park and walk them to the front office to sign them in. A good rule of thumb is that if there are no staff members outside, you have likely arrived after the cutoff time.

Please also remember that students may not be dropped off before 7:35 a.m. in both the north and south carpool. Just like our afternoon carpool procedures, staff are not outside before this time, and students cannot be supervised.

Thank you for helping us keep our arrival procedures safe and efficient!

Now that we’ve experienced our first major winter weather event of the school year, please remember that in the event of a delay or cancellation, all families will receive both a text and an email notification by 6:00 a.m. at the latest according to your communication preferences set in Infinite Campus.

To ensure our communication system is working properly, we will conduct a test this Saturday, December 6, at 12:00 p.m. A text message and an email will be sent at that time. If you do not receive the test message on either platform, please contact Mr. Borgardt at bborgardt@ckcs.net.

The PCK Spirit Rock is still available for all PCK families to rent! All proceeds directly support our 8th grade graduation, helping us create a memorable celebration for our students.

Located on the east side of the main parking lot, the Spirit Rock is open for families to decorate with personalized messages. Celebrate a student’s birthday, highlight special milestones, share words of encouragement, or simply spread positivity throughout our community. It’s a fun and meaningful way to get involved and show your school pride.

Click the button below to reserve the Spirit Rock on any available week.

Be on the lookout for new clubs in upcoming newsletters!

At the moment our only club open for registration is our Homework Club, which meets from 3:20 to 4:15 p.m. You can find more information about the club and registration below.

Meeting Dates: Monday-Thursdays

Meeting Location: Room 115

Grades: 3-6

Homework Club is different from our other clubs, as it will take place all school year. At this club students will have the opportunity to work on their homework while a teacher is there to guide them through their work.

Our Annual Giving Campaign is in full swing and will remain open through Wednesday, December 31. As part of this effort, we invite our community to join one of Colorado’s most impactful philanthropic traditions, Colorado Gives Day, on Tuesday, December 9. Last year, this statewide initiative raised more than $54 million to support Colorado nonprofits.

We hope you’ll consider supporting PCK during this special day of giving. PCK's mission, to challenge students to become critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and future leaders, depends on the ability to provide a premier education. That education is made possible through the generosity of our community.

We are deeply grateful to all the community members who have already donated. Your generosity helps us uphold the goals and passions we share. If you’re thinking about contributing, know that every donation, big or small, truly makes a meaningful difference for our students.

To donate, simply scan the QR code above or click the button below.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 10 at 8:15 a.m. in the MS Commons. This meeting 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.

For this week’s Volunteer Spotlight, we are proud to recognize all the incredible volunteers who helped make our Matilda Jr. Musical a success. Behind every theatre performance is a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work. Students dedicate months of effort to prepare for the stage, and parents work tirelessly to create the environment that allows them to shine.

Our volunteers play an essential role in helping students explore their interests and grow into well-rounded individuals. Thank you for your selfless dedication, your support makes it possible for students to pursue their passions.