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| Vol. 7, Iss. 36 |
December 7, 2017
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Dear Parents,
Charity week begins next week, and the BFA middle school Student Council is excited to support Ronald McDonald House Charities as their philanthropy project for the fall/winter. Ronald McDonald House provides a loving and low cost 'home away from home' for families needing to be near their seriously ill or injured children while they are being treated at one of our area hospitals.
Student Council's project has two parts: collection of cleaning and kitchen supplies (Dec. 11 through Jan. 12), and a soda can pop-tab collection competition between homerooms/advisory classes (Dec. 11 through Feb. 23). Please see this flier for specific product needs and collection details.
Please show your support for the Student Council's efforts in helping this worthy charity! Collection boxes will be placed in the lobby beginning next week.
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PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR BFA FAMILIES
Are you interested in a preschool that uses the Core Knowledge Sequence along with a nurturing environment and individualized instruction to ensure your little one is ready for Kindergarten? If so, we hope you'll consider the BFA preschool!
Preschool enrollment is now open to current BFA families. To enroll, please complete the Intent to Enroll form by Friday, Dec 22. Please note that preschool slots are available on a first come, first served basis and spots do fill quickly. Enrollment will open to the public on Jan 17. For more information,
email our Preschool Director,
Kristen Goldberg.
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IMPORTANT NEWS FOR BASE FAMILIES
Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, we will be moving to MANDATORY automated payments for ALL BASE accounts. If you are not already set up for automated payments, please complete the
Tuition Express Authorization form and return it to BASE staff as soon as possible.
Accounts that do not have an authorization form in place by Monday, Jan. 8, (the day after break) will be charged an administrative fee of $25 per weekly billing cycle.
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ONE MORE JUDGE NEEDED, TRAINING AVAILABLE!
The BFA STEM Committee is looking for
one more judge for the seventh grade Science Fair on Friday, Dec. 8, from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
Sign up to volunteer today.
Parents are invited to come view all the projects in the
Middle School Commons from 1-3 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 8.
Come see all of the hard work of our students!
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TEACHER AND STAFF GIFT-GIVING - LAST DAY TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Dec. 8, is the FINAL day to submit your forms for the SCRIP gift giving program. Please turn in the form and payment (cash/check) to the PTO lockbox in the front office. You can give to any member of the staff in addition to teachers--don't forget those who go the extra mile and make our school a wonderful place to learn! Every dollar adds up, so consider gifting a dollar (or more!) to some of your favorites.
If you have questions about the program, read the information sheet or
email
Rachelle Calahan, SCRIP coordinator.
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Tomorrow,
Dec. 8, is a Spirit Wear Day. Students may wear a spirit day T-shirt or a field day T-shirt from a prior year, with their regular uniform bottoms.
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DECEMBER PARENTS NIGHT OUT
Make plans now for your students to attend the next
Parents Night Out held on Friday, Dec. 15
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This event is a fundraiser for students who plan to enroll in the Disneyland Choir elective.
At this Parents Night Out, kids will play games, participate in activities and watch a movie from
6 - 9 p.m. for only $10 per child while you shop or enjoy a well-deserved night out. They will offer popcorn and water, and concessions will be available for purchase.
Sign up today!
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The jackets, sweatshirts, school shirts, water bottles and books are starting to pile up in the Lost and Found.
Please check to see if you are missing something--there's a good chance it's in the Lost and Found! We'll donate all remaining items very soon.
Also, remember to put your last name inside jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts and on your student's water bottle. We will check for a name before we donate an item.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL AT SKATE CITY
Middle school students are invited to a winter social! BFA's Student Council has organized a Winter Wonderland roller skating event from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, at Skate City (5801 S Lowell Way). This is a private event and is for BFA middle school students only. Admission is $5, traditional skates are $2.50 and there are food specials available. See the
flier for more details.
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USED UNIFORM SALE SATURDAY
Have your kids had a growth spurt or do you just need some new uniforms? If so,
mark your calendars for the upcoming Used Uniform Sale from 9 - 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, in the Lightning Gym.
If you would like to sell your uniforms, please be sure your items are tagged and brought to the school with the inventory form
no later than today, Dec. 7.
Please follow the tagging instructions and complete the inventory form
. It is important to note that no items will be held after the sale, so you will need to pick up any unsold items. Information about unsold item pickup times and locations will be sent out after the sale.
If you would like to shop at the uniform sale, please note that we only accept cash or check. We have uniforms in all sizes and genders, so be sure to check it out!
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This week and next, BFA students are participating in the
Hour of Code initiative. This annual event traditionally takes place during
Computer Science Education Week and was designed to introduce students to computer science and computer programming. As part of BFA's emphasis on technology, students in elementary and middle school will participate in Hour of Code and have lots of opportunities to code throughout the next few weeks!
In Mrs. Ward's lab, students are examining how to write code using basic commands, then acting out those commands with partners as studies show that kids learn better when pair programming. During the following weeks, students in grades 1-5 will use laptops to complete various coding activities on code.org. Kindie students will give commands to BeeBots, then watch the BeeBots follow their instructions. In addition, Mrs. Ward's K-2 students will play an Osmo coding game on the iPads where they fit together puzzle pieces to make a character on the screen move.
Mrs. Tickle has started K-5 students on Kodable, with older students completing more advanced levels. She also has plans to use Tynker after Winter Break. Tynker gets rave reviews for providing a fun and engaging platform where children can learn to program.
In Mrs. Konesky's STEAM Lab, middle school students learn drag and drop as well as text-based coding throughout the year using Gamemaker, by programming Spheros and LEGO Mindstorms robots, and using the Swift Playgrounds app on iPads. Students are using Hour of Code week activities as an introduction to Python programming syntax. (Python is an easy-to-learn, powerful programming language.)
Click here to be directed to the Hour of Code website.
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ALL ARE WELCOME AT PTO MEETING/HOLIDAY SOCIAL
You're invited to join the
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Committee beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, for a festive meeting/social and gift exchange!
They will meet in the Sanders Science Lab at BFA, get business out of the way, enjoy a catered meal, and then head over to Max Taps (
2680 E County Line Rd., Suite A) for a gift exchange/holiday social.
Please RSVP by Monday Dec. 11, so we have enough food for all. If participating in the gift exchange, please bring a wrapped $20 gift.
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We need two volunteers to help out with Physical Education for third, fourth, and fifth grade classes during the next few weeks. The students will be using the climbing wall and we need
one volunteer to help put harnesses on students and one volunteer to help monitor the other students in a group game. No experience necessary for our harness volunteers--we'll train you on how to properly secure and adjust the harness to ensure the safety of our students.
Please sign up TODAY for this fun volunteer opportunity. If you have any questions please
email
Mrs. Bauer.
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COUPON BOOKS ARE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT!
Giving a loved one a coupon for local favorites like Pierre Michele French Bakery, Indulge, Mici's, Cuba Cuba, Cold Stone, Honey Baked Ham, Gigi's, Timbuk Toys, Arts on Fire, Pirates Cove, Dart Warz and Junglequest is a REAL TREAT!
Coupon books are only $35 each and is a gift that you or a loved one can use all year! The paper coupons can be used once, and with the app, you get the discount AGAIN with duplicate coupons. Also, this year your purchase includes a small card good for multiple uses at five businesses.
To purchase,
email Erin Fierro, D.C. Fundraising Committee Manager.
Hurry and get these valuable coupon books today before they're all gone!
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DCEF DISCOUNT EVENT TICKETS
Interested in the National Western Stock Show? The Foundation for Douglas County Schools has your discount tickets! BFA families can click on the Stock Show link and use the promo code DOUGCO.
Community Events with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts
has several discounted opportunities available from now through December for our community.
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WANT YOUR KIDDO TO HAVE THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER?
Send them a Birthday Bag!
Celebrating birthdays at BFA just got more fun! Order your child a Birthday Bag for just $10, and s/he will receive:
- A bag full of goodies such as erasers, pencils, bouncy balls, etc. (no food or candy will be in the bags);
- A birthday certificate good for a free bake sale item at the next bake sale;
- A personalized note from you, if requested; and
- A 'Happy Birthday' serenade by the eighth graders who deliver the bag to your student's classroom.
Did your child already celebrate their birthday or do they have a summer birthday?
We also will deliver "Un-birthday Bags" for students who have already celebrated their birthday, and "Half-birthday Bags" for summer birthdays.
You can purchase Birthday Bags online through the BFA Store.
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The Parent Teacher Organization highlights a volunteer each month who has gone above and beyond in his/her contributions to the school. This volunteer receives recognition in the school newsletter and on the school website. S/he also has the privilege or parking in the reserved volunteer of the month parking space.
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For the month of December,
Heath Sayers has been selected as the volunteer of the month. Heath is being honored for the countless hours he puts in volunteering in many capacities at BFA and especially for his consistent volunteering in the lunch room. He demonstrates such a positive attitude, is a pleasure to work with, and we're happy recognize him.
Hea
th and his wife, Sara, have one daughter, Sydney, in third grade. They have been at Ben Franklin Academy since 2013 when Sydney started preschool. Having been born and raised in Colorado, Heath enjoys traveling with his family, skiing, and golf. According to Heath, "BFA has been a great fit for our family. Our daughter has made dear friends and she's receiving a great education."
Congratulations, Heath! And, thank you again for all you do for our school.
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BFA students will once again participate in the Hour of Code initiative. This annual event traditionally takes place during Computer Science Education Week and was designed to introduce students to computer science and computer programming. As part of BFA's emphasis on technology, students in elementary and middle school will participate in Hour of Code and have lots of opportunities to code throughout the next few weeks!
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AFTER SCHOOL MUSIC THEATRE
After school music theatre has a performance at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Dec. 7, in the Thunder Gym.
First and second grade junior musical theatre will perform 'Flakes,' and third grade and up will be performing 'Elf Jr.'
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Friday, Dec. 8, is a Spirit Wear Day. Students may wear a spirit day T-shirt or a field day T-shirt from a prior year, with their regular uniform bottoms.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR
The Middle School (Seventh Grade) Science Fair will be held on Friday, Dec. 8. Parents can stop by from 1 - 3 p.m. to view the projects.
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The used uniform sale is
from 9 - 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, in the Lightning Gym.
If you would like to shop at the uniform sale, please note that we only accept cash or check. We have uniforms in all sizes and genders, so be sure to check it out!
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MIDDLE SCHOOL CHARITY WEEK
Charity week begins next week, and the BFA middle school Student Council is excited to support Ronald McDonald House Charities as their philanthropy project for the fall/winter.
Student Council's project has two parts: collection of cleaning and kitchen supplies (Dec. 11 through Jan. 12), and a soda can pop-tab collection competition between homerooms/advisory classes (Dec. 11 through Feb. 23).
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On Wednesday, Dec. 13, bring in your Box Tops in a sealed baggie marked with your student's name and teacher.
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Join us for a bear-y big holiday celebration at the North Pole (a.k.a. BFA's Thunder Gym)! There's panda-monium when our second graders have to wait for the rest of their friends to arrive. This bear-y exciting performance begins at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13.
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FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
BFA's Finance Committee is meeting from 5 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, in the Dana Library.
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PTO MEETING/HOLIDAY SOCIAL
The
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Committee meeting/holiday social begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14.
Join them in the Sanders Science Lab for dinner and a meeting, then head over to Max Taps (
2680 E County Line Rd., Suite A)
for a gift exchange/holiday social.
Please RSVP by Monday Dec. 11.
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DECEMBER PARENTS NIGHT OUT
The next
Parents Night Out is from 6 - 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15. at BFA.
For only $10 per child, kids will play games, participate in activities and watch a movie.
They will offer popcorn and water, and concessions will be available for purchase.
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Ben Franklin Academy
2270 Plaza Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 |
Fax: (303) 974-1738
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Our mission is to create young adults with character like America's founding Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged.
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Our students will excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum that emphasizes math, science, and literacy. We will be a data driven institution, focusing on individual students. Our students, teachers, parents, staff, and leaders will be held accountable for the success of our school. Finally, we recognize that an education is incomplete without fostering the arts, sports, nature, and character.
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Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Purity and Humility.
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