PCK Weekly News
March 10, 2022

From Our Director

Dear Parents,


It is with great joy and pride that we announce the selection of our two new PCK Vice Principals, Stephanie Harper and Breanna Warburton. Stephanie and Breanna are highly capable licensed principals (spring and fall of 2022) and will officially join our school leadership team in their new positions this July.


Mrs. Harper is currently the department head of two key academic subjects at PCK - math and science. Additionally, she is licensed in Elementary Education and Secondary English Language Arts. During the last 11 years at PCK, Stephanie’s teaching path has included Special Education and 5th grade, in addition to math and science in the Middle School. Mrs. Harper has led our math professional development and grade level teams in K-8 for the last two years, and has helped create one of the top math and science programs in Douglas County. 


Mrs. Warburton has excelled in a variety of roles at PCK. Licensed in Elementary Education, Mrs. Warburton originally joined our team after completing her student teaching at PCK seven years ago. She taught 5th grade before moving to 1st grade where she was an integral part of the K/1st Grade Level Team. Last year, she managed and directed the 5th-8th grade REO (Remote Education Option) during COVID. Currently, Mrs. Warburton works with our Student Services Team and serves as our Gifted and Talented teacher working with students in grades K-8.  


Our new administrative team is “home grown” and “home trained.” They know the school and our parents, and they share the PCK vision, work ethic, and excitement to take our school into the future.


Mrs. Aplin and I spent our professional careers “creating” the school PCK is today. I believe the new administrative team will invest their careers making PCK better and taking the school to new heights in education. You can expect great things from PCK in the future!  


When I retire in May of 2023, I will have no hesitations. I know I will be leaving the school and community I love in the hands of a team that will take care of our legacy, our students, our families, and our teachers in the same way Mrs. Aplin and I always have. I wholeheartedly believe that with Mr. Thompson at the helm, and as befits the best school, the new administrative team will be the best in the district and state. I look forward with confidence to PCK’s future!


Mrs. Harth

Enjoy Spring Break

We wish everyone a fun, safe, and restful spring break. PCK will be closed March 14 - 18, with classes resuming on Monday, March 21.


If you are heading out on your spring break adventure early, please remember to submit an absence form for your student(s). You can get the form here or on the home page of our website.

Calling All Candidates

PCK is governed by our board of directors. This is a policy making body that does not make administrative decisions. Seven parents sit on the board, and they are voted on by the PCK community to serve three-year terms. When a term ends, board members are eligible to run for a second term. Please see the Board page on our website for information, including the board bylaws.

If you would like to run for the PCK Board, please submit a letter of intent, a brief biography, and a photo of yourself to ddaniels@ckcs.net by April 12. Elections are April 19. At this time, the board particularly needs members with legal and financial backgrounds, but all interested parents are encouraged to run.

Do You Know About Homework Club?

The volunteers on the School Accountability Committee (SAC) thank all of the parents who took the time to complete the recent survey on homework. The topic of homework is one that PCK is constantly reviewing and looking to improve upon. The feedback you provided is very valuable as we work through some areas of improvement for our school. One of the discussion points for the SAC this month was the use of a very underutilized and under publicized resource that PCK offers - Homework Club. Homework Club is an extension of our Core Care Club program that offers a structured and quiet environment for students to complete their homework. 

Homework Club:

While the Homework Club runs only until 4:30, our regular Core Care Club is available until 6:00pm. Mr. Vinny and his staff also provide a wonderful and entertaining environment for students who stay beyond the Homework Club time period. If you are not already registered for Core Care Club and all of its truly amazing services like Homework Club, please use the Registration Link to sign your student(s) up. If you have any questions about Homework Club or Core Care Club in general, please email Mr. Vinny, our Core Care Club manager. The SAC hopes that everyone will be able to take advantage of all the terrific programs, including Homework Club, that PCK has to offer. 

Opportunities For You To Get Involved

Volunteers Needed
If you still need volunteer hours, The Foundation at PCK has the perfect opportunity for you! We are looking for four volunteers to help at the Gala. You will get a free meal and ticket to the event. You will help with check-in/out, tracking the paddle raise, and assisting the auction winners. To secure your spot please visit the PCK Gala website or contact Janet Brunner.

Donations Needed
Do you own a timeshare or a vacation home? Would you consider donating nights to our auction to raise money to build our children a new playground? The Foundation is looking for donations of any kind that we can auction off at the Gala. All donations will go towards your volunteer hours. If you have anything you would like to donate, please contact Laura Erhuy. 

The Gala is Coming
The PCK Gala and Auction is coming up quickly. This year our theme is Casino Royale. Come dressed to impress and enjoy an evening of dinner, live auction, friends, and lots of fun! Tickets are $75 per person or $750 for a VIP table. Tickets are going quickly so please visit www.PCKGala.com to purchase yours before they sell out!

Sponsor Spotlight
This week we would like to thank two of our amazing sponsors. First up is the Smith family. Nick and Jen Smith are sponsoring the entertainment for the Gala and Auction to raise awareness for CMV (Cytomegalovirus). The Smiths started the JockSmith Family Foundation in honor of Jen's daughter, Isabella (Izzy), who was infected and died of CMV. They started the foundation to support their local community, raise awareness of the virus, and support further research and develop treatments. You can learn about CMV and honor Izzy's legacy at nationalcmv.org. 

The Smiths have two children at PCK, Chloe, a 6th grader, and Oliver, a 1st grader. Nick and Jen are a big part of our PCK Family. They consistently donate to the Foundation at PCK and Microsoft has matched funds each time. 

Next we would like to thank the Benedict-Linich Family. They are sponsoring the decorations for the Gala and Auction. Violet is in first grade, Sarah works at Zoom, and Brian is a Lieutenant with South Metro Fire Department at the station near PCK. He also volunteers as a Safety Dad. The Linichs are a big part of what makes our PCK community special. We appreciate their dedication and generosity to support our school's program!

PTA News

Spirit Night At Santortas
Join us for our next Spirit Night at PCK-family-owned Santortas on Thursday, March 24. Stop by any time that day for delicious Mexican sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas, and more. The school gets 20% of the day's proceeds, so be sure to mention PCK when you order. Get more information here. Santortas is located at the corner of Parker and Lincoln, near Dunkin Donuts.

Next PTA Meeting
Thank you to everyone who participated in this week's meeting that was moved to Zoom due to the weather. We appreciate your flexibility. Our next meeting is April 13. Watch for more details in coming newsletters as we have fun things to plan before the end of the year!

Thank You To Our Top Volunteers

A huge thank you goes to the three parents who logged the most volunteer hours in the second trimester of this year:

Asha Rani - 64 hours, 35 minutes

Briann Lewis - 57 hours, 25 minutes

Amanda Ferm - 25 hours, 45 minutes

These three each have a special thank you gift waiting for them at the front desk of PCK, and may stop by any time to pick it up.

If you have not yet completed your 20-hour volunteer commitment, it is not too late. There are still opportunities to have fun while helping the school. Go to thefoundation@ckcs.net, pckpta@ckcs.net, or the Volunteer page on our website to see where you can help. If you have not yet logged the time you've already spent volunteering, please be sure to record your hours.

Calling All Book Lovers

PCK is looking for volunteers to help with our guided reading books. If you are interested in completing your 20 hours of volunteer time in a way that will directly benefit teachers and students, this opportunity is for you! We are hoping to find a group of parents that are willing to read leveled texts, input required information, and help create labels for each book. Teachers will then be able to more efficiently find a text that directly matches a student's reading need. This gives valuable time back to our educators so they can spend more energy reading with our students. Please email Jennifer White if you are interested. Thank you! 

Time To Say Goodbye To Our Art Show

We have truly enjoyed admiring all of the student creations hanging in our Art Show, but now it is time to make room for new displays. Volunteers are needed on Monday, March 21 from 10:30 - 11:30am to take down the art. If you are available to help, please sign up here.

Science Fair Judges Needed

5th grade is in need of a few more Science Fair judges. They will be judging in three categories based on 5th grade standards: Physical Science, Earth and Space, and Life Science. Everything will be in person on May 12th. Judging for the Physical Science category is from 8:00 - 10am, Life Science runs from 10:00am - 12:00pm, and Earth and Space are from 1:00 - 3:00pm. Judges will only have to come during their designated category time. Unfortunately, we cannot have any 5th grade parents participate as judges. If you are interested, please email Jennifer DeHaan. Thank you!

Bullying vs Normal Peer Conflict Rescheduled

We had to cancel our Parent Education Series session on bullying due to snow, so we've rescheduled it for Tuesday, March 29 at 6:30pm at PCK (there will not be a remote option). Come learn how we identify bullying at PCK, how we teach kids to handle it, and what you can do to help. We will also talk about normal peer conflict and how it is different from bullying, and how parents can support their children through a variety of friendship issues. This session is led by PCK's Character Coach, Dianne Daniels. Please RSVP here. Parent Education Series sessions are for adults only, and childcare is not provided.

New Uniform Supplier

PCK school uniform pieces may now be purchased from Tommy Hilfiger. We think you will appreciate the quality of their products and the option to shop from an additional vendor. The approved Hilfiger uniform items appear on their PCK page. NOT ALL HILFIGER ITEMS COMPLY WITH OUR DRESS CODE, so please ONLY select items from the PCK page.


To order, go to to www.globalschoolwear.com. In the "Find Your School" box, please enter either our Partner School Code (PARK02) or search by Parker Core Knowledge. If you have questions about sizing, click on the Size Chart link. If you still have questions after using the Size Chart, please call 1-877-825-2860. Hilfiger has our school logo and is able to apply it to shirts. Upon placing your order, you will receive an email confirmation that your order has been received. Please allow 10-12 business days from the time your order is placed for it to be delivered. 


If you would like information about sales or special promotions, be sure to sign up here.

School Tool Box Time Is Back

Although our thoughts are on spring break, it is actually time to start planning for next year! School Tool Boxes can be ordered now through June 5. Our teachers hand-select the items they want in each grade-specific box, so you know you are getting exactly what your student needs. Boxes are delivered to the school in time for the Open House in August, so you avoid the hassle of school supply shopping and bringing everything to the classroom. Plus, our PTA receives a donation based on the number of boxes ordered, and that money goes right into efforts that benefit our school. The more boxes we order, the higher the percentage of the proceeds we get back. It is a win-win for everyone! Go to schooltoolbox.com to place your order today.

Great News From The COVID Tracker

Our number of positive COVID cases for the past week is zero. Thanks for your help by keeping students home while waiting for test results or when they have any symptoms.

Fun With C3 Over Spring Break

If you need child care over spring break, our Core Care Club is the answer! Registration is now open for a full day of fun running from 7:30am - 4:00pm. Care is $50 per day, Monday through Friday. To register, visit the Event section of your Core Care Portal. If you are new to Core Care Club, you can register here. 


It is also time to start planning for summer break. Summer registration is now open! Please visit the Core Care portal where you can register through the Events section. We will be open Tuesday - Thursday, June 7 - 23, and July 5 - 21. The cost is $53 per day, with a one-time registration fee of $30. 


Please email Vinny Ortega if you have any questions.

Connecting With Character

Congratulations to the following students who were recognized at last week's assembly for demonstrating outstanding character:


Aditi L. - Respect, ready to participate, obedience, loyalty
Brooke R. - Respect, responsibility, patience, compassion
Elise F. - Respect, responsibility, ready to participate
Ellie L. - Ready to participate, patience, discretion
Emmett D. - Respect, responsibility, ready to participate
Greyson M. - Attentiveness
Hannah R. - Loyalty, compassion, kindness
Harshika V. - Joy, positivity
Holden B. - Ready to participate, forgiveness, compassion
Lucas D. - The 3 Rs, patience, self control, initiative
Mason D. - Perseverance, growth
Nora Y. - Compassion, friendship
Payton A. - Patience, determination, positivity
Thaddeus A. - Patience, friendship, optimism


Way to go, character leaders! We are PCKproud of you!

Our Scientists Rock A Ball Challenge

The Boys' and Girls' Science Clubs have been hard at work practicing their engineering and problem-solving skills so they can enter a contest called the "2022 Fluor Engineering Challenge." This challenge is hosted by a 501(c)(3) public charity called "Science Buddies" which partners with a variety of organizations to help improve science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) literacy and education in grades K-12. 


For this challenge, the students were asked to work in teams of 2-3 to build a ball ramp using only paper, tape, and a ping pong ball. Their goal was to make the ball's path take as many seconds as possible to complete using the fewest sheets of paper. By entering this contest, these students are hoping to win a $1,000 prize for our school. Good luck to all of our teams! You make us PCKproud!

Students Learn Life Skill of Interviewing

Last Thursday our 5th and 6th graders interviewed for the jobs they will perform at Ameritowne (5th grade) and International Towne (6th grade) this Friday. They learned how to prepare and dress for an interview, and parents and staff members volunteered to meet with the students. Thank you to everyone who volunteered as an interviewer. We appreciate your help, and the students had a valuable experience.

Martial Artists Ace Belt Test

One of our middle school electives this year is Tae Kwon Do. Students recently had their belt test and showed off all of the skills they have learned so far. They are making amazing progress and we are PCKproud of them!

Stand Up For Safety

Thank you to Matthew Larson for being this week's Safety Dad! Our students love seeing their dads at school, especially at lunch and recess, so check out the Sign Up Genius and claim your spot today. Many dads sign up for multiple shifts because they enjoying getting a first-hand look at the great things happening at PCK. If you would like to stay for the full day, feel free to sign up for both the morning and afternoon shifts. We would love to have you here!