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Vol. 10, Iss. 25
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Sept. 24, 2020
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Dear Parents,
I hope everyone is having a good week. I apologize for this newsletter coming out a little late today. I was proud of myself because I had my newsletter article written early this week. However, I had to adjust my sails this morning as we had a situation that I need to share with you instead. (Hint for next week: The main topic might include something about enlisting your help with adherence to the dress code).
This morning as school started and our staff listened to the attendance line messages, it quickly became apparent that one of our first-grade classrooms had many kids called out sick today. In fact, after the final count, we had more than half of the students excused. The students reported some similar symptoms, including sore throat, runny nose, congestion, fever and a cough. Not all students had all of these, but most had a combination of these symptoms. We really appreciate these families following our guidelines and keeping these students home while they don't feel well. All families involved have been provided with guidance and protocols to follow to return to school.
We all know that fall in Colorado brings many seasonal allergies, and our current smoke situation isn't helping with those. In addition, the cold and flu season is upon us. However, in reading through the health department's guidance and the protocols we have been given, we decided to send the students home who came to school today and will have this class work remotely tomorrow as well. We notified all members of this class first thing this morning. We are letting the school community know because we are committed to transparency in communication with all of our families.
I want to emphasize that this class is NOT quarantining, and there have been NO positive COVID-19 cases in this classroom or in the school thus far. We are moving this classroom to remote learning for tomorrow to further evaluate the situation before determining a plan for next week. Hopefully, all students will feel better by Monday.
This will not impact our plan of middle school, returning to full classes next week. We are excited to welcome all 6-8th grade students back on Monday, Sept. 28!
I know all of this can be overwhelming and confusing. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a good weekend!
Mrs. Simpson
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MIDDLE SCHOOL RETURN TO FULL
We are happy to announce that middle school will return to full class sizes on Monday, Sept. 28. As outlined in the last Board meeting, the students will continue to work, eat lunch and have recess in cohort groups. Middle school students will not have access to lockers at this time.
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ALL STUDENTS REMOTE LEARNING
All students will participate in remote learning on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Please be sure to record your student's attendance that day.
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BFA PTO SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ON SALE TOMORROW
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 will go on sale, TOMORROW, Sept. 25! 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.
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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.
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TRUNK OR TREAT HALLOWEEN PARTY
In lieu of individual class parties and the middle school activity for Halloween, this year 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! Kids can 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. (Of course, all volunteers and students will be expected to follow strict safety precautions.)
While the PTO will purchase the give-a-ways, we need parent support for the individually wrapped candy and snacks. 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 SignUpGenius and consider supporting Trunk or Treat for our students! Next week, look for information about volunteering to distribute gifts and goodies during Trunk or Treat as well as additional details about how we'll keep everyone safe during this fun event.
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All BFA dads are welcome to attend the Ben's Brigade meeting from 8 - 9 p.m. tonight, Sept. 24, at Max Taps on their outdoor patio (2680 E County Line Rd A). This is a great way to get to know other BFA dads and learn more about how you can help the school.
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BFA DIRECTORY AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK
The 2020-21 BFA online directory through the Directory on Tap app will be available next week. To access the directory, you will need to download the free Directory on Tap app available through the App Store and Google Play. You will receive an email from [email protected] with your one-time password, which will allow you to log into the directory.
See the flier or contact Denise Battista, PTO vice president, with questions.
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ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS - LOG YOUR HOURS TO BE REWARDED
BFA loves its volunteers, and we want to show our appreciation for all of your work. Again, this year, the PTO will be recognizing TWO volunteers each month. One volunteer will be chosen as the 'Volunteer of the Month,' for outstanding volunteerism and will get exclusive use of the dedicated 'Volunteer' spot in the parking lot for their month.
A second volunteer will be chosen through a monthly 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. So, keep logging your hours, and don't stop logging them once you have reached your family quota! Remember, reaching your 30-hour volunteer quota (15 hours for single family households) can also earn you priority in signing up for parent teacher conferences!
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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.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL "NEWSIES" BOOT CAMP
This after school class is designed to introduce middle school students to some of the classic musical theater, tap and jazz dance styles with an added emphasis on the technical skills they're most likely to use in the middle school elective "Newsies" this spring! Each class will begin with flexibility training, followed by technique and finish with a fun dance combination. All levels welcome! Have some fun and sharpen the skills you'll need to "seize the day" in the spring. Taught by Barret Harper musical theatre singer, actor and dancer. The class will be held on Thursdays from Oct. 1 - Dec. 17 and the cost is $100. Sign up today!
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For the week of Oct. 12-16 the BFA BASE program is excited to offer Fall Break Camp. The fall camp is similar to the summer camp program we offer--meaning we try to ensure the kids have lots of fun! The cost is $35 per child per day, and we'll be open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Information on daily registration will be forthcoming. To offer the camp, we need at least 15 families or 15-20 children daily. All registrations are non-refundable unless we do not have the required number of families. Enrolled families will be notified and given refunds if we need to cancel. 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 contact b[email protected] to get the registration link.
If you have any questions please contact Leigh Savoy.
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SWEATSHIRTS, HOODIES AND JACKETS - OH MY!
Colder weather is in our future and that means it's time to make sure you have a BFA hoodie, sweatshirt, fleece jacket or vest that fits. Check out the PTO's selection of BFA cold weather gear on MySchoolBucks. Hoodies and sweatshirts are available in navy or red with either the embroidered BFA logo or BFA in plaid letters. Fleece jackets and vests are available in red or navy with the embroidered BFA logo. All are available in youth and adult sizing. Please note, only middle school students (grades 6-8) may wear the hoodies in class. The PTO's store for spirit wear and spirit items will remain open through the first trimester. There will be no in-person sales this fall. All orders must be placed online at MySchoolBucks. Then orders will be delivered and sent home through your child's classroom. Masks and gaiters are not returnable. If you are a remote learning family, please contact Rachael Hamburger, PTO spirit wear chair, to coordinate delivery.
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PAINT THE SPIRIT ROCK - NEW DATES RELEASED
We are excited to announce that new dates have been released on the BFA PTO Spirit Rock SignUpGenius. If you've got something or someone to celebrate during the end of the first trimester (through November 13), reserve your date now before someone else claims it. The PTO will continue to release additional dates as the year progresses. Please do not pay in MySchoolBucks until you have secured your date in SignUpGenius as the PTO cannot offer refunds. See the flier for additional details.
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AFTER SCHOOL MUSICAL OFFERING
We have " SUPER HAPPY AWESOME NEWS"--Ms. Johnson has a new after school musical offering! The musical is for students in grades 3-8, and rehearsals will be held in person on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:10 p.m. The performances will be filmed and shared with families online. The cost is $90. Click here to sign up!
By the way, full-time online students can sign up too! They will meet with Ms. Johnson three times over zoom to rehearse and practice their part of the musical and then film it at home.
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The School Accountability Committee (SAC) will meet from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. today, Sept. 24, via Zoom. The call details are available on the BFA calendar.
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All BFA dads are welcome to attend the Ben's Brigade meeting from 8 - 9 p.m. tonight, Sept. 24, at Max Taps on their outdoor patio (2680 E County Line Rd A).
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MIDDLE SCHOOL RETURN TO FULL
We are happy to announce that middle school classes will return to full class sizes on Monday, Sept. 28. In order to continue to provide time for our building to get a deep clean during the week and our teachers dedicated time to focus on planning, we decided to make several Wednesdays fully remote days for students, including Wednesday, Sept. 30. Please see the calendar for details.
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ALL STUDENTS REMOTE LEARNING
All students will participate in remote learning on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Please be sure to record your student's attendance that day.
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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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