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| Vol. 8, Iss. 30 |
Nov. 1, 2018
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Dear Parents,
I can't believe it is November! As we wrap up the first trimester, I wanted to reflect on some of the amazing things I have seen in our building so far this year.
- Kindergarteners traveled to a local farm to learn about their five senses.
- First graders wrote an opinion paragraph about their favorite folk tale.
- Second graders learned about different Asian cultures during Asia Day.
- Third graders are reading the classic story of "The Wind in the Willows."
- The fourth graders put on a fun pirate musical and began their first research project.
- Fifth graders explored the periodic table of elements and created their own table that is on display in the hallway.
- The sixth graders created and presented Mediterranean Fair projects that received rave reviews from staff and students.
- Seventh graders adventured into the mountains to learn about water ecology.
- The eighth graders experimented with air pressure by building a lab and creating a sprinkler from an aluminum can.
Our students learned new games and sportsmanship in PE; created paintings, drawings and sculptures in art; practiced typing and created games in technology; and learned rhythm and dancing in music class.
I'm so proud of all they have accomplished and am excited to see what they tackle during the second trimester.
Next Friday, Nov. 9, is one of my favorite days of the year--BFA's
Veterans Day celebration! You don't want to miss it, so plan to attend one of our assemblies and invite veterans and/or service members in your family to come as well. We'll have two assemblies, a K-4 assembly at 8:30 a.m. and a 5-8 grade assembly at 12:45 p.m. We also host receptions at 9:30 a.m. and noon for veterans/service members. Please join us and invite family members to come and honor our Veterans!
Also next Tuesday, Nov. 6, is Election Day. Please don't forget to get out and vote! Historically, mid-term (non-presidential) elections have very poor turn out. Be an example to your children and share with them the importance of participating in our democracy.
"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people thems
elves and the only way they could do this is by not voting."- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Sincerely,
Diana Simpson
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There is no school tomorrow, Nov. 2, as it is a professional work day for our teachers.
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FUN RUN FINAL DEADLINE TODAY!
Today is the last day to get those final pledges in for the Fun Run.
We are currently at an estimated profit of $55,786, or 79.7 percent of our big $70,000 goal, for a Makerspace. We're almost there!
Thank you, again, to everyone for your support throughout our school's main fundraising event of the year.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL HALLOWEEN SKATE NIGHT
BFA's Student Council is hosting a Halloween Skate Night! This FUN costume party for BFA middle school students only (grades 6-8) is from
6-8 p.m. tonight, Nov. 1, at Skate City in Littleton. Admission is $5 per middle school kiddo and skate rental is $2.50. Dinner is included--either two slices of pizza and a drink, OR one hot dog, chips and a drink. They'll also be a costume contest, a FREE $5 game card and the opportunity win the GOLDEN SKATE plus $100 for your class. Don't miss it!
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OPERATION GRATITUDE CANDY DRIVE
Taking candy from children is usually frowned upon, but teaching them the value of giving back by donating their excess Halloween candy in support of Operation Gratitude's Care Package Programs for U.S. Troops, Veterans and First Responders is a win-win for kids, parents, and dentists.
Candy and handwritten thank you letters for deployed Service Members, Veterans, and First Responders will be collected at school now through Thursday, Nov. 8. Operation Gratitude also is accepting donations of dental floss and travel-sized toothpaste. Collection tubs are located just inside the entryway in the main hallway.
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VIRTUES AWARENESS CONTEST WINNERS
Congratulations to
Laurel Henbest in
Mrs. Walter's fifth grade class and to
Maria Mundackal in Ms. Liebelt's sixth grade class! They are the winners of the October Virtues Awareness Bookmark Contest. Laurel's bookmark design was chosen for its amazing message about January's virtue, Resolution. 'Stick to it! Turn it in!' Maria's bookmark design was chosen for its clear message of December's virtue, Frugality.
'Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.'
K-5 students, look for your
copy of Laurel's winning bookmark in your Thursday folder.
Middle school students, look for Maria's poster in the Middle School Commons.
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Wednesday,
Nov. 14, is the Nutrition Services Thanksgiving Feast! Students can elect to purchase lunch that day and will be treated to roasted turkey breast, loaded mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered green beans, a snickerdoodle cookie and the harvest bar. I
f you plan on joining your student for lunch, please email your student's teacher and Holly Long, kitchen manager, by next Thursday, Nov. 8, to let us know how many family members are coming. (Do not include your student in the count-we only need to plan for extra guests.) The cost for the Thanksgiving Feast is $4.25 for students and guests.
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VETERANS DAY IS AROUND THE CORNER!
Veterans Day is quickly approaching! Here's how you can join in the celebration:
Assembly Programs and Veterans Reception
The assemblies are the high point of our Veterans Day celebration! Veterans, service members and BFA families are invited to join us at our Veterans Day assembly programs on Friday, Nov. 9.
- Grades K-4 will be held at 8:30 a.m.
- Grades 5-8 will be held at 12:45 p.m.
A special reception will be held just for veterans in Sanders Science Lab. Please invite the veterans in your life to come and be honored as we celebrate those who serve our country! The
morning reception starts immediately following the morning assembly, around 9:30 a.m., while the afternoon reception begins at noon before the afternoon assembly.
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 if you are able to help with this important event.
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CALLING ALL PARENT PHOTOGRAPHERS!
We need your help with pictures for the yearbook! We
need more candid pictures
--including past events such as Harvest Festival, after school activities, middle school sports, field trips etc.
Earn some volunteer time and click here to upload photos.
The code is 'YEARBOOK2019.'
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Check out the new library
webpage. Parents can use this webpage to sign up to volunteer in the library, contact the librarians, see when your student's class is coming to library, and find useful links to OverDrive, Battle of the Books, Douglas County Libraries and more.
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The men of Ben's Brigade are hosting Dad's Night Out from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, at Bowlero Lanes in Lone Tree. This PTO sponsored event will include bowling and appetizers. There are 30 spaces available. Click here to sign up for the event. We hope to see you there!
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FIRST GRADE FAMILIES - WE'RE THANKFUL YOUR HELPING IN NOVEMBER!
FIRST GRADE FAMILIES--please volunteer in carpool this month! To help fill crucial carpool volunteer roles, we're asking
parents in each grade level to make a special effort to volunteer one month of the school year. In November, we'd like our first grade families to sign up for open volunteer spots in carpool. If you don't have an first grade student, but enjoy volunteering in carpool--we still need you so please consider signing up today. Just log into
HelpCounter and click on '
Check for Upcoming Opportunities.'
If you are a new family and have not logged into HelpCounter yet, or want to volunteer but simply can't help with carpool, see our Volunteer Management
webpage.
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ORIGINAL WORKS ONLINE STORE REOPENED
Original Works has reopened its online store for BFA orders, and will remain open until Friday, Nov. 9. Orders placed during this time period are not guaranteed to arrive before Winter Break, but they often do. If you'd like to support the Arts at BFA and are looking for a great gift idea, consider o
rdering
beautiful, professional products featuring your student's artwork from Original Works
. See this flier for specific instructions. I
f you have questions,
contact
Mrs. Hinkle
.
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MODERN MARKET SPIRIT NIGHT
Take the night off from cooking, and come enjoy some delicious, healthy food while supporting BFA.
Modern
Market
will donate 50 percent of the proceeds from purchases made from 5 - 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at their Highlands Ranch location (537 W Highlands Ranch Pkwy #108). Please be sure to mention the BFA fundraiser.
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Yearbook sales have officially launched! This year, the only way to
purchase a yearbook is through our vendor, Walsworth. (You may recall--purchasing a yearbook was not an option this year during Express Check-In.) We will not be offering yearbook sales at any other events throughout the year. Don't wait, as prices will increase beginning in January!
- Now - December 31, 2018: $26.00 per book
- January 1, 2019 - February 28, 2019: $31.00 per book
- March 1, 2019 - March 31, 2019: $36.00 per book
Order and pay for your 2018-19 Yearbook today!
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A MESSAGE FOR ALL PARENTS FROM BASE
Just a friendly reminder, as per the state of Colorado Licensing, only children registered in the BASE program may attend during BASE hours. This includes areas such as the turf field, playground areas, the BASE room, and the Lightning Gym.
If your student chooses to play outside after he/she has been picked up from school, they may do so until 4 p.m. BASE starts promptly at that time and we ask that all non-BASE students vacate the BFA premises immediately. If you have any questions please
email
Leigh Savoy, BASE director. T
hank you!
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BFA ENROLLMENT FOR NEW STUDENTS OPEN NOW!
New: Preference Sheet for Kindies due Nov. 14
Open Enrollment for NEW BFA students begins TODAY!
Please be sure to complete enrollment well before the first round closes at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3.
Although enrolling early during the FIRST ROUND does not offer any advantages--it's a good idea to complete the process early just in case you encounter any issues. You can choose up to four schools during the Open Enrollment process, but we encourage you to only pick the schools you plan to accept as that helps streamline the process for everyone.
For your quick reference, below is the information we shared earlier this fall about Open Enrollment for new BFA students. Most of the information is the same, but we've added a form for parents of upcoming Kindergarten students. We'd like you to complete this
Preference Form by Wednesday, Nov. 14, in addition to completing Open Enrollment.
The first round of Open Enrollment IS NOW OPEN!
Parents of ALL NEW K-8 BFA students for the 2019-20 school year need to take action by completing DCSD's Open Enrollment process.
Even if you have a student who currently attends kindergarten through eighth grade at BFA, you will need to complete DCSD Open Enrollment for any NEW, or incoming K-8 students. For example, if you have a third grader attending BFA, and want to send your child to Kindergarten at BFA, you MUST complete Open Enrollment for the upcoming Kindergarten student.
FIRST ROUND: Runs today through 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3.
All families are highly encouraged to complete Open Enrollment at some point during the First Round; please keep in mind that the first round is NOT first come, first served.
- Parents will use their DCSD EngagED Parent Portal to access Open Enrollment. (Hint: You used your EngagED Parent Portal to complete Express Check-In in August.) Parents without a DCSD EngagED Parent Portal account will be able to create one today. If you do not know your username and password, please email BFA's registrar, Colleen Bobbin. Keep in mind, if you have any concerns about accessing your Parent Portal, try to log in early in the process and, if you encounter problems, email the registrar well in advance of the deadline on Monday, Dec. 3.
- If you are applying for Kindergarten, your child MUST turn five by Oct. 1 of the enrollment year. For example, if your student will be five by Oct. 1, 2019, they can apply for the 2019-20 school year. Also, as mentioned above, please complete the preference form for your upcoming Kindergarten student and send it to our registrar, Colleen Bobbin, by Wednesday, Nov. 14.
- Open Enrollment submissions during the FIRST ROUND ONLY will have priority based on the following:
- Children in the household of Founding Families;
- Siblings of current students. Siblings that share the same birth date (ie. twins or triplets) shall receive automatic enrollment;
- Children of full-time teachers; and
- BFA preschool students. (See Mrs. Goldberg's Oct. 17 email for specific details.)
IMPORTANT: Parents with students who have the above priorities who miss First Round of Open Enrollment will NOT receive priority in the Second Round of enrollment. If you want to leverage your priority status, please plan to complete Open Enrollment during First Round.
- Parents will see offers in the EngagED Parent Portal at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and MUST log back in by 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17, to accept an open enrollment offer. If you receive an offer, and do not accept it by the deadline, you will automatically be placed on the second round open enrollment wait-list, which runs from Jan. 22 to Aug. 1.
- Parents who accept an offer will receive enrollment requirements and deadlines via email. You can get a head start on some of these requirements by ensuring you have the following information handy: copy of your student's birth certificate, updated immunization records, and proof of residency. One of the following will be required for proof of residency:
- Lease Agreement
- Purchase Agreement
- Tax Notice
- Warranty Deed
- Deed of Trust
SECOND ROUND: Runs Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 - August 1, 2019
- Open Enrollment during Second Round is "first come, first served." Parents requesting open enrollment for their child in the Second Round are placed on the wait-list behind those that are currently on the wait-list from first round. Priorities will NOT be considered.
The DCSD Open Enrollment webpage provides the most up-to-date information and specific details about the process, as well as answers to commonly-asked questions. If you have questions about enrollment, please
email our registrar or call 720-383-4519 x3104 to reach the registrar.
Current BFA Students
Current K-8 students intending to return to BFA next school year DO NOT need to take any action. If your K-7 student will not return to BFA next year, please let the registrar know via
email.
Preschool Students
Preschool Enrollment for the three-year-old and four-year-old classes will take place via the preschool
webpage on the BFA website. Preschool enrollment for current BFA families will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 3. Preschool enrollment for the general public will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 14.
If you are interested in the Ben Franklin Academy Preschool program, please click
here for more information.
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ATTENTION EIGHTH GRADE FAMILIES
As you prepare for your eighth grader's high school enrollment, you may need to request transcripts and/or other records. If that's the case, please
email our registrar, Colleen Bobbin, and let her know exactly what the high school requires. (They should specify which records are needed, and understanding their exact requirements will eliminate delays in processing.)
It takes some time to gather all the necessary documents, so
please allow three business days (72 hours) to complete the request. Once the student's packet has been completed, the registrar will email the requesting parent and leave the packet at the front desk for pick up.
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SPREAD THE WORD - SCHOOL TOUR TUESDAYS
Do you know any families interested in sending their student(s) to BFA? If so, we'd love to show them our amazing facility! Tours for prospective K-8 families will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays through Nov. 27 (with no tour Nov. 20 due to Thanksgiving break). At that time, we'll show prospective parents around the school so they can see firsthand why we are the STEAM School of Choice in Douglas County. Anyone going on a tour should bring a Driver's License and arrive a few minutes early so we can scan their license before the tour begins.
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BFA's Board of Directors has always accepted open comments from parents. Comments can be made in person at a Board meeting or submitted through our Open Comments
Form (scroll to end of page) before noon on the day of the Board meeting. Open comments submitted through the form (and received by the deadline), will be read aloud during the open comment period of the Board meeting, which is listed on the agenda. The Board may choose to respond to public comments, but is not required to do so, and will only take action on items listed on the agenda. The Board may, at its discretion, refer the matter or calendar the issue for future discussion.
Please note, we've included the
link for your convenience, but this form can always be found on the BFA website under 'Our School,' 'Board of Directors,' 'Board Meeting Agendas' (then, scroll down).
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GOT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE?
RENT THE ROCK!
Have a birthday to celebrate or a team to cheer on? Then rent the Spirit Rock! You've probably already seen the fun messages painted on the rock, and it's just $15 per day for you to display your message.
For more information on how to rent and paint the rock, visit the PTO
webpage. If you have questions,
email
Sara Hope
, spirit rock committee manager.
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MAKE YOUR STUDENT'S BIG DAY SPECIAL--SEND A BIRTHDAY BAG!
Order your birthday bags today and help our eighth graders who are going to Washington, D.C. next spring. For just $10, our
eighth graders will deliver a bag of goodies (no food included) to your child's classroom and surprise him or her with a special Happy Birthday song. We're happy to celebrate half birthdays too! Bags are available for
purchase on the BFA online store. Please order early to ensure delivery on your child's special day.
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GET YOUR DISCOUNT TICKETS TODAY!
The Foundation for Douglas County Schools
Community Events Program
is out with their latest fundraisers! The Foundation works with our community event partners to provide substantially discounted tickets to cultural venues and sporting events; and, best of all, your ticket purchases benefit DCSD.
Basketball fans - Get your discount tickets for the Denver Nuggets vs.Utah Jazz at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Pepsi Center. See the flier for more information; there are two alternate game choices as well.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL HALLOWEEN SKATE NIGHT
BFA's Student Council invites all middle school students (grades 6-8) to a FUN costume party from
6-8 p.m. tonight, Nov. 1, at Skate City
in Littleton. Admission is $5 per middle school kiddo and skate rental is $2.50.
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There is no school tomorrow, Nov. 2, as it is a professional work day for our teachers.
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Tours for prospective K-8 families will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays through November (with no tours Nov. 20 due to school breaks). Anyone going on a tour should bring a Driver's License and arrive a few minutes early so we can scan their license before the tour begins.
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The Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee will meet from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the Sanders Science Lab. All parents are welcome to come and learn more about the exciting things the STEM Committee is doing for BFA students!
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The first Wednesday of each month is Formal Uniform Day. Our next Formal Uniform Day is Wednesday, Nov. 7, and students should wear a navy polo shirt with the BFA logo and tan pants, shorts, skirt or a skort.
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FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
The Finance Committee is meeting from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, in the BFA Conference Room.
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The men of Ben's Brigade are hosting Dad's Night Out from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, at Bowlero Lanes in Lone Tree. Click
here to sign up for the event.
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VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS
Veterans, service members and BFA families are invited to join us at our Veterans Day assembly programs on Friday, Nov. 9.
- Grades K-4 will be held at 8:30 a.m.
- Grades 5-8 will be held at 12:45 p.m.
A special reception will be held just for veterans in Sanders Science Lab. The morning reception starts immediately following the morning assembly, around 9:30 a.m., while the afternoon reception begins at noon before the afternoon assembly.
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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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