PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear Families,

As we continue working to support literacy at home and cultivate students who love to read, we are excited to share an important update regarding summer reading expectations for our elementary students.

Beginning this year, our elementary program will move to a required summer reading list, aligning with the expectations already in place in our intermediate and middle school grades. This shift reflects our commitment to building strong reading habits and ensuring students return to school ready to engage with grade-level content.

For students entering Kindergarten through 5th grade, this will look like:

• A curated list of 5 novels

• Each student will be expected to choose and engage with 3 books over the summer

Reading expectations will vary slightly by grade level:

• Lower Elementary (incoming K–3): Students should have these books read to them to support comprehension, vocabulary development, and a love of storytelling.

• Upper Elementary (incoming Grades 4–5): Students are expected to independently read their selected novels.

• Grades 4 and above: Summer reading will serve as the first ELA grade of the school year, helping teachers quickly assess comprehension and readiness.

For students entering grades 6-8, your lists and assignment details will be provided to you by your ELA teacher as we close out this school year.

We encourage families to make summer reading a positive and consistent part of your routine. Whether it’s reading together at bedtime, listening to stories during travel, or setting aside quiet reading time each day, your support plays a vital role in your child’s success.

Keep an eye out for future communication regarding the full reading lists for each grade. We are working with our local bookstore, Books are Awesome, to order copies of these novels for families to purchase, and we will be holding a PCK week to make these easily available to your family. More information to come!

Thank you for partnering with us to foster strong readers and lifelong learners.

Warmly,

Dr. Leanne Weyman

Breanna Warburton

Stephanie Harper

Congratulations PCK!

PCK has once again been recognized as a John Irwin School of Excellence, an honor awarded by the Colorado Department of Education to schools that exceed expectations and demonstrate outstanding performance in math, language arts, and science.

This continued recognition reflects the dedication of our students, the commitment of our staff, and the unwavering support of our community. Sustaining this level of excellence requires ongoing focus and intention, and it speaks to the high standards our school consistently upholds.

PCK has now won this award every year since its inception in 2001. Join us in celebrating this achievement as we continue to cultivate critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and future leaders.

Colorado Parent Magazine has opened nominations for its annual Family Favorites awards, and schools are now eligible! PCK can be nominated in several categories, including Favorite Charter Elementary School, Favorite Charter Middle School, Favorite Charter Elementary School Principal, and Favorite Charter Middle School Principal.

Nominations are open through Friday, May 15, and submitting a vote takes just a minute. Simply click the button below, select the "Schooled" category, confirm your email address, and enter Parker Core Knowledge for Favorite Charter Elementary or Middle School. You can also nominate Breanna Warburton for Favorite Elementary School Principal and Stephanie Harper for Favorite Middle School Principal.

Voters can make a nomination once per day through the deadline, and participation isn’t limited to PCK families, extended family and friends are welcome to join in as well. Show your school pride and help support PCK in this year’s awards!

This week, our students have been celebrating Earth Week through a variety of hands-on activities led by guest presenters. They explored soil science, learning about the pH scale and its relevance to Parker soil with guidance from Colorado Master Gardeners. Students also examined the concept of a water footprint and discussed the importance of recycling, conservation, and environmental restoration through the Forestry Service.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide these meaningful learning experiences. Thank you to our guest presenters for sharing their time and expertise, and for enriching our students’ educational journeys with engaging, real-world insights.

This week, our 2nd graders participated in an Immigration Simulation. Through this experience, students explored what it was like to immigrate to the United States, gaining a deeper understanding of the journeys and challenges faced by those who came here in search of new opportunities.

Throughout the unit, students learned about the important role immigration has played in shaping the history of the United States. They focused especially on the great wave of immigration between 1880 and 1920, examining why people left their home countries and how they decided where to settle once they arrived.

This experience helped students develop a stronger appreciation for the shared values and principles that continue to unite us as a nation.

Congratulations to our middle school students whose artwork has been selected for display at the DCSD Art Show! Their pieces will be exhibited at the DCSD Legacy Campus from now through Wednesday, April 29. Viewing hours vary throughout the week, please click the button below to see the full schedule.

We also invite all PCK families to attend the Artist Open House Reception on Monday, April 27, from 3:00-5:30 p.m., where you can enjoy the students’ work in person. Below is the complete list of students whose artwork is featured in this show.

Charley Heidrick

Avery Duran

Grace Banwart

Cameron Eravelly

Aadhya Lingam

Peyton Golter

Reagan DeNio

Anayah Williams

Reid Stef

Haasya Chigurapati

Elizabeth Klein

Aarna Verma

Yianni Kallergis

Liliana Sharpe

Zach Larson

Ryley Grosz

Elise Falkenberg

Markus McReynolds

Mia Johnson

Naomi Rawson

Ali Kessel

Sharvanni Malot

Max Baird

Ella Banwart

Cassie Thomas

Veronica Magay

School Tool Boxes are now available for purchase for the 2026-27 school year. These convenient, pre-packaged kits include all the supplies your student will need for their upcoming grade level. Each box can be customized, you can add extra items or remove anything you don’t need, and everything will be shipped directly to your home. If you’re looking for an easy way to get your child’s school supplies ready, this is a great option.

Supply lists are also now available if you prefer to shop for items individually over the coming months. Whichever option you choose, please be sure to select supplies based on the grade level your student will be entering, not their current grade.

Both School Tool Box purchases and supply lists can be accessed through the buttons below.

This is a reminder that Tuesday, April 28 is the final day to purchase yearbooks for the 2025-26 school year. After this deadline, no additional orders or extensions will be available.

Ordering a yearbook is simple. Just click the button below, log in to your parent account (or create one if you’re new), and choose between a hardcover or softcover option for your student.

If you’re setting up a parent account for the first time, please use PCK’s school code 1015343699083637 to link your account to our school.

Our final athletics camp of the 2025-26 school year is here! The K-5 Girls Soccer Camp will take place on Tuesday, April 28, from 3:15-4:35 p.m. on the PCK Field. Each camper will receive a complimentary t-shirt as part of the experience, which can be worn on PCK Spirit Days.

Campers will have the opportunity to work alongside our experienced players and coaching staff, building fundamental skills in supportive environment.

Don’t forget that Educational Outfitters’ spring sale ends next Thursday, April 30. Enjoy 15% off all uniform items across their entire catalog, with the discount automatically applied at checkout with no code required to receive this discount.

Ticket sales are still open for our 2026 Spring Musical, Tuck Everlasting! Performances will be held on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, with showtimes at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. each day.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased using the link below.

If you have a student performing in Tuck Everlasting, you are welcome to purchase flower arrangements or chocolate bouquets which will be delivered at the performance. Proceeds from these flower sales will go back to benefitting the 8th Grade Graduation. You can purchase flowers or chocolate in advance through the button below.

Please note that Homework Club is open again this week!

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

Meeting Location: Room 115

Grades: 3-6

At this club students will have the opportunity to work on their homework while a teacher is there to guide them through their work. Registration for Homework Club can be completed below, and will be open throughout the remainder of the school year.

We are pleased to share the results of our recent Board of Directors election. Congratulations to Sandeep Reddy on being elected as PCK’s newest board member with 46% of the total vote. His diverse professional background and experience will be a valuable addition to our school, and we look forward to the contributions he will make in the years ahead.

We would also like to thank all of the candidates who participated in this election. Your willingness to serve and your commitment to the future of our school are truly valued.

In addition, we are grateful to everyone who took the time to vote. Your input plays an important role in shaping the direction and decisions of PCK.

A reserved PCK parking spot could be yours…

The ultimate PCK perk will be auctioned live this Saturday and you have to be there to win it. Don’t miss your chance… grab your Palooza tickets now!

In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our silent auction before it closes on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.—new items have been added! Every bid supports PCK, and anyone can participate.

From unforgettable teacher-led experiences for your kids to fun date nights, signed sports memorabilia, and exclusive perks—we’ve got something for everyone!

Be sure to keep an eye out for the 2025-26 End-of-Year Parent Satisfaction Survey, which will be released in the near future. This important tool is designed to gather valuable feedback from our community on all aspects of PCK.

The survey will be released in the coming weeks, and we strongly encourage every family to participate and answer as many questions as possible. Your responses help guide meaningful improvements across our school community.

Survey results will be reviewed and discussed during our next SAC meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at 8:15 a.m. As always, if you have any questions about the SAC or would like to bring forward any topics for discussion, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at SAC@ckcs.net.

For this week’s Volunteer Spotlight, we are proud to highlight the outstanding contributions of our Foundation members. They have dedicated countless hours to bringing this event to life, taking on the significant task of coordinating every detail. From vetting vendors to organizing basket donations, along with many other responsibilities that must be completed before the big day arrives.

We would especially like to recognize Pam Whitehorn, Melissa Prentice, Lauren Penner, and Sam Thompson for their leadership and efforts in organizing this event. Their hard work helps create a meaningful opportunity for our community to come together, celebrate our school, and strengthen the relationships that make it so special.

PCK is truly a unique place, and we are incredibly grateful for the parent volunteers who give their time and energy to support and sustain our core values.

Thank you to the Foundation for your dedication and commitment to our school.