From the Desk of Principal Simpson

February 25, 2021

Weekly Update

A Message from Principal Simpson

Dear Parents,

I hope your kids (and you!) enjoyed the unexpected snow day today! In a year of ups and downs, I hope some joy was found playing in the snow and enjoying the sunshine that followed the storm.

I want to thank our community for your generous giving during the Boosterthon fundraiser! We exceeded our goal of $45,000, and we’re so grateful. And, I also want to thank the PTO for

running such a successful event. Since we met our goal, all students have earned an extra Dress of Choice day, which will be held on Friday, March 5.

The third trimester is underway. As spring emerges, I am incredibly hopeful that we will see some of our "normal" return. We look forward to the middle school musical, spring sports, science celebrations, field days and 8th-grade graduation each spring. While all of this will inevitably look different this year, I am sure that we can make these events happen with some creativity and flexibility. The STEM committee is working on an exciting event for students to explore science in new ways. Ms. Johnson is holding musical auditions, even though we can't have electives. Soccer and volleyball will be hosting try-outs. Mr. Macias, Mrs. Crespo and I are discussing options for field days. It's exciting to plan some of these events and have things to look forward to this trimester. Of course, all of these things will be determined by what the COVID spread looks like at BFA and what it looks like in the surrounding community, but there is hope.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please email me.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Simpson

BFA News

Calendar Reminders

Tomorrow, Feb. 26, is an Accelerated Reader Dress of Choice Day. Students in grades 1-5 can wear Dress of Choice if they've met their Accelerated Reader (AR) goal. Contact your student's teacher if you have any questions about whether your student met his/her goal this trimester.

Our next remote learning day is Wednesday, March 3.

Your Opinion Matters - Plus, Student and Parent Incentives for Completion!

The School Accountability Committee (SAC) would like your feedback, so please take 15 minutes out of your day to complete the Parent Satisfaction survey (one response per family) expressing your thoughts and opinions regarding the current BFA academic year.

And, if you share your family number, your student gets an EXTRA Dress of Choice Day on April 23, and you are entered into a drawing for a BFA reserved parking spot for August 2021. If you do not know your family number, you can email us and we'll send it to you. (Family numbers are not associated with specific feedback in the report received by the Board and Administration.)

We genuinely value your feedback and hope to hear from every BFA family. The survey closes March 5, so please complete

the Parent Satisfaction Survey TODAY!

Spirit Wear Store Closes Feb. 28

The PTO store will be closing for the year after Sunday night, so shop now for new spirit wear and spirit items, including masks. Make sure your kids have sweatshirts for chilly classrooms and fleece jackets or vests for recess. They also have gaiters, water bottles, wireless phone chargers, car magnets and decals, and more! Shop MySchoolBucks.com today! The store closes on February 28.

Orders will be delivered and sent home through your child's classroom. Masks and gaiters are not returnable. If you are a remote family, please contact Rachael Hamburger, PTO spirit wear chair, to coordinate delivery.

BFA's DI Teams to Compete in Virtual Event

BFA’s Destination Imagination (DI) teams have been working hard at thinking of creative solutions to solve their respective challenges this year. They will submit their solutions to the virtual DI Colorado (DICO) Showcase Event in March.

BFA has two teams competing in the DICO Showcase--a Rising Stars and elementary level team. The teams are demonstrating their problem solving skills in the following categories:

Early Learning Challenge: Critter’s Big Adventure

The Adventurers, Rising Stars

Technical Challenge: The Next Level

Creative Stallions, Elementary

The Rising Stars for Early Learners Challenge offers simple experiences with the creative process, and it gives young kids (preschool through second grade) a place to work together and make new friends. In Critter’s Big Adventure, teams must create and present a story about a critter who goes on a big adventure; write and illustrate a picture book; integrate a special effect into the picture book; create a song that helps tell the story; and share the picture book and the song in a team-created video.

The Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning and related skills. In The Next Level, teams must create and present a video presentation in the style of a video game; include an adventurer who goes on a quest to win an ultimate prize; portray a special ability used by the adventurer; integrate three quest items and combine them to create a tool; and create and present two team choice elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength and talents.

WOW--that's impressive! We wish our teams the best as they prepare to compete.

Make A Difference, Meet New People & HAVE FUN

If making a difference, meeting new people and having fun sounds appealing to you, then consider volunteering for the PTO! The PTO is looking to fill volunteer positions for the 2021-22 school year, and they would love for you to join their team.

They have a variety of volunteer positions that can be done from home or school, and that fit any schedule--days, nights or weekends. They also have behind the scenes volunteer opportunities, as well as those that put you front and center. You name it, they’ve got it!

PTO elections will be held April 26-30. For more information on the PTO, including job descriptions of the volunteer positions, please visit their webpage, and click on PTO Elections. In addition, feel free to join their monthly meeting (held via Zoom) on Wednesday, March 10, to learn more about what they do.

In Case You Missed It - DanceFit Results

The PTO would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the BFA staff, families, and community members who supported this month's DanceFit fundraiser. All of your efforts paid off, as we reached our goal!

Thanks to your generous donations, the PTO raised a net profit of $46,754! The top two fundraising Pre-K through grade 5 classes were: (1) McConnell and (2) Hinz; and the top two fundraising middle school classes were (1) Babb advisory and (2) Stolk advisory. Congratulations! These four classrooms will get a pizza party. In addition, all students will receive an extra dress of choice day (date still to be determined).

From the money raised, approximately $8,500 will be given back to classroom teachers to enhance their classroom materials or curriculum. Additionally, the PTO anticipates spending approximately $30,000 on STEAM enhancements, with the remainder of the proceeds going to support PTO programs.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the DanceFit fundraiser. We had 74 percent of our students registered, and 59 percent of our students got pledged, with pledges coming from 48 states and 6 countries! That's amazing--we truly appreciate your generosity!

Nutrition Services Hiring for BFA

DCSD Nutrition Services is hiring a kitchen assistant for BFA. The hours are 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. every school day (Mon,Tues,Th,Fri). Anyone interested can contact rsrepplinger@dcsdk12.org.

Middle school boys soccer has been rescheduled for this spring, March 8-April 22. Tryouts will be outside on the turf from 4-5 p.m. on Tuesday March 2, and from 2-3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3. Call backs will be from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday March 4.

There will only be one team this year for BFA. Any middle school boy interested in trying out for the team this year, must register online through MySchoolBucks by Monday, March 1, or you will not be able to try out. Games this season will be Tuesdays and Thursdays; and practices will be before school on Mondays, and on Wednesday afternoons.

Make sure you have a water bottle and athletic gear for tryouts. Cleats, shin guards, and a soccer ball are recommended but not mandatory for tryouts. Contact Ms. Svensen if you have any questions.

Middle School Girls Volleyball Tryouts

Middle school girls volleyball has been rescheduled for this spring, March 8-April 22. Tryouts will in the Thunder Gym from 3:45-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3, and Friday, March 5. Call backs will be on Saturday morning, March 6; the time is TBD and will be communicated to girls asked to attend callbacks.

There will be both an A and a B team this year, but tryouts are limited to 50 students. Any middle school girl interested in trying out for the team this year, must register online through MySchoolBucks by Tuesday, March 2, or they will not be able to try out. Games this season will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, and practices will be on Mondays and Wednesdays. The A and B team will have different practice schedules.

Make sure you have a water bottle and athletic gear for tryouts. Athletic shoes (no Converse) and a water bottle are mandatory for tryouts; knee pads and a small snack are recommended but not mandatory. Contact both Mrs. Murphy and Kristen Haufschild if you have any questions.

Middle School Musical Auditions Monday

If your middle school student would like to participate in the after school musical, please go to MySchoolBucks soon to register. Auditions are from 3:30 – 5 p.m. on Monday, March 1. Click here for all the details. And, please contact Ms. Johnson if you have any questions.

Upcoming Events

Volunteer

There are several opportunities to get your hours in!

There are still some opportunities to volunteer even while we're practicing COVID mitigation.

Parents can listen in on a committee meeting--most all are held via Zoom now. Read the newsletter and check the calendar for more information.
Helping watch kids at recess is another fun way to get your hours.
We always need help during morning and afternoon carpool. Please arrive by 7:30 a.m. for the morning shift, or 3:15 p.m. for afternoon carpool.
There are several at home projects available. Just email our Volunteer Coordinator, if you're interested.

BFA's Guiding Principles

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.