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| Vol. 8, Iss. 32 |
Nov. 15, 2018
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It's the time of year when we reflect and give thanks for our many blessings. BFA has been a huge blessing to me during the past eight years. I feel so thankful that I get to work with wonderful, talented people in a job I love every day. So many of the staff members and families at BFA have become family to me and I am truly grateful to be a part of this community. Here are just a few of the many things I'm thankful for this year:
- The kids who were our first kindie class are in seventh grade and thriving!
- The little kindergartener who calls me "the principal's office" when I see him.
- The staff members who go above and beyond every day (most recently...Mr. Brook, Mr. Gomez and Mr. Rau for mitigating a roof leak!).
- Our wonderful parents who devote so much time and energy to this school, including members of our Board of Directors, the PTO, Board committees such as: STEM, SAC, CEC and Finance, and all of our other parent volunteers.
- The kids who smile in the hallway, run on the playground and are excited to participate in class.
- The middle school students who remember to say 'please,' 'thank you' and 'excuse me' in the halls...even when they are in a hurry.
- And, for the parents who wave and smile in carpool...even when we are running a little slow.
Thank you for sharing your students with us every day and trusting us to help them learn and grow. I hope you have a relaxing week spending time playing games, drinking cider, eating turkey and enjoying your families!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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There is a
Dress of Choice day tomorrow, Nov. 16
, for all students (except those who have had two uniform violations since the last Dress of Choice day).
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NO SCHOOL FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK
Please remember there is no school
from Monday, Nov. 19, through Friday, Nov. 23
. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!
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Great job parents--you've made it through the first trimester! Report cards will be available on Gradelink tomorrow.
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STUDENT COUNCIL CHARITY WEEK, ONE DAY LEFT
Veterans are the reason we live in the home of the free, and we are grateful for their sacrifices for our nation. We need your help this season to show our gratitude.
Student Council is partnering with Soldiers' Angels, a nonprofit organization that supports service members and veterans nationwide. They are holding a
collection drive to benefit the patients at the VA Hospital in Aurora as well as homeless veterans in the Denver area. We are collecting the following items:
- Socks
- Hats
- Gloves
- Mittens
There will be a drop-off box in the front lobby. Please donate only
new adult men's and women's sizes. Thank you for your support!
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~ John F. Kennedy
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PLEASE CHECK LOST AND FOUND TODAY
Please ask your student(s) to check the Lost and Found if they are missing a sweater, BFA sweatshirt, coat/jacket, lunch box, book or water bottle.
Items will be donated during Thanksgiving Break.
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BFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEEKING LEADERS THIS SPRING
The Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) community is seeking leaders, who are passionate about and committed to BFA's mission and vision, to serve on the volunteer, seven-director BFA Board of Directors (Board). In the spring of 2019, the BFA community will elect one (1) director and the BFA Board will appoint one (1) director in accordance with the Board of Directors Election Policy. Each seat is for a three-year term.
A critical element to the success of any charter school is its ability to successfully fulfill legal requirements, advocate for its educational philosophy, and carry out its mission and vision. BFA continues to strive for excellence on a continual basis. In 2018, BFA focused on improving its educational experience, increasing parent satisfaction, promoting staff professional development, increasing teacher salaries, and preparing for and successfully submitting the application to renew its charter contract. The BFA Board will continue to focus on oversight, governance, and reinforcement of BFA's strategic plan. In addition, the Board will continue its support of the expansion of educational opportunities for BFA students through the following additions/renovations: 1) a Makerspace; 2) an outdoor classroom; and 3) greenhouse.
The Board encourages all individuals with a passion to serve the BFA community to get involved in the nomination and election process this spring. More details on the process, director qualifications, and Board needs will be posted on the BFA website and distributed by email to the BFA community by early February 2019.
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LOVE TO COORDINATE? WE HAVE A PROJECT FOR YOU!
I
f you need help getting in your volunteer hours this year, we have a fun project for you! The STEM Committee needs a volunteer to coordinate the middle school science fair coming up on Dec. 7.
The primary responsibilities include:
- Working with the middle school assistant principle, Mr. Rau, to arrange student presentation times;
- Creating a sign-up genius for judges, set-up, and tear-down; and
- Helping with other basic logistics of the event.
No science background required. And, t
here's even a checklist of what needs to be done!
The total expected work is less than seven hours total. Please
contact STEM if you are able to help out.
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2019-20 ACADEMIC CALENDAR AVAILABLE
The 2019-20 Academic Calendar has been approved and is on the BFA website. Happy planning!
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Tired of circling the BFA parking lot looking for a spot? Get your own reserved space! Want to be sure grandma/grandpa (and you!) get the BEST seat in the house at your student's performance without getting to school an hour before the show? Then, stake your claim on six front and center seats to a grade level musical.
Your chance is coming! The PTO's online auction will be held from Monday, Nov. 26, through Friday, Nov. 30. You can bid on reserved seats to a grade level musical as well as eighth grade graduation. The five reserved parking spots (4 annual and 1 monthly) will be up for auction for the calendar year 2019. Look for more information as we get closer. If you have questions, please contact Julia Porterfield, PTO fundraising coordinator.
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BAKE SALE ON FRIDAY, NOV. 30
Raid your piggy bank and make plans to get to school early on Friday, Nov. 30, so your student(s) can buy a treat to support the eighth grade Washington, D.C. kids at their Bake Sale! The Bake Sale will be held from 7:45 - 8:05 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, at BFA. Any funds raised will help BFA students offset some of the costs associated with going to Washington, D.C., so please support their efforts!
Interested in helping out with the bake sale? We still need bake sale items and parent volunteers, so if you can help, please sign up today! If you have questions, contact
Dawn Becker
or
Kristine Haas
, D.C. fundraising committee co-chairs.
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Have your kids had a growth spurt or are you ready to get new uniforms for next year? If so, mark your calendars for the upcoming
Used Uniform Sale from 9 - 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Lightning Gym.
If you would like to sell your uniforms, please be sure your items are
tagged and brought to the front office with the inventory form between Monday, Nov. 26, and Thursday, Dec. 7. Please follow the
tagging instructions and complete the
inventory form. Please note that no items will be held after the sale.
Any unsold items will need to be picked up between 12-1 p.m. on December 8.
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! If you would like to volunteer to help with the sale, please visit the Uniform Buyback
Signup Genius.
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SAY THANKS--HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING WITH SCRIP
SCRIP is the staff gifting program that we introduced last year to facilitate convenient group gift-giving. Through this program, each family makes one payment for all of their teacher and staff gifts. Then, each teacher/staff member receives an email with the total amount collected, and selects which gift cards they would like to receive. By consolidating donations, we are able to provide teachers and staff with meaningful gifts.
This program allows the PTO to purchase the requested gift cards at discounts ranging from 2 - 21 percent, depending on the retailer. That discounted amount comes back to BFA from SCRIP, and will be used for PTO funded programs at school.
New This Year!
Families will be able to
place SCRIP orders via the BFA store and pay by credit card. Paper forms with check payment will continue to be available, as well. With either option, you may designate how much you would like to give to each teacher/staff member in dollar increments.
Collections will take place Dec. 1-7.
Participation in the SCRIP program is completely voluntary. You are welcome to participate with any amount, or alternatively gift the teachers and staff on your own.
The gifts will be given to the staff the week before Winter Break, and will be in lieu of any other class gift/collection. Look for more information in future newsletters regarding details on how to contribute to your teacher's gift!
Questions? Visit the PTO
webpage or
contact
Rachael Hamburger, SCRIP coordinator.
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SAVE THE DATE FOR A HOLIDAY PARENTS DAY OUT
Mark your calendars for
Parents Day Out! You can drop the kids off at BFA from
1 - 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, and do some shopping, wrap presents, catch a movie or just relax during the hustle and bustle of the crazy season! The Parents Day Out is for BFA students only, and there will be lots of activities to keep the kids entertained. More details will be provided in upcoming newsletters.
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SURVEY FOR DCSD PARENTS AND STAFF
Douglas County School District (DCSD) parents, high school students, and staff will be invited to complete a survey tomorrow to share their perspectives on school start times. While we always encourage our parents and staff to complete DCSD surveys, we wanted to remind parents that
the BFA Board of Directors approves our schedule and the start/end times of our school day, making an effort to align with the DCSD calendar as appropriate.
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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.'
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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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TIME TO PURCHASE YOUR 2018-19 YEARBOOK
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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BEFORE SCHOOL ELEMENTARY SPANISH
Is your elementary student interested in learning Spanish? If so, our middle school Spanish teacher,
Señora Connell, is offering a Spanish class for elementary students
. You can sign up for classes by the month; the cost for this activity is $50 per student (less on shorter months).
- Kindergarten, first and second grade will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8 a.m.
- Third, fourth and fifth grade will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 to 8 a.m.
Y
ou can sign up for one month at a time; classes continue through the end of May and follow the regular BFA school calendar for breaks/days off.
Sign up today! Please
contact
Señora Connell with any questions.
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SPREAD THE WORD - ONLY ONE TOUR LEFT THIS YEAR
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 next Tuesday, 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 ENROLLMENT FOR NEW STUDENTS OPEN NOW!
New: Preference Sheet for Kindies due Nov. 14
Open Enrollment for NEW BFA students is now OPEN! 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.
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.
- 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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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. Go to their website for the latest information on discount tickets.
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There is a
Dress of Choice day on Friday, Nov. 16
, for all students.
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| Monday, Nov. 19 - Friday, November 23 |
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NO SCHOOL FOR THANKSGIVING BREAK
Please remember there is no school
from Monday, Nov. 19, through Friday, Nov. 23
. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!
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Tours for prospective K-8 families will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays through November (with no tour Nov. 20 due to school break). 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 School Accountability Committee (SAC) is meeting from 4:10 - 5:10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29, in the BFA Conference Room.
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The 8th Grade Washington, D.C. kids are hosting a Bake Sale from 7:45 - 8:05 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, at BFA. Any funds raised will help BFA students offset some of the costs associated with going to Washington, D.C., so please support their efforts!
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Friday, Nov. 30, is a Spirit Wear Day. Students may wear a spirit day T-shirt, Fun Run shirt, or a field day T-shirt from a prior year, with their regular uniform bottoms.
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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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