PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear PCK Families,

As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, fall brings with it a sense of connection, comfort, and community. At our school, this season reminds us how powerful it is when children, families, and staff come together to celebrate, learn, and grow side by side.

Through this fall season we invite you to take part in our school traditions and share in the spirit of togetherness that makes our community so special. Your presence, whether at the Fall Festival, Fund Run, Veteran's Day, 1st grade Lit Night, 4th grade Rome Day, the Fall Musical, or just a friendly morning greeting in carpool, helps nurture the sense of security and connection every child needs to thrive.

One of our favorite fall traditions that captures this spirit is Trunk-or-Treat. Beyond the costumes, candy, and creative car decorations, this event represents something much deeper: a shared experience that strengthens our sense of belonging. When children see their teachers, friends, and neighbors gathered together in joy and connection, they learn that they are part of a caring, safe, and supportive community.

We know that a strong sense of belonging is a key ingredient in a child’s emotional and social growth. When children feel connected to a wider network of caring adults, they develop confidence, empathy, and resilience. Our fall events help children build those bonds by showing them that school is not just a place for learning – it’s a place where people care for one another.

Thank you for being an essential part of our community and for helping us make this season one filled with warmth, laughter, and belonging.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Harper, Academic Director (4-8)

Breanna Warburton, Academic Director (P-4)

Dear PCK Families,

As you can see below, the calendar for the 2026-27 school year is now live! I wanted to explain the reasons behind the several early dismissals for professional development that will take place again next year.

Our priority strategic plan goal focuses on staff retention. Offering time for our staff members to grow and learn together is critical in recruiting and keeping the best educational professionals. These early dismissal days (along with the several full-day professional development days on our schedule) are used to address several priorities.

1. Develop internal alignment: The Core Knowledge Sequence is the foundation of our PCK curriculum. Time to develop and enhance alignment around each of the sequence components is critical to our academic success.
2. Building a culture of learning: At PCK we want to honor a culture of learning within our students and our staff. Allowing time for staff members to learn new skills and explore new areas of interest is critical in maintaining an engaged, inspired staff.
3. Reflection: The act of reflection helps all humans learn at a deeper level. Our professional development time allows time for our staff members to reflect on best practices and share successes.

I know that half days of school can create a challenge for child care. Please remember that our Champions program is open on these half-days to help solve for these challenges.

Thank you,

Dr. Weyman

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, the PCK Board of Directors have approved the academic calendar for the 2026–27 school year. You can view the calendar below or find it on the PCK website under Quick Links and under Calendars.

There are a few key details to note with this new calendar. Early dismissal days for professional development will return next year, as well as a full week off for Thanksgiving break.

The approved calendar will remain available on the PCK website at all times for your convenience. You can access it via the button below.

Tomorrow’s the big day! Our annual Trunk-or-Treat event will take place tomorrow from 2:00–2:45 p.m. in the parking lot off the main entrance.

If you did not RSVP in advance, please stop by the front office to have a visitor badge printed before attending. If you RSVP’d and included a guest who has never been to PCK, please remind them to bring their ID, as they’ll also need a badge printed upon arrival.

We’re in the final push for candy donations to make sure every student enjoys the festivities. If you’re able, please drop off a bulk-sized variety bag of candy at the front office. Any contribution is greatly appreciated.

A quick reminder that costumes must follow the guidelines shared in previous newsletters. If you’d like to double check, last week’s newsletter includes a refresher on our costume standards.

To view the costume parade schedule shared earlier this week, simply click the button below. Families should use this schedule to gauge when they can expect to see their student(s) out at Trunk-or-Treat. This parade takes place throughout the school and precedes students entering Trunk-or-Treat. Students in 7th and 8th grade do not participate in the costume parade.

Our invitation to the Veterans Day Breakfast on Tuesday, November 11 remains open to all veterans and active-duty service members within the PCK community. We warmly encourage all families with veterans and/or service members to join us. If you haven’t already filled out our RSVP, please do so using the button below.

As part of our celebration, we invite students to complete and submit their My Hero Interview Sheet. This is an opportunity to interview a veteran in their life who serves as an inspiration. These completed interviews should be returned to the front office by Thursday, November 6, and will be displayed in tribute to our veterans. Sheets will come home today in K–5 Thursday Folders, and are also available for printing via the button below.

We are also seeking volunteers to donate breakfast items for our guests of honor. Only 13 volunteers are needed to make this special morning possible. If you’re able to contribute, please sign-up and drop-off your donated items by 7:45 a.m. on the morning of the breakfast.

Thank you for helping us make this event a meaningful celebration of those who have served our country.

We’d like to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate two PCK students on an impressive achievement outside the classroom. Second grader Aaryan Dindukurthy and fifth grader Chase Neuman recently earned first place team honors in the 2025–26 DSC Series.

The DSC Series is a competitive chess tournament that brings together players from across Colorado to vie for the title of top players in their respective divisions. Aaryan and Chase demonstrated remarkable talent, taking home first place, not once, but twice in the Unrated 4-6 Division. They will continue to compete at the next series tournament in November.

Congratulations to Aaryan and Chase on this exceptional accomplishment and for showcasing the talent, dedication, and excellence that define PCK students both in and out of school.

Once upon a time, there was an extraordinary girl, sensitive and brilliant, named Matilda. This fall, our theatre department is proud to present Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. on Saturday, November 22. There will be two performances that day, the first at 11:30 a.m. and the second at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online using the button below. Please note that seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot.

is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by:

Music Theatre International

423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

Phone: (212) 541-4684 Fax: (212) 397-4684

www.MTIShows.com

Parents, we continue to enjoy having you join us in the lunchroom to share a meal with your student. These visits are a wonderful way to connect during the school day while supporting the positive and focused learning environment we value here at PCK.

As a friendly reminder, soda is not permitted in the lunchroom for any student, at any grade level, even when brought from home. This helps us to maintain nutritional standards.

Additionally, when visiting for lunch, please remember that your visit is limited to the lunchroom area. We kindly ask that all lunch visitors remain at the table outside of the cafeteria, and do not visit classrooms or other areas of the school.

Lastly, we are now prepared to receive volunteers in our lunchroom. If you would like to sign-up to help in the lunchroom, you can sign-up via the button below, or through the Volunteer section on our website.

First round of open enrollment for the 2026-27 school year opens on Monday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. and will close on Monday, December 1 at 4:00 p.m.

Please note that any students who wish to attend their neighborhood middle school must file an intent to return form by Saturday, January 10.

If your 8th grader will attend a public high school other than your neighborhood school, you must submit an open enrollment application.

For more information, please access the DCSD Open Enrollment website via the button below.

We are continuing our search for a qualified candidate to join our team as an Accounting and Human Resources Coordinator.

In the past, your referrals and recommendations have been key in helping us find individuals who share our school’s values and commitment to supporting our students.

If you or someone you know may be interested in this opportunity, please click the button below to view the full job posting and submit an application.

Currently, the 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.

Please note that all PCK clubs do not meet on early dismissal days.

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.

Butter Braid sales will close soon! Butter Braids can be purchased up until November 6. You can order Butter Braids online, or through a physical order form. If you plan on purchasing through the physical order form, you must turn in the form by November 6.

To get started online, please register your student. Once registration is complete, you'll receive a confirmation email. Butter Braids will be delivered by November 13.

Click the button below to complete your registration, and then place your order.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 12 at 8:15 am in the MS Commons. This meeting will have a virtual option, and the link will be posted in the newsletter the week prior.

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 wanted to recognize the incredible contributions of all the volunteers who helped with our Hearing and Vision Testing.

Each year, free hearing and vision screenings are given to students in kindergarten through 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades, as well as new students in 4th, 6th, and 8th grades. These screenings play an essential role in identifying students who may need additional hearing or vision support. Ensuring that every child can fully engage and succeed in the classroom begins with healthy hearing and vision.

This year, 23 dedicated volunteers came together to make these screenings possible. It truly takes a village to serve our students in this way, and we could not offer this important service without your time, care, and commitment.

Thank you to each and every volunteer who gave up part of their day to help. Your efforts make a lasting difference in the lives of our students, and we are so grateful for all that you do!