Weekly Update
A Message from Principal Simpson
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Dear Parents,
I don't know about you, but I am so excited to have the sun back for a bit! Growing up in sunny Colorado, the gray days really get to me. It is nice to be outside without a sweater and an umbrella. My fingers are crossed that the weather continues to hold for all our outside activities next week.
As we wrap up this year, we are saying good-bye to some exceptional staff members. While I am so sad to see these ladies leave us, I am excited about their next chapters. They will always be part of the BFA family.
Mrs. Stolk has been here since day one, and has always brought enthusiasm and passion to her classroom. She has been teaching for more than twenty years and has made the difficult decision to retire from teaching to explore new adventures.
Mrs. Parsons has also been here since the beginning of BFA (though she did leave to have her sweet daughters). She has been an outstanding teacher in kindergarten, and her positive attitude is contagious. She has decided to stay at home with her girls.
Mrs. Lewicki joined BFA several years ago, teaching both fourth and fifth grade. She has brought innovative ideas and teaching methods to BFA, including initiating the first gender-based math class a few years ago. She will be continuing her teaching career at another school.
We wish Mrs. Stolk, Mrs. Parsons, and Mrs. Lewicki all the best in their new endeavors.
With those departures, we're pleased to announce several other changes. Ms. Mares, who is currently teaching sixth grade Language Arts, will teach sixth grade Social Studies next year. Mrs. Erbaugh, who is currently teaching third grade, is moving to sixth grade Language Arts. Mrs. Buzalka, who is currently teaching third grade, is moving to fifth grade.
We have hired two new teachers for third grade next year and are looking forward to introducing them to you during the summer.
Don't Forget: Next Friday is a half-day of school. We will begin carpool at noon.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Mrs. Simpson
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Getting Ready for the 2021-22 School Year |
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New Families: See all the Ways BFA Communicates |
BFA uses multiple communication tools to ensure that parents keep track of all the exciting things happening at BFA. Check out the list below for more details about all the ways to stay connected:
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Principal Simpson’s weekly newsletter (what you're reading now) is sent out via email every Thursday during the school year. You can find back issues here.
- The BFA website is the central hub for news, calendars, policies, teacher webpages, committee webpages and essential quicklinks for absence/attendance reporting, lunch, payments and volunteer management. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the website!
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BFA has a public Facebook page and posts various announcements and pictures throughout the day.
- Teacher websites, newsletters and blogs ensure you stay abreast of all the happenings inside your student’s classroom.
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The BFA app offers quick access to all the information you need from your mobile device, and if you enable notifications, you’ll also receive helpful reminders throughout the year. The app is available on IOS and Android devices – get it now on the App Store or Google Play!
- Be sure to follow our Instagram account, BFAmazing, to see what is happening every day. You never know who might pop up on the ‘gram!
- Additional communications will be sent routinely to Middle School and Preschool families.
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Final Week of School Activities |
Next week is the final week of school, and it’s a very busy one!
Monday, May 24: There’s a lunch change—Nutrition Services is offering Orange Chicken and UBR Bistro Box. It’s also Field Day for grades 2-5. Students should wear their DanceFit t-shirt with athletic bottoms, sunscreen, and bring a full water bottle.
Tuesday, May 25: Students in kindergarten and first grade will have Field Day. Students should wear their DanceFit t-shirt with athletic bottoms, sunscreen, and bring a full water bottle.
Wednesday, May 26: This is a Remote Learning Day for all students.
Thursday, May 27: It's an Accelerated Reader Dress of Choice Day for students in grades 1-5 who met their AR goal. The lunch menu has changed; Nutrition Services will serve Mac and Cheese and Southwest Cheesy pull-aparts. Middle school students (grades 7 and 8) can participate in a dodgeball tournament and students as well as eighth grade parents will clap out our eighth graders that afternoon. Eighth Grade graduation is at 6 p.m. that evening.
Friday, May 28: It's the last day of school and a Dress of Choice for all students. The middle school dodgeball tournament continues for sixth graders! No lunch will be served and our school day will end at noon. Carpool will begin at noon so please be in the carpool line by 12:15 p.m. at the latest.
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Summer Camp
Please Make Remaining Weekly Selections by June 4
Activity Calendar Available
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There is still Summer Camp availability in June and throughout the summer, so please sign up today through MySchoolBucks! If you would like a copy of the activity calendar to see all the FUN things we have planned this summer, please email summer camp.
We'll determine if we can host camp in July/August based on weekly sign ups we receive by end-of-day on June 4. Therefore, please plan to make your weekly selections for July and August by June 4, as without enough campers signed up for each week, we won’t be able to offer the program in July/August. If that's the case, we’ll let you know by close of business on June 8.
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If your student has medication in the health room, please plan to pick it up between 9 a.m. and noon NEXT WEEK. Only a parent/guardian or a designated adult can pick up medicine. Parents also can request that their student pick up any remaining medicine, but parents must email Teri DeBellis in advance at health@bfacademy.org with the request. She will put the medicine in a sealed envelope and send it home with the student. She will not release any medication to a student unless she receives a written request from the parent.
If applicable, you also will need to pick up any medication stored in BASE, as we will not transfer medications to BASE for summer camp this year. All medications that are not picked up by parents will be disposed of (expired or not).
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News From the BFA Library |
Please bring in your BFA library books as soon as possible. They were due on Monday but we still have a lot of books checked out. Thanks for your help!
We're asking everyone to please consider signing up for the DCL Summer Reading Program--the school with the most sign ups by July 31 will be awarded $500. The entire family can sign up, and those that sign up between May 1 - June 15 are entered into a drawing to win a special prize. Thanks for your support and happy reading!
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Thank you everyone who has served on, volunteered for, and supported the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) this year! Although our school year was different, it has been another great year with many memorable events.
Each year, with the generous donations from our BFA community and our annual sponsors, the PTO provides the school with tools, materials, and financial support for important programs, including: Lexia, Accelerated Reader incentives, Directory On Tap, HelpCounter software, student planners, teacher, staff, and volunteer appreciation, as well as community events such as Trunk or Treat and the Sweetheart Ball. Additional PTO purchases for the school this year included:
- Eagle Scout picnic table project materials
- Sewing machines for the Middle School Life Skills class
- Materials for the new garden beds
- A new spirit rock
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$10,260 in various teacher giveback purchases related to DanceFit
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Washington, D.C. trip contributions of $100 per participating student
- All staff year-end luncheon
Thanks to the generosity of the BFA community, this school year we received sponsorship donations totaling approximately $12,500 and DanceFit income of $46,753. From that money, approximately $28,000 is being spent on stage sound and lighting enhancements. The balance of the fundraising monies was spent on various PTO programs and school services throughout the year. Any remaining funds will roll over to next year's PTO budget.
Thank you again for your unwavering support!
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Elementary Room Parents Needed |
The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is looking for elementary (grades K-5) Room Parents for next school year! Being a Room Parent is a great way to meet your volunteer hour requirement, develop a positive relationship with your child's teacher and become more involved at school. If you are interested, please send an email to Amanda Trenck and Lauren Flint, co-room parent coordinators, K-5.
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Yearbooks will be Delivered Friday |
Yearbooks are here! If you ordered a yearbook for your student, they’ll receive it this Friday. We have a very limited quantity of additional books for sale. If you want to purchase one, you must send in a payment of $40 per book. We will not hold or set aside books this year without receiving payment. Please contact Mrs. Svensen with questions.
Also, we want to THANK Ms. Svensen and several of our eighth graders who created the book in their "free time" throughout the year and weekends. Without a yearbook elective, it was especially difficult this year. Great job Cassandra Anhuth, Ashlyn Hayden, Kyra Hochhalter and Ellie Pierce!
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Thank You Volunteers
Enjoy a BFA-Only Night at Pirates Cove
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Thank you to all the families who have volunteered this year. We sincerely appreciate all that you do for BFA! To show our thanks, the PTO is hosting a volunteer appreciation event - an evening at Pirates Cove – from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 27. All BFA families who have met and recorded their family's volunteer quota (30 hours per family or 15 per single household) will be rewarded with FREE admission for their immediate family to Pirate's Cove. The PTO has rented out the park for the evening of our event, so it will be a private BFA-only event.
Please be on the lookout for a Pirate's Cove SignUpGenius coming soon! Families who have met their volunteer quota will be able to sign up first (and will be contacted via email). Haven't met your volunteer quota? Have no fear, after May 31, should there be space available, you may be able to sign up for a $5/person fee. This will still only be for BFA students and their immediate families. No outside guests please, as they will be turned away at the door. We have a 300-person limit, so we are hoping to accommodate as many families as possible!
Be sure to log your volunteer hours as soon as possible! The deadline for logging hours is May 28. We love to recognize our volunteers so please don’t let your hours go unaccounted. Volunteer hours recorded by May 28 will not only go towards your Pirates Cove admission but a special volunteer appreciation thank you. These will be distributed at Pirates Cove and/or annual family check-in in August. If your family is leaving BFA entirely, and you have reached the 50-hour milestone, please email Denise Battista, PTO Vice President. Happy logging!
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Please Complete PTO Survey about Fundraising |
The PTO is evaluating fundraising options at BFA and would appreciate your feedback. Please complete the following survey to share your preferences concerning the BENefit Bash versus a pledge-based fundraiser (ie. Fun Run, Color Run, DanceFit).
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The School Accountability Committee (SAC) will have their final parent meeting for the school year at 4:30 p.m. today, May 20, and you’re welcome to join them. The call details are on the BFA calendar. Being a member of SAC provides an excellent opportunity have an impact at BFA by reviewing school policy, 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. Please consider joining them!
At today's meeting, they will review the final three policies and elect next year's SAC officers. If you're interested in joining the SAC and/or putting your name on the ballot for one of the four SAC officer positions, please review the SAC bylaws for information on the SAC's duties and the roles of the SAC officers. Then email the SAC Chair Woody Haynes.
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Middle School Field Day Details |
For field day this year, our middle school kids will participate in a dodgeball tournament and have Kona Ice.
Eighth Grade:
Our eighth grade students will have a FUN last day of school on Thursday, May 27. Dodgeball begins at 8:30 a.m. After playing all morning, the kids will have lunch, then Kona Ice before the clap out. Lunch can be ordered through MySchoolBucks.
Seventh Grade:
Seventh graders will begin dodgeball at 12:25 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, and play until it’s time to have Kona Ice at 2:45 p.m. Lunch can be ordered through MySchoolBucks.
Sixth Grade:
On Friday, May 28, our sixth graders will begin dodgeball at 8:30 a.m. and finish at 11:15 a.m., leaving plenty of time for Kona Ice.
Details:
Each cohort will be able to have a minimum of 10 players and maximum of 12 players on two separate teams. All students can participate, or simply choose to be a spectator. Each team will play two 5-10 minute games.
Student spectators need to be on their best behavior, wearing masks and cheering on the teams. They will be seated in cohort groups. Any student that doesn’t follow the rules will be asked to leave and will not participate the remainder of the day.
And, please note, players who are on more than one team will play with their original team if both teams are playing at the same time.
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Mr. Knudsen and Ms. Poleschook are partnering up to offer some extra focused support to students who might need or want a little extra practice in math and English. The small group setting is the most beneficial way to target each student's needs. The class is open to students going into Course 2 (or entering seventh grade math) and Course 3 (or entering eighth grade math). If you are interested in opportunities for tutoring or small groups in just English then please email Ms. Poleschook and if you are interested in opportunities for tutoring or small groups for only math then please reach out to Mr. Knudsen. To sign up for the summer boot camp, please use this link.
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Incoming 6-8th Grade Boys - Basketball Camp |
SESSION: JULY 26-29 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Monday-Thursday
This session is for incoming 6th-8th grade players who have played a basketball season either with BFA or outside of BFA. This camp 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. We will end the week with a Thursday tournament. There will be prizes throughout the week of the camp!
HOW TO REGISTER: Please Venmo or send check for $150 by July 19 so Mr. Macias can confirm number of players. Please complete Google Form or email me with the name and grade of your player attending. If for any reason camp needs to be cancelled due to COVID, payment will be refunded.
Venmo $150 to @Craig-Macias
Check made out to Craig Macias
QUESTIONS? Email Coach Macias.
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Summer Girls Basketball Camp, Grades 5-8 |
Who: incoming 2021 BFA fifth through eighth grade girls
What: Summer girls basketball camp
Where: BFA - Thunder Gym
When: Monday, July 12 - Thursday, July 15, from 9 - 11 a.m.
Girls of all abilities are encouraged to come while we work on furthering the development of dribbling, shooting, offensive, and defensive skills through drills, game situations, and fun activities! Please click on this link to register.
Camp registration will cost a flat fee of $100 ($25 per camper, per day) with no prorated options. Coach Knudsen and Coach Mares will be monitoring and following all current district and health guidelines.
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BFA Boys and Girls Soccer Camps |
Attention Middle School Boys: Anyone looking to play some soccer this summer, boys soccer camp will be from 8:30-11:30 a.m. July 12-15. Come join us for some fun on the turf! We will have Varsity soccer players from the surrounding high schools to help run a week of drills, games, and fun. Camp is limited to the first 25 players, so don't miss out! See the link for more information and to register.
Attention Middle School Girls: Anyone looking to play some soccer this summer, girls soccer camp will be from 12:20-3:30 p.m. July 12-15. Come join us for some fun! Camp will rotate between the turf and the large gym each day. We will have Varsity soccer players from the surrounding high schools to help run a week of drills, games, and fun. Camp is limited to the first 25 players to register, so don't miss out! See the link for more information and to register.
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Extreme Fitness Summer Camp |
Grab your friends and get signed up for this summer's fun, yet intense workouts. Focus will include speed, endurance, as well as total body strength and conditioning. Trainings will be from 9-10:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, June 8-July 8. Whether you are trying to stay in shape during off-season, or you're looking for a fun activity to do with your friends, Extreme Fitness will be a great physical activity to get outside and have fun with others. The camp is open to both current and next year's middle school students (grades 6th-9th). Early bird pricing is $125 per student, so sign up soon. Contact Mr. Macias or Ms. Svensen if you have any questions, or register using this link.
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Volleyball Camp Registration |
Attention incoming 2021 fifth through eighth grade boys and girls...the BFA Summer Co-Ed Volleyball Camp which will take place July 19 - 23 in the Thunder Gym. See the flier for additional details and get registered today!
HOW TO REGISTER
Please complete the Google Form, which includes payment information. If for any reason camp needs to be cancelled due to COVID, money will be refunded.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
Parents, if you are interested in volunteering and earning 2021-22 volunteer hours, please SIGN UP here!
HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS
Coach Haufschild loves having high school players (boys and girls) come as volunteer coaches! Players do not have to be BFA alumni. It looks great on college applications and can help you earn any volunteer requirements for high school. Please forward to any high school players (boys and girls) that you think may be interested. Please read this flier for information, then SIGN UP here.
The camp is for enrolled BFA students only.
Please contact Kristen Haufschild with questions.
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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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