PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear PCK Families,

Over the past few weeks, in celebration of National School Choice Week, we’ve been collecting testimonials from our students. During this time, we’ve been incredibly moved by the outpouring of support for PCK, as students shared what they love most about their school experience. Several common themes emerged from their feedback.

First and foremost, our students love their teachers. They frequently cite their teachers’ kindness and their ability to guide and support them as key reasons they enjoy coming to school each day. Some students even shared that they don’t want to miss a single day because they enjoy learning so much. We applaud our teachers for creating an environment where learning is both engaging and enjoyable which is no small feat. When teachers achieve this, it allows our curriculum to truly resonate with students and helps drive their success.

Another recurring theme was our students’ appreciation for their classmates. We take great pride in our school community, where students are encouraged to build meaningful relationships that support their social and emotional well-being. As these friendships grow, we often see students practicing the positive character traits highlighted each month, such as respect, empathy, gratitude, honesty, and cooperation. Alongside their outstanding academic achievements, we are proud to be nurturing young, kind leaders who embody these values every day.

Thank you for choosing PCK as your school, whether this is your first year with us or your ninth. If you’d like to read all of the student testimonials we’ve received so far, please click the button below.

With appreciation,

Dr. Leanne Weyman

Breanna Warburton

Stephanie Harper

This week, PCK hosted its 2026 Spelling Bee, featuring 18 talented contestants from grades 4-8. Each year, PCK selects one student to represent our school at the district spelling bee, with the opportunity to advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This year’s competition was especially exciting, stretching into double-digit rounds as contestants showcased their skill and determination. After an impressive showing by all participants, Ren Gandolph emerged victorious by correctly spelling claustrophobic.

We extend our congratulations to all of the students who competed in this year’s spelling bee. Your dedication, perseverance, and academic excellence were on full display. Events like the spelling bee highlight not only our students’ strong language skills, but also their ability to think critically, remain composed under pressure, and demonstrate the well-rounded excellence that defines PCK students.

This week, our fifth-grade students stepped back in time during their Renaissance Fair, bringing history to life through hands-on learning and creative exploration. Students became experts in specialized stations highlighting various aspects of the Renaissance, including theatre, music, art, food, blacksmithing, clothing, and the apothecary, among others. Through research, collaboration, and presentation, students demonstrated their understanding in meaningful and engaging ways.

This interdisciplinary event aligned with the 5th Grade Core Knowledge Standards, including Reading, Writing, and Communicating (5th Grade 1.2.2; 5th Grade 3.7.2), Music (5th Grade 4.8.2), and Social Studies (5th Grade 2.4.2), allowing students to apply academic skills across content areas while deepening their historical understanding.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the parents and family members who attended the fair. Your presence and encouragement played a vital role in students’ success. When students feel supported and valued, they gain confidence in their knowledge and pride in their work. Listening attentively to their presentations and engaging with their learning not only validated their efforts but also emboldened their curiosity, motivation, and passion for learning. Your support transforms experiences like the Renaissance Fair into lasting, meaningful educational moments.

Coming up in February, we invite our community members to join us for Coffee With the Director. This event offers an opportunity for open, respectful, and constructive conversation with Dr. Weyman, where participants can ask questions, share feedback, and learn more about how we support the diverse needs of our students.

Through our strong partnerships with families and staff, we are continually seeking ways to strengthen our school and better align our work with our mission and vision. Coffee With the Director will take place on Thursday, February 26 at 9:00 a.m. To attend, please complete the RSVP by clicking the button below.

Parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner and will take place on Tuesday, February 10, and Wednesday, February 11. As always, families will receive an email with a link to sign up for conference times. This email will be sent on Wednesday, February 4, at 5:00 p.m. Please note that conference sign-ups will close 48 hours before conferences begin.

During conference week, Homework Club will be canceled, and all after-school activities, including Tuck Everlasting rehearsals, will not be held. Champions Aftercare will begin earlier than its usual start time on both Tuesday and Wednesday, as these will be early-release days.

There are several opportunities available to get involved and work at PCK! At this time, we are seeking candidates for an additional Preschool Assistant Teacher and Tier Two Interventionist to join our staff.

As always, we look first to our community when filling open positions. We believe the best way to find individuals who share the values and mission of our school is by reaching out to those who already believe in and support these ideals.

If you or someone you know may be interested in either of these positions, feel free to click the button below to learn more.

To accommodate any students who have been unable to submit their 8th grade portrait, we will be extending the submission deadline for portraits to Saturday, February 21. Please remember the portrait guidelines for these photos:

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 and Quality: Approximately 2"x2" with a resolution of 300 dpi.

You can submit your 8th grade student’s portrait through Treering, which is accessible through the button below.

Don’t forget to purchase your student’s yearbook for the 2025-26 school year! Since our newsletter last week, we’ve added several teachers who were not originally listed in the purchasing section. If your student’s teacher was missing when you tried to order a yearbook last week, we encourage you to check again this week.

Please remember that the deadline to purchase yearbooks is April 28. If this is your first time ordering, you’ll need to create an account using PCK’s unique school code, 1015343699083637, before purchasing a yearbook for your student.

You can purchase yearbooks through the button below.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who have already signed up to help meet our CMAS snack needs! We are still in need of just over 100 boxes of individually wrapped snacks (24 per box) to ensure that every student testing is supported with snacks on our testing days.

CMAS is an important assessment for our school, as it helps us measure student academic progress. Research consistently shows that when students are hungry, they have greater difficulty with focus and self-regulation, which can negatively impact both their learning experience and performance.

We would greatly appreciate your support in helping us reach this goal by donating snacks that will be distributed to students throughout the testing day.

We are still searching for volunteers to assist with the setup of our Art Show! Volunteer shifts are just a few hours at a time on 1/27, 1/29, 2/3, and 2/5. You can sign up for as few, or as many shifts as you would like. Your support will help us bring this show to life, and support our students' artistic efforts.

Our Dodgeball Tournament is back for the 2025-26 school year! This tournament will take place on Friday, February 6 from 3:45-5:45 p.m.

Each student must complete an individual registration through MySchoolBucks. This registration is for one player only and must be completed before joining a team. Once a player and their teammates have all completed the individual registration, they may then submit the team registration form.

The tournament is open exclusively to students in grades 5-8. Teams may include up to five players, though teams are welcome to participate with fewer players if they choose.

To help students stay on track during the second half of the year, we are pleased to bring back National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Homework Help.

Homework Help provides students with a dedicated space to work on their homework after school, supported by PCK’s NJHS students who are available to assist with their studies. NJHS Homework Help will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:10–3:45 p.m. More details can be found by clicking the button below.

If your student needs to leave a club early, please have them report to their regular carpool location on the day they will be picked up early. Our staff are unable to accommodate early student pick-ups outside of normal school hours. Our goal is always to ensure all of our students get home safely and on time, and we appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us achieve this standard.

Meeting Dates: Monday-Thursdays, 3:20-4:15 p.m.

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.

We need your creative touch to coordinate and assemble grade level auction baskets for our gala and auction in April. If you can spare a little time to help gather items or put baskets together, we'd love your support. We are looking for one or two coordinators per grade and would like all grade level parents to participate.

As a Grade Level Basket Coordinator you will be expected to:

• Select a theme for your basket: Choose a fun and engaging theme for the grade level basket that will attract bidders.
• Collect basket items: Coordinate with parents and the school community to gather donations for the basket. This may involve reaching out for specific items or suggestions based on the theme.
• Track donations: Keep an organized list of items donated for the basket to ensure all contributions are accounted for and nothing is duplicated or used.
• Assemble and decorate the basket: Organize and assemble the donated items into a visually appealing display, ensuring everything fits neatly and is well-presented.
• Communicate with volunteers: Coordinate with other volunteers to ensure the basket is assembled on time and to make sure all necessary tasks are completed.
• Submit basket: Make sure the completed basket is ready and delivered at the designated drop-off on time, adhering to all deadlines.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 11 at 8:15 a.m. in the MS Commons. This meeting will have a virtual option, which can be found in the newsletter the week before this meeting.

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 Renee Derrick and the 8th Grade Graduation Committee for their outstanding dedication and service. This year, the committee launched an ongoing fundraising effort to support the graduating class by selling concessions at all PCK athletic home games. Through their consistent and selfless commitment, the team has worked tirelessly for the benefit of our 8th grade students, with all proceeds going directly toward graduation expenses.

Beyond fundraising, the concession team has truly gone above and beyond by taking the time after each home game to collect trash and ensure our facilities are left even better than they found them. Their care, teamwork, and pride in our community are evident in everything they do.

Thank you to Renee Derrick and all of the volunteers who have supported the concession stand throughout the year. Your volunteerism is what makes our community so special. Your generosity and dedication to enhancing the student experience are both inspiring and deeply appreciated. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.