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Vol. 10, Iss. 16
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April 30, 2020
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Dear Parents,
Week six of Remote Learning is coming to an end. It has not been easy on anyone, but our community has embraced the challenge and has done a great job. Thanks for everything you've done to support continued learning! We have three weeks left, so keep up the hard work.
The last week of school is always special because we plan fun and different activities for students. Traditionally, we have field days and end-of-year programs, and of course eighth grade graduation. This year will obviously look different. Eighth grade graduation, for example, has been postponed with the hope that we'll all be able to get together later in the summer.
We've been giving the last week of school a lot of thought and decided that we'd like to celebrate our amazing Specials team and give our students a chance to show off their (non-academic) skills! Here is our "Schedule of Events" for the last week of school:
Monday: Obstacle Course Challenge
Tuesday: Performing Arts Challenge
Wednesday: Art Challenge
Thursday: Virtual Field Day
Friday, May 22, was scheduled to be a half-day, so we will not have assignments that day. We will send out MUCH more information about this fun last week of school as we get closer, but I wanted you to be able to see where we are headed as we go through May.
Since we had to postpone eighth grade graduation, we would like to show this class of eighth graders some extra BFA love the last week of school. This class is our first "Kindie Club" (students who have attended BFA from kindergarten-eighth grade) and they are amazing kids who deserve to be celebrated for their hard work. We are excited to announce our "BFA Adopt an 8th Grader" program. If your family would be interested in dropping off a surprise to one of BFA's 8th graders the last week of school, please fill out this
form. You will be matched with an 8th grader, and you'll receive a list of the student's "favorites" to help you create your surprise. We just ask that you commit to dropping the surprise off at the student's home sometime the last week of school (May 18-21). We have 114 eighth graders to celebrate, so we need our whole community to help! Please contact me if you have questions about the "Adopt an 8th Grader" program.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Diana Simpson
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We're so proud of all our readers!
Ms. Williams, our librarian, recently ran reports to find out how many books were checked out for this school year (prior to remote learning), which classrooms
checked out the most books, and which students were our top library users. Below are the results:
15,592
books have been checked out (No Overdrive books are included in these figures.)
Top 10 Classrooms:
1. Mrs. Hinz = 1,451
2. Mrs. Hildebrand = 1,150
3. Ms. Erbaugh = 839
4. Mrs. North = 782
5. Ms. Buzalka = 773 (Tie)
5. Mrs. Harms = 773 (Tie)
6. Mrs. Gautier = 754
7. Mrs. Wilson = 709
8. Mrs. Wall = 697
9. Ms. Whelan = 691
10. Mrs. Triplett = 641
Top Grade Levels:
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
1st Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Congratulations to our Top Ten Students:
1. Tilden Kim = 128 books, Mrs. Hinz, 2nd Grade
2. Thomas Reager = 127 books, Mrs. Wall, 4th Grade
3. Dominic Ligrani = 102 books, Mrs. Hildebrand, 2nd Grade (TIE)
3. Anna Winkler = 102 books, Mrs. Walter, 5th Grade (TIE)
4. Lana Olson = 96 books, Mrs. Hinz, 2nd Grade
5. Elijah Rangel = 91 books, Mrs. Hinz, 2nd Grade
6. Ashlyn deRis = 83 books, Mrs. Wilson, 3rd Grade (TIE)
6. Ryan Lam = 83 books, Mrs. Hildebrand, 2nd Grade (TIE)
7. Eden Coleman = 80 books, Mrs. Hildebrand, 2nd Grade
8. Anya Green = 79 books, Ms. Erbaugh, 3rd Grade
9. Matthew Lobis = 75 books, Mrs. Hinz, 2nd Grade
10. Genevieve Ryan = 72 books, Mrs. Harms, 2nd Grade
Scholastic Book Fair Update
Like the rest of us, Scholastic is taking precautions against COVID-19 so it may take two to three
weeks to get your online Book Fair order. If it's longer than that,
please contact Ms. Williams with your order number and she'll get in touch with our Scholastic representative.
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PLEASE CHECK YOUR PASSWORD FOR THE PARENT PORTAL
As you may remember, there are two important steps parents need to complete before the start of every school year for your K-8 BFA student(s).
Mid-summer you will be asked to complete DCSD Online Express Check-In, and before school starts, you'll complete BFA Annual Family Check-In. In the next few weeks, we hope to have additional details on these processes.
To access DCSD Online Express Check-In this summer and complete the first step, you'll need to login to the DCSD EngagED Parent Portal. Since BFA parents generally use the username and password for the Parent Portal one time per year, sometimes they forget their login credentials. Therefore, we'd like you to take the opportunity NOW to login to the EngagED Parent Portal. If you find that you do not know your username and password, please email BFA's registrar, Colleen Bobbin, by Friday, May 8. We want to be sure you are prepared well before summer begins. Note: Families who have never had a K-8 student in a DCSD school will receive an email on or after July 1 to finalize their accounts.
Also, you may notice that DCSD has parent and student Infinite Campus apps. Please note, the DCSD Campus App is NOT required for BFA parents; however, you are welcome to download it and use it to see your student's schedule. The app cannot be used for DCSD Express Check-In.
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PTO ELECTIONS - LAST DAY TO VOTE TOMORROW!
The PTO is an integral part of the BFA community. Since it began serving BFA, the PTO has raised funds to provide all manner of items for the school, including playground equipment, library books, a climbing wall, the outdoor classroom, and the MakerSpace as well as tools and resources needed by the teachers, staff, and administration. In addition, they organize multiple social events to bring together the entire BFA community.
The mission of the PTO is to seek resources to strengthen, enhance, and encourage the educational and social experience at Ben Franklin Academy. Each year, the parent community is asked to vote for open executive officer and committee chair positions.
To view the candidate bios, please visit the PTO webpage, and click on 'PTO Elections'. Then, cast your vote as voting will only be open through TOMORROW May 1. Each family unit is permitted to cast one vote per position.
Preschool families should use the number they received for the Board election as their family number. Election results will be announced at the PTO meeting on Wednesday, May 6.
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BE A ROOM PARENT NEXT YEAR!
The PTO is looking for Room Parents for next school year! Being an elementary school Room Parent is a great way to meet your volunteer quota, develop a relationship with your child's teacher, and get involved in the school. If you are interested,
please send an email to Amanda Trenck and Lauren Flint, co-room parent coordinators, K-5.
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This has been a year to remember, so don't miss your chance to commemorate it with a 2019-20 yearbook.
Yearbooks are $36, and can be purchased online at yearbookforever.com. Order yours today before
sales end next Friday, May 8!
Can't remember if you've already ordered a yearbook? You can check
online. Enter your email address under "Find an Order" and the system will tell you if any orders have been placed using your email address.
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Senora Connell is offering online Spanish lessons for new, intermediate and advanced students. She'll be offering sessions again in May.
Simply
contact Senora Connell to get started!
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TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8, is Teacher Appreciation Week. We hope you'll join us in thanking teachers for taking great care of our kids all year long!
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All are welcome to attend the PTO Zoom meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6. The details of the Zoom meeting are available on the BFA calendar.
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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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