Tomorrow, March 10, is the final day of Charity Week and it's a Dress of Choice Day!

Next week, March 13-17, is Spring Break. We hope you have a fantastic week!

There is a special Board meeting at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 20. The agenda for the meeting can be found on the Board Transparency web page 24-hours in advance of the meeting.

There is a Candidate Q&A beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, that we hope you can all attend in person or via Zoom. The regular monthly Board meeting will follow the Candidate Q&A around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21. The agenda for the regular Board meeting will be on the Board Transparency web page 24-hours in advance of the meeting. Open Comments are accepted until noon the day of the meeting.

Please take time to read about our 2023 Board Candidates! Click on the links below to read about each candidate. More information about the election, qualifications and expectations can be found on the Board Elections web page.

Also, please plan to attend or listen to the Candidate Q&A at 5 p.m. (MST) on Tuesday, March 21, before the regularly scheduled Board meeting. We encourage everyone to put this important event on your calendar as you’ll get to hear directly from the candidates.

Voting for the Seat 5, Class C and Seat 6, Class C directors will take place from Monday, April 10, until 11:59 p.m. (MST) on Sunday, April 16, 2023. Results of the election will be announced and the appointment will be made on Tuesday, April 18, at the regularly scheduled Board meeting. 

Each month, a volunteer will be randomly chosen through a drawing to win a fun, surprise gift. All you have to do to be eligible to win, is log at least ONE hour of volunteer service in the month prior to the drawing.

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

The BENefit Bash is the PTO's primary fundraiser this school year. It's a BFA tradition parents look forward to, so we hope you'll PURCHASE your tickets TODAY! The Bash will be held from 5 - 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at Freedom Golf Carts. (Please note the revised end time.)

We are in need of silent and live auction items! We are looking for a variety of things: sports items, timeshares, lodging, gift basket items etc. Please consider how you can help!

It takes a lot of volunteer support to host the Bash--so whether you're new to auctions/events or a veteran Bash volunteer--there's a role for you!

If you have something you would like to donate or to volunteer, please reach out to the PTO Fundraising Coordinator, Andreya Flanigan, at fundraising@bfacademy.org.

BFA will conduct hearing and vision rescreenings during school hours on Wednesday, March 29. We can use four volunteers between 9 and 11:30 a.m. on March 29. Please sign up if you would like to help.  

If your student wears prescription glasses or contacts, it is necessary that he/she wear them during the screening. 

After the screening, you will receive a letter only if your student does not pass the screening.

Please contact Mrs. Paulson in the Health Room if you have questions or concerns about your student.

Did you know that the PTO hosts a volunteer appreciation event at Pirate’s Cove to show our thanks to all families who complete their family’s volunteer recommendation (30 hours per family or 15 hours per single family household)? This year, the event will be held from 6- 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 25. This is a private event for BFA families and it's always a fun evening, so be sure to log your volunteer hours as you complete them.

Thank you to all the families who have volunteered this year. We sincerely appreciate all that you do for BFA! 

Thank you to the BFA PTO for hosting a terrific Moms Night Out last week! It was great to see friends and meet new moms. We have such a fantastic community of friendly, interesting, caring and FUN parents - we appreciate so many moms taking time out of their busy schedule to connect with each other.

Also, special thanks to the sponsors who participated and donated goodies for the attendee gift bag.

A great time was had by all! 

Yearbooks are on sale now and cost $35 per book. Don’t wait to purchase yours, as the price will go up to $45 after Spring Break. For details on pricing and how to order, check out the attached flier.

Order and pay for your 2022-23 Yearbook today!

All items in Lost and Found will be donated before Spring Break. We've seen lots of kiddos stop by Lost and Found to check for items, but there are still MANY unclaimed coats, water bottles and lunch boxes. (See updated picture!)

Parents are also welcome to stop by and see if you can find any of your missing items.

Items that have not been claimed by Friday, March 10, will be donated.

Thinking about volunteering with the PTO? There are so many reasons why you should! Here are just a few:

1. Your volunteer work will make a difference.
2. You can meet new people.
3. We can match jobs to your interests and availability.
4. You’ll know what's going on at BFA.
5. It’s so much fun to be an active part of the community!

Nominations will be accepted March 12-26, and PTO elections will be held April 23-29. To nominate yourself or someone you know who'd be a good fit in the PTO, please complete the 2023 BFA PTO Nominations form starting on Sunday, March 12.



For more information, including the top 10 reasons you should join the PTO and job descriptions (with time commitments) of the PTO's volunteer opportunities, visit the ‘Elections’ section of the PTO's webpage. The right position is waiting for you!

Registration for Landsharks spring track series is now open!

Landsharks offers a non-competitive youth program with a focus on self-improvement, being an encouraging teammate and making new friends. The spring track series is for students in grades K-6.

See their flier for all the details.

Mark your calendars for a sweet spirit day/night from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, at Twisted Sugar in Highlands Ranch (3624 E Highlands Ranch Parkway). They will offer special BFA Bolt Cookies and a Signature Bolt Drink!

Twisted Sugar will give 20 percent back to the PTO, so be sure to mention BFA.

BFA’s March Virtue is Tranquility. Benjamin Franklin defined it as: “Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.” For our students, it is defined as: Keep yourself from reacting poorly to others. People are not perfect and the world is not fair. Learn to deal with both despite imperfections. Be patient.

Benjamin Franklin offers instruction about keeping our internal state of being calm in order to better control our reaction when faced with small, surprising, or ordinary challenges. BFA’s interpretation encourages students to learn how to cope when people and situations aren’t perfect or fair.

Have you ever thought about what tranquility is, or how to be tranquil? Curiously, the search engine came up with several articles about Tranquility undergarments when we searched for the definition of Tranquility! Joking aside, why not take a few moments, even as a family, to list the images and sounds that give you centeredness, calm, perspective, and tranquility. Perhaps it’s nature, enjoyable activities, a slower pace of life, certain sounds, or lack thereof. Chances are there’s an absence, not an abundance of things when you consider what brings tranquility. You may even find peace. 

Today, apps and lifestyle gurus advise us step-by-step on how to find peace, calm and satisfaction. But do these things help us find tranquility, or are they layering on action items as if the answer to our tranquility is found outside of us? Interestingly, the phrase “KEEP CALM and CARRY ON” was “created by the British government in 1939 and was meant to inspire courage in English citizens preparing for the onslaught of World War 2” (Scott, Wisdominallthings.com, December 11, 2019). In effect, the British were being informed while being encouraged to stay calm and build a steely resolve for an inevitable event.

No doubt in our daily lives (and those of our children), we can feel less than tranquil at times. And while the British didn’t have lifestyle influencers, they found ways to get through what was much more than a trifling situation. So how do we maintain our tranquility when situations and people are imperfect or unfair to us? Well, I’m not a lifestyle guru, so I can only share what I know. First, breathe. Second, refer to the list of images and sounds you created that gives you and yours tranquility.

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and what you want.” – Lao Tzu

The theatre department is looking for donations of middle school size clothing. Please take a look at this list and consider donating any good condition, unwanted clothes.

Thank you for your support!

Becky is a certified nutritional consultant with more than 15 years of experience in the field of health and wellness. She has worked with more than 800 clients over the years, helping empower them with tools and information to live healthier lives. Her mission is to educate and empower families to make more informed choices in the marketplace; whether that's through cleaning up your beauty and personal care routine or helping tweak your favorite household cleaning products and even offering guidance as you navigate grocery store aisles. She does this by utilizing simple and budget friendly tips for living healthier, while also sharing what is worth investing in for optimal health and well-being.

She offers private one on one consultations, big group trainings & workshops, as well as private group events. Her philosophy is: “progress over perfection,” and looks forward to partnering with you on your clean-living journey.

CONNECTION TO BFA: First and Fourth Graders

cleanbecky.com 

instagram.com/becky.glaze

Chad has been in consumer lending, management, and customer service for 15 years. He’s passionate about helping people build wealth through real estate. Canvas Credit Union has many loan products; from conventional to 100% financed to refinancing and more. Chad is an avid outdoorsman, father of two boys, and husband to his high school sweetheart.



Please do not hesitate to reach out to discuss what buying power you have and take a detailed look at your financial situation. Chad will help you get things in order so that you are in the best position to achieve your real estate goals. It may take a couple years or a few months, but homeownership will be in your future! There are opportunities in every market, let’s see what yours is! You can contact Chad directly at ChadR@canvas.com.

CONNECTION TO BFA: Preschool and Kindie students

Canvas Credit Union

Gelato & Co. Colorado was born from a dream shared by the whole Barsness family: Susan and Dean, along with their kids Jonathan and Sarah.

It’s a story that started with the family’s passion for Italian culture and cuisine which stems from their Italian origins. Susan’s father Hugo was born in Barga--a Tuscan hilltop town outside of Lucca. After a lifetime of experiencing all small-town Italy has to offer, the family wanted to bring the Italian dessert café experience to Denver.

The family shares a mutual passion for authentic Italian gelato, pastries and espresso – in October 2020 they opened their locally-owned and operated shop in Highlands Ranch, CO.

CONNECTION TO BFA: Patrons with BFA Students

colorado.gelatoeco.com/denver/

instagram.com/gelatoeco_colorado/?hl=en

facebook.com/GelatoecoColorado/

Dr. Nichole Schiro, a Board-Certified Orthodontist, and her team at Highlands Ranch Orthodontics provide local orthodontic care for kids and adults, ages 6 to 80+! They pride themselves on treating patients like family, offering the VIP experience focused on creating beautiful smiles and a stable bite. Whether you are looking for traditional braces, clear braces, or Invisalign, Highlands Ranch Orthodontics is the office for you! The American Association of Orthodontists recommend kids see the orthodontist by the age of 7, so give them a call (303-791-2021) to set up your complimentary initial consultation.

CONNECTION TO BFA: Patients that go to BFA

HighlandsRanchOrthodontics.com

instagram.com/highlandsranchorthodontics/?hl=en

facebook.com/HighlandsRanchOrthodontics/