October 10, 2024 Committee News
Did you know we are updating our Calendar almost everyday?
Bookmark Our Events Calendar Now!
We are so fortunate to have an active community. We hope to see you all very soon at one of these events.
Veteran's Day Celebration
Don't miss out! - This is the LAST WEEK to submit photos, videos and Wall of Honor forms for our Veterans Day celebration.
Veterans Video - Deadline: Friday, Oct. 11
During our ceremonies, we play a tribute video that features YOUR family, friends, and loved ones. If you have photos or videos of veterans or current service members you would like included, please complete this form. Videos must be no longer than 30 seconds. NOTE: We are moving to a new platform. If you have submitted a photo/video in the past, we ask that you PLEASE SUBMIT AGAIN this year. Unfortunately no late entries will be accepted due to the time sensitive nature of video production.
Veterans Day Wall of Honor Forms - Deadline: Friday, Oct. 11
We love decorating the halls of BFA with service branch Wall of Honor displays to show our respect to those who have or are currently serving our country. We invite BFA families to complete a Wall of Honor form for loved ones who are veterans or active duty service members. Forms can be downloaded and printed here. If you have previously submitted a form in the past, you do NOT need to resubmit. We have all forms from prior years that will again be on display. Please do not use original pictures, as they will not be returned.
Veteran Guests and Brunch Attendees - RSVP by Nov. 1
If you have a special Veteran or service member you would like to invite to the celebration, please read the invitation for more information and RSVP today!
Assembly information will be communicated as the event approaches. Please contact CEC with any questions.
We Want Your Blood
The Community Events Committee (CEC) is organizing BFA's fourth annual blood drive. To better meet your donation needs, the event will be held virtually this year. Donate at your convenience anytime between Oct. 25th - Nov. 9th at any Vitalant location.
To schedule an appointment, visit Vitalant website and use blood drive code SaveLife-4988-S. If you have any questions please contact CEC.
Give Thanks - With Pie
The Community Events Committee (CEC) is holding the 3rd annual Pie Appreciation Event this November. This has become a delicious tradition to thank our BFA teachers, administrators and staff for their care and commitment to our students. We hope you will join us by contributing a pie for their Thanksgiving table.
Each staff member will select a pie of their choice and the CEC will purchase the pies; however we can't do it without your help! We are requesting $15 donations to cover the cost of each pie. You can purchase (donate) a pie via MySchoolBucks between now and Nov. 7th. Please visit MySchoolBucks or use the QR code to donate. We thank you in advance for your generosity!
Our Parent Teacher Organization looks forward to an amazing year full of events, fundraisers and sponsorships.
BENefit Bash Save the Date!
The BENefit Bash is the PTO's primary fundraiser during the 2024-2025 school year. It's a BFA tradition that the parents look forward to, so we hope you will join us for "A Night in Tuscany" on Saturday, March 8, 2025! Tickets will go on sale in January, but please mark your calendars today!
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help with the event, please reach out to the PTO's Fundraising Coordinator, Erin Wiley.
Get Your 2024-2025 Yearbook Today! Prices Go Up After 10/14
The 2024-2025 yearbooks are on sale now! Be sure to order yours early for the best pricing. Right now, yearbooks cost $40 per book. Don’t wait, as prices will go up to $45 after October 14! You may also order a yearbook dedication (parent tribute ad) for your student. Dedications start at $35, and 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!
Trunk or Treat!
BFA’s 4th Annual Trunk or Treat is taking place on Thursday, October 31! It's going to be a FUN day for ALL preschool through eighth grade BFA students! Throughout the day, classes will be invited to step outside with their class and participate in Trunk or Treat where volunteers will be distributing trinkets, candy, popcorn and/or fruit snacks from the trunk of their own vehicle parked in an assigned spot. ALL parents are invited to come and watch your children at Trunk or Treat! A schedule will be passed out as we get closer to the date.
We need donations for the individually wrapped snacks and candy to have almost 1,000 kids visit 25 cars. We're requesting bulk items (200+ pieces) as well as standard sized bags (50+ pieces). Please see the Signup Genius and consider supporting by donating treats for our students! All donations can be dropped off in the BFA front office from Monday, October 21 – Monday, October 28.
All of our volunteer spots are currently full for hosting a trunk and running candy the day of the event, but please keep checking back for openings as there is always some turnover as we get closer to the event.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Abby Jensen, PTO Trunk or Treat Committee Manager.
K-5 Halloween Parties
K-5 Halloween Classroom Parties will also take place on Thursday, October 31, from 1:45-2:45 p.m. Party volunteers will be limited to a max of four per classroom (three volunteers, plus the party planner). As much as we love welcoming our families into the school, we also ask that no additional siblings come with you if you are volunteering in one of our classroom parties. Instead, please make plans to attend the Trunk or Treat if you would like to participate in our Halloween festivities.
If you have any questions about the elementary party coordination, please reach out to
Amy Marks, PTO Room Parent Coordinator.
FranklinFest Wrap Up- THANK YOU!
This year’s FranklinFest was a great success with over 700 people attending the event! This event is an excellent example of the BFA community coming together to create an amazing evening for our families. There were incredible cakes at the cakewalk, inflatables, face painting, and balloon artists!
This event takes a lot of time and organization. Ewelina Chrzanowski spends hours and hours making sure FranklinFest is enjoyable and runs smoothly. She has overseen this event for several years and she adds special touches every year. Thank you Ewelina for all you do for FranklinFest.
Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for helping set up, clean up, and during the event! And, special thanks to Monte for helping organize and Monte Brook, Rick Zaccaria, and Brandon Chavez for running the grills to barbecue at FranklinFest! We could not have done it without you!
Also, a huge thank you to our FranklinFest sponsors: Ballons by Emma, MO Editing, Markowitz Giving Foundation, Bes 1 Stop Shop, Suburban Girl Boutique, Born2Bake, and WeeJump!
PTO Virtues Awareness Program - October’s Virtue
As October begins, we welcome in cooler weather, pumpkin patches and another monthly virtue, Humility. Did you know that Ben Franklin added humility as one of his virtues after a friend told him that it was a trait that he needed to work on? Ben Franklin actually reported later in his life that he was quicker to listen before responding with a harsh word.
How lovely would it be if our children learned this virtue at a young age rather than regretting how they treated others throughout their lives. Some ways that we can work on the virtue of Humility with our students are:
- Spend time listening to others.
- Treat others the way that you want to be treated.
- Be grateful for what you have.
- Ask for help when you need it and help others when you see they need help.
As we head into Fall Break and the beginning of the holiday season, we hope that our students will bring home a sense of humility and compassion for others.
Monthly Meeting on November 5, 2024
Please join us on November 5 at 4:30 p.m. for our SAC monthly meeting. Join in person or online. Zoom information is on the top of every agenda. You can find the agenda and minutes on their webpage.
Join SAC!
We are still looking for parents to join our SAC committee. It is a great way to help and leave a footprint at BFA. Email our SAC Chair, Karen Ramon if you are interested.
