PCK Weekly Newsletter

Hello PCK Families,

This year, PCK piloted a program to provide teachers with additional dedicated time for professional development, which is why six half-days were built into our 2025-26 academic calendar. Beginning next year, DCSD will adopt a similar approach by implementing delayed starts each Friday to support professional development for staff. After careful review of the progress made this year, we have decided to maintain our current half-day professional development schedule.

One of the benefits of being a charter school is the flexibility to make decisions independent of the district when doing so better aligns with our school’s unique needs and goals. At PCK, we have already built professional development time into our schedule through early dismissal days, such as last Wednesday, which allow staff dedicated opportunities to engage in professional learning and to closely analyze student data in order to refine instruction for the benefit of all students.

We want to be clear that this approach is working, and better than we could have anticipated. In the coming weeks, we look forward to sharing data that supports this, with PCK’s middle-of-year data reflecting some of the strongest growth percentages we have seen in years.

Being a student or a family at PCK can be challenging. Expectations are high, the work is rigorous, and our days require sustained focus. However, the collective effort we have invested in supporting student growth produces meaningful results and makes a real difference in learning. We remain committed to focusing on what works best for our students, and the outcomes continue to affirm that commitment.

Thank you for sharing in our commitment to excellence. We are grateful to have you as part of our school community.

Warmly,

Dr. Weyman

Breanna Warburton

Stephanie Harper

Hello PCK Families,

Today I wanted to highlight some online safety and responsible internet use. As social media, online gaming, and other digital platforms expand, they present both opportunities and risks for students. The same safety principles that apply offline are important online. I encourage parents to stay involved, monitor activity, and maintain open communication about their child’s digital interactions.

Key reminders for students and families:

• Do not communicate with people you do not know in real life.
• Never share personal information (address, school, phone number, passwords, etc.) online.
• Remember that people online may not be who they claim to be; photos and videos can be altered or stolen.
• Be cautious if someone asks to move a conversation from one game or app to a different platform.
• Block and report suspicious behavior immediately and tell a trusted adult.

For parents:

• Monitoring your child’s internet traffic and installing parenting apps like Bark, Aura Parents, MMGuardian and Qustodio can be helpful with staying involved and monitoring your child’s online activity.

Open communication, supervision, and prompt reporting are essential to keeping students safe online.

Stay safe,

Deputy Castillo

This week, our 5th graders had the exciting opportunity to deepen their understanding of the human body through a hands-on dissection experience. Guided by Ms. Garbett, Mrs. Harper, and Dr. Weyman, students explored the connection between the circulatory and respiratory systems by observing a heart and lung dissection.

This meaningful activity allowed students to make real-world connections between science and familiar symbols, including the classic Valentine’s Day representation of love. Students learned how the heart plays a vital role in keeping us alive by pumping blood throughout the body and supporting the respiratory system.

Nominations are now open for the 2027 Music Educators Award! We invite our families to consider nominating one of our outstanding music teachers. If you believe our music department has had a positive impact on your student’s learning and development, we encourage you to submit a nomination.

The selected educator will receive grant funding to support and enhance their music program. Nominations are open now through March 15.

The Goat Ballz took home the win at our second annual PCK Dodgeball Tournament, earning the title of back-to-back champions! Congratulations as well to our 2nd place team, the Milkmen, and our 3rd place finishers, the Fanboys.

A big thank you to all of our students and staff who came out to support and enjoy the event. It’s always great to see our community come together to celebrate our students in such a fun and meaningful way.

One of PCK’s primary uniform providers, Tommy Hilfiger, will be offering 14% off all uniform items to celebrate Valentine's Day. This promotion may be especially helpful for families who’ve noticed that students have outgrown last year’s cold-weather gear or who simply need to refresh their uniform essentials.

The sale will run from now until Monday, February 16. To receive the discount, families should enter the promo code VLNTNE26EM at checkout. You can access the Tommy Hilfiger school uniform ordering platform by clicking the button below.

On Monday our Kindergarten students celebrated their 100th day of school. To recognize this milestone, students dressed as seniors as a way to reflect on how much they have grown and learned since the beginning of the year.

The 100th day of school is a twofold celebration. First, it offers a special opportunity to pause and recognize the incredible progress our Kindergarteners have made academically, socially, and emotionally. It’s a meaningful milestone that highlights their growth and the learning that continues to build each day.

Additionally, the 100th day connects directly to the Kindergarten math curriculum. Since the start of the school year, students have been learning to count to 100, adding one number each day. Reaching the 100th day marks the culmination of that ongoing effort and makes the achievement even more compelling and meaningful for our young learners.

Thank you to all of the families who casted votes in our Every Student is an Artist Art Show!

In next week’s newsletter we’ll announce our Best in Show award winners for the artwork that received the most votes in each grade level.

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.

We only need six more 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.

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.

We need your help to make the PCK Palooza + Auction a success!

We are currently collecting auction donations, and there are many ways families can help—whether by donating something you already have access to or by reaching out to local businesses you know.

Popular donation ideas include:

• Weekend getaways or vacation rentals
• Tickets to sporting events, concerts, or performances
• Unique experiences (lessons, camps, behind-the-scenes tours, etc.)
• Gift cards or certificates
• Items or services donated by local businesses

If you have season tickets, access to a vacation home, or a creative idea you’re not sure fits—please know these types of donations have been some of our most popular auction items in the past, and we'd be thrilled to receive them! All contributions, at every level, are deeply appreciated.

Questions? Contact us at thefoundation@ckcs.net.

This week, the SAC met to review several outstanding agenda items, including volunteering initiatives, Parent University, classroom coordination, and additional recommendations aimed at strengthening parent involvement and integration within PCK.

At our next meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at 8:15 a.m., the SAC will receive a financial update on PCK’s budget and begin planning for this year’s End-of-Year Parent Satisfaction Survey.

If you’re interested in either of these topics, we encourage you to join us at the next meeting to share your feedback and serve as an advisory resource for PCK.

We’re excited to shine this week’s Volunteer Spotlight on Mi Jeong Chon! Throughout the school year, Mi Jeong has been a consistent and reliable support to our art department, taking the lead on ensuring art laundry is regularly and thoughtfully taken care of.

Our young learners go through many coverings during the school week as they work hard to develop their artistic skills. This creates plenty of opportunities for volunteers to step in and help keep our art classes running smoothly, and Mi Jeong has repeatedly risen to the occasion, handling this important task promptly and with care.

Even small acts of service like this make a big difference in our school community. Thank you, Mi Jeong, for stepping up and playing such an important role. We truly appreciate all that you do for supporting our students!