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Ben Franklin Academy Newsletter | Vol. 3, Iss. 27 October 2013 | |
Dear Parents,
It may seem odd to have me explain about charter schools in a newsletter coming from the charter school your child attends. While I agree, I also feel it is important for everyone to have a similar understanding of what charter schools really are and what we represent. Lately, I have been reading many blogs about the upcoming Douglas County School Board election, and the amount of misinformation out there is quite disturbing. What takes me back even more is the amount of misinformation coming from parents who have children attending charter schools. I hope you find this information valuable and reinforce your decision to have your child attend a school of choice.
What is a charter school?
Charter schools are public schools.
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Charter schools in Colorado are funded in the Public School Finance Act, along with all other public schools.
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Charter schools receive per pupil revenue (PPR) on the same basis as other public school students enrolled in the district that granted its charter except that districts may retain up to 5 percent of charter school students' PPR for actual administrative costs. Douglas County does not retain this 5 percent.
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Charter schools are subject to all state and federal provisions prohibiting discrimination and must enroll students in a non-discriminatory manner.
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Although charter schools are public schools, they do not have the independent mill levy override and bonding authority that school districts use to finance their capital facilities. To the extent state funds are not available to support this cost, operating revenues are used to pay for these costs.
Charter schools are open to all students. They are:
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Free.
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Public, nonsectarian, nonreligious, nonhome-based schools.
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Nonselective in enrollment. There are no admission tests or admissions requirements.
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Often designed to serve underserved populations.
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Appealing to students whose needs are not being met by traditional schools.
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Frequently overenrolled; that is, more students apply than the school can accommodate. In that event, a lottery is held to determine admission.
Charter schools are pioneers and innovators.
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Charter schools allow creative parents, teachers and educational leaders to design schools that better serve particular populations.
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Charter schools can limit class and school size. Charter designers often heed to the research that states small schools are generally safer and better able to nurture a community of learners than large schools.
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Charters select their own curriculum design. They can establish achievement-oriented cultures and choose staff to best support these structures from day one.
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Charter schools are mission-driven schools created by educators who envision a school committed to a particular purpose and philosophy.
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The tenor of relationships between charter schools and their districts vary widely. Ultimately, accountable implementation of a charter school's mission is what best serves students. However, accountability need not be sacrificed for the very spirit of educational innovation and flexibility that the Charter Schools Act was intended to foster.
Charter school facts:
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More K-12 students are enrolled in Colorado charter schools than any school district in the state:
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Colorado charter schools: 88,924
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Jeffco Public Schools: 82,530
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Denver Public Schools: 78,530
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Douglas County Schools: 63,044
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Cherry Creek Schools: 51,765
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There are 187 charter schools in Colorado (there were two in 1993).
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Percentage of public school students attending a Colorado charter school during the 2012-13 school year: 10.7 percent (13.0 percent projected for this school year).
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Lightning Bolts BASE
Welcome back to the 2013-14 school year! The BASE program is up and running. Its location has changed; BASE is now in room 134.
If you are new to BASE or returning for another year, you will need to fill out the BASE application, sign the parent handbook and pay the annual $25 BASE application fee. This is required each year and allows BASE to have your most current information.
Please do not send your child(ren) to BASE if you have not completed your paperwork. We have many children who attend BASE every day and cannot accept your child(ren) if you have not completed the required forms. To download, print, fill out and turn in the required forms to Leigh Savoy, BASE director, click here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Savoy via email. In addition, the phone number to the BASE room is (720) 383-4519 ext. 134. If the front doors are ever closed when you come to pick up your child(ren), call the preceding phone number.
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BFA Networking Social
Come out and meet other BFA professionals for this casual meet-and-greet networking social from 5-6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Landsdowne Arms (9352 Dorchster St.) in the Highlands Ranch Town Center. This is a great way to introduce your business or services to other professionals in the BFA community. Please RSVP so space can be reserved for our group in advance. Plan to meet on the upstairs patio (or inside in the event of inclement weather). To RSVP or if you would like to be added to the BFA Business Network Professionals group, please contact Amber Simonis via email or phone at (303) 905-5137.
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Lost and Found
Please check the Lost and Found. Remaining items will be donated at noon on Friday, Oct. 11. Thank you!
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Target, King Soopers and Safeway Cards, Oh My!
By shopping at Target, King Soopers and/or Safeway, you can earn money for BFA.
BFA raised $3,700 with Target's REDcard fundraising program during the 2012-13 school year! Target's REDcard donates 1 percent of your purchases to BFA. You can obtain a Target REDcard debit or credit card at any Target location or online by clicking here. Our Target school ID is 152402. In addition, BFA raised $786 in Target gift cards simply by voting on Facebook with the Give With Target program.
The King Soopers and Safeway fundraising programs donate 5 percent of your purchases back to the school. All you have to do is load your King Soopers and/or Safeway gift card at customer service or the register before you scan your first item. You can use the gift cards for groceries and at King Soopers/Safeway Fuel Centers!
If you would like to purchase a $5 BFA King Soopers and/or Safeway card(s), they will be available at Parent-Teacher Conferences next week or email Amy Sunahara, Target/King Soopers/Safeway Coordinator.
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Fall Break
Remember BFA is on Fall Break from Oct. 14-18, and the school will be closed during that time.
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There will be a silent auction meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24, in the BFA Library. For any question, please email the Silent Auction committee.
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Middle School Social
BFA Middle School students are invited to attend the Corn Maze Social from 7-10 p.m., tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 4, at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield. Tickets are $8 per person for the corn maze and hayride combo. The haunted maze portion (opens on Oct. 4) will be an additional cost. Denver Botanic Gardents at Chatfiled is located at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton, Colo., 80128.
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Online School Directory
The PTO is putting together an online school directory that will be on the BFA website and accessed through a password. You may opt out of the directory, and you have until Monday, Oct. 7, to do so. To opt out, please click here.
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Scholastic Book Fair
We will be having a Scholastic Book Fair the week of Parent-Teacher Conferences. The Scholastic Book Fair will be held on the following dates:
- 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8
- 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9
- 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10
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Box Tops
With all of the wonderful clipping of our families, BFA earned $7,500 with Box Tops during the 2012-13 school year! This year, our goal is to raise $5,500. Help BFA reach this goal by sending in your trimmed Box Tops. Remember: We cannot submit expired Box Tops.
Along with Box Tops, we collect for three other programs: Labels For Education are lids from bottles or UPCs from cans and boxes (including Campbell's, Prego, Pepperidge Farm, Swanson - click click here for a list of participating products); Tyson's Project A+ labels are found on bags or boxes of Tyson products; and Coke Reward codes are found in bottle caps or inside multipack cans. Please send any or all of these items in with your Box Tops. Thanks for all of the support. The next collection date for all of the preceding items are Wednesday, Oct. 9.
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Back-To-School Immunizations
Tri-County Health Department is offering free immunizations for all children ages 2 months through 18 years. The clinics will be held from:
- 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Aurora Fire Station No. 2 (12600 Hoffman Boulevard, Aurora)
- 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, at Tri-County Health Department (10190 Bannock St., Northglenn)
No appointment is needed, but a parent or legal guardian must be present and bring the child's immunization record with him/her at the time of the shots.
For more information, call (303) 451-0123, visit Tri-County Health Department's website or click here.
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Street Smarts at SouthGlenn
Do you like to shop the Streets at SouthGlenn? Now when you shop, go to Guest Services located in the Concierge Lobby in the building next to the parking structure, and get your receipts validated for BFA. Let them know you want your receipts to go towards points for BFA. At the end of the school year, BFA can earn up to $2,500!
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Important Dates
- Ask DCSD Your Lunch Program Questions: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3, Library
- DCSD Board of Education Forum: 7-8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3, Platte River Academy Gym (4085 Lark Sparrow St., Highlands Ranch)
- Middle School Boys' Basketball Online Registration Deadline: Midnight, Thursday, Oct. 3
- Middle School Corn Maze Social: 7-10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
- Online School Directory Opt Out: Monday, Oct. 7
- Parent-Teacher Conferences: 4-8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, and Thursday, Oct. 10
- Scholastic Book Fair: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Thursday, Oct. 10; 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9, Library
- Box Tops Collection: Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Dress of Choice Day: Friday, Oct. 11
- Lost and Found Items Donated: Noon, Friday, Oct. 11
- Fall Break (no school): Oct. 14-18
Upcoming Meetings
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School Accountability Committee (SAC): 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3, Conference Room
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Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3, Library
- Finance Committee: 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 7, Library
- Board of Directors: 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, Library
- Find the latest BFA Board of Directors minutes by clicking here.
- Green Team Committee: 4:15 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Silent Auction Committee: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24, Library
- BFA Networking Social: 5-6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, Landsdowne Arms
- Grant Committee: 9 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14, Conference Call
- Marketing Community Outreach (MCO): 6:30 p.m, Tuesday, Nov. 5, Library
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee: Wednesday, Nov. 6, Science Lab
Middle School Athletics
- Girls' Volleyball:
- 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3, at Platte River Academy
- 9 a.m., Tournament: Saturday, Oct. 5, at Sky View Academy
- Boys' Soccer:
- 4 p.m., Tournament: Wednesday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Oct. 4, at Sky View Academy
- Cross Country:
- League Meet, Friday, Oct. 4, Legacy Academy
- Legacy Invitational, Friday, Oct. 11, Legacy Academy
Ben Franklin Academy Calendars
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Sincerely,
Bob Barber Principal Ben Franklin Academy |
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Contact Us!
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Mission: Our mission is to develop 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, 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 the arts, sports, nature, and character.
13 Virtues: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Purity and Humility.
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