PCKCS Summer 2008

2008 Summer Update from PCKCS

Thanks for checking out the 2008 PCKCS Summer Update! The goal of this summer publication is to keep you up-to-date about interesting ‘happenings’ around the school during the summer months, and to provide you with helpful ‘Back-to-School’ information. Our administrative offices are closed for the summer, but voicemail messages are checked weekly should something urgent arise. We hope you are all enjoying your summer! See you on August 11th from 4:30 – 6:30 for Registration* and GEM (Greet-Eat-Meet) Night.

Registration packets will be mailed out by July 18th. Once again, we will offer Express Registration for those who wish to expedite their passage through the registration process on August 11th.

Just a reminder…all class supply lists are posted on our website at www.ckcs.net. Teacher assignments and middle school student schedules will be available on August 11th at Registration.
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Staffing Changes/New Staff

Please join us in welcoming the following NEW staff members to the PCKCS roster:
Heather Puckett Sixth Grade Teacher (replacing Mrs. Sitzmann)
Wendy Randazzo Sixth Grade Teacher (replacing Mrs. Colley)
Julie Mansfield MS Math Tutor (replacing Mrs. Draper)
Jodi Jones Kindergarten Teacher (replacing Ms.Walker)
Susan Friedmann Full-Day Kindergarten Teacher (New position)
Laura Sowell Full-Day Kindergarten Aide (New position)
Nicholas Morgan Technology Teacher (replacing Mrs. Stewart)
Nancy Tulloch Tutor (replacing Mrs. Randazzo who moved to 6th grade)
Angela Krautz School Counselor (New part-time position)


Field Update

Looking good! If you haven’t been by the school lately, you haven’t seen the nice green field. Our year-round landscaping maintenance company, Cobb Landscaping, has done a fabulous job of nursing our field back to health. It will be strong, healthy and ready for the students to enjoy in August.


New Security Features/Construction Update

Be prepared for some big changes to the look of our front office and reception area when you return in August. The front entry area and front office are being modified over the summer months for enhanced school security. We are enclosing the front office, shifting the layout of our front/back office work space, and adding security doors with an electronic entry feature to ensure all access to the student area is tightly controlled during school hours. We are also adding additional security doors that will allow us to restrict access to the majority of our school building (classrooms and hallways) during after-school and weekend use. Our hope is to eventually add security cameras to all building entrance areas.

Upcoming Bond/Mill Levy Questions on November Ballot

As you know, the Board of Education is considering a bond/budget measure
on the November 2008 ballot. The charter community (all seven DCSD charter schools and their respective Boards or Operating Councils) has been aggressively lobbying for inclusion in the proceeds of a successful election. Our premise has been simple and straightforward:

1. All students attending Douglas County charter schools are DCSD students whose parents pay taxes that benefit Douglas County schools (Shouldn’t your child receive some benefit from those tax dollars?)

2. As DCSD students, our students are entitled to their ‘fair share’ of any bond or mill levy proceeds approved by the voters in the upcoming election (After all, the district requires us to pay them a ‘fair share’ portion for all required district services.)

3. Our need to maintain quality personnel and programs, and to maintain our grounds/facilities, is no different than those of a neighborhood school. We need additional funding sources in order to keep up.

Unfortunately, our efforts to date have been unsuccessful with the DCSD Board of Education voicing initial support for Superintendent Jim Christensen’s recommendation to NOT give charters any direct bond monies, and to limit our receipt of mill levy funds to a two year period (subject to reevaluation at that point in time.) I cannot tell you how disappointing this early indicator is for the charter community and our respective students! Two board members, John Carson and Ryan Stuart, continue to be strong supporters of charter schools, but they need our help to sway the rest of the board. The board is scheduled to make a final decision about the bond/mill levy questions, and charter inclusion in any proceeds from a successful bond/mill levy, on August 26, 2008. I urge you to take a minute and let the DCSD Board members and Jim Christensen know how you feel about this issue before they make a final decision on the question (contact info located on the DCSD website @ www.dcsdk12.org; look under Board of Education).

Ultimately, we will all have the opportunity to communicate our feelings about this decision with our vote this coming November. Personally, I will find it hard to support 3A & 3B if charter schools and their students will not receive any direct benefit. Stay tuned for further developments…

Springboard After-School Program: Update

After much research and discussion, we have decided to postpone the potential implementation of the Springboard After-School Program until the second half of the 2008-09 school year. Several factors contributed to this decision, not the least of which was the ongoing question/concern about whether our facility could handle such a program. With tight space to begin with, potential conflicts with after-school sports and the additional wear-n-tear on the building, not to mention changes within our own system (adding a full-day kindergarten program), we decided to hold off adding something else that is new. We know there is a healthy interest in this service, especially for working parents, and we will continue to keep the option open for possible implementation at a later date. We will keep you posted via the Thursday Newsletter.

Calendar Changes for 2008-09

Fall Parent-Teacher conferences have been changed to November 5 & 6; spring conferences are Feb 10 & 11. The changes were made to more closely align the timing of report cards and conferences.

Dress Code & Attendance Need Re-Commitment

Please take some time this summer to review the PCKCS Parent Handbook located on our website at www.ckcs.net. In particular, please note the section on dress code (particularly BOY’S HAIR, length and bangs) and SHOES. These two areas of dress code continue to be problematic and we need parent help to ensure proper compliance. Additionally, we plan to continue our efforts to improve overall student attendance, and this will include a new policy related to tardies. Please make a plan with your student to ensure his/her prompt arrival at school each day.

Spring 2008 Honor Roll

The complete list of students who made Honor Roll during the second semester of the 2007-08 school year is posted on our website at www.ckcs.net. Congratulations to all students listed for achieving a 93% or higher during the second half of the year.

Day Care Needs

Have you ever thought about starting your own in-home day care business? There are a growing number of PCKCS staff members with small children and babies who just might be interested in a day care option close to school. If you would like more information, please contact Mrs. Aplin at 303-840-7070.

See you August 11th – Enjoy the rest of your summer!