PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dear PCK Families,

At Parker Core Knowledge, the safety of our students and staff is always a top priority. Creating a safe school environment is not the work of one person or one role—it truly takes all of us.

School safety is a team effort. When families, staff, students and our SRO work together, we create a culture where concerns are noticed, shared, and addressed early. This directly aligns with our motto this year of “One team. One Dream.” Our shared dream is a school where every child feels safe, supported, and ready to learn each day.

We want you to feel empowered that if you ever see or hear something that feels concerning, big or small, you report it. Trust your instincts. One of the best tools we have is Safe2Tell, a confidential way to report concerns related to safety, mental health, or potential harm. Reports can be made 24/7, and sharing information early can make a real difference.

Keeping our school safe is a responsibility we all share, and we are grateful to be part of such a caring, attentive community. Thank you for partnering with us, looking out for one another, and helping ensure PCK remains a safe place for all.

With appreciation,

Dr. Leanne Weyman

Hello PCK Families,

My first full week at PCK was wonderful, and I am genuinely excited to be part of this school community for the rest of the year. It is clear that Deputy Sandifer made a big difference for the students, and the strong relationships she built here are easy to see. I will do my best to continue that tradition, and I will also keep up the rock-paper-scissors games and stickers. I have already learned that I need to have plenty of neon stickers ready.

I look forward to working closely with the staff, students, and families while keeping up the strong safety standards PCK is known for. I am always working to improve my public safety skills and stay up to date on school security protocols. My goal is to make sure students feel safe, so they can learn, have fun, and just be kids.

All the best,

Deputy Castillo

Earlier this week, our kindergarten students had the special opportunity to visit the Arvada Center to attend a performance of Junie B. Jones. Experiencing a live theatrical production is an important part of early learning, as it allows young students to practice focused listening while building an understanding of drama and storytelling.

Through this hands-on experience, students strengthen essential literacy skills by identifying setting and plot, and by learning how stories are structured with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Attending a play also supports students in developing narrative language and the ability to retell stories in the proper sequence.

These comprehension skills extend beyond the stage and into reading and storytelling, helping students visualize stories as they listen. Exposure to live theater at a young age plays a key role in fostering imagination, engagement, and a lifelong love of reading.

Our theatre department recently had the unique opportunity to showcase its work for accomplished Colorado music educators at the annual Colorado Music Educators Conference.

The cast and crew of Tuck Everlasting performed for conference attendees, presenting character monologues that highlighted their acting skills while also sharing personal stories about the meaningful impact musical theatre has had on their education.

In addition, the PCK Theatre Department was represented at the conference by Mrs. Myers, who served as a guest clinician.

TUCK EVERLASTING is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com.

If you are considering a change of schools for the 2026-27 school year, we advise you complete our Intent to Return Form. This form helps us prepare for record transfers to your child’s new school, as well as other administrative steps required during the transition.

Please note that submitting this form does not constitute an official withdrawal from PCK. If your plans change and you decide to remain at PCK, completing the form will not affect your child’s enrollment status. Its purpose is simply to support a timely and smooth transition, should one be needed.

Families with students currently in 8th grade who will be transitioning to high school do not need to complete this form.

When you visit our building for parent-teacher conferences, be sure to cast your vote in our art show, Every Child is an Artist.

Student artwork will be displayed throughout the school from February 9-12. Each grade level will showcase a different project, and visitors are encouraged to vote in every grade level category.

The students whose artwork receives the most votes will earn a Best in Show award. Ballot boxes will be located at the school’s main entrance.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers who helped set up this event and made it possible to celebrate each student’s individual artistic accomplishments!

Help support our graduating 8th grade class! There are still many opportunities to reserve the PCK Spirit Rock during the second half of the school year.

All donations from Spirit Rock rentals during the 2025-26 school year will go to the 8th Grade Graduation to help fund the post-graduation celebration for our 8th grade students.

If you'd like to reserve the Spirit Rock, you can do so by clicking the button below.

One of our coaches for the 2025-26 school year has been recognized for outstanding leadership. Coach Estes has been named a 2025 Coach of the Year by the AEA Institute.

Throughout his time at PCK, Coach Estes has worked with boys volleyball, basketball, and soccer, most recently helping lead our boys basketball team to its first SMAC Championship since 2019. He was one of only six coaches in Colorado to receive this award.

If you see Coach Estes, please be sure to congratulate him on this well-deserved accomplishment.

Our Hoops for Hearts student staff basketball game returns for the 2025-26 school year on Thursday, February 12! Each year, our 8th grade students take the court to face off against staff members in a fun and friendly pick-up game that our school community looks forward to.

In conjunction with this game as part of our PE Kids Heart Challenge, students will also have the opportunity to support those battling cardiovascular disease by participating in a $1 dress down day. On February 11, students may donate $1 to enjoy a full dress down day, with all proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association.

Thank you for helping us raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health and for supporting this meaningful cause within our school community.

We are still looking for parent volunteers to serve as student job interviewers for our 5th and 6th grade AmeriTowne and International Towne visits.

Student interviews will take place on Friday, February 20, from 1:15-2:45 p.m., and we would greatly appreciate your support. Community members from all grade levels are welcome, as our goal is to give students the opportunity to practice interviewing with adults who bring professional real-world experience.

If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions, please contact Ms. Sitzmann via email at lsitzmann@ckcs.net.

Our tech department is offering students an additional opportunity to explore the world of technology through a Tech Camp on Tuesday, February 10, from 12:05-3:10 p.m. This camp is open to students in grades 3-5 and will give participants hands-on experience with block coding in Scratch, 3D design projects in Tinkercad, and programming Dash robots. Lunch will be provided.

We are extending the registration deadline for our dodgeball tournament to the end of today, Thursday, February 5!

Please note that this tournament is open exclusively to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. To register your student, click the button below and be sure to complete the team registration as well.

The tournament will take place this Friday, February 6 from 3:45-5:45 p.m.

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 is enrolled in one of our current clubs, please make sure they are also registered for our Champions after school program. This allows our staff to ensure students are safely supervised in the event you are unable to arrive at the scheduled pick-up time after the club ends.

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.

Please note that Homework Club will be cancelled for the week of Parent Teacher Conferences.

The PCK Palooza & Auction is a brand-new, school-wide fundraising event bringing our community together for a fun, interactive evening at the SportyPickle. Guests will enjoy games, music, food, and connection—all while supporting the important mission of providing our students with an academic advantage built on knowledge, skills, character and innovation.

Sponsorships offer a great way to promote your business while giving back to our school community. Learn more or contact the Foundation at thefoundation@ckcs.net.

Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 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 are proud to recognize Patty Sorenson for her outstanding contributions to our school community. Patty is always eager to get involved at PCK, especially in our lunchroom, where her dedication truly shines.

As a hands-on lunchroom volunteer, Patty works diligently to keep the space clean, organized, and welcoming, ensuring that our students can enjoy their lunches comfortably. She consistently goes above and beyond to support our busy lunchroom staff by helping to clean tables, distribute lunches, and stepping in wherever needed to keep things running smoothly.

Thank you, Patty, for being such a valued member of our school community. We sincerely appreciate all that you do.