PCK Weekly Newsletter

Dress Down Day

High School Information Night (5:00 p.m.)

Fall Festival (4:00 p.m.)

Foundation Meeting (8:30 a.m.)

Parent Teacher Conferences (Early Dismissal)

Parent Teacher Conferences (Early Dismissal)

Fall Break

SAC Meeting (8:15 a.m.)

PTO Meeting (6:00 p.m.)

Dear PCK Families,

It was such a pleasure to see so many of you at our Fund Run! I truly enjoyed connecting with students, families, and staff and sharing in the excitement of the day. The energy, enthusiasm, and sense of community were a wonderful reminder of what makes PCK such a special place.

Some of my conversations throughout the day brought up questions about the roles and responsibilities of our administrative team. Having been part of the PCK community for over a decade, I’ve had the opportunity to see how our leadership structure has evolved over the years. I believe it’s important for our families and staff to understand how we work together and where responsibilities are held, so I wanted to take a moment to provide some clarity.

I work closely with our Academic Directors/Principals on all matters related to PCK. We are a collaborative leadership team that communicates regularly, working together to make decisions in the best interest of our students, staff, and families. While we work closely together, each member of the team also has distinct areas of responsibility and accountability.

When questions or concerns arise about your student, we ask that you begin by reaching out directly to their classroom teacher. If additional support is needed or your concern remains unresolved, the next step is to connect with the Academic Director/Principal for your student’s grade. I am always available for ongoing concerns that need additional attention, as well as broader, school-wide questions. We want to ensure you know where to turn and feel supported throughout the process.

The School Director has primary responsibility for:

• Organizational leadership
• Board relations
• Financial oversight
• Personnel
• Organizational and school culture
• Compliance
• External and community relations
• Executive decision-making

Our Academic Directors/Principals have primary responsibility for:

• Instructional leadership
• Teacher supervision
• Curriculum implementation
• Student achievement and growth
• School culture and student discipline
• Day-to-day academic operations

These distinctions are important, but they should not be interpreted to mean that our leadership operates in isolation. Strong schools depend on close collaboration between organizational and academic leadership, and I am committed to working closely with Breanna Warburton and Stephanie Harper to ensure that we are aligned, communicating effectively, and making decisions in the best interests of our students and school community.

The goal of the leadership team is the same as yours: to provide our students with an exceptional education within a school community where students, families, and staff feel valued, supported, and connected.

Thank you,

Heather Newbrough, School Director

Dear PCK families,

Hello! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be writing in the Badge Brief again. I’ve missed PCK so much and as I keep telling the kids, I was so bored without them! I’m so thankful to the other deputies who looked out for the school while I was gone, but I’m definitely excited to be back.

For those of you who are new to the community this year, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Deputy Lauren Sandifer and I was PCK’s School Resource Officer here in the '24-'25 school year and then the first half of last year.

I’ve been in law enforcement since 2007 and started my career as an SRO in 2015. I love connecting with the kids and being active in the community so you will likely see me out at drop off and pick up and at school events. I always carry stickers with me for kids to win with Rock, Paper, Scissors just in case you hear about that.

If you have any questions or have any concerns you would like to discuss with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email at the school is SRO@ckcs.net. I am also available to speak with you at the school, I just ask that you check in with the front desk first.

I look forward to seeing everyone!

Stay healthy, happy, and safe,

Deputy Sandifer

Our 2026 Fund Run is officially in the books! With over 600 spectators, countless staff participants, and an incredible group of volunteers, our school was buzzing with energy, all in support of raising funds for our school community.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out and supported this special event, whether through donations, volunteering, or simply cheering us on. Your support helps make the Fund Run such a meaningful tradition for our school.

Thank you for helping make the 2026 Fund Run such a fun and memorable success!

DCSD Apple Award nominations for this school year are now open!

As always, we invite our families to nominate a staff member who has made a meaningful difference in your life or your child’s experience at our school. You are welcome to nominate any staff member, and you may submit as many nominations as you would like.

The nomination process is quick and easy, taking just a few minutes to complete. These nominations are a wonderful way to recognize and affirm the dedication of our staff. They remind us that, just like our school, our staff strive for excellence in everything they do.

We encourage you to take a moment to recognize a staff member who has made a difference in your family’s experience at our school.

Our Parent Teacher Conferences are right around the corner! Conferences will take place on Wednesday, October 7, and Thursday, October 8.

Both days will be early dismissal days, with carpool pick-up times adjusted accordingly:

• First wave: 12:10 p.m. (from 3:10 p.m.)
• Second wave: 12:20 p.m. (from 3:20 p.m.)
• Third wave: 12:30 p.m. (from 3:30 p.m.)

Families will receive their conference sign-up information via email on Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 p.m. Please make sure the email address listed in your parent account is current and accurate so you receive the sign-up information.

As always for our 6th-8th grade families, we ask that you sign up for a conference only if you have concerns regarding your student’s grades or behavior.

Yearbook sales are now open!

If you purchase a yearbook before October, families will receive a 10% discount on their order.

If you already have a Treering account, simply log in and select the yearbook through the product selection tool. If you’re new to Treering, you’ll need to create an account using PCK’s unique school code: 1015343699083637.

This year families will be able to add custom pages to their student’s yearbook. These custom pages can be filled with any photos you choose that have been taken throughout the school year, or over the course of their time at PCK.

Don’t forget that our High School Information Night is coming up next week on Wednesday, September 30, from 5:00-6:30 p.m.!

This evening is exclusively for our 7th and 8th grade families and will provide an overview of the academic opportunities available to students after they depart from PCK. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the high school options available and begin exploring which school may be the right fit for your student.

No RSVP is required, Families are welcome to attend anytime between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m.

If you have a PCK student with a sibling who does not currently attend PCK, we kindly ask you to complete our K-8th Sibling Status form.

This form is intended for families with children currently enrolled at PCK who also have siblings on our waitlist. By completing it, you’ll help ensure that siblings of current students are given priority and moved to the top of our ever-growing waitlist.

We kindly ask eligible families to re-submit their sibling information using this form so we can keep our records accurate and make the process as smooth as possible. It’s quick and easy and takes just a couple of minutes to complete.

This form will be open from now until Tuesday, September 29 at 4:00 p.m.

Our campers had a great time getting to interact with our girls volleyball, boys soccer, and Spirit teams this week! Campers had the chance to learn the basics of what it takes to be part of a sports team at PCK, and learn their respective sports through fun activities and games.

We still have one camp open for registration which can be found below.

October 5 - 3:15-4:35 p.m.

Registration Closes: October 4 - 4:00 p.m.

These campers will have the chance to learn the basics of cross country through games, and obstacle courses. Campers will get to work with our middle school cross country team, and learn to love running through races and competitions! No prior experience with running is necessary.

Our winter sports season will begin shortly after the fall season wraps up, with both boys and girls basketball. Unlike in years past, these two seasons will not run concurrently and will instead take place at different times.

Please take a moment to review the tryout dates for both teams below and make note of the dates that apply to your student.

Tryout Dates - Monday, October 19, Tuesday, October 20 (3:15-4:35 p.m.)

Location - PCK Gym

Tryout Dates - Monday, January 11, Tuesday, January 12 (3:15-4:35 p.m.)

Location - PCK Gym

At this time, we only have one club open for registration, which is our Homework Club.

Meeting Dates: Monday-Thursdays, 3:20-4:15 p.m. (excluding half-days, and days when school is not in session)

Meeting Location: Room 115

Grades: 3-6

Homework Club is officially open for this 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. Registration for Homework Club can be completed below, and will be open throughout the remainder of the school year.

Yesterday, the Board of Directors met and heard from DCSD Executive Director of Schools for Choice Programming, Gordon Mosher. Gordon provided an overview of the upcoming 2026 MLO, which will appear on the November ballot. He also shared a breakdown of the proposed funding, including the $13 million of the $54 million MLO that would be invested in DCSD charter schools.

Heather Newbrough then presented the Director’s Report, highlighting recent community initiatives led by the school, PTO, and Foundation. She celebrated the success of the PTO’s Outdoor Movie Night and the Foundation’s annual Fund Run.

Other business discussed included moving the May 19 Board meeting to May 18, approving the 2027-28 Academic Calendar, making adjustments to the Director’s evaluation rubric, ongoing charter renewal efforts, and upcoming Board of Directors training.

The Board also recognized Pam Whitehorn with a Resolution of Appreciation in honor of her many years of service to the PCK Foundation. The resolution also recognized her efforts to strengthen the Foundation and better align its operations with the compliance requirements necessary to serve as the school’s fundraising arm.

The next Board of Directors meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m.

What an incredible day at the PCK Fund Run! Our students brought their biggest smiles, gave their best effort, and filled the day with plenty of fun. From running and cheering each other on to limbo, hula hoops, bubbles, and an unforgettable foam party, there was something for everyone to enjoy. We are so proud of every student who participated and gave it their all! ll. And thanks to the incredible generosity of our PCK community, we not only reached our fundraising goal—we exceeded it!

A huge mahalo to all of our amazing volunteers, families, and over 600 supporters who helped make the day possible. Thank you to everyone who cheered from the sidelines, volunteered their time, and donated to support PCK. Your generosity and school spirit make a meaningful difference to our students and our school community.

And the fun isn't over yet! Classroom celebration parties are already underway, and student prizes will be coming soon. Our middle school students also earned some exciting rewards, including an ice cream truck visit and a Sky Zone party! Dates for both middle school celebrations will be shared soon. Thank you for making this year's Fund Run such a memorable celebration of our incredible PCK community!

The PCK Fall Festival is Friday, October 2 at Lone Creek Farms, and discounted presale tickets are only available through September 30.

Don’t wait until the last minute—purchase your tickets now to save with presale pricing and get ready for an evening of fall fun with our PCK community.

Visit below to get your tickets!

Our next SAC meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 21 at 8:15 a.m. at PCK.

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 our school.

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.