Weekly Update
A message from Principal Simpson...
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Dear Parents,
Before I get into our latest COVID-19 update, I want to first say how thankful I am for all of you. It is a joy to see and work with your children every day, and it’s a privilege for us to partner with all of you for their education! The decisions we’ve had to make recently haven't been easy ones, and I am thankful for your support and understanding.
This week the state changed the dial that they are using for monitoring COVID levels in communities. They have moved away from the Safer at Home and Stay at Home designations. And, they have added Level Purple. Originally, we stated that the school would go full remote if the county or state went to Level Red: Stay at Home. However, Level Red doesn't mean what it meant last week with the shift in metrics. The mandate to stay at home doesn't happen now until Level Purple. At the Board meeting on Tuesday, we decided to remain in-person until the county or the state moved to Level Purple. For more information on the new dial, please visit this website: https://covid19.colorado.gov/press-release/several-counties-move-to-level-red-on-state-dial
The Board also was very supportive of the Task Force's recommendation to continue offering remote learning through the second trimester.
Our COVID-19 chart has changed a bit this week. Out of an abundance of caution, we have quarantined one third grade class through Thanksgiving break. This quarantine is connected to a student who is symptomatic and whose family member has tested positive.
We did have a student in a different class who has tested positive this week as well. That student has not been in school, and no other students or staff were exposed.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you keep your child(ren) at home if they show any symptoms, especially a runny nose, stuffy nose, cough, etc. If your student displays these types of symptoms at school, we will have to send them home. We are trying our best to remain in-person, but we will not be able to do that if we have to quarantine numerous classes or if there were to be an outbreak of some kind. In my recent experience with positive cases (both here at school and in the community), the only symptoms have been mild cold symptoms. We need our community to continue to be vigilant.
Over Thanksgiving break, if anyone in your family becomes ill, tests positive, or is exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID, please contact me directly as the office will be closed. We will continue our detailed contact tracing and quarantining procedures throughout the break.
I hope everyone has a safe, healthy and blessed Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Simpson
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We will be on Thanksgiving Break from Nov. 23-27. We hope you get to spend a relaxing week surrounded by family. We're sincerely grateful for the families and staff members that make the BFA community so special. Happy Thanksgiving!
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We’d like to reiterate our heartfelt thanks to all the students, parents, staff and CEC volunteers who made Veterans Day memorable again this year. It’s important to teach kids about the sacrifices these heroes made to protect America, our values and democracy throughout the world.
And, it’s extra special when these heroes can join us in person! While this year’s celebration was smaller, it was still very meaningful to so many of us—especially the veterans and service members who attended. Principal Simpson and the CEC received several thank you notes from veterans, but we wanted to share this one as it sums up what your recognition meant to the service men and women who attended our celebration (transcribed from card):
Staff, Faculty, Parents & Students:
We wish to express our sincere appreciation for the Veterans Day Parade on Nov 12. It was more than a parade to us. Seeing the students, staff, faculty and parents express their appreciation in a very visual manner was a reminder of why we wore the uniform and served this great nation.
Our thanks to each of you, the staff, faculty and parents, and especially the students, for the honor you bestowed on all of the Veterans.
Thomas Puckett, Col US Army, Retired, and
Cliff Butler, Major US Air Force, Retired
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Follow the Rules for Free Lunch |
Thanks to a grant from the government, we’ve been able to give kids lunch for free since school began. The funds won’t last forever, but we’re happy to be able to provide this benefit to students as long as possible. However, to get the FREE LUNCH, students must select a main entrée, either a water or milk, AND a fruit or vegetable. If your kiddo does not select a fruit or veggie, they will be charged for the lunch. See the flier from Nutrition Services.
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School Accountability Meeting |
Would you like to be involved in reviewing policies that drive the direction of BFA? If so, please join us at our monthly School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting as we review the following policies: Mobile Electronic Device Usage, Assistance for Qualified Free/Reduced Lunch Recipients and the Teacher Compensation Policy.
The SAC is meeting at 4:30 p.m. today, Nov 19, via Zoom. The details of the Zoom meeting are available on the BFA calendar. If you would like information about serving on the SAC or participating in the Zoom meeting, please contact Woody Haynes.
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Want your own reserved parking space at BFA? How about front and center seats to eighth grade graduation? Now’s your chance! These items will be up for grabs at the PTO's online auction beginning on Cyber Monday, Nov. 30, and running through Friday, Dec. 4, at PTAPal.com. You’ll be able to bid on six reserved seats to eighth grade graduation as well as the five reserved parking spots (4 annual and 1 monthly). Parking spot reservations will be for January 2021 through June 2022. That's reserved parking for 18 months!
You can also purchase Pathway to Learning commemorative bricks during the online auction through the PTAPal.com website. These commemorative bricks are a great way to leave a lasting memory of your time at BFA. They will be placed in front of the school alongside the existing bricks. Bricks purchased at last year's BENefit Bash are being installed now.
Visit the online auction website to register, buy a brick, and place your bids! Please contact Brooke Mitisek, PTO fundraising coordinator with questions or for more information.
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Say Thanks - Holiday Gift Giving with SCRIP |
BFA will use SCRIP for holiday staff gifting again this year. This convenient, online program replaces room parent collections and facilitates convenient group gifting. Each family makes one payment through MySchoolBucks for all of their teacher and staff gifts. At the end of collections, each staff member receives an email with the total collected on their behalf and is able to select gift cards they would like to receive.
Participation in the SCRIP program is completely voluntary. You are welcome to participate with any amount, or alternatively gift the teachers and staff on your own. Families will be able to place SCRIP orders via MySchoolBucks and pay by credit card. You may designate how much you would like to give to each teacher/staff member in one-dollar increments.
Collections will take place November 30 - December 6, with gift cards being distributed during the week before Winter Break. If you want to get started planning, the PTO created a Parent Worksheet which includes a list of all staff. You can also print this flier as a reminder.
Questions? Visit the PTO webpage or contact Natalie Lucero, SCRIP coordinator.
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NJHS Applications Due Tomorrow |
Applications are now being accepted for National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). All seventh and eighth grade students interested in joining NJHS need to fill out paperwork and return it to the basket outside of Mrs. Murphy’s classroom no later than tomorrow, Nov. 20.
New members need to complete the application packet and the policy form, and returning members only need to complete the BFA NJHS policy form. (Both the application packet and policy forms also can be found on the NJHS website located under the middle school tab.) If you do not have a printer at home, please email Mrs. Murphy and she will deliver a copy to your child’s homeroom teacher. Please have your student contact Mrs. Murphy with any NJHS questions that are not answered on the NJHS policy form or the BFA NJHS website.
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Time to Get Your Original Works Gifts! |
Original Works is opening it’s store again so more families can participate. They have removed all deadlines, but cannot guarantee delivery by the holidays. See the flier for additional information and instructions on how to order a personalized gift for you or a loved one.
Remember, our art program benefits from every BFA order.
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Email Coordinator by Dec. 1 to Express Interest in Destination Imagination |
Destination Imagination (DI) is an international, educational program that gives kids an amazing outlet for their creativity, while teaching them leadership, teamwork, positive thinking, project management and so much more. Annually, DI offers seven new academic challenges in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), fine arts, service learning and early learning. In solving a challenge, students learn the creative process from imagination to innovation and the skills needed to thrive in school, their careers and beyond.
For the 2020-21 season of DI, teams can meet completely virtually or in-person (as long as they adhere to local county, city and state guidelines for COVID-19). For a preview of this year’s DI Challenges, please click here. For a more detailed “first look,” click here. In Colorado this year, tournaments also will be held virtually with all Central Challenge and Instant Challenge solutions being submitted via video. Remember, volunteering with DI counts toward your BFA volunteer hours (and Team Managers are always needed).
For more information about DI, please go to the BFA DI webpage, which includes FAQs and videos. If your child is interested in joining a team and you are interested in being a Team Manager, please email Jason Sunahara, BFA DI coordinator, by Tuesday, Dec. 1.
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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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