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Ben Franklin Academy Newsletter | Vol. 4, Iss. 6 February 2014 | |
Dear Parents,
Parent Survey
The Ben Franklin Academy Parent Satisfaction Survey is currently available online for all families to complete. This survey provides valuable information both for the administration and Board of Directors. As a data driven institute, it is important that we receive feedback from all families attending BFA regarding their experiences at school. The data obtained from the survey will be used to improve school performance, as well as to help in obtaining future grants for the school.
The survey should take five to 10 minutes to complete. To access it, click here. Please complete the survey by Monday, Feb. 17. Climbing Wall You may have noticed something different about our gymnasium this week. Through the efforts of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), combined with a $2,500 grant from the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, BFA now has a rock climbing wall! The wall will be used in our physical education (PE) classes and Before and After School (BASE) program. All students will be able to benefit from the multilevel routes available for beginners and more experienced climbers. The climbing wall also features a top rope where students will learn to belay down with the help of Mrs. Bauer, BFA's PE teacher. Representatives from Everlast Climbing will be training teachers at BFA on Saturday, March 8, after which we will begin to incorporate climbing into our PE and BASE programs. Improvements to BFA are possible through your support of PTO programs and events. BFA raised $20,000 at last year's BEN efit Bash (silent auction), which went toward the purchase and installation of our new climbing wall. I would encourage you to attend and support this event, so we can continue to make educational enhancements to BFA. Tickets for the BEN efit Bash are now available by clicking here. For information about the BEN efit Bash, click here. Thank you for your continued support!
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No School Reminders
Don't forget: There is no school tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 14, and the school is closed on Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of Presidents' Day.
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Additional Formal Uniform Day in March
Class picture day (usually scheduled on a formal uniform day) had to be rescheduled this year, so there will be an additional formal uniform day in March to accommodate the new class picture date.
The formal uniform dates in March are as follows:
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Wednesday, March 5 (formal uniform day on the first Wednesday of the month)
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Tuesday, March 18 (rescheduled class picture day)
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Music Updates
Ms. Johnson, BFA's music teacher, is looking for photos from any performances this year. If you have any photos from various musicals or other performances, please email Ms. Johnson.
Willy Wonka Musical Performance
Willy Wonka's wonderful world of chocolate is coming to BFA! Middle school theater students have been preparing the show since November and are eager to show their family, friends and other BFA students. Come hear music from the original movie and meet Charlie, Wonka, Veruca, Violet, Mike TV and Augustus. We hope you can come to the show - it is at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the BFA Gym. Admission is free!
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Vision and Hearing Screening
Each year, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) conducts vision and hearing screenings for all students in the state-mandated grade levels (K-3, 5, 7 and 9); new students to DCSD; and special education students in other grades. BFA Vision and Hearing Screening will take place Tuesday, Feb. 18, through Thursday, Feb. 20.
The audiologists oversee the hearing screenings, and the school nurse consultants oversee the vision screenings. Since the audiologists and the nurses are responsible for many thousands of students, parent volunteers are utilized to expedite the screening process. The vision assistant, audiology technicians and adult volunteers conduct the screenings. For more information, click here.
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Wanted: Unique BENefit Bash Experiences/Items and Advertisers
Are you looking for ways to help with the BENefit Bash but aren't sure how? The Silent Auction team is looking for unique experiences and items to be auctioned off at the BEN efit Bash. Please contact Tiffani Titus if you: - Know a pro athlete, civic leader and/or politician who would be willing to provide a meet-and-greet and/or lunch; donate one hour of instruction and/or behind-the scenes look at his/her profession; provide a private tour to sport venues, breweries or other interesting locales; or any other unique experience.
- Personally are interested in hosting an experience (e.g. golf day for dads, BFA family barbecue, etc.).
In addition, the Silent Auction team is looking for advertisers for the BEN efit Bash catalog. Advertising in the catalog is a great way to market to our parent community and show your support to BFA. For more information, contact Tiffani Titus.
The next Silent Auction Committee meeting is at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17, in the Sanders Science Lab (room 145).
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Lil' Ricci's Restaurant Nights
BFA's next Restaurant Nights are from Thursday, Feb. 20, through Saturday, Feb. 22. Lil' Ricci's will donate a percentage of all receipts back to BFA, so mark your calendars!
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Girls Soccer
Registration for girls soccer is now open. Practices begin the week of March 17; games begin the week of April 1.
To register for girls soccer, click here. Please use this website throughout the season. Begin by clicking on the Girls Soccer tab to get information about the season and find the online registration link. Once you have registered online, go to the Forms page, print out the two forms (Medical Forms and Registration to Use Private Vehicles) and have them filled out by your doctor and insurance company. We rely heavily on parent volunteers to get girls to games. To do so, you must have a Registration to Use Private Vehicles form on file specifically for soccer. If you have a current medical form on file from another sport, you do NOT have to fill out another one. We hope it will be a great season - go Lightning Bolts!
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BFA in the News
The Highlands Ranch Herald recently published a blurb in their Jan. 30 edition about BFA's holiday outreach project with the Children's Hospital South Campus and the BFA National Junior Honor Society. Check it out on page four here.
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Street Smarts at SouthGlenn
When you sign up for the Street Smarts email, BFA receives 1,000 points! Visit shoppingpartnership.com/southglenn, 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.
Earn Double Points
BFA can earn double points from the following Streets at SouthGlenn stores by logging your receipts by Friday, Feb. 28: Andrew's Jewelers, Apricot Lane, Bellezza Boutique, Chico's, Edible Arrangements, Elements Therapeutic Massage, Grapes Wine Market & Spirits, Trice Jewelers, Tropical Smoothie and White House | Black Market
Don't have time to turn in your receipts from shopping or dining? If you don't need the receipts returned, you can turn them into a box in the front office (near the name badges/window). Copies of receipts are not accepted by the program.
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Lost and Found
Please check for your student's lost items.We have collected a number of items that need to be claimed.Remaining items will be donated to a local charity following school on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
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Free Movie Day
To show our appreciation for the parent community, BFA's Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is hosting a FREE movie at 10 a.m., Valentine's Day, Friday, Feb. 14, at the Elvis Theatre in Littleton (6014 S. Kipling Pkwy., 80127).
BFA has use of two theaters - one will play Walking with Dinosaurs; the other will play Nut Job (both movies are rated PG). If you registered for tickets, your name will be on a list at the door.
Please note: The movie is for BFA families only. Tickets are provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
In addition, the theater concessions will not be open, so the middle school will be selling concessions before the movie. Make sure to bring cash for snacks!
Happy Valentine's Day!
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Jump Rope for Heart
Ducks, Ducks and More Ducks!
Ducks are all the rage right now at BFA. Students have been earning different kinds of ducks by raising money for the American Heart Association. There was even a brief time where we had ran out of ducks!
This year, our fundraising goal for Jump Rope for Heart is $7,500. We have currently raised just under $3,000 online - way to go! Envelopes are due next Wednesday, Feb. 19, and Thursday, Feb. 20, during your child's Jump Rope For Heart event.
Jump Rope for Heart Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 19
- 8:30-9:10 a.m.: Carpenter and Saleh
- 9:10-9:50 a.m.: Harms and Marchisio
- 9:50-10:30 a.m.: VanWyk and Ward
- 10:30-11:10 a.m.: Macias and Poleschook
- 1:10-1:50 p.m.: B. Klee, S. Klee and Whelan
- 1:55-2:30 p.m.: Harrison and Knudsen
Thursday, Feb. 20
- 8:30-9:10 a.m.: Kessler, Mass-Baldwin and Murray (AM kindies)
- 9:10-9:50 a.m.: Hildebrand, Noonan (AM kindies) and Walter
- 9:50-10:30 a.m.: Donhowe and Tenney
- 10:30-11:10 a.m.: Pitrone and Stolk
- 1:10-1:50 p.m.: Murray (PM kindies), Noonan (PM kindies) and Walton
- 1:55-2:30 p.m.: Murphy and Wilson
There are a few volunteer spots still available. If you would like to volunteer, click here.
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Dodgeball for Dollars
BFA is conducting Dodgeball for Dollars again this year with the middle school. All of the proceeds go to the American Heart Association (AMA) as part of our donations for Jump Rope for Heart.
Dodgeball for Dollars will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27,
in the BFA gym. Students have been informed if they are interested in participating to get a team of 10 together and then obtain an envelope from Mr. Cochrane, Academic Director. Once each of the 10 students have brought in $10 and returned the envelope back to Mr. Cochrane, they are officially registered for the event.
Students who have registered will come to the gym at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 27. We will officially begin at 3:45 p.m. Anyone who would like to watch is welcome - admission is $2 and all proceeds also go to the AMA. Spectators will be allowed in the school starting at 4 p.m. because of car pool and the office
being closed. It is a double elimination this year, so don't worry, you will get to see plenty of dodgeball action!
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Mother/Son Event
BFA's annual Mother/Son Event is coming up soon. This year will be a fun hoedown with lasso lessons, line dancing and a mechanical bull! So, put on your cowboy gear and mosey on down to BFA's gym from 5:30-9:30 p.m., Saturday, March 8. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the BFA Store (sales end Monday, March 3). Cost is $20 per "couple" and $8 for each additional son. Price includes all events, a BBQ dinner and a trip to the photo booth.
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BFA Service Day
Looking for a great family opportunity to serve?
The Marketing and Community Outreach (MCO) Committee and Ben's Brigade have just the event for you!
Please have you and your family join us from 9-11 a.m., Saturday, March 1, at BFA. The service projects we will be working on include preparing sandwiches for the Coalition for the Homeless,
decorating grocery store bags for Earth Day and cleaning up the outside of the school.
With this being a family service event, parents must remain with their children at all times. To sign up, click here.
Ben's Brigade is calling all dads to bring their tools and know-how to help work on things around the
school that need a little TLC. Ben's Brigade will be working at the same time as the family service events. To sign up to help with school TLC projects, click here.
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MCO Chair Nominations Accepted
Do you believe passionately in community connection at BFA? Are you dedicated and organized? Then the Marketing and Community Outreach (MCO) Committee needs YOU!
If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming Chair of BFA's MCO Committee, please click here to fill out the nomination form. Feel free to nominate yourself or someone else. For more information, click here to view the MCO Chair job description. The nomination window closes at midnight, Saturday, March 1.
The MCO Chair position is fulfilled through unanimous vote by the BFA Board of Directors. The current MCO Chair's term is served throughout the remainder of this school year; the new MCO Chair begins his/her term on July 1, 2014.
The Chair position is a two-year term and is a great way to get involved in a committee that focuses on community building. To learn more about what the MCO does, click here.
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Important Dates / Calendar of Events
Upcoming Meetings
- Silent Auction Committee: 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17, Sanders Science Lab (room 145)
- Grant Committee: 9 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17, Teleconference
- Marketing and Community Outreach (MCO) Committee: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, Library
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee: Wednesday, March 5, Sanders Science Lab (room 145)
- School Accountability Committee (SAC): 4 p.m., Thursday, March 6, Conference Room
- Parent Teacher Organization (PTO): 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 13, Library
- Finance Committee: 5 p.m., Monday, March 10, Library
- Board of Directors: 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, Library
- Find the latest BFA Board of Directors minutes by clicking here.
- Green Team Committee: 4:15 p.m., Wednesday, March 12
Middle School Athletics
- Girls' Basketball:
- 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Aspen Academy
- 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, at BFA vs. Platte River Academy
- Tournament: Saturday, Feb. 22, SkyView 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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