 |
Vol. 10, Iss. 26
|
Oct. 1, 2020
|
|
Dear Parents,
I hope you are doing well! I want to share a quick update on our first grade situation from last week. We did not have any positive COVID-19 diagnoses. (Please remember you can refer to the chart on our website for the most current BFA COVID-19 data.) We did have a couple of positive strep tests among our first grade students. Following our protocol, all cleared students were able to return to class on Monday this week. I want to thank the first-grade parents for being cautious and following our recommendations for keeping symptomatic students at home. Our system is working! It's been a fun week having a full building again. The middle school students are excited to see their friends, and the teachers are happy to have everyone back together in the classroom. There have been a few bumps in the road this week, but nothing we can't handle, and it has improved every day.
Since students were only in-person two days a week until last week, we have not been strictly enforcing our dress code. Now that we are all back four days a week, the teachers will be addressing violations. We have noticed the top violations are: not wearing belts, crazy socks, and hair (colored, length, etc.). Please reference the dress code policy and chart linked HERE on our policies webpage, for more details. Students will receive a warning with the first violation, and for a second violation, they will lose their Dress of Choice day. We will be adding the following Dress of Choice days to the calendar: November 20 and December 18. We will have no formal uniform days through December 16 as we are remote most Wednesdays.
Fall Break is almost here. I know many of you will be traveling for the week. We are not asking families to restrict travel or to quarantine upon return, but we do want to encourage you to travel safely during this pandemic. A nurse that works closely with another charter school in our area created a document with thorough and thoughtful guidance regarding travel. I have linked it HERE. Please read it if you plan on traveling this fall. Next week, all students will be in class Monday-Thursday and are off on Friday. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
|
There will be no school on Friday, Oct. 9, as it is a teacher in-service day. And, the following week, Oct. 12-16, is Fall Break.
|
Ben's Brigade will host their second annual Pints with Principals event from 5:30-6:30 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 2, at MaxTaps on their outdoor patio. All BFA dads, grandpas, and/or favorite uncles are welcome to come and get to know BFA's leadership team. Click here for the sign up link.
|
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR FALL BREAK BASE CAMP
Register NOW for Fall Break BASE Camp the week of Oct. 12-16 at BFA.
The cost is only $35 per child per day, and camp is available from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. It will be lots of fun for everyone!
Families that have not enrolled in BASE for the current 2020-21 school year will be required to do so and pay the BASE registration fee of $25.
If you are interested, please read the parent handbook found on our webpage and register today.
If you have any questions please contact Leigh Savoy.
|
It's time for school pictures! Individual student pictures will be taken next week, Oct. 5-9, for all in-person and remote students according to the following schedule. (Middle school photos will be taken on their assigned time slot, which may or may not be homeroom or advisory.) Attached is a PDF of the picture day flier. Please click anywhere on the flier to be directed to the website where you can order pictures online. You also can access the online ordering portal by going to www.mymjthomas.com and enter our school's event password (located on the second page of the PDF). Please print and keep your receipt.
If you prefer, print and bring in the picture day flier. Don't forget to attach your check. Retake day has not been scheduled yet. Please contact BFA if you have any questions.
Note for Remote Students: We kindly ask our remote students to arrive between 9 a.m. and noon on Friday, Oct. 9, which is a teacher in-service day so there is no school. Remote students should come in their BFA uniform shirt for pictures, and go around the building to the northwest side of the school to enter the gym through the doors by the turf field. (Pictures will be taken in the large/Thunder gym.) Since there is no school, parents may park in the preschool and/or lower parking lot.
|
COVID-19 MEANS MORE TIME TO READ!
Scholastic has books the entire family will enjoy! Let's stock up for fall and keep everyone in the family reading while supporting BFA through the online Book Fair. The Scholastic online Book Fair will go live on Monday, Oct. 5, and run through Sunday, Oct. 18.
BFA earns 25 percent rewards on every purchase, which helps to provide new books to our library.
Please feel free to share the age appropriate Book Fair Videos with your kiddos:
Then visit us at Scholastic Book Fair homepage.
|
BFA PTO SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE NOW
The new school year means another opportunity to promote your business while supporting BFA. Each year, PTO sponsorships allow BFA to continue to grow and meet the needs of our school, as well as our teachers, staff and students. Sponsorships are on sale NOW! They are limited in quantity, and will be offered on a first come, first served basis. For details on the various sponsorship options and pricing, see the flier or visit the PTO Sponsorship webpage. (Click on 'Sponsors' at the top of the webpage.) If you are interested in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact Anne Giusti-Chacon, sponsor committee manager.
|
TRUNK OR TREAT HALLOWEEN PARTY
In lieu of the costume parade, individual elementary class parties and the middle school activity for Halloween, the PTO is hosting TRUNK OR TREAT on Friday, Oct. 30! It's going to be a FUN day for ALL preschool through eighth grade BFA students, including remote learners! Students may wear their costumes all day, with the usual rules--no revealing/offensive clothing, full face masks/face paint, costumes with pretend blood/gore, or pretend weapons. Throughout the day, classes will be invited to step outside by cohort group and participate in Trunk or Treat where volunteers will be distributing trinkets, candy, popcorn and/or fruit snacks from the trunk of their own vehicle parked in an assigned spot. Remote learners are invited to trunk or treat from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the upper parking lot. (Of course, all volunteers and students will be expected to follow strict safety precautions.)
The PTO has ordered the give-a-way items, but we've asked for parent support for the individually wrapped snacks and candy. Thanks to those of you who already signed up! There are a few slots left, and we're requesting bulk items from Sam's Club or Costco as well as standard sized items from Wal-Mart/Target or the grocery store. Please see the sign up below and consider supporting by donating treats for our students! All donations can be dropped off in the BFA front office.
New Details and Volunteer Opportunities: We're looking for volunteers to help organize all of the give-a-way items and distribute items at Trunk or Treat. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we ask that only volunteers attend the Trunk or Treat event. Unfortunately, we cannot have crowds of individuals gathered watching the event. Please refrain from coming if you are not volunteering. If you're interested in helping organize or distribute items, please see the volunteer sign ups below.
|
The BFA Directory is ready and can be found on the Directory on Tap (DOT) app. Install the latest app update on your mobile device from the App Store (for iPhone and iPad) or Google Play Store (for Android). Below are a few hints for getting the directory set up on your mobile device:
- If you see the logon screen, the first step is to RESET PASSWORD.
- Your account has already been set up, so there is no need to create an account.
- You will be prompted for the one-time code that was emailed to you.
- Enter your email in lower case as the user ID.
- The password must be a minimum of six characters.
-
Click here for step-by-step detailed instructions with screen shots.
Please email [email protected] for any support questions. And, in case you're wondering, the parent contact information is what you entered/verified during Express Check-In. If you have updates to your contact information, you may update it via the app, but be sure to contact the BFA registrar as well.
See the flier or contact Denise Battista, PTO vice president, with questions.
|
PLAN TO JOIN US FOR SPIRIT NIGHT AT FREDDY'S FROZEN CUSTARD & STEAKBURGERS
Please join us from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Highlands Ranch (900 Sgt. Jon Stiles Dr.) for the next PTO Spirit Night. Freddy's will donate 15 percent of your purchase back to BFA. Due to COVID-19, the dining room is only partially open. However, the drive-thru is open and Freddy's offers carry out. Make sure to show the electronic flier (hint: save it to your phone now!) or tell the cashier that you're with BFA so your purchase counts toward spirit night.
The PTO September spirit night at Parry's Pizzeria in Highlands Ranch raised $572 for BFA. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the spirit night. Let's see if we can make the Freddy's spirit night even better! We appreciate your continued support.
|
2020 VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION
Please join your fellow BFA families on Thursday, Nov. 12, for a Veterans Day Celebration! We're doing things a little differently this year since all students will be remote learning on Nov. 11 and in-person assemblies are not possible this year. But, since we can't fathom a year without recognizing our veterans and service members, the CEC is reimagining our traditional Veterans Day Celebration!
BFA will hold a Veterans Day Car Parade from 7:45 - 8:15 a.m. during our regularly scheduled carpool on Thursday, Nov. 12. We invite families to decorate their cars with balloons, streamers, and flags to honor the veteran's of our BFA families and larger community.
Car Decoration Event Come decorate your car for the Veterans Day Parade! The CEC will hold a car decorating event from 12-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at BFA in the upper parking lot. The CEC will provide decorations but please feel free to bring your own decorations to use or share with other BFA families. This event will require masks and adhere to social distancing. Veterans Wall of HonorAs many of you know, each November in preparation for our annual Veterans Day celebration, BFA's halls reflect the respect and admiration our community has for its veterans through our decorations, flags and Wall of Honor Forms. If you would like to contribute to the Wall of Honor, please make a COPY of your favorite pictures from the veterans and/or current service members in your family and complete the Wall of Honor form. Let's FILL the school's halls with the faces of our loved ones who have bravely served our country. Please return the form(s) to school no later than 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
|
Mrs. Hinkle is excited to announce that there is a new window to place your Original Works orders. Remember, Original Works is the main fundraiser for BFA's art program. Look for more information soon about submitting art work and placing your order between Oct. 19 and Nov. 2.
Orders submitted during that time frame are normally available before Winter Break so they make great gifts. Last year, Mrs. Hinkle purchased tools and supplies to start a new glass fusing program with the Original Works funds. She's very excited to start using the new supplies and hopes that students will be able to make a key chain or a pendant.
|
Have your kids had a growth spurt or are you ready to get new uniforms for the next season? If so, mark your calendars for the upcoming PTO Used Uniform Sale from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, outside in the BFA courtyard between the two gyms.
Due to COVID-19 constraints and logistics, the sale will be made up only of PTO uniform inventory. The PTO is NOT taking consignment sales at this time. You are encouraged to hold onto your consignment items for our spring sale when hopefully they'll be able to take consignment. However, if you just want to get them out of the house and you would like to donate them to PTO before this sale, please contact Nicole Hayes by Monday, Oct. 5 to make arrangements.
If you would like to shop at the uniform sale, please note that they only accept cash or check. They have gently used uniforms (and some spirit wear) in most sizes and genders, so be sure to check it out!
If you would like to volunteer to help with the sale, please visit the SignUpGenius.
|
PARENTS PLEASE HELP WITH CARPOOL AND/OR RECESS
Please consider helping out with carpool and/or recess!
For carpool, you can sign up through Helpcounter or show up 15 minutes before carpool starts (7:30 a.m. for morning drop off and 3:15 p.m. for afternoon pick up). Please check in at the front office before your shift begins.
We ask parents to sign up in advance to help with recess. On the day of your volunteer shift, check in at the front office to get your badge and your assigned recess zone.
Whether you help with carpool or recess, we appreciate your assistance in ensuring the safety of our wonderful students.
|
Ben's Brigade will host their second annual Pints with Principals event from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, at MaxTaps on their outdoor patio. Click here for the sign up link.
|
Monday, Oct. 5 - Friday, Oct. 9
|
|
|
Individual student pictures will be taken Oct. 5-9 for all in-person and remote students according to the following schedule. Attached is a PDF of the picture day flier. Please click anywhere on the flier to be directed to the website where you can order pictures online. Please print and keep your receipt.
|
NEW FAMILY VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING
New families are invited to a virtual Town Hall meeting with Principal Simpson at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5. They can ask questions and learn more about various BFA committees. Call details were sent via email and are on the BFA calendar.
|
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee is meeting from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, via Zoom. All parents are welcome to listen in, and the call details are available on the website.
|
The BFA Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is meeting from 6:30 - 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7, via zoom. All parents welcome to listen in. The call details are on the BFA calendar.
|
There will be no school on Friday, Oct. 9, as it is a teacher in-service day. And, the following week, Oct. 12-16, is Fall Break.
|
Ben Franklin Academy
2270 Plaza Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 |
Fax: (303) 974-1738
|
|
|
Our mission is to create young adults with character like America's founding Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged.
|
|
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.
|
|
Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Purity and Humility.
|
|
|
|
|
|
