Tomorrow, Jan. 13, is a Dress of Choice Day for students who have not had two uniform violations since the last Dress of Choice day.

There will be no school on Monday, Jan. 16, as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His life and writings still provide wisdom and inspiration. We hope you'll find time to visit one of the many websites that tell his story and/or share his thoughts on equality and cultivating change through the power of words.

“The time is always right to do right.”

― Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Would you like to be notified in the event of a lightning delay in carpool and/or an early release due to poor weather or a burst pipe? These examples are not hyperbole. They all happened and resulted in the need to reach out to parents. Currently, we contact parents/guardians through our legacy email system and our app, but we're moving to School Messenger which means that you'll need to TAKE ACTION to keep receiving important messages.

Many of you have already elected to receive general messages via email through school Messenger. It is also important that you elect to receive 'General' SMS (text) and phone messages through School Messenger.

FOR YOUR ACTION: 

Parents should ensure contact preferences within their Infinite Campus (IC) Parent Portal account are updated and confirm that the appropriate boxes are checked. You can choose to have communications via the following: (1) a phone call, (2) a SMS/text message and/or (3) email. BFA will send important communications using ‘General’ notifications in School Messenger so we recommend you select all three (phone, text and email) under General notifications so you don’t miss critical messages.

To verify that your profile is set up correctly, simply login to IC, select the ‘User Menu’ (the person icon on the upper, right side of the screen), select ‘Contact Preferences’ and indicate your preferences, then click ‘Save.’

In order to have a diverse, dedicated, and passionate Board that is also representative of our BFA families, WE NEED YOU (or someone you know)! We are seeking a record number of nominations for the 2023 Board of Directors Election. We challenge each and every BFA family to nominate at least one qualified candidate when election nominations open on February 1, 2023.

In April, the BFA community will elect (or re-elect) two (2) directors to serve on the seven-director Board, for a term of three years. The current Board of Directors will also appoint one (1) director, in accordance with the Board of Directors Election Policy. 

We are seeking committed and passionate individuals with a broad range of skills and knowledge, including: 

• Finance
• Education
• Real Estate
• Governance
• Strategic or Long-Range Planning
• Business Owner

Wondering Where to Begin?

Learn more about the BFA Board by attending our next meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in the Middle School Commons. You also can review these Frequently Asked Questions.

Save the Dates! 

Nominations will take place from Feb. 1 - 17, 2023. Additional information regarding the nomination process will be provided on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Please join us for the BFA Town Hall prior to the Board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, to learn more about the current state of BFA and continued ways to become involved.

The Candidate Q&A will take place on Tuesday, March 21, prior to the Board meeting.

Voting will take place from April 10 - 16, 2023.

The Election Results will be announced during the Board meeting on Tuesday, April 18. The current Board will also appoint (1) member to the Board of Directors during the April Board meeting.

The School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. THIS EVENING, Jan. 12, in the Middle School Commons and via Zoom (Meeting ID: 742 2054 0929; Passcode g11RNR). The following policies will be reviewed: Asset Management, Board of Directors Election Policy and the Uniform Policy. All are welcome to attend. Click here for the agenda.

BFA will conduct our annual hearing and vision screenings during school hours on Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Wednesday, Feb. 1. Hearing and vision impact learning, so it's essential to conduct screenings, and Colorado law (C.R.S. 22-1-116) states that students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 should be tested for sight and hearing. We also screen students that are new to BFA, plus any referrals. Colorado Department of Education Standards for hearing and vision are available online. It is important to note that this is a screening, not a complete exam. 

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

You will receive a letter only if your student does not pass the screening. Students with concerns should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Please take the letter to your appointment and have the provider complete the bottom of the form, and return it to your school's health office.

This year, the school has contracted with Tender Care Consulting, LLC, for the screenings. We need parent volunteers to help with the screenings, as well as supply a light breakfast/lunch for the staff and volunteers. If you are interested, it’s a great way to get your volunteer hours! Click here to help with the screenings and/or food.

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

All BFA girls and their father or special adult are invited to attend this year’s Sweetheart Ball, Denim and Diamonds from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, at BFA. Suggested dress for the event is semi-formal/western attire. Dessert and drinks will be served.

Tickets are on sale now through Wednesday, Jan. 25, and can be purchased online through MySchoolBucks. Tickets are $35 per couple, and $15 for each additional student. Get yours today, as tickets will not be sold at the dance!

The PTO needs your help to make this event a success. If you are interested in volunteering to help at the event (decorating, crafts, games, etc.), you can sign up here. If you’d like to donate desserts for the ball, sign up here.

If you have questions, please contact Christina Dilley and Kelly Dees, PTO Sweetheart Ball committee managers.

Benjamin Franklin’s birthday is January 17, 1706, making him 317 years old. Thanks to the PTO , we will be celebrating Ben’s Birthday next Tuesday, Jan. 17, with Eileen’s Cookies! New this year, there will be allergy-friendly cookies available from Wave the Grain.

This is a great time to honor Benjamin Franklin for all of the wonderful legacies he left behind, including the 13 Virtues that we practice here at Ben Franklin Academy. 

Happy Birthday, Ben!

If you have gently used uniforms that you would like to donate to the PTO, you can leave them, as well as any uniform accessories, in the front office donation box starting next Tuesday, Jan. 17, through Tuesday, Feb. 7. (Please wash and fold the clothing before donating.)

These donations will be sold at Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4 - 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, and Wednesday, Feb.15. All uniform pieces will be $5 at the sale, or 5 pieces for $20. The PTO's goal is to continue to support our children, staff and families by offering affordable uniform options while simultaneously funding the PTO. 

Looking for volunteer hours? Consider volunteering for the sale by contacting Jessica Kostelecky, PTO uniform buy back committee chair. Clothes will need to be sorted and organized prior to the sale, which can be done at home.

If you know anyone interested in attending K-8 at BFA, please let them know the second round of Open Enrollment begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 23.

We continue to offer tours of the school, so we also encourage you to share the tour webpage link with any prospective BFA families you know.

Make plans to stop by for dinner and some fun to support BFA at the Main Event spirit night from 4-7 p.m. next Thursday, Jan. 19. Main Event will give back 20 percent of all purchases (excluding alcohol) to BFA. Be sure to mention the Ben Franklin fundraiser so that the school gets credit for your purchase!

The spring after school musical program begins on Jan. 19. Students will meet from 3:30-4:15 p.m. on Thursdays. This is an after school class for students that enjoy the grade level musicals and want to learn the next level. Students will learn about acting, singing and how to move on stage. The cost is $85, and the performance is May 16. Click here for more information and to sign up!

The Spirit Rock is an opportunity to share exciting events with our school community by painting your own message. Parents, students, and staff may “Rent the Rock” to recognize a student’s birthday, show school spirit, wish a team good luck, thank a teacher, announce an event, etc. It is a great way to spread positive messages and increase excitement! The rate to rent the Rock is $20 per day. All proceeds benefit the BFA PTO.

Want to rent the Rock? Here’s how:

First, reserve the date you want by visiting the Rent the Rock SignUpGenius. Then, pay for your reservation through MySchoolBucks.

Have questions? Contact Lindsay Bullock, PTO Spirit Rock committee manager.