September 19
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.
Our Parent Teacher Organization looks forward to an amazing year full of events, fundraisers and sponsorships.
Last Day to Get Your Franklin Fest Tickets is Saturday!
This Saturday, September 21 is the last day to purchase your tickets. No tickets will be sold
at the door, so get yours today! Tickets can be purchased through MySchoolBucks. Everyone
must purchase a ticket (unless you have completed your family’s recommended volunteer hours for
the year, see below), including staff.
Ticket prices are:
Family of 3- $40,
Family of 4- $50,
Family of 5- $60,
Family of 6- $70
Additional individuals are $15 each
Families who have completed and logged their family’s recommended volunteer hours (30 hours per family or 15 hours per single parent household) for the current school year in Help Counter by
midnight Saturday, September 21, will be given free admission to the event! We will have a list at
the door of the families that have completed their hours for free entry. These families don’t need to
purchase tickets and can simply check in at the door.
And, families that volunteer at least 2 hours at FranklinFest will get half off their admission ticket
price to the event! To get the discount, you must purchase regular priced tickets through
MySchoolBucks. Then, after completing your FranklinFest volunteer hours, send an email to
ptosocial@bfacademy.org by October 1 with your name, mailing address, and a copy of your ticket
purchase receipt. A refund check will be mailed to you.
This time-honored event is a great way to connect with the whole Ben Franklin community! We
hope you'll join us for activities, food, and fun on Saturday, September 28 from 3 - 7 p.m. at BFA.
There will be games, bounce houses, obstacle courses, lawn games, face painting, balloon artists,
cotton candy, and the always popular CAKE WALK!!!! Hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, and sides
will be served between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. All families are welcome!
We can't make this event happen without our volunteers! Volunteers spend a little time helping with
setup and tear down, inflatables, food, and check-in, and can spend the rest of the afternoon
enjoying the event with their family! We hope you’ll consider volunteering to help staff the event, or donating a cake for the cake walk! These are great, and FUN, hours that count towards those family totals!
Please contact Ewelina Chrzanowski, PTO social coordinator if you have any questions.
DirectorySpot - BFA's Online Directory
Now that school is underway, it is time to update and add new families to the BFA directory! Again, this year, BFA will be using DirectorySpot for our online school directory. It's an incredibly handy resource, that contains each family's class roster(s) and contact information, as well as the entire BFA directory.
DirectorySpot is an app-based online directory. The free app is available for download through the App Store and Google Play, simply search for: "DirectorySpot". Once this year’s directory is ready, you will receive an email from DirectorySpot with your one-time password. If you would like to update your family's information for the directory or opt out, you need to act today!
You have until Saturday, September 28, to do the following:
1. If your child goes by a nickname or shortened name, contact our PTO Vice President.
2. If you have recently moved or changed an email address or cell number, you can update your information in Infinite Campus AND email the school registrar.
3. If you DO NOT want any or all of your personal information listed in the directory, contact ptovp@bfacademy.org. You may OPT OUT completely, or partially. If you take no action, your information will be included in the BFA Directory.
If you have questions, please contact Andreya Flanigan, PTO Vice-President.
Calling all Dads: You’re Invited to the Ben's Brigade Meeting
The next Ben’s Brigade meeting is coming up on Thursday, September 26, 8 p.m. at Max Taps Highlands Ranch (2680 E. County Line Road), and they would love to have more dads get involved!
Ben's Brigade is a PTO group open to all BFA dads that provides a place for dads to get to know each other, as well as opportunities for unique ways to give back to the school and earn volunteer hours. Ben’s Brigade handles work projects around the school, provides volunteers for school functions, and hosts a number of social events throughout the year - some just for dads and some with kids as well.
Contact Curtis Anderson and Trent Ongert, Ben’s Brigade Co-Committee Managers to learn more.
Support BFA While You Shop
If you are a King Soopers shopper, you can help earn money for BFA by signing up for King Soopers
Community Rewards. For details on how to sign up for King Soopers Community Rewards visit their
webpage or click here for instructions.
It's CRAZY how quickly this program adds up and how much our school can earn. From April- June
of 2024, BFA earned $2,341 back from this program!
Please contact Erin Wiley, PTO Fundraising Coordinator with any questions. Thank you, again, for
your support of BFA and the PTO!
PTO Spirit Night at Qdoba on October 8th
Our next PTO Spirit Night will be on October 8 from 4-8 p.m. at Qdoba (9338 S. Dorchester St-Unit A104, Highlands Ranch 80129). Qdoba will donate 25% of orders placed to the BFA PTO! To get credit for your purchase, show our digital flyer in the restaurant, tell your cashier that you are there for the BFA fundraiser, scan the QR code for a digital order, or use code QDOBAGIVES when you place your online order. Qdoba is one of our BFA PTO sponsors, so please spread the word and show your support. We hope to see you there!
Veteran's Day Celebration
We are starting to plan for our Veteran's Day celebration and need your help!
Veteran's 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. Please contact CEC with any questions. Submission deadline is Oct. 11th. 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.
Veteran's Day Wall of Honor Forms - Deadline: Friday, Oct. 11
We love decorating the halls of BFA with patriotic decorations, art, flags and 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 return all Wall of Honor forms to the front office no later than Friday, Oct. 11. Please do not use original pictures, as they will not be returned.
Blood Drive - Oct. 25
Veteran's Day - Nov. 11
Fathers Event - Feb. 21 (Ex: Donuts with Dads, Daybreak with Dads)
Mothers Event - April 4th (Ex: A Morning with Mom, Magical Night with Mom)
Monthly Meeting on October 1, 2024
Please join us on October 1 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 the STEM Committee
Excited about creating fun experiments? Love tinkering with technology? Join the BFA Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Committee! We generally meet via Zoom on evenings of the 3rd Thursday of the month. Earn volunteer hours by participating from your phone or computer! Inspire the innovator in you and your child!
Check out the flyer or the STEM webpage for more information.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a unique opportunity now available to middle school students at Ben Franklin Academy! FLL brings the excitement of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to life for students ages 4-16 through a dynamic, hands-on learning experience like no other. In FLL, students dive into real-world problem-solving with a guided, global robotics program that inspires curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, helping to shape a brighter future for all.
The program’s Challenge division is perfect for middle school students who love to think outside the box. In this division, teams of students (ages 9-16) come together to tackle exciting challenges that blend research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering. Through friendly competition, students build and program a LEGO robot to navigate complex missions in a thrilling robot game. But that's not all — they also embark on an Innovation Project, where they identify a real-world problem and develop a creative solution to address it.
By participating in FIRST LEGO League, Ben Franklin Academy students will gain unparalleled experience in critical thinking, coding, design, and teamwork. This program helps students build confidence, grow their STEM knowledge, and develop a passion for learning that will last a lifetime. With its unique blend of creativity, competition, and collaboration, FLL is more than just a club — it's an opportunity to become tomorrow's innovators and problem-solvers.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE COACH:
Warren Astler currently serves as Ben Franklin Academy's 8th grade science teacher.
SCHEDULE:
MONDAY and WEDNESDAYS: Practice Sessions beginning September 30.
SPECIAL PRACTICE SESSIONS: Nov. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
TIME FOR ALL SESSIONS: 3:30-5:00 (with the exception of Saturday Sessions)
FLL EVENT: Nov. 16 (Time and Location to Be Determined)
POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL SATURDAY EVENTS (NOTE: added fees might be needed)
TEAM DETAILS:
GRADES: 6-8
MAXIMUM STUDENTS: 20 students
MINIMUM: 4 students
COST: $100
Friday, September 27, 2024
