Weekly Update
A Message from Principal Simpson
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Dear Parents,
The second day of school is going smoothly. Carpool this morning was complete by 8:13! Way to Go!!
Next week, we will be having our Back to School nights. Grades K-4 are on August 24, and Grades 5-8 are on August 25 from 6-7:30 p.m. These are important meetings as the teachers share a wealth of information about how things run in their classrooms. You don't want to miss it!
Today, the Douglas County Commissioners voted to opt out of the Tri-County public health order. There is still much discussion happening surrounding what individual schools are allowed to do. Our Board will be holding a special Board meeting tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. Details for the meeting can be found in this newsletter.
Thank you to those of you who participated in our survey yesterday. We had 550 responses! Our total response count, after deleting duplicates, was 499. Following are the results:
- 66 percent (or 327 responses) favored opting out of the mandate (if the school can do that);
- 34 percent (or 172 responses) favored following the mandate from the health department.
There were similar results from our staff--77 percent of staff support opting out of the mandate while 23 percent prefer that we follow the order. We will discuss this and other data/information at the meeting on Friday.
Please don't hesitate to email me with any questions or comments. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Mrs. Simpson
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There is a special BFA Board of Directors meeting from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 20, in the Sanders Science Lab. The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the BFA website 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Open comments will be accepted via the webpage until noon the day of the meeting or can be made in person at the meeting.
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Everything You Need to Know about Lunch |
Students can bring a lunch, or get lunch at school. At this time, lunch is free if the student gets an entree and a fruit or veggie. See the Nutrition Services webpage for more information. Douglas County Nutrition Services (DCNS) provides lunch and strives to offer healthy options. You can view the lunch choices for the week on the Nutrislice website, and set up a payment account for seconds and snacks through MySchoolBucks.
Nutrition Services has found that some parents do not want their students to purchase extra food (snacks or doubles) or have a negative account balance. If you DO NOT want your child to have extra food and/or create a negative balance (charging) on their account, complete the online form on the MySchoolBucks.com’s Parent Welcome page or click here. Please note, that you will need your student's ID number.
Please make sure your child knows when they should order hot lunch and what their choice is for that day (including whether they'll be purchasing doubles). Teachers are asked to give a count of how many students will be ordering lunch and what choice they would like each morning. To find out more, see the BFA website.
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Get Started Volunteering at BFA |
Ben Franklin Academy requires all families to perform 30 approved hours (15 hours for single parents) of volunteer service. More information can be found in the Volunteer and Visitor Policy. All volunteer service must be logged in Help Counter within 48 hours of performing the service or the hours will be deemed unearned. There will be a computer in the office so you can log hours completed on-site, and you may log hours at home for committee work, home projects and carpool. It is recommended that each parent/guardian make a separate account to track their volunteer hours. Your hours will be linked to your Family Number (the number on your carpool tag) so we can tally volunteer hours per family.
If you are a single parent family, please email Michelle Bynum so she can update your volunteer quota. If you have questions about HelpCounter or logging hours, email Michelle Bynum.
Volunteering Ideas at BFA:
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Help with Lunch - Ben Franklin's lunchroom couldn't run efficiently without our wonderful parent volunteers. Our volunteers assist our lunch aides with setting up the lunchroom tables, help students open food and drink containers, monitor student safety and activity, clean tabletops between lunch sessions, and assist with final cleanup after all students have eaten. Please sign up through Helpcounter (log into HelpCounter first to be directly linked). Please note, younger siblings are not allowed in the lunch room during volunteer shifts.
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Volunteer for Carpool - Parent participation in carpool is essential as it helps ensure the safety of our kids, other volunteers and BFA staff. You may show up and ask the front office if you can assist for a shift; or, you can also use HelpCounter (log in first) to sign up for carpool shifts. Please arrive by 7:30 a.m. for the morning shift, or 3:15 p.m. for afternoon carpool.
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Help with Recess - Spend time outside helping monitor students during recess. You can sign up here (log in first to be directly linked). Be sure to check in at the front office first for your badge and to learn which location you’ve been assigned.
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Sign up to Volunteer in the Library - The library needs volunteers, so please sign up today! This is a popular volunteer opportunity, so please sign up for a few shifts, then give others the opportunity to sign up. You can check back in a week or two and add additional slots. If you sign up, but are unable to show up, please delete your shift. If you would like to volunteer during your student's classroom time, please check with their teacher for their library schedule.
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Look for Teacher Sign-ups - Many of our teachers send out sign-ups to help with reading, science lab, Thursday folders, etc. Please watch for these and sign up to help your student's class.
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Committees - BFA has many committees that work to support the mission and vision of the school. Many of these committees have opportunities to volunteer that fall outside of traditional school hours. To learn more about the committees and how to contact them, check out each committee's web page.
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BFA News: Get the App, Bookmark Links |
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 is sent out via email every Thursday.
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The BFA website is the central hub for news, calendars, policies, teacher webpages, committee webpages and essential quicklinks for absence reporting, lunch, payments and volunteer management.
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BFA has a public Facebook page and posts various announcements and pictures throughout the day.
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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 for apple and Android devices - get it now on the App Store or Google Play. And, if you already have the app, please download the latest update!
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You can also follow BFA on Instagram again this year—BFAmazing.
- Additional communications will be sent routinely to Middle School and Preschool families.
If you are not receiving communications from Ben Franklin Academy, please contact Carrie Keen.
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Families with kids in grades K-4, please plan to attend the Back to School Night from 6 - 7:30 p.m. on, Tuesday, Aug. 24. Families with kids in grade 5-8, please plan to attend the Back to School Night from 6 – 7:30 p.m. on, Wednesday Aug. 25.
- For grades K-4, we’ll host a session at 6:15 p.m. and the same presentation will be given again at 6:45 p.m., in case you have students in more than one grade level/classroom.
- Fifth grade parents will meet with their homeroom teacher and the homeroom teacher's fifth grade counterpart so they receive information about all the core classes.
- The middle school parents will follow their student’s schedule from 6 - 7:30 p.m. and hear from each teacher; then, there is a social media presentation from 7:30 – 8.
The purpose of Back to School Night is to help the parents become better acquainted with the school, staff and information specific to their child's grade level. Please be sure to calendar the Back to School dates, and look for additional information from your student’s teacher(s).
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Backpack Society Supports BFA Families |
Backpack Society is excited to partner with Ben Franklin Academy again this year to provide students, their families, and school staff with food for weekends and during school breaks. Click here to see their flier.
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Middle School Movie on the Turf |
The BFA Student Council is excited to host it's first event for students in 6-8 grades this Saturday night. They are hosting an outdoor movie night from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, on the BFA turf. Come and hang out with your friends and get to know some new friends. This event is for middle schoolers only, but they will host events for elementary students later in the year. |
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I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM! Save the date for a fun spirit night from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Gelato & Co (1509 Park Central Drive, 80129) in Highlands Ranch for our first spirit night of the school year. Gelato & Co will donate 20 percent of all BFA sales that night, so be sure to let them know that you are with BFA to make your purchase count! Mark your calendar--you won't want to miss out! |
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Music and Performing Arts Lessons at BFA |
Are your kids interested in music lessons or performing arts?
Harper Arts is thrilled to be returning to offer music lessons and coaching at BFA. Students will continue to have the option to have piano, guitar, ukulele, voice, acting and audition coaching during the school day and after school! Students are approved to participate in this during DEAR, recess, specials, electives (middle school) and advisory (middle school). There will also be a limited number of spaces available after school. The cost of this program is $150 per month for the school year (small supply and book fees apply as well). These prices are based on one student for 30 minute lessons. Sibling discounts are available. Unlock your passion and potential with Harper Arts at BFA.
Spots are EXTREMELY LIMITED at this time. Click here to sign up today!
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Celebrating Something? Rent the Rock! |
The PTO 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 Ben Franklin Academy!
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 My School Bucks.
Have questions? You can find answers to frequently asked questions on the PTO webpage, or contact Subashri Sadasivan, Spirit Rock committee manager.
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Find Out More about Co-ed Cub Scouting |
BFA students in grades K-5 are invited to the Girls and Boys Cub Scouts Informational Carnival from 1 – 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 22, at St. Andrews UMC (9203 S. University Blvd.) It will be a fun opportunity to learn more about scouting and meet the leaders. Click here for the flier.
Click here for additional information about the pack.
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If you are a King Soopers or Amazon shopper, you can help earn money for BFA by signing up for King Soopers Community Rewards and Amazon Smile. Here's how!
To sign up for King Soopers Community Rewards:
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Sign in to your digital account at King Soopers Community Rewards. If you haven't already set up an account, set up your account and link your King Soopers card or phone number to your account.
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Click on Community Rewards, Enroll Now and search for Ben Franklin Parent Teacher Organization or enter our code XN773. Click Save.
- Next time you check out at King Sooper or City Market, scan your card (or enter your alternate ID), and BFA will get money back from your purchase.
This program adds up quickly--from January to March 2021, BFA earned $2,328 back!
To sign up for Amazon Smile:
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Go to: smile.amazon.com, and click Get Started
- Enter ‘Ben Franklin Academy Parent-Teacher Organization’ in the search box, and select BFA PTO as the organization that you want to support
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Once you have signed up for Amazon Smile online, you can enable Amazon Smile through the Amazon app, by selecting Gifting and Charity from the menu in the lower right-hand corner, then Amazon Smile.
You can find out more information about the AmazonSmile program including how to link your Amazon account to BFA, click here.
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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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