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Ben Franklin Academy NewsletterVol. 3, Iss. 28
October 2013
In This Issue
:: Amendment 66 | DCSD in National Spotlight | Breast Cancer Awareness Day | Book Fair Ends Tonight
:: Lost and Found | Middle School Social | Fall Break | Sibling Enrollment
:: Stay Curious | Lucent Station Community Meeting | Parent Q&A Forum | Fun Run | Green Team
:: Restaurant Night Out | Veterans Day | Silent Auction Meeting | Earn Points for BFA | Volunteer of the Month
:: BFA Bricks Are Back | Ben's Brigade | Open Kitchen Positions | Important Dates
Vote Button

Dear Parents,  

 

Remember, tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 11, is dress of choice day. Have a safe and fun Fall Break!

 

What's With This Ballot?

 

One of the rights of our citizenship is the right to vote. It is our way to participate in the democratic process by electing public officials and approving or disapproving any number of initiatives, referendums or amendments that might be on the ballot as well.

 

During Fall Break, all registered voters in Douglas County will receive a mail-in ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 5, election. Ballots are to be mailed beginning Tuesday, Oct. 15. What will you do when you receive yours?  

 

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this election. Four seats on the seven-member Douglas County Board of Education are open for a vote. These seats are representative of four separate geographic areas/districts within the Douglas County School District (DCSD) with two candidates running in opposition to each other. Voters will cast their at-large vote for each of these four board seats no matter where in the county they reside.

 

Charter schools in Douglas County are authorized by a contract between the school and the Board of Education. Accordingly, it is in your interest as a member of the charter school community to become an informed voter as you cast your vote in this election for any one of the four open seats. Also, many of you have, or will have, children in a DCSD secondary school; "Google" any candidate's name and you can become informed. Candidates are as follows: Barbra Chase and James Geddes (District B); Julie Keim and Judith Reynolds (District D); Doug Benevento and Bill Hodges (District E); and Ronda Scholting and Meghann Silverthorn (District G).

 

With the upcoming election gaining so much attention, it is very important for Douglas County residents, especially parents with children in K-12 schools, to educate themselves about the candidates and the critical issues facing voters. To facilitate this process, there are several upcoming candidate forums open to voters in Douglas County. These forums are a great way to learn more about each of the candidates and their specific views on pressing education reform issues. I would encourage all parents to get the facts before the election, as there has been a lot of confusing and inaccurate information circulating around Douglas County in past months.

  

Forums 

  • 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14, Eastridge Recreation Center (9568 S. University Blvd.)
    Candidate Forum, League of Women Voters
  • 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16, Lone Tree Golf Course and Hotel
    Douglas County Republican Women
  • Evening (Time TBA), Wednesday, Oct. 16, Stroh Ranch Community Center
    Informational Evening, DougCo Champion for Kids
  • 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 20, Franktown Fire Station (1959 N. Highway 83)
    Candidate Forum, Coffee for Conservatives (Media Coverage) 
Amendment 66 voting_people.jpg        

On Oct. 1, the Douglas County School District Board of Education (DCSD Board) unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to Amendment 66. The DCSD Board cited the disproportionate burden on Douglas County taxpayers as one of the reasons for opposing Amendment 66. Included in its reasons for opposition, the DCSD Board estimates $90-100 million would be paid by Douglas County taxpayers while only providing the DCSD with $50 million in additional funding. Click here for the full resolution.   

  

Because the BFA Board of Directors (BFA Board) believes that Amendment 66 is contrary to the best interests of BFA students, the BFA Board joins in the DCSD Board's opposition to Amendment 66.  

  

As you know, the November election is critically important to charter schools. The BFA Board encourages all parents to be well informed of the issues. The full text of Amendment 66, which will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 5, ballot can be found here.

Scholastic Book Fair Ends Today 

 

Today, Thursday, Oct. 10, is the last day for the Scholastic Book Fair. It will be open until 8 p.m.
Lost and Found Lost and Found


Please check the Lost and Found. Remaining items will be donated at noon, tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 11. Thank you!

Fall Break autumn-trees-fence.jpg


Remember BFA is on Fall Break from Oct. 14-18, and the school will be closed during that time.

Stay Curious on Fall Break
       
Show us how you "Stay Curious" with photos of Ben Franklin on your Fall Break excursions.

Whether your plans are to travel over break or to stay around town, take Ben with you! He is small enough to fit just about anywhere and we promise he will be quiet.

Take photos of Ben on your adventures, and post your photo(s) to the BFA website
along with an explanation of where you were with Ben. (I
nstructions on how to upload your photos will be posted on the website soon.) After the break, we'll compile all of these pictures with the ones that were submitted over summer vacation. All pictures will be posted on the BFA Facebook page and BFA website.  We also will host a contest for the best photo.  Contest winner(s) will receive an AMC gift certificate and some great BFA gear. More information about the contest will be available in the next newsletter.

 

Remember, curiosity can be inspired at any location, far or near, so show us how you Stay Curious!

Parent Q&A Forum
    

Join Principal Bob Barber and 

Board Members Matt Matherly

and Matt Warder for the Parent Q&A Forum from 8:45-9:45 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23, in the Middle School Commons. They will be available to answer your questions about BFA.  

All families are welcome, and the BFA Baking Committee will be providing a light snack. As always, if you have questions or concerns about BFA policies, please email the Marketing and Community Outreach Committee.

Green Team Needs You recycle
   
The Green Team is looking for a volunteer to run the TerraCycle Program. Terracycle is a fundraiser and recycling program in one. TerraCycle is a company that upcycles and recycles traditionally non-recyclable waste into a large variety of consumer products. Organizations also collect TerraCycle points that can be redeemed for a variety of charitable gifts or provided as cash to schools/non-profits. For more information, click here.

The TerraCycle Coordinator will plan and carry out activities designed to maximize collections and benefits of the TerraCycle program for BFA. Please click here for the Green Team's TerraCycle Coordinator job description. If you are interested in the position, please contact Lisa Dietz
Chick-fil-A Restaurant Night  chick fil a
 
BFA's next Restaurant Night is from 5-8 p.m., Thursday, October 24, at Chick-fil-A (3700 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway). Chick-fil-A will donate 20 percent of all receipts back to BFA. Be sure to mention BFA when ordering!  

Silent Auction Meeting 

BENefit Bash

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.

Earn Points for BFA Without Shoppingsouthglenfundraising


When you sign up for the Street Smarts email, BFA will receive 1,000 points!

 

Visit shoppingpartnership.com, click on Shopping Centers and select The Streets at SouthGlenn. It will ask for your email address and name. After you submit your information, you will be sent an email. Please open and click on the link to confirm; once you do so, BFA gets 1,000 points!  

 

BFA is one of 20 schools in the metro area that gets to participate in the Street Smarts for Southglenn program. If BFA ends up being the school with the most points, we can earn $2,500 for the school! 

The BFA Bricks Are Back!  brick

We all love BFA. Why not show your dedication to our amazing school by donating and creating a piece of history in return? Parents, teachers and supporters of BFA have the opportunity to create a custom-engraved brick and become a part of this lasting commitment to greater education. The bricks will be added to the "Pathway to Learning" in the front of the school where everyone can see them. Your generous donation will help our school raise funds for important programs. Look for a flyer in Thursday folders. 
Ben's Brigade and the Broncos       
BensBrigade  
The Brigade is in formation!

BFA dads, granddads, uncles and male role models - Ben's Brigade and the Broncos on the big screen want you!   

 

Broncos vs. Chargers:
2:25 p.m. kickoff, Sunday, Nov. 10

 

Will you be there? Location to follow.   

DCSD in National Spotlight DCSD Logo
 

Dubbed "The Most Interesting School District in America," education reformers nationwide are watching Colorado to see what happens this November as several Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Education seats are up for election. Hanging in the balance is the question of parent choice in education reform and, for charter schools, this will be a critical election.

 

If you are interested in a summary of the reasons DCSD is receiving national attention, click here for a link to an article by Frederick M. Hess and Max C. Eden. Hess is director of education-policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and Eden is a research assistant with the same organization.

Breast cancer awareness
Breast Cancer Awareness Day at BFA
    

Thursday, Oct. 24, has been declared Breast Cancer Awareness Day at BFA. On this day, all students are encouraged to wear some type of pink accessory. Acceptable items include socks, hair accessories, bracelets or shoe laces. The rest of the uniform must be in compliance with the dress code. This will be a great way for the BFA students to show their support for this very worthwhile cause.

Middle School Social hayride
 

BFA Middle School students are invited to attend the Corn Maze Social from 7-10 p.m., tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 11, at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield. Tickets are $8 per person for the corn maze and hayride combo. The haunted maze portion will be an additional cost. Denver Botanic Gardents at Chatfiled is located at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton, Colo., 80128.  

Sibling Enrollment at BFA        

If you are planning on enrolling a sibling of a currently enrolled BFA student, please fill out the Intent to Enroll form on the BFA website and notify Kari Beers, registrar, by Friday, Nov. 15. Following this process ensures sibling priority before the lottery; however, this does not guarantee 2014-15 placement. The lottery takes place in early December. Please contact Kari at (720) 383-4519 x101 with any questions. 
Lucent Station Community Meeting Lightrail
       

The first community meeting for the Lucent Boulevard Station Area Master Plan (STAMP) is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Highlands Ranch Sheriff Substation (9250 Zotos Drive, Highlands Ranch). The STAMP will identify future land uses to create a Transit Oriented Development (e.g., RTD light rail station) near BFA. The meeting will address traffic and pedestrian concerns and improvements. Please click here for more information. 
Fun Run

BFA will be participating in a Fun Run again this year to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading charitable supporter of type 1 diabetes. Your child learned about type 1 and type 2 diabetes during specials this week. The Fun Run will be held on Friday, Oct. 25, during specials.

Envelopes will be in Thursday Folders, and students can raise money two different ways:
  1. Use the envelope to ask people students know personally to donate money to JDRF. When someone donates money, students should have the donor write their name on a paper shoe (provided in the envelope) and bring it back to school to be displayed in the gym. Students are to turn the money (and shoes) they have collected in the envelope and return it to school on Oct. 25.
  2. Raise money online. Instructions on how to do so are in the envelope or you can click here to sign up on the JDRF BFA web page.

The Fun Run provides a great way to educate BFA students about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as ensure they understand how to prevent type 2 diabetes. Also, students love the Fun Run! It is a fun way for them to exercise while hanging out with their friends. Each student will participate in the Fun Run even if your family chooses not to participate in the fundraiser.

 

Last year, we were able to donate more than $5,000 to JDRF, and JDRF gives 10 percent of our donation back to BFA. Let's try to raise even more money this year! 
Veterans Day american-flag-wavy.jpg   
 
Veterans Day is quickly approaching, and we want to honor you and/or the veterans in your life! Veterans Day is a time to honor and thank all who have served in the U.S. armed forces. At BFA, we are especially proud of our veterans and have a variety of activities that will take place on and around the Nov. 11 Veterans Day holiday.  

 

Our first opportunity to celebrate our veterans is to create a Veterans Wall of Honor inside the halls of BFA. You will find a Veterans Day poster for students to complete to honor the veterans in their life in Thursday folders. Additional forms will be available in the office, downloadable from the BFA website or you can click here. Please complete and return the poster to the school office by Friday, Oct. 25. All photos affixed on the posters will be included in the slide show presentation during the Veterans Day Celebration Assembly. For more information about BFA's Veterans Day Celebration, including events and activities, please email the MCO.

Volunteer of the Month Feifarek
 
The PTO highlights one volunteer each month who has gone above and beyond in his/her contributions to the school. This volunteer receives recognition in this newsletter and on the school website. S/he also has the privilege to park in one of our reserved parking spaces.  

  

For October, we have chosen Gwen Feifarek. Gwen has coordinated our annual Harvest Festival for the past three years. This annual event would not be possible without her contributions. She is always at school, helping out wherever help is needed.     

  

When asked what she likes most about BFA, Gwen responded, "I love the quality education my son is receiving at BFA and the many wonderful people we have met here. It is great to be a part of a school with so much participation and spirit."   

  

Thank you, Gwen, for all that you do, and congratulations to the Feifarek family!

For more information about volunteering, please click here. 

Open Kitchen Assistant Positions lunch bag        

DCSD Nutrition Services has two  kitchen assistant openings at BFA. To view the open positions, please click here. In the Job Number field, type in "4270" (two-hour per day position) or "4327" (five-hour per day position), and click on the Search for Jobs button.  
Important Dates Calendar Clip Art
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences: Until 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10  
  • Scholastic Book Fair: Until 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10, Library
  • Dress of Choice Day: Friday, Oct. 11
  • Lost and Found Items Donated: Noon, Friday, Oct. 11
  • Middle School Corn Maze Social: 7-10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11, Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield   
  • Fall Break (no school): Oct. 14-18 
  • Lucent Station Community Meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15, Highlands Ranch Sheriff Substation (9250 Zotos Drive)
  • Parent Q&A: 8:45-9:45 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23, Middle School Commons Area
  • Breast Cancer Awareness Day at BFA: Thursday, Oct. 24
  • Picture Retakes: 8 a.m. - noon, Thursday, Oct. 24
  • Restaurant Night Out: 5-8 p.m., Thursday, October 24, Chick-fil-A (3700 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway)
  • Spirit Day: Friday, Oct. 25   
  • Fun Run: Friday, Oct. 25   
  • Deadline for Veterans Day Posters: Friday, Oct. 25
  • Classroom Halloween Parties: Thursday, Oct. 31
  • No School For Students (Teacher Work Day): Friday, Nov. 1 
  • Deadline for BFA Sibling Enrollment: Friday, Nov. 15 
Upcoming Meetings 
  • Grant Committee: 9 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14, Conference Call     
  • Silent Auction Committee: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24, Library  
  • Marketing Community Outreach (MCO): 6:30 p.m, Tuesday, Nov. 5, Library
  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee: Wednesday, Nov. 6, Sanders Science Lab
  • School Accountability Committee (SAC): 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, Conference Room
  • Finance Committee: 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, Library
  • Ben's Brigade: 2:25 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10, Broncos vs. Chargers (location TBA) 
  • Board of Directors: 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, Sanders Science Lab
    • Find the latest BFA Board of Directors minutes by clicking here.
  • Green Team Committee: 4:15 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13
  • Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, Library  
Middle School Athletics    
  • Cross Country:
    • Legacy Invitational, Friday, Oct. 11, Legacy Academy
Ben Franklin Academy Calendars
Sincerely,
 
Bob Barber
Principal
Ben Franklin Academy
Contact Us!
Ben Franklin Academy

2270 Plaza Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Main Office: (720) 383-4519 or [email protected]

Attendance: (720) 432-9239 or [email protected]

Web: http://www.bfacademy.org/

Fax:  (303) 974-1738  

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.