August 7, 2026
Message From Principal | IB Head of School, Mrs. Fox
Great week welcoming all of our students and families back for our Meet & Greet sessions!
We sent the Carline Procedures Video and New Family Orientation PowerPoint in an email on Wednesday to all families. If you didn't make it in, please stop into the office to retrieve your child's(ren's) placard(s) as you'll need them for dismissal. Here are the times you can pop in today and Saturday.
Friday: 8:00AM-10:30AM or 12:45PM-1:15PM
Saturday: 8:30AM-4:30PM
We also had Kinder Kickstart yesterday and today's their second session...enjoyed having our littlest learners on campus! Year 1 (6th grade) joins us today as well to kickstart their year!
ACTION NEEDED-ALL FAMILIES-please login into your PowerSchool portal, go to the FORMS tab and complete the Consent for Health Services Form 2026-2027.
This form must be completed if you consent for your child to receive any of the school health services listed.
While you're there, please complete the WAY HOME form as well...we have less than 50% completed.
REMINDER: when arriving for carline, do not arrive early. Check the back of your placard for arrivals times. BSO will ticket you if you are parked/waiting on Flamingo Rd.
As you prepare for school shopping before school starts, please review our uniform policy (see below for full uniform policy as stated in registration and campus handbook) which includes A BELT for all students from 2nd-8th wearing shorts or pants. Also, SWEATPANTS are to be worn during PE class for cooler weather if students don't want to wear the regular PE mesh shorts. With this reminder, we are clarifying that students need to wear shorts/pants/skorts each day, sweatpants only during PE.
Also, for MYP (6th-8th), all water bottles must be CLEAR.
This week I sent an email about LEVEL 2 fingerprinting clearance for field trips...reminder, once completed, it's good for FIVE years, you do not get fingerprinted yearly.
Looking for your child's CLEVER credentials? They are on PowerSchool. See flyer below with instructions for you to locate them in your parent portal.
PTO Crew has also prepared our calendar of events for the school year; scroll down to the PTO corner to check it out! W
While at Business Day, many families took the time to complete the lunch application, we have about 600 completed which means 600 service hours coming as well. As we announced early in July, you will earn a service hour for completing the form. National School Lunch Applications: Action Required: Please take a moment to apply, this application supports the data for determining our Title I status each school year which is an additional grant for our school ($300,00-$450,000).
English 26-27 Application:
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/DistrictRedirect/FLORIDACF_FL?langid=1
Spanish 26-27 Application:
https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/DistrictRedirect/FLORIDACF_FL?langid=2
This year you will EARN AN EXTRA HOUR for completing the lunch application as well. This grant is very important to us as it provides our campus with extra funding. This funding helps with retaining our classroom assistants and technology support platforms for our students, for example. If you already completed the form, as we sent out the link in last week's newsletter, please send proof in an email along with your child's name, your family Service Hour ID# and your full name as well.
gonzalez.nancy@franklin-academy.org conatser.amy@franklin-academy.org
Check out the Florida Future Chef Competition and the Summer Reading Challenge Link for details and the Reading Log to submit on www.wh.gov/read/submit by 11:59PM ET on September 4th, 2026.
2026-2027 School Theme
How we are going to dive deep and help your child succeed this year:
- Navigate Curiosity: Fueling curiosity and helping students navigate new ideas.
- Build Connection: Building strong connections through professional learning teams.
- Create Flow: Creating a smooth flow for teachers to dive deeper into great lessons and collaboration.
- Find Growth and Meaning: Data analysis session for discussing progress with students and staff.
Why This Matters For Your Child
- Better Lessons: Teachers work together every Wednesday to plan engaging activities.
- Personal Focus: Regular data chats mean we track your child's specific growth.
- Strong Support: Teamwork ensures every classroom has high-quality instruction
Leadership Team 26-27
Ms. Grullon, Ms. Lindsay, Ms. Zorrilla, Ms. Fox
Mr. Williams, Ms. Vazquez, Mr. D. Capote, Ms. Arbogast
Ms. Hackworth, Ms. Goldstein, Ms. Plummer, Ms. Carrizo
⚓What's Coming Up -August/September ⚓
8/10/2026 First Day of School
8/20/2026 Family Night-BJ's Brewhouse (Flyer Below)
8/20/2026 Welcome Back Dances: 4th & 5th Grade
8/31/2026 Open House: MYP 5:30-6:30PM
9/01/2026 Open House: 5th Grade 5:30-6:15PM
9/02/2026 Open House: 4th Grade 5:30-6:15PM
9/03/2026 Open House: 3rd Grade 5:30-6:30PM
9/04/2026 FoxMar School Pictures
9/07/2026 School Closed-Labor Day
9/08/2026 Open House: 2nd Grade 5:30-6:15PM
9/09/2026 Open House: 1st Grade 5:30-6:15PM
9/10/2026 Open House: Kinder 5:30-6:15PM
9/10/2026 PTO General Meeting 6:30PM
9/11/2026 Quarter 1 Interims Issued
9/11/2026 Patriot Day
School Board of Broward County
Student Code of Conduct
UNIFORM POLICY REMINDERS
Dress code guidelines specify appropriate school attire for normal school days. Franklin Academy reserves the right to interpret these guidelines and/or make changes during the school year. Students are expected to comply with these guidelines. If a student arrives without the proper uniform, they may be sent to the front office and will remain there until a parent/guardian brings the correct uniform.
Improperly fitted uniforms are considered a violation of the dress code, and students may not be allowed to attend class until appropriate clothing is provided. Offensive, immodest, or inappropriate attire, as deemed by the faculty, is not permitted. Torn or tattered clothing is also prohibited. All clothing should be labeled with the student's name. Parents/guardians of Kindergarten and first grade students are encouraged to leave an extra set of clothes in a labeled Ziploc bag in their child’s backpack in case of emergencies.
Early Bird Year Book Pricing - Order Now
Student Housing Questionnaire
Please take a moment to review video link with instructions on how to access and complete the Student Housing Questionnaire (SHQ) via your FOCUS parent portal, SHQ Parent Portal Video Tutorial.
The Student Housing Questionnaire is used to identify students experiencing homelessness or economic hardship.
The federal McKinney-Vento Act (Title IX, part A) protects the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness, from Pre-K through grade 12, and must be upheld. The Act defines homeless children and youth as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. “This includes school-aged children and youth residing in:
- Emergency or transitional shelter
- Hotels or motels due to economic necessity
- Unsheltered in a vehicle, park, or other place not intended for human habitation
- Temporarily sharing the housing of others (“doubled-up”) due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason
Parents, legal guardians, or caregivers with school-aged children, and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act must complete a Student Housing Questionnaire (SHQ). Eligible students shall be enrolled in the HEART Program.
To ensure students are coded correctly, please our HEART Designees, our School Counselors, to determine if the student meets the criteria for homelessness.
The HEART Designee shall:
- Provide guidance and direction to parents experiencing homelessness or economic hardship on how to complete the Student Housing Questionnaire (SHQ) located in the parent portal.
Welcome Back Family Night
Join us on 8/20 as we gather to catch up!
Open House Schedule
Celebrating 10 Years of Service
Mr. Sznitken joined us to celebrate and reveal the 10 year
tiles for our next group to reach this milestone.
Ms. Balok, Ms. Garcia, Ms. Cotterell, Ms. Centeno
Ms. Velasquez
IB Learner Profile Attribute Corner
August: Caring
The IB Learner Profile helps us build a positive school culture by recognizing students and staff who model the values we want to see throughout our school community. Celebrating these attributes encourages kindness, responsibility, critical thinking, and respect while helping our students grow into caring, well-rounded learners. When we intentionally recognize these behaviors, we reinforce that character is just as important as academic success.
One of the easiest ways to incorporate the monthly learner profile into your daily routine is by making it part of your classroom conversations. Here are a few simple ideas:
- Begin each week by introducing the monthly trait and discussing what it looks like in the classroom.
- Highlight students when you notice them demonstrating the trait during lessons, centers, recess, or throughout the school day.
- Include the learner profile vocabulary in your morning meetings, read-aloud discussions, writing prompts, and classroom reflections.
- Ask students to set personal goals related to the monthly trait and reflect on how they demonstrated it at the end of each week.
- Model the trait yourself and recognize classmates who demonstrate it, helping create a positive and supportive classroom community.
Caring students and staff show kindness, compassion, and respect for others. They are helpful, considerate, and look for ways to make a positive difference in our school community through their words and actions.
This month provides a wonderful opportunity to establish a classroom culture built on empathy, kindness, and respect as we welcome new students and begin building relationships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQJgyUt6kx0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-OUTrLxrUw
2026–2027 IB Learner Profile Schedule
August ❤️ Caring
- September ⚖️ Balanced
- October 🌍 Open-Minded
- November 🚀 Risk-Taker
- December 💬 Communicator
- January ⭐ Principled
- February 🪞 Reflective
- March💡 Thinkers
- April 📚 Knowledgeable
- May 🔍 Inquirers
Please see note from our Governig Board
Dear Franklin Families,
No school? No problem! Summer BreakSpot offers a place where kids and teens 18 and under can access no-cost meals.
Breakfast, lunch and/or snacks are served up every weekday at more than 3,000 locations across Florida, including schools, community centers, churches, and more.
No application is necessary – all you have to do is show up! So, tell your friends, family, and neighbors, and join us at the coolest spot for kids this summer.
Find a location in your neighborhood at SummerBreakSpot.org/Find-Location/
Dear Future Summer Readers,
Every book you open is an adventure – whether you are exploring new places, meeting new characters, or learning something new. A whole summer of reading fun is waiting just for you!
This summer, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, we are excited to invite all children (K-8) to join in the Second Lady’s 2026 Summer Reading Challenge. Participants will read and track 12 books of their choice between June 1 and September 4. Every book counts!
When you finish your 12 books, ask your parents/guardians to let us know, and we will send you a personalized certificate, an America 250th anniversary-themed bookmark, and a special link to receive a prize! You will also be entered for a chance to visit our nation’s capital and the White House with a chaperone.
Where will your next book take you? We can’t wait to find out!
Usha Chilukuri Vance
Second Lady of the United States
Basketball Court Cover Progress
Progress is coming along...getting closer to our cover!
Concrete is poured, onto the next step!
Concrete is ready for next phase!
1.30.26 Columns and posts are being constructed!
3/2/26
3/8/26
April 2026
June 2026
July 2026
Finally READY to go!
🩺 Health Corner With Nurse Schwam 🩺
I need/want to send medication to school for my child - what do I do?
What is considered “medication:”
ANYTHING that requires a prescription
Epi Pen
Inhaler
Seizure Medications
Nasal Sprays
Eye Drops
Over the counter items:
Ibuprofen including but not limited to: Motrin, Advil, CVS/Walgreens/Publix and all generic brands, etc.
Acetaminophen including but not limited to: Tylenol, CVS/Walgreens/Publix and all generic brands, etc.
Nasal Spray
Eye Drops
Homeopathic Medications
Vitamins
Topical ointments including but not limited to: hydrocortisone, antibiotic ointment, etc.
What do I do if my child needs to bring medication to school (prescribed OR over the counter):
You MUST have the Medication Authorization Form (form attached below) completed and signed by the physician.
Once signed by the physician, the parent/guardian MUST sign as well.
Parent/Guardian MUST bring the medication to school to be stored in the locked medication cabinet in the clinic.
HOW to send the medication:
THE MEDICATION MUST BE:
current (NOT expired)
properly labeled
NEW (unopened)
Q. Why is this the process:
Dispensing medication in the school is the same as dispensing medication in a hospital or clinic setting.
We are REQUIRED to have signed physician orders to dispense medication.
We are REQUIRED to have a parent/guardian signature giving us authorization to administer medication
Q. Where is medication kept?
Medication is kept in the locked medication cabinet in the clinic.
Forms are kept in the Medication binder in the locked cabinet.
During field trips, medication is sent with the teacher to have if we need to use while on trip.
PTO Corner
⚓ PTO Purpose ⚓
The group, through collaboration with the school administration, is organized for the
purpose of supporting the educational environment at Franklin Academy Charter School
by organizing fundraising efforts, events to benefit the school and its mission.
Meet our PTO Board
PTO President: Holli McGee
PTO Vice President: Daniely Millan
PTO Secretary: Fatima Richardson
PTO Treasurer: Nadirah Phillip
PTO Volunteer Coordinator: Erika Shannon
PTO Event Coordinator: Mary Renderer
Click on link below to find e-mail contacts for our board!
2026-2027 PTO Calendar of Events
FortifyFL - See something, say something
FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows students to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.
QUICK AND EASY SAFETY TIP SUBMISSION
By accessing FortifyFL, students can provide a description of the threat, share pics, and videos and optionally submit their contact information. Submissions can be anonymous or non-anonymous. Submitting a tip is quick and easy using our mobile app or website.
All Franklin Academy students have access to FortifyFL via their Clever portal dashboard.
2026-2027 School Theme...
🌊⚓ Diving Beneath the Surface; Anchored in Success ⚓🌊
Who's who?
Assistant Principal over PowerSchool/Academic Concerns: Ms. Vazquez - vazquez.emilia@franklin-academy.org
Assistant Principal over Curriculum/Academic Concerns: Ms. Carrizo- carrizo.cassandra@franklin-academy.org
Service Hours/Raptor/Carline/E2E Bus Transporatin/All NON-Instructional aspects: Director of School Operations-Mr. Williams - williams.demon@franklin-academy.org
School Fees/Balances: Ms. Yepez - businessmanager-cc@franklin-academy.org
Registration/School Records: Ms. Cabrera - cabrera.elizabeth@franklin-academy.org
Health/Clinic: Nurse Schwam - cc-nurse@franklin-academy.org
Service Hour Forms: Ms. N. Gonzalez - gonzalez.nancy@franklin-academy.org; Ms. Conatser conatser.amy@franklin-academy.org
Attendance Inquiries: Ms. Conatser - attendance-cc@franklin-academy.org; conatser.amy@franklin-academy.org
Placards: Ms. Conatser -conatser.amy@franklin-academy.org
Private Bus Registration- Gonzalez.diana@franklin-academy.org
Title 1 Liaison: Ms. Carrizo - carrizo.cassandra@franklin-academy.org
Special Programs Coordinator (ESE, IEPs, Gifted 504 Plans): Ms. Hackworth- hackworth.taryn@franklin-academy.org
ESOL Coordinator: Ms. Ordonez- ordonez.gracy@franklin-academy.org
Athletic Director: cc-athletics@franklin-academy.org
School Counselors: grullon.penelope@franklin-academy.org lindsay.tashon@franklin-academy.org
Franklin Academy
Email: fox.alexandra@franklin-academy.org
Website: franklin-academy.org
Location: 6301 South Flamingo Road, Cooper City, FL, USA
Phone: 954 780 5533
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinAcademyCharter/