Weekly Newsletter Oct 3

Dear Parents,

Next week are our first parent/teacher conferences of the year. These meetings are an essential time for teachers to share how your children are doing academically and socially here at school. Conferences are also a good opportunity for parents to share what they see at home. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure your children have a successful year.

For our middle school parents, conferences will be conducted in a round-robin style in the big gym. To ensure everyone gets a chance to meet with the teachers, please limit your time with each teacher to five minutes or less. We will be closing the gym from 5:30 to 6:00 for the teachers to have dinner. Please be mindful of this break, as any delay in the teachers' dinner may result in a delay in their return to the gym.

As a charter school, we set our academic calendar. Each year, the Board votes on the calendar for the upcoming year. There are three proposed calendars up for discussion this year. Calendar Option A has the same major breaks and end date as Douglas County, but with a slightly later start date. Calendar Option B has the same major breaks and a similar start date as Douglas County, with an earlier end date. Calendar Option C has a much later start date (after Labor Day), no fall break, and other breaks are the same as those of DCSD, with a mid-June end date. Please provide your feedback by October 10 using this survey.

The survey also has two additional questions. One question addresses an in-service day. There has been a request in the past to have an in-service day following winter break. All of these calendars move one of our August in-service days to January to accommodate that request. The other question asks about start dates.

I will share community and staff feedback with the Board at the October Board meeting. They will then vote on next year's calendar.

We hope to see you at FranklinFest on Saturday. Have a wonderful weekend.

Diana Simpson

October 3 - Colorado Rapids Spirit Wear Day/Spirit Wear & Crazy Sock Day

October 4 - Franklin Fest

October 6 and 9 - Book Fair

October 7 and 9 - Parent Teacher Conferences

October 9 - Picture Make Up Day

October 10 - No School

October 13 to 17 - Fall Break (No School)

Click here to view our calendar. You can even click on each calendar item for more information.

We are starting a new section this year to help our BFA Community get to know our staff.

We asked our 5th Grade team what is something new they learned this past year.

Mrs. Calahan: This year, I’ve been learning about two very different things! At school, I’ve explored new AI tools that can support teaching and learning in creative ways. Outside of school, even though I’ve watched rugby for years, I’ve started learning more about the intricacies of the game and the strategies behind it. Both have reminded me that no matter the subject, there’s always something new to discover.

Mrs. McMahon: I am learning about Fat Bear Week, and I am having so much fun participating with my classes!

Next week, we will have our Parent Teacher Conferences on October 7 and 9. Please look for information sent via email, newsletter or webpage by your student's teachers.

Grades K -4 teachers will be in their homerooms.

Grade 5 teachers will be the in Middle Commons.

Middle School teachers will be in the Thunder Gym from 4:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This is a drop-in conference. (6th Grade is only in person on October 9; please see 6th newsletter for October 7).

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) will offer Parent-Teacher conference babysitting services for children who are no longer in diapers. Thank you NJHS students for volunteering your time for this.

When: Drop off begins at 4:15 p.m. Last pick up is at 8:00 p.m. both Tuesday and Thursday night during conferences.

Where: Makers Space. You will follow the signs to the Makerspace Room, located around the corner from the Dana Library.

More Details:

Parents may not drop off children and then leave the building, and all children must be picked up by 8:00. Babysitting is not guaranteed. Our capacity is 20 children at any given time. We suggest that you arrive early (except not before 4:15 p.m.). If we are at capacity, parents can wait until another child is checked out. There is no waitlist or sign up.

Any child(ren) who is struggling will be brought to the classroom where the parent(s) is located.

Students may wear a Colorado Rapids or their favorite professional Soccer Team TOP ONLY. Students who do not wish to wear a professional soccer team top can still wear Spirit Wear tops. Students can also wear their

Students MUST wear approved Uniform bottoms. Please refer to our Uniform Standards for more information.

School picture retakes are coming! Below is a PDF of our school’s RETAKE Picture Day Flyer. The PDF is hyperlinked, click anywhere on either page and it will take you directly to the online ordering page.

You can also order online by going to www.mymjthomas.com and entering our school's event code. (Event Code: C657)

Retakes are for absent students, new students, students who want a retake to purchase, and students who want a retake. In order to get a retake replacement package, students must return their original package of photos.

If you have any questions or concerns about pictures please call MJ Thomas Photo at 1-800-219-0199.

Our lost and found will be cleared out on next Thursday.

The last day to look through the items is October 9.

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.

⚡ Lightning Delays ⚡

When we call a Lightning Delay, our team is actively monitoring the storm and will send updates about when carpool will proceed or if an alternate pickup plan is needed. Please still come to pick up your student as usual.

For safety, we will not begin carpool until lightning is more than 3 miles away. If it appears the storm will not clear within 10 minutes, we will notify parents to come into the building for student pickup. In this case, please park and walk to the main entrance. Parents will then be guided to homeroom classrooms to pick up students. If you are unsure of your child’s classroom, a staff member will be available in the front lobby to assist you.

More Help?

For more tips or procedure answers, visit our Carpool webpage.

All BFA students have free access to Microsoft 365 using their DCSD email and password. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and more—accessible online or as a download on personal devices. Be sure to take advantage of this great resource for schoolwork and projects!

Our students and staff had a wonderful week of showing off their spirit!

Think you've got what it takes to be part of the team? Come show off your skills at this year’s Boys Basketball Tryouts! We're looking for hard-working, coachable players who are ready to hustle, play as a team, and represent our school with pride. Whether you're a sharpshooter, a lockdown defender, or just love the game — we want to see what you’ve got!

📆Tryout Dates:

Oct. 21st - 6th grade only 4pm - 5:30pm

Oct. 22nd - 7th and 8th grade 4pm - 5:30pm

Oct. 23rd - Callbacks all grades

📍Location: Thunder Gym
🕓Time: 4:00pm - 5:30pm

👟🚰😃Bring: Water, appropriate gym shoes, and a positive attitude.

No experience required — just heart, hustle, and a love for the game!

Questions? Contact Coach Macias or Coach Astler or visit our webpage.

Our students were excited to meet Cara and hear her talk about her books, including her latest release. She shared insights into her writing process, answered questions, and even gave tips on how students can develop their own stories. It was inspiring to see our students so engaged and excited about reading and writing. We hope our BFA community will support Cara by ordering her books and continuing the love of reading she sparked during her visit!

Book Fair will open for sales on Monday, October 6 at 8:00 a.m.

This will once again be a NO CASH Book Fair. e-Wallets should be set up for each of your students through our Scholastic Book Fair Website at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/benfranklinacademy

The hours for the Book Fair will be:

Monday, Oct. 6 at 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Closed during carpool from 3:00 p.m. until All-Call)

Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 9 at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Closed during carpool from 3:00 p.m. until All-Call)

Please take a moment to read all about our 2025 Fall Book Fair Here.

We are thrilled to announce that our school has been awarded a $500 prize from the Douglas County Libraries Foundation for our outstanding participation in the annual Summer Reading Program. This generous donation was presented to our librarian, Ms. Williams, by representatives from Douglas County Libraries.

The Summer Reading Program, held from May 31 to July 31, encourages students to read during the summer months and supports local schools through a friendly competition. The school with the highest number of sign-ups at each educational level receives a $500 prize to enhance their library resources.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication to reading and grateful for the support of Douglas County Libraries in fostering a love of reading within our community.

Whether it is a volunteer or staff member, bulletin boards are a great way to fill our hallways with work or information.

Our Book Fair needs a lot of volunteers to make it successful.

Please sign up to help, we especially need help Tuesday and Thursday night.

If you are volunteering for the fair, please read all instructions before signing up. When volunteering during school hours, we kindly ask that parents do not go to the classroom to grab your student(s). You will need to go to the office to check them out.

Please check out our Board/Committee Newsletter to see what the board and each committee is doing and how you can join. Come back next week for our first Committee Newsletter of 25/26. This includes, Board of Directors, Community Events Committee (CEC), Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), School Accountability Committee (SAC) and STEM Committee.

Upcoming Deadlines for Submissions & RSVP

October 10 Deadline
Veteran's Video Submission
Wall of Honor Forms

November 1 Deadline
Veterans RSVP

We’re excited to launch a limited-time spirit wear store featuring a brand-new patriotic design just for Veterans Day! Only this year's shirt will be able to be worn in lieu of a uniform shirt on November 11.

• 🛍️ Store opens: Friday, October 3

• ⏰ Deadline to order: Sunday, October 12 (no late orders accepted!)

• 🎗️ Proceeds benefit: First There Foundation, supporting those who serve

• 👕 Shirts delivered: First week of November, in time to wear on Veterans Day, November 11

• ✅ Approved for Spirit Days after Veterans Day!

❤️💙🤍Don’t miss out—this design is only available during this exclusive spirit wear store. Show your school pride, honor our veterans, and support a great cause!❤️💙🤍

The Community Events Committee (CEC), along with Vitalant Blood Donation Center is organizing BFA's 5th Annual Blood Drive.

Donate Blood and Earn 2 volunteer hours! (Come with a full stomach)

When: November 7, 8:00 a.m. - Noon

Where: BFA Upper Parking Lot

Use the QR code to pre-register

Thank you In Advance!

Due to the overwhelming support from our amazing BFA community - Franklin Fest is bigger than ever! To make sure everyone can join in on the fun, tickets will be available at the door for $10 per person (payable by Venmo to the PTO).

We still need volunteers!! Please consider volunteering for a short shift while you enjoy the event. Sign up to volunteer here.

To keep the Spirit Rock Fundraiser fair and fun for everyone, here’s how we’re handling payments this year and moving forward:

• All Spirit Rock reservations — no matter the month reserved — must be paid by October 31st.

• Any reservations not paid by that date will be removed and released for other families to book.

• This helps prevent late cancellations and unpaid spots so families who truly want a turn don’t miss out.

• Please note: No refunds will be issued once payment is made.

To keep your spot reserved, please send your payment of $20 per reservation via MySchoolBucks.
You can find the payment link on the Spirit Rock SignUpGenius, or by clicking here.

Thank you for helping us keep the Spirit Rock tradition strong while supporting our PTO and school community!

The 2025-2026 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 $40, 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 2025 -

2026 yearbook and dedication here!

Parents can get discounted tickets, take part in a variety of events and hear about all the Foundation is doing throughout the community in their AUGUST - Back-to-School newsletter.

The Foundation for Douglas County Schools is thrilled to recognize exceptional educators and staff who are inspiring a love of learning in students and are trailblazing extraordinary innovation in our schools. Over the years, the annual Apple Awards has evolved to engage the entire community, resulting in thousands of nominations every year for teachers and staff across the district.

Click here to find out more and to nominate.

THE 2026 NOMINATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN!

The 2026 Apple Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the DCSD Legacy Campus in Lone Tree, Colorado.

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.