Cara Brzezicki has been selected as the Ben Franklin Academy PTO Volunteer of the Month for February. She is being recognized for all of the time she has spent volunteering in the classroom and with the PTO. She brings a positive outlook and a joyful presence to all her volunteer roles. Thank you, Cara, for all the ways you contribute to BFA!

Cara is an author, inventor, and mindset and intuitive coach. She loves the outdoors, dancing, reading, writing, helping the planet in every way possible, and being with her family. She and her husband, Corey, have two boys that both go to BFA. Camden is in sixth grade and Carson is in third grade. This is their sixth year at BFA.

When asked what she loves about BFA, Cara said: “I absolutely love BFA for so many reasons! One, when we came to this amazing school, Michelle was the biggest help. What a way to start a school year with someone who would go above and beyond for just one family. Along with Michelle, the rest of the front office, the teachers, the principles, everyone at BFA is so kind and caring. I love this school and I am so blessed to have found such amazing people.”

Congratulations again, Cara. We sincerely appreciate all you do for BFA!

If you know someone who should be considered for volunteer of the month for outstanding volunteerism, please email Janelle Nichols, PTO president.

This month, Meredith Van Deman is the winner of our drawing for her volunteer time in January, and has won a $10 gift card to Starbucks. Congratulations, Meredith! And, thank you again for helping out around school!

K-5 Valentines Day Classroom Parties will take place from 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14. Party volunteers will be limited to a maximum of four adults per classroom, and can arrive at 1:30 p.m. to set up. All volunteers should have their Driver’s License for check-in and should not bring younger siblings. Also, volunteers should bring their own supplies.

Please remember that carpool scanning begins promptly at 3 p.m. each day so do not block carpool lanes if you are volunteering.

If you have any questions about the elementary party coordination, please reach out to Anne Chacon, PTO room parent coordinator.

Next Thursday, Feb. 16, is also a Dress of Choice Day for all students.

There is no school next Friday, Feb. 17, as it is a teacher comp day, and there is no school on Monday, Feb 20, as it is Presidents Day.

Parent-Teacher conferences will take place from 4 - 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, and Wednesday, Feb. 15.

You will have received conference details from your child's classroom teacher, but they will be handled as follows:

• K-4 elementary teachers sent a sign-up to parents. Kindly show up on time and do not exceed the time allotted for your conference.
• Fifth grade will host drop-in conferences in their classrooms and take a dinner break between 5:30 - 6 p.m.
• Middle school and Specials teachers will be hosting drop-in conferences in the Thunder Gym for a 5-minute discussion about your student’s progress. Teachers will break for dinner from approximately 5:30 - 6 p.m. (This time frame is subject to change; teachers may return to the gym later than 6 p.m. depending on when they're able to break for dinner.)

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) will offer Parent-Teacher conference childcare for children who are no longer in diapers. Parents can take their child(ren) to the Makerspace Room located around the corner from the Dana Library and sign them in. At that time, parents/guardians will leave a phone number that can be used to reach them during conferences. Children who misbehave will need to be picked up immediately, and all children will need to be picked up by 8 p.m. (any child remaining after 8 p.m. will be taken to their parents). NJHS students will only be able to watch 20 children at a time, so please be respectful of others needing childcare (for example, don’t bring your middle school student to the Makerspace requesting child care). And, of course, parents may not drop off children and then leave the building. 

There will not be another Book Fair this school year due to an ongoing stocking issue with Scholastic.

We look forward to seeing you at conferences next week!

We are excited to announce a never-before science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) event hosted at Ben Franklin Academy! Get ready for our first-ever Family Fun Night - Spaghetti Tower Challenge - from 5 - 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, in the Thunder Gym at BFA!

Our STEM Committee along with the help from the local organization, Science Matters In America, will be organizing this FREE event. It is a school-wide challenge where students and families are invited to compete in pasta building challenges. Who can build the highest tower made of spaghetti? Who can build the longest and strongest bridge out of spaghetti? Who can come up with the most creative design? 

After some brief instructions (and the establishment of rules) participants will work in teams to design and build structures using spaghetti and other household materials. Some light snacks will be provided and prizes will be awarded in multiple categories. 

Don’t miss out! Sign up to participate in this free, fun, STEM-tastic evening of friendly competition at BFA!

Bring your thinking caps, teamwork, and a little ingenuity for this fun and brain-tingling night.

The School Accountability Committee (SAC) invites you to complete the revised Parent Satisfaction Survey by end-of-day on Friday, Feb. 17. Your feedback is important to us, so please express your thoughts and opinions regarding the current BFA academic year.

Please complete one survey per parent/guardian. In anticipation of your participation, we will provide all students with a Dress of Choice Day on Friday, Feb. 24.

The SAC will only share the results of the survey with the Board and Administration to determine whether BFA meets or exceeds the annual goals set for the school by the Board.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

The Succession Committee of the BFA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Call for Nominations for the BFA Board of Directors ("Board") is open and will remain so until 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, February 17, 2023.

The BFA Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction and the policies that govern Ben Franklin Academy. Each of the seven members of the Board have their own specialty and expertise and we all work together to support the mission and vision of BFA.

Please consider nominating yourself or someone you know for the BFA Board of Directors. We are seeking leaders who are passionate and committed to the mission, vision, and long-term strategic plan of BFA to serve on the Board.

In 2023, there are three (3) open director seats on the BFA Board, which will be filled according to the Board of Directors Election Policy. Each seat is for a three-year term. Two (2) directors will be elected by the School Voting Group, and one (1) director will be appointed by the BFA Board. 

Please click the button below to learn more about the upcoming Board Election/Appointment including the nomination, voting, and appointment processes, as well as the qualifications.

During the next two weeks BFA is fortunate to be hosting a Mobile Art Gallery. This has been offered through the CherryArts Organization and is funded by your tax dollars through the SCFD Grant. It consists of about 30 original works of art from exhibiting artists. Our own student docents have been trained to give tours of the Gallery to the student body and school community. They have been instructed on the medium, technique and process of each two- and three-dimensional piece and have learned the artist's biographies and artist statements in order to give background to the work and aid interpretation.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our school to enrich our already thriving arts education. By providing more access to the arts, we expose our children to so many social and individual benefits. We hope this exhibition will ignite our children's creative, innovative and critical thinking and nurture their love for the arts. 

Thank you to Laura Tickle for acquiring the SCFD Grant, with help from the Specials team! They have organized some incredible science and arts experiences this year and we're very grateful for their efforts!

Journey "under the sea" with Ariel and her aquatic friends in Disney's "The Little Mermaid, JR" at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4, at Ben Franklin Academy. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she's the girl whose enchanting voice he's been seeking.

Tickets are FREE so please make plans to come see our amazing student performers and support our wonderful tech crew!

Basil, the sweet service dog who loves visiting students in the library, has become a part of our BFA family! Many of you have expressed concern for her, so we wanted to be sure to share an update. Basil had her surgery on her left knee last week. She’s doing well, but will be on light duty for the next few weeks. Basil will be back to BFA as soon as she can!

Basil's family appreciates all your well wishes.

We hope you’ll join us from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. today, Feb. 9, for a spirit day/night at Modern Market in Highlands Ranch (537 W Highlands Ranch Pkwy). Modern Market will donate 30 percent of your meal’s price back to BFA for all dine-in or take-out orders. 

For more details on the spirit night, including how to order so that BFA gets credit for your purchase, click here.

Who: BFA 6th-8th graders (only)

Date: Saturday, Feb. 11

Time: 6 - 8 p.m.

Cost: None 

Details: Students must be registered through MySchoolBucks by end-of-day tomorrow, Feb. 10, to attend. If a student does not register, he/she can purchase a ticket at the door for $10 (cash, exact change) and there will be 20 tickets available (first come, first serve). All students must follow the Dance Rules to attend and remain at dance. 

Volunteer: Please sign up to help with food, drinks, decorating and being a chaperone.

The CEC is excited to host students and their moms (or other special adult) for a fun Morning with Moms from 6:45 – 7:45 a.m. TOMORROW, Feb. 10. The morning will begin in the Lightning (small) gym with light refreshments. Festivities will continue in the Thunder (big) gym with games and photo opportunities. We ask that you arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. as this is a popular event. Moms and students may begin leaving the gym at 7:45 a.m. Students should be in their classrooms at the normal time (8:10am). Gluten Free options will be available upon request.

Parking for Morning with Moms

Please park in the upper lot to allow our teachers and staff the opportunity to park in the lower lot. Should the upper lot fill completely, overflow parking will take place in the "B" carpool lane.

Parents not attending the event: We will most likely use "A" carpool lane ONLY for regular morning carpool drop off. Please be flexible and kindly allow others to merge when necessary. Carpool may run a bit slower than normal so please be patient.

Volunteers Needed

We still have a few volunteer opportunities available. This is a perfect opportunity for dads to get volunteer hours so our BFA moms can attend with their children. Please see this sign-up for volunteer opportunities.

The PTO Baking Committee could use your help next week! They are responsible for supporting staff and various school events, but one of their big contributions is dinner for the teachers during Parent-Teacher conferences.

Next Wednesday, Feb. 15, they plan to provide breakfast for dinner for our teachers. Check out this sign up for additional information and to help out.

BFA Moms - you deserve a night out! Please join members of the PTO for a fun evening of dinner and connecting from 6 - 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, at Los Dos Potrillos in Highlands Ranch.

All BFA Moms are invited to attend, but space is limited, so sign up today! (Please remove your sign up if you decide you can't make it, so another mom can take your spot.) We’re looking forward to a fun evening together!

Please contact Kristin Clark-Bretch, PTO welcoming committee manager, with any questions.

Have your kids had a growth spurt? Want to pick up some new spirit wear? Then, stop by the PTO’s used uniform and spirit wear sale next week during Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4 - 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, and Wednesday, Feb.15, in the Middle School Commons. All uniform pieces will be $5 at the sale, or 5 pieces for $20. The PTO's goal is to continue to support our children, staff and families by offering affordable uniform options while simultaneously funding the PTO. 

Looking for volunteer hours? Consider volunteering for the sale by contacting Jessica Kostelecky, PTO uniform buy back committee chair. Clothes will need to be sorted and organized prior to the sale, which can be done at home.

If you have questions about Spirit Wear, please contact Amy Marks, PTO spirit wear chair.

The 2022-23 yearbooks are on sale now and cost $35 per book. Be sure to order yours today as prices go up after Spring Break. For details on pricing and how to order, check out the attached flier.

You may also order a yearbook dedication (ad) for your student. Dedications are $15 for 1/16 of page and $30 for 1/8 of a page. They're a fun way to help commemorate a great school year! The last day to order a yearbook dedication is Friday, Feb. 17. 

Order and pay for your 2022-23 yearbook and dedication today!

Did you know that Purity isn’t a Ben Franklin virtue? His term was Chastity, but we think the BFA founders substituted Purity as a more age-appropriate virtue for students to be reminded to: Be pure in thought and deed. White lies, a little gossip, and small, mean words are painful and say more about you than about others. What you think about others is how you will treat them. Develop good thoughts and feelings toward all. 

Purity in our words, thoughts and deeds is important because, as we know, the words we speak say more about us than we imagine. (It’s also essential to keep the thoughts we have about ourselves positive, but that’s for another newsletter.) In today’s world, our children experience a majority of communication via screens or keyboards rather than through face-to-face interactions. An online Psychology Today article states that, “UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian found that 58% of communication is through body language, 35% through vocal tone, pitch and emphasis and a mere 7% through the content of the message.” ("The Trouble with Texting," Kim Schneiderman, January 21, 2013). Because our children tend to mostly communicate via technology, they may not realize how their comments “land” or how they could be interpreted by another person. That lack of interconnectedness (after all, we’re using only 7% of total communication) may lead to a feeling of unaccountability should someone’s feelings be hurt. The author’s advice is to save extensive discussions for face-to-face communication. If that’s not possible, then make a phone call, but leave texting to quick hello’s and nothing too involved or personal. 

February is the border between winter and spring (Terri Guillemets), and gives us the opportunity to welcome longer, hopefully warmer, days with positive words. This month we can elevate our motto of “Be a Bolt of Kindness” by becoming conscious of the words we say.

There are a few different interpretations of the saying by Socrates, Rumi, and Buddha, but Sathya Sai Baba conveys the sentiment fully, “Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, and does it improve the silence?” As BFA completes our second trimester and launches another season of learning, athletics, performing arts and other after-school activities, let us all be reminded to keep our words, thoughts, and actions encouraging and pure to buoy up all the teachers, administrators, aides, volunteers, coaches, students, and referees working hard to support us.

For more information on the benefits of positive language click here; and for positive quotes you can share, click here.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) would like us to remind parents that getting vaccinated is an important part of school readiness and keeps children from catching and spreading diseases. The letter linked here outlines vaccine requirements, important resources, as well as the exemption process. If you read through to the end of the letter, you can also find BFA’s rate of vaccinations as of the 2021-22 school year.

Joe Dawson has been an active Realtor since 2014. He specializes in finding families their dream home around the Denver Metro area. He has been the recipient of multiple diamond awards for his production and is honored to have helped so many clients, who become friends, find their next home. Joe has lived in Highlands Ranch since 2010, and has since had three amazing children. They have been at BFA since their oldest was in preschool. Isabella is in first grade, Amelia is in Pre-K and their youngest, Enzo, will start preschool next fall.

CONNECTION TO BFA: Kindie & First Grader

compass.com/concierge/joe-dawson/

Estate planning isn’t just about preparing a set of legal documents that are filed away for later, it is about becoming comfortable with thinking about and planning for the future. It is about creating an orderly strategy for your family to follow, and to make sure your wishes are honored, if something unexpected were to happen to you. It is an act of love for your family and loved ones.

Just like you, family is the foundation on which their life is built, and they want to make sure that they are taken care of should something happen. The Greer Law practice is centered around this principle. They work with families to create comprehensive estate plans that focus on protecting what matters most to them. To accomplish this, they take time to get to know clients, learn about their families, and understand their concerns for the future.

Greer Law will donate 10 percent of the cost of any estate planning done for a BFA family back to the school, and will also give a 20 percent discount to any school employee as a way of saying thank you!

CONNECTION TO BFA: Seventh Grader

greer-law.com

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063533411613

Jon is a Partner of Hinds Financial Group and heads their investment strategy practice. He has been with Hinds Financial group since 1999 and a partner since 2004. Jon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Colorado in Boulder. And, he has years of experience and knowledge in investment and financial planning including portfolio construction, portfolio tax-management, and sub-advisor due diligence in addition to working with clients and their long-term planning.



He focuses on working with retirees, business owners, and professionals to establish long-term strategies that will help ensure successful financial transitions in the future. He doesn’t believe in a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather a thoughtful combination that best fits clients’ needs, utilizing fixed income portfolios, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, stocks, and alternative strategies.

During his time off, Jon enjoys golfing, skiing and spending time with friends and family.

CONNECTION TO BFA: Fifth Grader

hindsfg.com

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057145132607

linkedin.com/in/hinds-financial-group-a85061155