Weekly Newsletter

Dear Parents and families,

As we head into the holiday season, we want to take a moment to celebrate what makes our BFA community the best in the state. Building and maintaining a strong community can be challenging, yet, the BFA community over the years has remained resilient and connected. We are incredibly fortunate to serve students from Pre-K through 8th grade, creating an environment where students and families can support one another across age groups and stages of development.

We encourage you to participate in our musicals, sporting events, STEM Family Nights, and other school activities. These events not only showcase the talents and efforts of our students but also provide a wonderful opportunity for families to come together. Additionally, our PTO, CEC, SAC, and STEM committees work tirelessly to foster connections and create meaningful opportunities for collaboration across grade levels. Together, we continue to build a community that is vibrant, supportive, and united. We are thrilled about the next five months, packed with opportunities to come together as a community.

A special thank you to our incredible BFA community for your generous contributions through the PTO Raise Right Winter Gift Program. Your thoughtfulness and support exemplify the kindness that makes our staff and faculty proud to be part of BFA. This year, the PTO raised an impressive $22,327.00! These funds will be gifted to our staff as customized gift cards of their choosing—a heartfelt way to recognize their hard work and dedication. Thank you for making a difference and for being such an essential part of our BFA family.

Since next week is the Board Report, Michael, Rick, and I want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude TO YOU for being an integral part of the BFA community. Our students remain at the center of everything we do, and our commitment to this mission and vision never wavers. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making BFA a truly exceptional place.

Have a great weekend and winter break.

Diana Simpson, Michael Peterson and Rick Zaccaria

Please visit to get the most updated events or other activities going on.

Important Upcoming Dates

🚫 December 13 - No Morning BASE

☃️ December 16 to 20 - Holiday Spirit Week

⚡ December 17 - Board Meeting

🎼 December 17 - BFA Band & Orchestra Performance (at CCE)

👕December 20 - Dress of Choice

🎉 December 20 - K - 5 Winter Parties

⛄December 23 to January 3 - Winter Break

🏫 January 6 - First Day Back from Winter Break

👕 January 8 - Formal Uniform Day

Our lost and found will be cleared out on December 20.

The last day to look through the items is December 19.

Please pop in and take a look before it is all donated.

Any uniforms items will be donated to our PTO.

All clothing or non-valuable items are donated to

local students in need at elementary schools in Denver Public Schools.

Any valuables such as jewelry, glasses, watches, or any other item that are small and expensive will be taken to the office.

We are half way through our school year and it is time to volunteer sign up for library. The sign up will be coming out in next week's newsletter. We are requesting that ONLY families who have NOT met their 15/30 hours sign up.

The library is one of the best places to volunteer at BFA! It’s a vibrant hub where students discover new worlds through books and develop a lifelong love of reading. Volunteers can help with shelving books, organizing displays, assisting with library events, or even reading with students. Whether you have a few hours a week or just a little time to spare, your support makes a big difference in keeping the library a welcoming and inspiring space for everyone. Join us in fostering a love of learning—become a library volunteer today!

We always are in need of volunteers for recess and lunch volunteers. Volunteering in the lunchroom and at recess is a fantastic way to support our students and staff while getting involved in the BFA community. In the lunchroom, volunteers help ensure a smooth and enjoyable mealtime for all, while outside at recess, they provide extra eyes and encouragement as students play and recharge. With the weather getting colder, recess can be a bit more challenging, but it’s also a time when students truly appreciate the warmth and care of our volunteers. Your time and effort help make these essential parts of the school day run seamlessly, and we’re so grateful for your support!

Plus, there is no need to sign up! Just come around 10:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. to help. Even just one hour can make a difference.

We are always in need of volunteers for both morning and afternoon. No sign up, just come into the front office and we can get you ready. Bonus, you log an hour for every shift you volunteer.

Morning Carpool:

We ask volunteers to arrive around 7:40 a.m. and stay until 8:15 a.m.

Afternoon Carpool:

We ask volunteers to arrive at 3:15 p.m. and stay until 3:45 p.m. but can stay until 4:00 p.m.

You may have wondered how to get your child(ren) to take home after volunteering. Whether you are volunteering in the building, classroom or even on a field trip, it is very easy to get your child(ren).

If you are volunteering in a classroom, etc.with your child, simply tell the teacher you are taking them with you then come to the Front Office to check them out. If you have additional children or volunteering in a different part of the building/field trip, let them know in the Front Office and they will call them. Please refrain from going to classrooms to gather your students to avoid classroom disruptions.

If you are volunteering in the building after 3:00 p.m., a perk is that you can follow the above process and skip carpool!

Please visit our Bi-Monthly Newsletter dated December 4 for Grades K - 4. (Last one for December).

Please visit our Bi-Monthly Newsletter dated November 22 for Grades 5 - 8 and our Supplement Newsletter on December 5. (Last one for December).

Please visit our Bi-Monthly Newsletter dated December 4 for our Pre-K 3s and 4s.

Parents/Guardians: If you are a parent or guardian, you update your contact information in Infinite Campus. However, we only pull your primary email address for our newsletter. If you wish to have an additional emails added to the newsletter, please email us with this contact information.

Grandparents or additional important adults: We have many families who have grandparents or nannies, etc who are just as involved but do not receive our communications. We now can add additional contacts to our notification system. This includes email addresses and/or mobile phone numbers. If you wish to add any additional important adults to our notifications, please email us with contact information.

Open Enrollment Offers

BFA Parents/guardians who completed Open Enrollment (OE) for the 2025-26 school year, can now check for first-round offers from the EngagED Portal. The deadline to accept an offer from the Portal is 4:00 p.m., December 18.

Online Registration (OLR) - Prepare NOW! For the 2025-26 school year, DCSD K-12 registration is moving completely online and will be managed by Choice Programming.

BFA Parents/Guardians who accept a:

Kindergarten Offer

• Parents will receive a "Charter Specific" link link for OLR from BFAs director of admissions/registrar before winter break.

• OLR Deadline: 8:00 a.m., January 10.

• Click here for required documents BEFORE starting OLR Registration. Scroll down to view the list on the DCSD website.

• Parents will receive a "Charter Specific" link for OLR from BFAs director of admissions/registrar before winter break.

• OLR Deadline: 8:00 a.m., January 10.

• Click here for required documents BEFORE starting OLR Registration. Scroll down to view the list on the DCSD website.

1st to 8th Offer AND whose child is currently enrolled at another DCSD school do not complete Registration. The student will automatically be enrolled at BFA for the 2025-26 school year. BFA will become the student’s assigned school through eighth grade.

If your child receives an offer and you have general questions, email Colleen Bobbin, BFA's Director of Admissions/Registrar. She will reply to emails received by Dec. 18 before leaving for Winter Break. Parents who email after December 18 will hear back after Winter Break.

Direct All Questions about OLR to Starla Cordova, Coordinator Charter Operations, Choice Programming.

🧦 Monday- MistleTOE Monday - full uniform with festive socks

🌲 Tuesday- TreeTopper Tuesday - full uniform with festive hats, headbands

❄️ Wednesday - Winter Wonderland Wednesday - winter tops (think blue, white, silver and snowflakes) with uniform bottoms

🧸 Thursday - Long Winter's Nap Thursday - wear your favorite holiday pajamas - no crocs or slippers.

✨ Friday - Festive Friday - Dress of Choice and Holiday Sweaters

Middle School (Grade 6 - 8) is having their fall dance on Friday, January 10, 2025. Parents will need to sign a NEW permission slip in MySchoolBucks and print a ticket.

To help volunteer with donations or help at the dance, please sign up here.

The Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) community is seeking leaders who are passionate about and committed to BFA’s mission and vision to serve on the BFA Board of Directors (Board). In the spring of 2025, the BFA community will elect (or re-elect) one (1) director and the BFA Board will appoint one (1) director in accordance with the Board of Directors Election Policy to serve on the volunteer, seven-director BFA Board. We hope to receive a record number of nominations with a desire of having a diverse, talented and dedicated pool of candidates to draw from for BFA’s Board.

A critical element to the success of any charter school is its ability to advocate for its educational philosophy, successfully fulfill legal requirements and carry out its mission and vision. Serving on the BFA Board is an opportunity for you to ensure that BFA is and remains “The Core Knowledge STEAM School of Choice.” Board directors use their backgrounds, experience and skills to focus on oversight and matters of strategic importance which can help improve BFA’s educational programs. In addition to helping teachers, staff and administrators lay a solid foundation in education for future generations and instill a love of learning in BFA students. The Board provides individuals a chance to grow personally and professionally, further develop skills, gain unique experience and make lasting connections with a team of other passionate and motivated individuals.

The Board encourages all individuals with a passion to serve the BFA community to get involved in the nomination and election process this spring. More details on the election/appointment process, director qualifications and Board needs will be communicated in early 2025.

If you have any questions please reach out to Adam Lucero or Justin Mayhall.

Please see all the wonderful things our School Committees are doing in this week's Committee Newsletter. This includes, Community Events Committee (CEC), Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), School Accountability Committee (SAC) and STEM Committee.

The 2024-2025 yearbooks are on sale now and cost $50 per book. You may also order a yearbook dedication (parent tribute ad) for your student. Dedications are $40 for 1/8 of page if you order by December 31. After that, the price for dedications will go up to $45 from 1/1 until the last day to order, 1/26. These ads are a fun way to help commemorate a great school year!

This year, we will again be using Jostens for our yearbooks. You can order and pay for your 2024 - 2025 yearbook here, and your dedication here!

DCSD Rock Stars is a program created that recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments and outstanding work of DCSD employees. Nominated by District leaders, managers, and peers, ‘Rock Stars’ are recognized in INSIGHTS, the DCSD employee newsletter, and receive a small gift from DCSD.

Congratulations to our very own Deb Williams and Kelley Marie Paulson for being recognized as Decembers DCSD Rock Stars!

Deb Williams has been at BFA since 2017. Ms. Williams is an exceptional librarian who brings a love of learning and reading to life for our students. Her creativity and dedication make the library a welcoming space where curiosity thrives. Whether she’s recommending the perfect book, organizing engaging activities, or fostering a love of storytelling, Ms. Williams goes above and beyond to inspire a passion for literacy in every student.

Kelley Marie Paulson has been at BFA since 2021. Ms. Paulson plays a vital role in keeping our BFA community connected and informed. Her creative approach to sharing news, updates, and events ensures that information is not only clear but also engaging and memorable. From crafting compelling messages to designing eye-catching visuals, Ms. Paulson brings energy and innovation to everything she does. Her expertise and dedication is shaping the way we communicate and celebrate all that makes BFA special.

We’re so grateful to have them as an integral part of our BFA community!

Just a reminder that there is no BASE the following dates.

December 13 - no morning BASE only

December 23 - January 3 - No Base

Have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Due to some confusion in the morning drop-off, we revised our procedures to make it easier for everyone. Starting January 6, we will be using the following procedure for morning drop-off.

1. Students should not be dropped off before 7:45 a.m. unless they have tutoring, extracurriculars, or appointments. We have seen an increase in students being dropped off too early. Please note that we offer BASE in the morning and parents should sign their students up for BASE if they need to drop students off early. If a student is dropped off early, we will begin to charge a fee of $10 for the first offense per student, $15 for the second offense and so on.
   
   
2. Morning drop-off begins once the doors are "propped" AND staff members are in the crosswalk. You can begin to pull around in Zone A or let your students out of the car in Zone B when you see the doors propped open AND a staff member in the crosswalks. DO NOT let your student out of the car or pull around until you see both. Our goal is 7:45 a.m. but weather, traffic and meetings can alter this time. This process will ensure all our students get out of the cars with no cars moving.
   
   
3. This change is now for all Preschool to Grade 8 students and A & B Zones and Preschool. When the doors are closed, your student(s) is late and must be signed in by a parent or guardian. If your student(s) is late, please park and walk into the Main Entrance and sign them in with our Front Office staff. Any student who comes in late without a parent to sign them in will receive an unexcused tardy.

We understand that weather and traffic can cause delays in our morning carpool, which is why we believe the doors "propped and not propped" are an easy visual for our community.

A Parent or Guardian always needs to sign them in or out of school. Whether they are late, need to leave early or returning from an appointment, parents need to walk their student in and sign them in/out of the front office. Students cannot come in or out of the building without a parent/guardian signing for them.

You may have wondered if there is a purpose for our stop sign and red line in Zone A.

A Zone Stop Sign:

1. If your car is "tagged" with a blue card, please stop at the stop sign. A staff member will wave you when it is time to pull forward into the front of school.
2. In morning drop off, it helps get kids safely out of their cars without the worry of moving vehicles. If you find yourself at the stop sign and see cars are stopped letting students out by the sidewalk, please wait until cars begin moving to pull around.

A Zone Red Line:

1. In morning drop off, the first car should pull forward to the Red Line before letting students out. This helps get as many cars and students in our drop off lane.
2. In the afternoon, if your student doesn't get to the car before we begin to move cars, pull forward to the Red Line. This is what we call "Zone A waiting". We send our cars and students to reunite them.

When you are in a carpool or someone else is assigned to pick your student(s), you need to choose a PICKUP MODE. The delegation for zones can only be done by the parent not the delegatee. Please work with your carpool families to choose a PICKUP zone, such as Zone A or Zone B. If students are not in the "Same Zone", it can take longer for our staff to ensure they are in the same Zone.

Please ensure that your student(s) are in the same zone before arriving to school. If you need assistance in learning how to do this, our Front Office staff is happy to help walk you through the steps in PikMyKid.

We offer many before and after school Fine Arts clubs throughout the year. We update our webpage frequently, so look often.

Arts

Music

AFTER SCHOOL MUSICAL

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.

Details:

GRADES 2- 8

Rehearsals on Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Performance on April 16 at 6:00 p.m.

SIGN UP HERE!

Please join our Band and Orchestra performance on December 17 at 6:00p.m. at Coyote Creek Elementary.

Our band and orchestra students have been rehearsing tirelessly, preparing to showcase their incredible talents at the upcoming performance on December 17. Their dedication and hard work are a testament to their passion for music and their commitment to excellence. We can’t wait to see them shine on stage and share the results of their efforts with the BFA community. Mark your calendars for what promises to be a fantastic performance!

Winter Sports are gearing up. 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.

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.

Just a great reminder that the weather can change fast in Colorado.

Layers and coats should always be sent with students. It is very rare for us to have indoor recess for an entire day and those early morning recesses can get chilly. Don't forget to label items. It can be 25 degrees at 10 a.m. and 55 degrees at 2 p.m.

BFA follows the direction of the Douglas County School District (DCSD) regarding school closures/delays due to weather so if DCSD decides to close school for the day, then BFA will be closed as well. The Douglas County School District has been divided into three areas: Highlands Ranch, Parker and Castle Rock. It is possible for the district to close or delay school in only one of the areas. This is rare, but it is possible.

Please remember to give yourself extra time to get here. Unless there is a delayed start, we expect our students to be in their seats and ready to learn at 8:15 a.m.

If a Snow day is announced by DCSD, Ben Franklin Academy will be closed. All activities scheduled for that day will also be canceled, including BASE, athletics and extracurricular activities.

Sometimes, the weather is not severe enough for a closure, but may be significant enough to have a delayed school start. If the district calls for a delayed start, school at BFA will start 90 minutes later than normal.

If it’s been announced that BFA is on a 90-Minute Delayed Start, the following is the schedule:

• BASE: Before school care opens at 8:15 a.m. Please do not drop off your child earlier than 8:15 a.m. for before care, as no one will be at BFA to supervise your child.
• Before School Activities: All activities are canceled.
• Carpool: Carpool on a delayed start day begins at 9:15 a.m.
• School: School starts at 9:45 a.m. Students are expected to be in their seat and ready to learn by 9:45 a.m.
• Half-Day Kindergarten: Morning kindergarten starts at 9:45 a.m. and ends at the normal time. Afternoon kindergarten times do not change – normal start/end times apply.
• Preschool: BFA preschool will open at 9:40 a.m. and dismiss at the normal time. Afternoon times do not change – normal start/end times apply.

DCSD & BFA will always post notifications via email, text, website and Social Media. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram and make sure your information is updated in Infinite Campus.

All school closures can be seen on most of the local TV channels in the morning. You also may call the DCSD weather line at 303-387-SNOW (7669) to hear the latest updates on school closures or delayed starts.

If you see on the TV or hear on the weather line that Douglas County is listed as closed or delayed start that means all of the schools are closed or delayed. If you see or hear that the Parker area is closed or delayed that means that Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock are open.

You always have the option of keeping your child home if you feel that the roads are unsafe even if the school is open. This will be listed as an excused absence.

Our delicious lunch is provided by DCSD. Check out the menu for the first weeks of school.

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.

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.