PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear PCK Families,

This week, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the vital role literacy plays in every child’s education. In recognition of Read Across America Week, a nationwide celebration that begins on the birthday of Dr. Seuss, we’re reminded of the powerful impact reading has on young minds. This special week highlights the importance of literacy and the essential role it plays in brain development and academic success.

Research consistently shows that reading is fundamental to a child’s verbal and cognitive growth. Beyond building vocabulary and comprehension skills, reading strengthens listening abilities, expands language development, and supports confident communication. For these reasons, we continue to place an even greater emphasis on literacy in our classrooms.

Reading is important at every stage. From early readers discovering their first stories, to older children exploring new ideas and perspectives. Each stage builds upon the last, creating a lifelong foundation for learning. When children read regularly, they develop stronger critical thinking skills, improved focus, greater empathy, and a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

No matter a child’s age, reading opens doors. It strengthens the brain, fuels creativity, builds confidence, and lays the groundwork for future academic and personal success. By fostering a love of reading early and continuing to nurture it as children grow, we give them one of the most powerful tools to have as they continue on their educational journeys.

Warmly,

Dr. Leanne Weyman

Stephanie Harper

Breanna Warburton

Hello PCK Families,

In today’s Badge Brief, I wanted to talk about the safety and security of the school. As many of you know, schools across the state and country have begun hiring local police departments and Sheriff’s Offices to provide security. These officers are more commonly known as School Resource Officers (SROs).

As the SRO at PCK, my main priority is to provide safety and security for the school. While the world can present many challenges and unpredictable situations, law enforcement officers train to the best of their abilities to respond to the unexpected.

As you may have seen, PCK has had a couple of “Secure” events in recent weeks. I cannot go into full detail about each situation, but I can assure you that if your children are ever in any sort of direct danger, you will be notified. I also want to applaud the PCK staff and students for their alertness and situational awareness, as we all conform to the age old saying: “See something, say something.”

Stay safe,

Deputy Castillo

This week, we proudly celebrated Read Across America Week, a nationwide celebration of literacy that encourages young children to develop a love of reading while highlighting the many benefits and lifelong importance of literacy. Our preschoolers joined in the fun with the support of PCK students and staff.

To kick off the celebration, our 3rd grade students visited the preschool, where they were paired with reading buddies. Together, they shared stories, made meaningful connections, and helped inspire a love of reading in their younger peers. To keep the celebration going, throughout the week PCK staff members visited and served as guest readers in different classrooms.

Literacy is a cornerstone of a PCK education, and we encourage all families to continue nurturing a love of reading at home to further support the growth happening in our classrooms.

Nominations are now open for the Colorado Teacher of the Year Award! This honor recognizes one outstanding teacher from across the state who demonstrates exceptional dedication, leadership in the classroom, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact on students’ learning and growth.

If there is an PCK educator you would like to recognize, we encourage you to submit a nomination by clicking the button below. Every nomination is incredibly meaningful to us and helps show our educators how much their hard work and dedication are appreciated.

Nominations close for this award on Friday, March 20, and take only a few minutes to complete.

This past week, our 4th grade students had the exciting opportunity to visit the History Colorado Center! The museum celebrates and showcases all things Colorado. From what life was like for early settlers and Indigenous peoples to memorabilia from Colfax Avenue.

This field trip helps students deepen their understanding and appreciation of the place they call home, while also seeing how life has changed over time to shape the world they live in today. As the culminating experience of their Colorado history unit, the visit brings classroom lessons to life and gives students the chance to learn directly from experts on Colorado’s rich and diverse history.

Pi Day is back!

This fun celebration is a great way to combine learning about the mathematical concept of Pi as an irrational number with a sweet treat, helping students connect this lesson to a memorable experience. Our celebration will take place during math classes next Friday, March 13.

Each grade level requires different types of pies, supplies, and volunteers to make this enriching event a success. Please click the button below to see what is needed for your student’s grade level. If you plan to donate pies or cookies, please remember that absolutely no nuts are allowed.

Thank you for helping make Pi Day both educational and fun!

We are offering a PCK Safety Meeting for any interested community members who would like more information about PCK’s Standard Response Protocol and the procedures in place to ensure student safety.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 11 at 9:00 a.m. in the MS Commons. If you plan to attend, we kindly ask that you complete the RSVP form in advance. This will help us prepare appropriately for the number of guests expected.

You can access the RSVP form below. RSVPs will close on Monday, March 9 at 4:00 p.m.

We look forward to bringing our community together for this important conversation.

Registration for our K-5 Spirit Camp is now open!

This exciting camp gives students the chance to learn and practice a routine alongside our Spirit Team, with a special performance at the boys volleyball game on Wednesday, March 25.

Campers will receive a Spirit Camp t-shirt as part of their registration fee, which can also be worn on PCK Spirit Days.

Camp Dates & Times

• March 23 & 24: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

• March 25: 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Don’t miss out on our final K-5 Spirit Camp of the year! Click the button below to register your student today.

Girls soccer tryouts will take place immediately after Spring Break on March 23 and 24 from 3:15-4:35 p.m. on the PCK Field. As these tryouts will be held outdoors, dates are weather permitting and may be adjusted if necessary.

If your student would like to participate, a completed waiver form is required prior to tryouts. The waiver can be accessed using the button below. Students without a completed waiver on file will not be permitted to try out.

Additional registration forms will be required for students who are offered a spot on this year’s team after Friday, March 27.

Please remember that our athletics programs are offered exclusively to our students in grades 6-8.

We would like to inform all families that the Late Testing Lab will be cancelled on Wednesday, March 11.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If your student intends to go to Late Testing Lab on this day, they should be picked up at their regular carpool time.

We are currently seeking a new team member to join our school as an Accounting and Human Resources Coordinator. If you have a background in accounting, are detail oriented with strong time management skills, and are interested in contributing to the culture of excellence that PCK strives to achieve, we encourage you to review the position posting below.

In addition, we have several other opportunities available for the 2026-27 school year, which can be found on our website.

Since returning from winter break, our lost and found has gradually filled up. Please encourage your student to check the lost and found to see if any of the unclaimed items belong to them. Any items remaining at the start of spring break will be donated.

Thank you to everyone who signed up to donate snacks for our students during the upcoming CMAS testing window! To make sure every student has a snack during their testing period, we still need over 50 boxes of individually wrapped snacks.

To make donating easier for our families, we’ve created a curated Amazon Wishlist. All purchased snacks can be shipped directly to the school, making the process simple and convenient. Just click the button below to view and shop from the wishlist.

Registration for our spring clubs is still open! All clubs still have registration availability at the time of this week's newsletter publication.

Our spring clubs will run from March 23-April 23, and registration will close this coming Monday, March 9. Please pay close attention to the dates, times, and locations that your student's club meets in when completing their registration.

If you would like to view the full schedule of what clubs meet on what day, you can click the button below.

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

Meeting Location: Room 201

Grades: 2-4

Session 2 is when you will be able to create your own products and run a booth at our PCK Student Marketplace event. What will your business be? (Families will be responsible for purchasing necessary supplies for their products)

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

Meeting Location: Room 201

Grades: 5-8

Session 2 is hands-on. You will develop your ideas, create products, and sell them at our PCK Student Marketplace event. Are you ready to be an entrepreneur? (Families will be responsible for purchasing necessary supplies for their products)

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

Meeting Location: Science Lab

Grades: 4-8

Turn "trash" into treasure and chaos into clockwork! Re-Inventors Lab is a hands-on club for students in grades 4-8 who love to build, break, and create. We blend the precision of science with the messy fun of art to tackle big challenges using everyday recycled materials.

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

Meeting Location: Science Lab

Grades: K-1

Giggles and Glitter Club is a fun and creative club for kindergarten and first grade students where imagination shines and smiles are guaranteed! Students will explore art, movement, and playful activities that build creativity, boost confidence, strengthen friendships, and spread lots of joy. Through intentional creative tasks, interactive games, and fun stories, children will strengthen self-expression, practice perseverance and risk-taking, and learn together to laugh and shine!

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

Meeting Location: Room 120

Grades: 1-2

Math Club is for all math levels and will focus on the joy of hands-on, high-energy math. 1st and 2nd graders will enjoy the power of learning through play, building, and exploring, while strengthening their essential math skills.

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

Meeting Location: Room 123A

Grades: 2-5

Unleash your creativity and join our Minecraft Club, designed specifically for builders in grades 2-5, this is your chance to explore epic worlds and level up your crafting skills while learning cool new tips and tricks from your fellow players. Here we'll build a community of friends ready to collaborate and create. Grab your pickaxe and sign up today!

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 are excited to introduce you to our PCK Palooza & Auction Sponsors!

Thank you to the amazing PCK families who own businesses and generously support our school as event sponsors. Their contributions help make events like The PCK Palooza possible and strengthen our PCK community.

2026 PCK Palooza & Auction Sponsors:

Santortas Mexican Sandwich Shop - Santana-Roman Family

SNR Contractors & Associates, Inc - Sal & Deisy Navarro

JALICO Construction - Juan & Liz Camarena

@ The Office Parker - Juan & Liz Camarena

Back 40 Acres, LLC - Buswell Family

Con-Tek Marketing, LLC - Buswell Family

Angry Chicken - Thanneru Family

Canyon Ridge Pediatric Dentistry - Thomas Family

JockSmith Family Foundation - Smith Family

Take a moment to watch, celebrate our sponsors, and see the incredible families who help make PCK events a reality!

The PTO Board would like to give a huge shout-out and heartfelt thank you to the volunteers who brought the 2026 Father–Daughter Dance to life — Shiloh Robertson, Shannon Carreiro, Tara Brown, and Chelsea Spika. Taking on an event of this size is no small task, and you absolutely rocked it! Your creativity and dedication turned this evening into something truly special for our PCK families.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to our incredible community volunteers who generously gave their time on Friday — Ashley Hinkle, Alissa Davis, Olga Schirmer, Sarika Ramini, Monique Nobil, Allison Paul, Amber Dedus, Diane DeNio, Kamal Malik, and Christina Moan. This event would not have been possible without you!

Finally, we are so grateful to all the fathers and daughters who joined us on Friday evening and made it such a joyful and memorable celebration. Thank you all for being part of such a wonderful night! Please visit the Parker Core Knowledge PTO Facebook for images.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 11 at 8:15 a.m. 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.

For this week’s Volunteer Spotlight, we’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the drivers who supported last week’s middle school field trip!

Students from the cameo and lead choirs preparing for our spring production of Tuck Everlasting traveled to Valor Christian High School to experience their theatre department’s performance of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This special opportunity allowed our students to see PCK alumni performing on stage and to imagine how they might incorporate new techniques and skills into their own production.

A sincere thank you to our volunteer drivers, Candice Head-Dylla, Diane DeNio, Mic Pettinato, Gretchen Halker, Joanna Sears, and Dan Sharpe, for generously giving their time to make this educational enrichment experience possible. We are so grateful for your support and the care you show our students!