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| Vol. 7, Iss. 31 |
October 26, 2017
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Before you recycle your community paper--the Highlands Ranch Herald, Centennial Citizen, Lone Tree Voice, etc.--later today, be sure to open it up and check out the School of Choice section and Ben Franklin Academy's ad/article. While we're always excited to tell the community about our school and all the amazing things we're doing here--today's ad is especially meaningful because we took an opportunity to publicly recognize our staff who have five or more years of service at BFA.
I am incredibly grateful for everyone on our BFA team. While an amazing curriculum, a beautiful facility and updated technology are important, it's the teachers and staff who dedicate so much of their time and energy into nurturing, challenging and supporting your students that make BFA really special.
I am so proud to have been here since the very beginning of BFA. For both parents and teachers--starting a new school is a leap of faith, but we were all committed to working together to make our school successful and the outcome has been tremendous. Please take special note of the names with asterisks, as they were on the inaugural staff as well. It has been a blessing to work alongside all these professionals for so many years.
We're thrilled to have an average teacher retention rate from year-to-year that is equal to or better than some of the most highly rated school districts in the state. We are continuously working to retain our wonderful staff, and look forward to celebrating many service anniversaries in the future. Please help me thank the following staff who have been with us five or more years:
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Brenda Bauer*
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Kristen Goldberg*
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Jackie Losasso*
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Hugh Redford
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Kimberly Blum*
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Janet Harlow*
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Craig Macias*
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Sarah Russell
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Colleen Bobbin
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Nicole Harms*
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Candace McGinty
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Leigh Savoy*
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Debbie Brook
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Sarah Harrel*
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Katie Murphy*
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Katie Stolk*
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Michelle Bynum*
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Ali Hinkle*
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Kayla Murray*
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Laura Tickle*
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Ellen Cain
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Halsley Hoff
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Dana Nach*
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Angie Van Wyk
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Esther Colas
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Jaime Johnson
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Shannon Olson*
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Karen Wall*
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Kate Crespo*
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Susan Klee*
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Brittany Parsons*
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Melinda Walter*
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Marty Denham
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Kevin Knudsen*
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Emily Pitrone
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Emily Ward*
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Genevieve Gibson*
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Beth Konesky*
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Nannette Preciado*
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Kelly Whelan*
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BENEFIT BASH TICKET SALES END TOMORROW! DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS SWANKY EVENT!
Friends, Food, Shopping
You don't want to miss
Ben Franklin Academy's 2017 BENefit Bash, A Night at the Speakeasy, at 5 p.m. on
Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Vehicle Vault.
Final TWO DAYS to Purchase Tickets
Sales end tomorrow, Oct.
27, so get your tickets to this swanky event today! Tickets are $60 per person, and can be
purchased online NOW. Tickets WILL NOT be available at the door. Order your tickets today to get your password to enter the speakeasy!
Join Friends and Meet New Families at the Bash!
Come enjoy a fun adults-only night out with old and new friends. The evening promises to be a swell time, with silent and live auctions, hors d'oeuvres, plated 3-course dinner, a special look at the vehicle vault's rare and exotic automobiles--and plenty of jazz.
Get there early - the first 100 guests will get a free signature speakeasy cocktail!
All are invited to get dolled up for this fun and exciting night out! Cocktail attire/business casual is recommended, but feel free to wear whatever makes you comfortable.
Feeling the 1920's theme? Put on your pearls because Roaring '20's attire is encouraged!
Holiday shopping
Get a head start on your holiday shopping, while benefiting our students! Our auction items will make great gifts for everyone on your list. And, this is your ONLY CHANCE to bid on teacher experiences and student art.
Want to Come, But Don't Have a Sitter?
The PTO is excited to share that Kidstown will be providing childcare at a special rate for BFA Families on Nov. 11! BFA families pay $5 per hour for the first child and $4 per hour for each additional child, plus they will waive new family registration fees. For more information about rates and the special party theme, please call Kidstown at 720-344-2500.
Questions?
Never been to a Bash? If you have questions about what your ticket price covers and what we are raising money for, please see our questions and answers document or email the PTO.
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TIME IS RUNNING OUT - CURRENT FAMILIES ENROLL TODAY!
BFA is now accepting
enrollment applications for the 2018-19 school year. If you are an existing family and wish to enroll a sibling of a currently enrolled student (grades K-8), please do the following:
- Submit an Enrollment Application form online by clicking here.
- Email Rachelle Patterson BFA registrar, by Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Important note: Applications received AFTER this deadline may not receive priority enrollment. Additionally, there also is a chance you may lose your spot all together.
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LET'S GET SOCIAL AND HELP THE BASH!
The Benefit Bash is our BFA PTO's primary fundraiser this year and to make the Bash a success,
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
The PTO is still looking for individuals or groups to host a Spectacular Social. This involves an individual or group hosting an event for a certain number of guests; the participants pay a fee (at the BENefit Bash) to attend the event, and the entire registration fee comes back to the school.
By sponsoring a Spectacular Social, the host agrees to cover the cost of putting on the event. Spectacular Social party themes are your choosing and can be as simple or elaborate as you'd like. A few suggestions include: holiday cookie decorating party, family game night, spring egg hunt, and backyard BBQ.
To host a social, sign up here! If you have questions, please email Sabina Boeckman.
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BEN'S BRIGADE MEETING TONIGHT
Calling all BFA dads and grandpas--
join us at 8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 26, at the
Starbucks inside Super Target for the Ben's Brigade meeting. We are planning a
Dads Night Out event at Bowlero Lanes on November 2. Come to the meeting to learn more about this event. We hope to see you there!
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Veterans Day is coming up, and it is the biggest community service event at BFA! Here's how you can join in the celebration:
Veterans Donation Drive Coming Up!
Save all that Halloween candy you don't want to eat! Starting on
Wednesday, Nov.1, we will be collecting candy, cards, and dental care items to send to active service members through
Operation Gratitude.
They ask that we please DO NOT purchase candy to send, but rather donate only unopened Halloween candy (no pixy stix, please). If you are in the position to purchase something for service members, we will also be collecting individually wrapped toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash for our troops.
Operation Gratitude encourages students to write letters/cards to the troops that they can include with the candy and dental hygiene items in care packages. Please send in cards and letters for our service members! There will be donation boxes placed outside the front office.
Veterans Wall of Honor- DEADLINE NEXT THURSDAY!!
Each year in the school's main hallway, we display pictures and stories of veterans to create the BFA Veterans Wall of Honor. Families can download the form from the BFA website, fill it out at home, and send it to school with students to be added to the Wall.
Click here to download the form. Please DO NOT send original pictures. Forms will not be returned.
All flyers need to be at school by Thursday, Nov. 2. Don't wait--send it in today!
Assembly Programs and Veterans Reception
The assemblies are the high point of our Veterans Day celebration!
Veterans and BFA families are invited to join us at our Veterans Day assembly programs in the Lightning Gym on Friday, Nov. 10:
- Grades K-4 will be held at 8:30 a.m.
- Grades 5-8 will be held at 10:20 a.m.
A
special reception will be held just for veterans in between the two assemblies in the hallway outside the gym.
Please invite the veterans in your life to come and be honored as we celebrate those who serve our country!
Veterans Day Volunteers
Veterans Day is the perfect time to volunteer, and we would love your help! Please take a look at the wide variety of opportunities and sign up
here or
here.
Veterans Day is always amazing at BFA--don't miss the chance to join in the celebration!
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LOOK FOR YOUR ORIGINAL WORKS FLIER TODAY
Look for your student's Original Works personalized flier that was sent home in their Thursday folder. Original Works is an elementary school program that allows parents to order gifts featuring their student's artwork.
Use the codes located on the flier and order by Wednesday, Nov. 15, to receive your orders before the winter holiday season. A portion of every order goes back to the art department.
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2018-19 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
BFA's Board of Directors has approved the 2018-19 Academic Calendar. To view the calendar, click here or check the BFA website.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...HALLOWEEN PARTY PROCESS UPDATES/REMINDERS
With the first major party of the year around the corner, we wanted to share some important updates and reminders.
Parking
Please park in a designated parking space and (as always) refrain from parking along the curb in the parking lot, or in a volunteer/teacher of the month or purchased parking spot that is not yours-even if it is just for a few minutes. After the overflow lot is full, you may park along the 'B' lane. We kindly remind you not to park in A-lane as this must be kept open to facilitate the flow of traffic.
Entry into the School
For the safety of our students, we need to be sure that EVERY PERSON who enters the building has had their license scanned THIS SCHOOL YEAR. All parents will need to pick up their badges upon entry to the building or have their license scanned to obtain a badge. All visitors inside the school will need to wear their badge during the festivities.
- Parents who have come into the office and had their license scanned THIS YEAR and received their official volunteer badge will be routed through the main doors. A staff member will distribute their volunteer badges.
- Parents who did not have their pictures taken during Registration and have not had their license scanned before volunteering this school year, as well as ALL guests (grandparents, relatives, neighbors, etc.) will need to come through the main office to have their license scanned. No exceptions will be made. Please make sure that every person has a license.
- Anyone who had their picture taken during Registration but has not provided their license to be scanned this school year, will need to come through the main office with their license.
You may come to the school before the day of the party day to have your license scanned and have your official volunteer badge issued; if you are planning to do so, please stop by between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. any day prior to the party.
Party Start/End Times
Please pay special attention to the times outlined in your room parent's email for information about the start time of your student's party.
Most all parties will be held from 1:45 - 2:45 p.m., with the K-5 parade beginning at 1:45 p.m. Parents may release their students after the party if they sign them out with their student's teacher. We'd appreciate it if all partygoers leave before carpool begins around 3 p.m., otherwise it will be more difficult to exit the parking lot as you'll be in the middle of the carpool process.
Party Supplies
Keep in mind that you need to bring all the supplies needed for your Halloween party activities. As a friendly reminder, please note that you may not remove items from the staff break room or the school's kitchen for your activities.
Thank you for helping us keep all BFA kids safe and ensuring that everyone has a fun Halloween celebration!
We look forward to seeing you on Oct. 31.
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LAST CALL FOR SPIRIT WEAR
Still need to get your student spirit wear? You can purchase BFA spirit wear through the online store. But hurry--after Oct. 31, the online store will be closed until the spring.
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SAVE THE DATE TO EAT MORE 'CHIKIN'
Mark your calendars for the
Chick-fil-A spirit night from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the Chick-fil-A in Highlands Ranch Town Center (950 Cpl. Max Donahue Lane).
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A Note from Ms. Johnson...
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he middle school music program takes a trip to Disneyland to perform and participate in workshops every three years. The next trip will be in the 2019-20 school year. That means that the current fourth, fifth and sixth graders will be eligible for this trip. If you think your student would like to take the choir elective and go to Disneyland, you have the option to start fundraising now. This would give you three school years to raise money. Families that help with early fundraising will be allowed to apply to the trip a day early when registration opens. Please contact Ms. Johnson if you are interested in fundraising early and she will give you more information. Please note, if there isn't any interest in fundraising now from the families then fundraising won't start until the 2019-20 school year.
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Ms. Johnson is looking for volunteers to sew costumes for the middle school musical,
Seussical,
Jr. Please
email her if you are interested in helping.
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CHECK OUT THESE ITEMS AVAILABLE AT THE BASH!
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he auctions at the Bash offer a great opportunity to do some holiday shopping, while supporting our school! We are thrilled to give you a sneak peek at some of this year's amazing auction items:
- Apple watches (Heads/Tails Game)
- Summer camp and warriors registrations
- Club level Broncos tickets
- Brown Palace gift card ($500!!!)
- Teacher experiences and student artwork
- Wine Wall and Growler Grab
- Nuggets tickets
Don't miss out on these and many more exciting auction items. There's something for everyone at the Bash.
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SAVE MONEY AND SUPPORT OUR EIGHTH GRADERS
Get them while you still can--the eighth grade students still have coupon books available! They are $35 each and contain coupons to many local restaurants and businesses. 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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SPREAD THE WORD - PROSPECTIVE PARENTS TOUR BFA
Parents interested in joining the BFA family are welcome to
tour the school Wednesdays in October and November. Tours begin at 9 a.m. each Wednesday (except Nov. 22) and will be lead by Principal Simpson. New families--all adults should
bring your driver's license and check in a few minutes before the tour is scheduled to begin.
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DOUGLAS COUNTY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION EVENTS
Community Events with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts
has several discounted opportunities available from now through December for our community.
Top selling schools will participate in special game day experiences. Keep in mind, this is the same night as the BENefit Bash, but there will also be two alternate nights, Nov. 17 and 30, available at a discounted ticket price.
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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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There is a School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting meeting from 4:10 - 5:10 p.m. today, Oct. 26, in the BFA Conference Room.
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Ben's Brigade will meet at
8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 26, in the Starbucks inside the Super Target
(1265 Sergeant Jon Stiles Dr).
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Look for information from your room parent with details about your student's Halloween party. Most parties will run from 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. Please remember to bring your Drivers License. Parents who did not have their pictures taken during Registration and have not had their license scanned before volunteering this school year, as well as ALL guests (grandparents, relatives, neighbors, etc.) will need to come through the main office to have their license scanned. No exceptions will be made.
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Wednesday, Nov. 1, is a Formal Uniform Day. Students should wear their navy polo with the BFA logo, and tan pants, shorts, skirt or a skort.
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The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee will meet from
5:30 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the Sanders Science Lab.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA AND PERCUSSION CONCERT
There will be a middle school drama and percussion concert from 6:30 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in BFA's Thunder (large) Gym.
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BEN'S BRIGADE DADS NIGHT OUT
Ben's Brigade will host a
Dads Night Out for all BFA Dads from 6 - 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, at Bowlero Lanes in Lone Tree. The PTO will provide appetizers and bowling.
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There will be no school on Friday, Nov. 3, as it is a Professional Development Day.
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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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