Weekly Newsletter
March 13, 2025
Thank you to everyone who attended the BENefit Bash last Saturday. It was fun to see everyone and help the PTO raise money to support the school—a huge thank you to Erin Wiley and her team. The event was well-organized, the venue was beautiful, and the food was delicious!
I can't believe we are almost to spring break. We are excited about the MS Dodgeball for Dollars tournament tomorrow. It is always a fun way to head into the break.
Thank you to all of the families that participated in our SAC Spring Survey. 53% of families responded and we will use the feedback as part of our continuous improvement process.
We will be starting CMAS during the week of April 7. The Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) exams are designed to give parents and educators a clearer picture of a child's academic progress. It's important to remember that CMAS is not just about testing; it's a tool that helps identify where a child might need additional support and where they're excelling. These exams focus on core subjects like English (grades 3-8), math (grades 3-8), science (grades 5 and 8), and social studies (grades 4 and 7), and the results can help teachers tailor their instruction to meet each child's needs better. Rather than a high-stakes test, CMAS is an opportunity to ensure your child gets the right resources and support to succeed in school and beyond.
Please check the CMAS schedule for when your child's class will be testing. We ask that you try to schedule any appointments or other absences around their testing times.
Have a wonderful spring break!
Diana Simpson
Bookmark Our Events Calendar Now!
Please visit to get the most updated events or other activities going on.
Important Upcoming Dates
👕 March 14 - Dress of Choice
🏐 March 14 - Dodgeball 4 Dollars (Grades 6 - 8)
👕 March 16 - Spirit Wear Store Closes
🏂😎 March 17 to March 21 - Spring Break (No School)
✅ March 23 - PTO Nominations End
📅 March 25 - Board of Directors Meeting (please note the later date due to Spring Break)
✅ March 27 - STEM Committee Meeting
📅 March 27 - Ben's Brigade Meeting
✅ March 28 - CEC Position Applications - Final Day
Ms. Williams
Ms. Williams is indispensable to our community, serving multiple roles that enhance our students' learning and development. She manages library operations, ensuring that the library is a hub for knowledge and exploration. She loves when she can recommend a book to a reluctant student and they come back to her wanting more suggestions or to read the next book in the series because they enjoyed the first book so much. She also really enjoys having Basil in the library several times a week. Basil brings so much joy to the kids and staff and Deb feels honored that the Ross family has entrusted her with Basil's care throughout the day.
Ms. Williams grew up in Dallas, Texas and attended Eastfield College where she studied Early Childhood Development. For many years she was a foster parent for severely abused children which was heartbreaking and challenging, but also rewarding. She wanted to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren so in 2017 she made the move to Colorado from Ohio and came to work at BFA as the 4th grade aide. The following year she became our librarian and has been happily reading to the students ever since. All three of her grandchildren graduated from BFA and are in college or high school.
In her free time she loves to read, swim, spend time with her grandchildren and love on her granddog. She also works at BASE and Summer Camp and enjoys seeing the students throughout the summer and all the fun field trips that Mrs. Savoy plans.
Attendance Notifications Grades K - 8
Did you know that submitting attendance through our website or app is not only easier for the parents but also the Front Office? You can submit Late Arrival, Early Dismissals and Full Day Absences - day of or in advance.
Submitting attendance through our website or app streamlines the process for both parents and the Front Office, ensuring timely and accurate record-keeping. We've recently updated our notification form to accommodate full-day absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals, making it more convenient to report various attendance.
BFA Science Fair!
We are excited to announce that the 2025 Ben Franklin Science Fair is going to be held from Monday, May 5th - Wednesday, May 7th with a parent viewing night on Tuesday, May 6th from 4pm - 7pm. For parents of 3rd and 5th graders, please put on your calendars. The event will be held in the lightning (small) gym. The 3rd and 5th graders will begin talking about their projects in their classrooms starting in March and April.
If you would like to come to view all of our student’s hard work, please fill out your information on the viewing volunteer signup genius link (click here). If any parents are interested in helping us judge students' science fair presentations, please complete the form on the judging signup genius link (click here). We only ask that you refrain from signing up to judge your child’s grade.
More information will be sent out closer to the event date, including Science Fair project expectations, viewing and judging logistics. If you have any other questions, please refer to the BFA Science Fair Handbook (click here) linked on the BFA Science Lab website.
Lauren Flint, Science Specialist
Kyle Nolting, STEM Coordinator
B.A.S.E. Summer Camp
Weekly registrations for the 2025 Summer Camp program will open Monday, March 24, 2025, in MySchoolBucks.
Prior to registering for the weeks needed, you must first pay the initial registration fee of $35 per child. As a reminder, this registration fee includes one summer camp t-shirt and one day pack.
If you would like a copy of the activity calendars (available after spring break) or have any questions, please email Leigh Savoy.
Summer Enrichment Camps now OPEN!
Every summer, our staff and faculty host summer enrichment camps for all ages. We have such a wide variety of camps this year, that we created a catalog of choices. There are camps for all interests and age groups. Those students who are in B.A.S.E. Summer Camp can still participate in these camps. Please reach out by email to Leigh Savoy.
Click here to view our catalog.
We will be updating the catalog every Thursday, so check back throughout the spring.
Carpool Tips
To ensure the safety of all students during carpool procedures, please adhere to the following guidelines:
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Await Staff Direction: If your vehicle is at the front of the line, remain stationary until a staff member signals you to proceed. This ensures that all students have safely entered their vehicles before any cars move.
- No Parking in Carpool Lanes: Do not leave your car parked or unattended in the carpool lane. If you need to assist your child or leave your vehicle, park in a designated parking area to maintain the flow of traffic. We start moving cars around 3:00 p.m., but if you begin lining up before then, please note that you may need to move to allow the flow of traffic for our visitors.
- Refrain from Cell Phone Use: Do not use cell phones—whether texting or talking—while in the carpool lanes. Staying attentive helps prevent accidents and keeps the line moving smoothly.
- Drop Off ONLY in Carpool Lanes: For the safety of everyone, please do not use the Preschool/B.A.S.E. lot when dropping off only Grades K - 8. ONLY Preschool and B.A.S.E. families should use this parking lot.
Volunteering in the Building
Volunteering within our building offers a valuable opportunity to contribute positively to our community. To ensure a focused experience, please remain within your volunteer areas. This means refraining from visiting classrooms or other locations beyond the designated volunteer space. This helps maintain a structured environment for our staff and students and allows everyone to benefit fully from our volunteer program.
Next Board Meeting - March 25
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:00 p.m. The earlier time is to accommodate our Q/A session with our candidates. Agendas are posted below 24 hours prior to a meeting. If you would like to appear before the Board, please email the Board President. We’d love to see you at these meetings.
Visit our Board of Directors page for information on agendas and minutes from the meetings.
The Community Events Committee (CEC) has two officer positions to fill for the 2025-26 school year. Please take a look at the openings and think about how you can help!
1. Treasurer - responsible for tracking event expenses, submitting yearly budget and reporting current financial standings at regularly scheduled meetings.
2. Communications - responsible for coordinating schoolwide communications for CEC events.
If you would like to apply for any of these positions, please send an email to CEC no later than Friday, March 28. Elections will be held in April and new officers appointed in May.
PTO Spirit Night at Torchy's on March 26th
Our next PTO Spirit Night will be Wednesday, March 26th from 4-10 pm at Torchy's (1515 Park Central Dr Unit C-200/Highlands Ranch)! Torchy's will donate 15% back on orders placed to the BFA PTO. Please make sure to tell your cashier that you are there for the BFA fundraiser (for online orders please tell the cashier when you are there to pick up as well) in order for the PTO to receive credit for your order. Please spread the word and we hope to see you there!
PTO Elections are Open!
Are You Interested in Making a Difference, Meeting New People, and Having Fun?
Then the PTO is the place for you! The PTO is looking to fill volunteer positions for the 2025-26 school year, and they would love for you to join their team!
Nominations will be accepted now through March 23, and PTO elections will be held April 20-27. To nominate yourself, or someone you know who'd be a good fit in the PTO, please complete the 2025 BFA PTO Nominations form.
For more information on the PTO, including job descriptions of the volunteer positions, please visit their webpage, and click on PTO Elections.
After School Musical Performance- Cinderella
Please join us on April 16 at 6:00 p.m. in the Thunder Gym & Stage. This performance is free for all and we hope to see many of you there.
This all-time favorite fairy tale, is told with fun and flair. The acting troupe takes over the stage playing rhyming Narrators, singing Villagers, friendly Animals, charming Royalty, energetic messengers, the haughty Stepmother and Stepsisters, the irresistible Fairy Godmother, and lovely Cinderella. Once the charming Prince discovers the proper owner of that famous sparkling slipper, everyone lives happily ever after.
Spring Sports are starting soon. Our game schedules will be posted in our Monthly Calendar for all our upcoming sports. Visit our Athletics Page for more information about our Athletics Programs at BFA. Hope to see you at the games!
Home Games Parking: Please remember to park in Athletic spots ONLY. When attending after school athletic games, as a courtesy, please do not park in the 6 clearly marked parking spots for the BASE parents during the hours of 4pm-6pm.
Drive for the Dream Golf Classic ⛳⛳
⛳Join The Foundation for Douglas County Schools for the first annual Drive for the Dream Golf Classic, a day of swinging clubs for a great cause! Tee off with fellow golf enthusiasts and support our mission to enhance educational opportunities for our students, teachers and schools.
Monday, May 5
7:00 a.m.
The Club at Pradera
Our delicious lunch is provided by DCSD. Check out the menu and select the current month.
If a student has a specific dietary restriction or allergy, parents must contact DCSD Nutrition Services to arrange an allergy/restriction lunch section.
BFA does not provide breakfast at this time.
