Weekly Update
A Message from Principal Simpson
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Dear Parents,
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a Teacher Appreciation event at a local church where each high school senior wrote a short essay about their favorite teacher and how much they appreciated them. The church then invited the students to present the teacher with their words in a frame along with the student's picture. I was there to support two of our teachers, Mrs. Hinkle and Mrs. Murphy, who were recognized by former BFA students. It was very inspirational to hear the students talk about what a difference these educators had made in their lives. Congratulations Mrs. Hinkle and Mrs. Murphy!
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and the PTO has several fun events planned. We’re grateful to the PTO for all the hard work they put into recognizing our staff; and, as you’ll see in the article below, they’d also like students to get involved in appreciating teachers next Friday. The PTO is hoping that students will appreciate their teachers with high fives, flowers, and/or notes and cards next Friday, May 6. A handwritten note about a difference a teacher has made in your student's life or a thank you from the student describing how their teacher has made learning more fun this year is a no-cost gift that means the world. Everyone who works at BFA is here because they want to make a positive difference in the lives of our students. To know they’ve succeeded is the best gift of all, and a terrific way to close out the school year.
We also recognize that so many of you have given generous donations to the SCRIP program. I know that I speak for everyone when I say we are blown away by the continued generosity of this community—thank you so much! I hope you will also shower our staff with words of praise, encouragement and appreciation next week.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Principal Simpson
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Throughout the year, we’ve provided information about BFA’s Second Step program in teacher communications and in the Principal Newsletter. As we've shared, Second Step is rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) and helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to encourage children to thrive. For additional information or if you'd like to access the summer resources we provided last week, please go to the Character Education webpage and click on Second Step.
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation |
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is next week, May 2-6. The PTO will be recognizing all of our amazing teachers and staff who lift us up and make BFA such a special place for our children. Take a look at the flier for details about the events we have planned for them. The PTO will be bringing in lunches and treats for the teachers, and we’d love to have your student(s) make a card, bring in a flower or even greet their teacher(s) with a high five on Friday, May 6.
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Donuts with Dads is Tomorrow!
You can Still Volunteer
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The CEC will be hosting students and their dads (or other special adult) from 7 – 8 a.m. tomorrow, April 29, in the BFA Lightning (small) gym.
Come start your day with a donut, fruit, and coffee or juice. There will also be games in the Thunder (big) gym, photo ops, and a small craft that kiddos can take home. This is a popular event, please plan to arrive early and park in the upper lot to ensure carpool is not interrupted. Dads can hang out with their kids until 7:45 a.m., then students can go to their classrooms. All students should be in class by 8:10 a.m.
Gluten free options available upon request. Donuts are being provided by Mr. Donut located in Lone Tree.
We hope you can join us to celebrate all BFA's SUPER DADS!
Earn Volunteer hours!
Volunteers are needed to help the CEC make Donuts with Dads a special event! They need help to set up the event tonight, as well as tomorrow morning. Sign up here to claim your spot.
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Ben's Brigade Meeting Tonight and Picnic Sunday |
Ben's Brigade is a PTO group open to all BFA dads that provides a place for dads to get to know each other, as well as opportunities for unique ways to give back to the school and earn volunteer hours. Ben’s Brigade handles work projects around the school, provides volunteers for school functions, and hosts a number of social events throughout the year.
Want to find out more? Join them at the Ben's Brigade Meeting at 8 p.m. TONIGHT, April 28, at Max Taps (2680 E. County Line Road). All dads are welcome!
Regardless of whether you can attend the meeting, please come to their end-of-year Dads and Kids picnic from 12 - 2:30 p.m. this Sunday, May 1, at Redstone Park (3280 Redstone Park Circle). Ben’s Brigade will be providing hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks. If you plan on attending, please RSVP here, so they know how many to expect.
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Did you know that one of BFA's traditions is a private summer event at Pirate's Cove for families who meet their annual volunteer requirement? That's right--your entire immediate family can attend a private BFA night at Pirate's Cove on the PTO! Not only that, if you earn 50, 75 or 100 volunteer hours, you will be awarded special BFA logo items (distributed at Pirate's Cove check-in) to show our appreciation for going above and beyond!
So, mark your calendars for this year's Pirate's Cove BFA Night which will be held from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, June 11. You don't want to miss it! Please note: No additional tickets will be sold at the door. This is an event ONLY for those families who have met and recorded their volunteer hours in Help Counter by midnight Tuesday, May 31. No exceptions will be made.
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Mother Son Event - Please Sign Up to Volunteer! |
Looking for volunteer hours? We need your help to make the Mother-Son Nerf Battle Event a success! The event is from 3-8 p.m. this Saturday, April 30, at BFA. If you’re interested in volunteering, please visit the SignUpGenius.
Please contact Alissa Motazedi with any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Attend SAC Meeting Tonight |
If you would like to be involved in reviewing policies that impact our school and your student(s), please consider joining the School Accountability Committee (SAC) for their monthly meeting from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, via Zoom (details on the BFA calendar).
They will be reviewing the following policies: Facility Use, Grading, Homework, Meta and Traffic/Parking Management. If you have any questions, please email Woody Haynes.
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Last Day to Vote in PTO Elections is Saturday |
The PTO is an integral part of the BFA community, whose mission is to seek resources to strengthen, enhance, and encourage the educational and social experience at Ben Franklin Academy.
Each year, the BFA community is asked to vote for open executive officer and committee chair positions. Your vote is important. Voting is open NOW, through Saturday, April 30. Each family unit/staff member is permitted to cast one vote per position. Election results will be announced at the PTO meeting on Sunday, May 15.
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Action Item if Your Student(s) Will Not Return |
If your child(ren) in grades K-7 will not return for the 2022-23 school year, please email BFA's registrar, Colleen Bobbin, by Thursday, May 5. Specific information and, in some cases, forms are needed to initiate the withdrawal process. In addition, if a new school requires records, this will allow us time to prepare them before the new school year.
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Eighth Grade Families - Save the Date! |
Eighth grade families, please save the date for the first annual eighth grade dinner coming up from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24, in the Middle School Commons. This will be a catered dinner for eighth graders only, sponsored by the PTO. If you are interested in helping to plan the evening, please contact Alissa Motazedi.
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CaveSim Returns - Volunteers Needed |
This May, Cave Dave will be returning to BFA and will bring CaveSim to kids in grades K-5. Invented by a caver and MIT engineer, CaveSim makes highly realistic artificial caves that teach STEM concepts. During the programs, students explore 60 feet of cave passages filled with artificial cave formations, and learn a huge amount about caves, conservation, bats, geology, biology, chemistry, and a host of other subjects.
If you would like to help out, please see the SignUpGenius. The event will be outside in the preschool parking lot so dress accordingly.
Please email Mrs. Ward know if you have any questions.
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Want to Be a Room Parent Next Year? |
The PTO is looking for Room Parents (K-5) for next school year! Being a Room Parent is a fun way to get your volunteer hours in, develop a great relationship with your child's teacher and get involved in the school. If you are interested, please send an email to Erin Crowe, the PTO Room Parent coordinator.
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Join SAC Next School Year |
The School Accountability Committee (SAC) needs members for next school year. Being a member of SAC provides an excellent opportunity have an impact at BFA by reviewing school policies, advising the BFA Board and school leadership, and administering both the parent and student surveys. In addition, you’ll gain a better understanding of the inner workings of your family's school.
If you would be interested in serving on the SAC for the 2022-23 school year, please email Woody Haynes and plan on attending the SAC meeting on Thursday, May 19.
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One Act of Kindness Focuses on Foster Care |
Each year the Community Events Committee (CEC) hosts One Act of Kindness (OAK). OAK is a week-long event in which BFA partners with a community organization to make a BIG impact! This year BFA has selected the Collaborative Foster Care Program (CFCP).
CFCP serves foster parents and foster youth in Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson Counties. Their mission is to provide a temporary environment when a child is in need of protection and is unable to remain at home. Additionally, CFCP ensures foster parents have adequate training, support and resources to promote the child’s best interest.
We have several foster parents in our BFA community including Kate and David Hughes who said this when discussing the importance of being a foster parent:
“I'll never forget hearing the presenter say that there were currently 8,000 foster kids in Colorado alone. We heard that presentation 5-6 years ago. Three years ago we started the process of becoming foster parents, and two years ago in June we became foster and foster-to-adopt certified. Since then we've had two little babies stay in our house - one that needed extensive medical care, including heart surgery. It's been quite the adventure and experience.”
The event will take place the week of May 9-13, 2022. Consider supporting foster kids and foster parents in our community in the following ways:
Donate Summer Fun Items!
- Sunscreen, hats or sunglasses
- Summer toys (i.e. sidewalk chalk, bubbles, pool toys, sports balls, goggles, water balloons, pool floaties, water guns, etc.)
- Swimsuits (ages 10 and up have the greatest need)
Donate Gift Cards!
- Visa
- Restaurants (i.e. Chipotle, Red Robin, Chilis, Kneaders, Panera, Olive Garden, etc.)
- Target, Kohls, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Walmart
- Activities (i.e. Bowling, Movie Theater, Mini Golf, Main Event, Boondocks, etc.)
*Please consider donating in increments of $25.00 to support more kids and families
To wrap up the week, we will be hosting a Foster Parent Information Night. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent OR how to support a foster family in our community, please join us from 6 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, in the Middle School Commons. We will have foster parents from our community joining us to speak about their experience.
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Summer Bootcamp, Grades K-3 |
Help prevent some of the inevitable summer slide by joining Sarah Harrell and Ellen Cain, for their 4th annual Summer Bootcamp at BFA! They will be hosting BFA Bootcamp sessions in BFA's Outdoor Classroom for incoming kindies, as well as first, second and third graders.
Incoming Kindies will meet for 1.5 hours per day, and all other students will meet 2 hours a day. The June and July Bootcamps will meet over three consecutive days. Each three-day camp will include a review of math, reading and writing skills. The two sessions will be different, so you can sign your student up for BOTH sessions.
Please visit the SignUpGenius for payment information and to sign up. Space is limited.
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CEC Seeks Communications Officer |
Do you love organizing and communicating? Would you like to be more involved in the BFA community? Then, we have a great volunteer opportunity for you! The Community Events Committee (CEC) is seeking a Communications Officer for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. Responsibilities include writing newsletter articles, creating the SignupGenius for CEC sponsored events, and checking/responding to CEC emails on a weekly basis. This is an elected position for a 2-year term.
Interested parties, please submit a brief paragraph of your interest to cec@bfacademy.org no later than end-of-day on Saturday, April 30. A vote will take place in May. Feel free to contact the CEC chair, Becky Mayka, if you have any questions.
The CEC looks forward to growing their team and welcoming new ideas!
Volunteer Appreciation Event
Also, please SAVE THE DATE for the CEC end-of-year celebration. The CEC had another successful year and we are excited to celebrate the hard work of our volunteers! Our celebration will be held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, at Los Dos Potrillos in Highlands Ranch. Please RSVP to reserve your spot!
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Middle School Supports RezDawg |
Middle School Charity Week ends tomorrow, April 29, so it's the final day to bring in donations. Following are the items middle school families are welcome to donate to help RezDawg:
- Animal bedding which includes used blankets, quilts, and sheets twin size or smaller. Items must be clean, in good condition, and come from a smoke free home.
- Dog and cat toys - new only
- Stethoscopes - used in good condition
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Make plans to join us for the last Spirit Night of the year from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, at Skate City in Littleton (5801 S. Lowell Way, 80123). This is a private event for our school community!
The PTO needs at least 50 skaters to earn money back for the BFA PTO. Hope to see you there!
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Parents Invited to View and Judge Science Fair Projects |
It’s elementary Science Fair time at BFA! This is an exciting time of year when students use the scientific method and get creative to test a hypothesis. If you want to see the end result of all this experimentation, you can come in to view students’ work on Monday, May 9. To see the schedule, click here.
And, we very much need your help in judging the Science Fair projects on Tuesday, May 10, and/or Wednesday, May 11. Don’t worry if you’ve never judged before, Mrs. Ward will go over expectations with you—but what’s really important is having volunteers who are willing to listen to the students explaining their projects. Please sign up to help!
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2022 Summer Camp
Register Two Weeks Prior to Week Needing Care
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Ben Franklin Academy will offer another exciting Summer Camp program this year. Whether you need full-time day care for the summer or are just looking to get a break a few days per week, our Summer Camp program is sure to keep your kids safe and entertained. And, the best part is that our Summer Camp is staffed by people you know and trust!
Initial student registration and WEEKLY registrations are NOW OPEN though MySchoolBucks!
PLEASE NOTE: You MUST register for weekly care two weeks prior to the week needed. NO exceptions. This helps us ensure we give a correct count for field trips as well as ensures appropriate staffing levels.
Program Details
Dates: June 1 - Aug. 17; camp will be closed July 4-8
Hours: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Days: Monday through Friday
Summer Camp is open to any currently enrolled BFA student age 5 and older. Your child must be 5 on or before Wednesday, June 1, to participate. The activities calendar is complete. Please email summercamp@bfacademy.org if you would like to see the list of activities.
Costs
One-time Registration Fee: $25 per child; All registered campers will receive a camp t-shirt and daypack.
Tuition: $200/week/child
In February, the BASE program was awarded a grant from the state of Colorado. With the funds we received, we lowered the registration fee to $25 per student. In addition, we've lowered the weekly fee to $200, and will not be charging more for the field trips and other special activities we are planning for this summer.
Please send any questions to: summercamp@bfacademy.org. If you have never signed up for BFA’s Before/After School Enrichment (BASE) program, you will be required to do so before you are able to register for summer camp. If you need the link, please email base@bfacademy.org and it will be sent to you.
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2022 Summer Volleyball Camp |
All incoming 2022 BFA 5th-8th grade BOYS and GIRLS are welcome to register for the co-ed volleyball camp held at BFA! The day camp will be from July 11-15, with a morning session for beginners and an afternoon session for experienced players. The cost is $200 for the week. In addition, there are evening clinics July 11 - 13 for those who want to focus on specific skills. The evening clinics run from 6:30 – 8 p.m. and are $50.
To register, please complete this form which includes payment information.
Morning Session: 9 a.m. - Noon
This session is for ALL incoming 5th, and incoming 6th-8th grade BEGINNER volleyball players. Beginner players have an introductory understanding of the game, but do not possess consistent skills of passing, setting, hitting and serving. This session will teach the fundamentals of the game and provide a refresher for those who want it. We will end the week with a Friday tournament. Games, fun and prizes will be won throughout the week!
Afternoon Session: 1 - 4 p.m.
This session is for incoming 6th-8th grade EXPERIENCED players who have played a volleyball season either with BFA or outside of BFA. To qualify for this session, you need to know the rules of the game, and possess basic consistent skills of passing, setting, hitting and serving. This session will review the fundamentals of the game, but will mainly focus on increased individual skill level and level of team play, as well as playing specific positions and a 6-2 offense. We will end the week with a Friday tournament. Prizes will be won throughout the week!
Evening Clinics: 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Evening clinics are open to all players and can be attended in addition to the day camp for extra skill development. Day camp registration is not required for evening clinic registration. The evening clinics are faster paced and more intensive skill based.
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MONDAY, JULY 11: PASSING/DIGGING
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TUESDAY, JULY 12: SETTING/BLOCKING
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13: OVERHAND SERVING/HITTING
Parent Volunteers Needed
Parents, if you are interested in volunteering and earning 2022-23 volunteer hours, please sign up now!
High School Players/BFA Volleyball Graduates
Coach Haufschild loves having high school players (boys and girls) come as volunteer coaches! It looks great on college applications and can help you earn any volunteer requirements for high school. Please read this flier and sign up to volunteer!
QUESTIONS? Please email Coach Haufschild.
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Lost and Found Donated at Year-End |
The Lost and Found is starting to fill up again! All items will be packed up on the last day of school and donated to charity. And, in case you did not know, our National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) goes through the inventory and returns items with READABLE names weekly. Please note: if you include your first AND last name on items, they are more likely to be returned.
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Fall Registration Open for Harper Arts Lessons |
Have your kids been asking you about the music lessons that happen during school? Harper Arts is thrilled to be returning again next year to offer music lessons and coaching at BFA. Students will continue to have the option to have piano, guitar, ukulele, voice, acting and audition coaching during the school day and after school.
Students are approved to participate in this during DEAR, recess, specials, electives (middle school) and advisory (middle school). There will also be a limited number of spaces available after school. The cost of this program is $155 per month for the school year (small supply and book fees apply as well). Lessons occur weekly during the regular school schedule. Sibling discounts are available. Unlock your passion and potential with Harper Arts at BFA!
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The Denver Young Artists Orchestra invites students and staff to their upcoming concert at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, at BRAVE Church, 3800 Englewood Ave, Englewood, CO 80113. This concert, Solos in Springtime, is a special event that will feature two of their concerto competition winners from their String Ensemble and Conservatory Orchestra.
Click here to reserve your tickets in advance to avoid long lines at the venue. Please be prepared to show a school ID.
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ThunderRidge high school asked us to share this flier about summer basketball camps with you. Click here to check it out!
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Mission:
Our mission is to create young adults with character like America's founding Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged.
Vision:
Our students will excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum that emphasizes math, science, the arts, 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 social emotional development, character, sports, and nature.
13 Virtues:
Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Purity and Humility.
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Ben Franklin Academy
2270 Plaza Drive
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
www.bfacademy.org
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Main Office Phone: 720-383-4519
Email: info@bfacademy.org
Attendance Phone: 720-432-9239
Email: attendance@bfacademy.org
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