September 26 - Committee Newsletter
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.
CEC Planning Meeting - Would love Parents to come!
The Community Events Committee (CEC) will hold their October planning meeting from 6:30 - 8:00p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Black=Haus Tavern in downtown Littleton. They would love parents to attend and check out what the CEC is planning, whether you are interested in volunteering, learning more about what the CEC does, or have new ideas to contribute. Don't forget, you earn volunteer hours for attending! Please RSVP by Monday, Sept. 30 if you plan on attending.
Veteran's Day Celebration
Our Veterans Day celebration will be here before you know it. This event is always popular and important to BFA as we are proud to honor our veterans and current service members. Please read below for time sensitive requests. Information regarding the Veterans Day assemblies will be communicated as the event approaches.
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. 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.
Veterans 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.
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!
In Search of Assembly Guest Speaker
We are looking for a guest speaker for our school celebration. Are you (or do you know of) a veteran or current service member who would like to speak at our assemblies? We are looking for someone who can share about their role, experience and what serving our country means to them. The speaker's presentation is a brief 5-10 minutes and the audience consists of our students, veterans and their guests. Please email CEC with any questions or interest. Thank you.
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)
Our Parent Teacher Organization looks forward to an amazing year full of events, fundraisers and sponsorships.
FranklinFest Volunteers and Cakes Needed!
The FranklinFest is this Saturday, September 28 from 3 - 7 p.m. at BFA, and we can't make this
event happen without YOU! Volunteers are needed to help with inflatables, food, and clean up.
We’re also in need of more cakes for the ever-popular cake walk! We hope you’ll consider volunteering to help staff the event or donating a cake for the cake walk! These are great, FUN
hours that count towards those family totals!
Please contact Ewelina Chrzanowski, PTO Social Coordinator if you have any questions.
DirectorySpot - Last Chance to Make Changes to Your Family’s Information
BFA’s 2024-25 online school directory will be available soon. If you would like to update your
family's information for the directory or opt out, you need to act today! You have through this
Saturday, September 28, to do the following:
1. If your child goes by a nickname or shortened name, contact us.
2. If you have recently moved or changed an email address or cell number, update your information
in the Infinite Campus database AND email the school registrar.
3. If you DO NOT want any or all of your personal information listed in the directory, contact
us. 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.
PTO Virtues Awareness Program – September
As we wrap up the first full month of the school year, the PTO would like to give a quick update on
the Virtues Awareness Program and introduce the virtues to all of our new BFA families. Since BFA
first opened its doors, there has been a long tradition of helping our students and community understand, and put into practice, the 13 virtues that Ben Franklin himself lived by. From his humble beginnings as a young, twenty-something, Ben Franklin started writing and practicing his 13 virtues and went on to become an inventor, publisher, framer of the Constitution, and international historical figure in his later years. What a great role model for our students!
Each month there will be one or two of Ben Franklin’s virtues that the staff and students will be
focused on learning, practicing, and modeling. Please take some time at home to discuss the
monthly virtue(s) and recognize when you see someone demonstrating this virtue.
The students and staff have been focusing on two virtues this month: Silence and Justice. Our BFA
definitions of these virtues are:
Silence-There is a time and a place to speak up and a time to listen. You learn more by listening
than speaking.
Justice- Be respectful. Give everyone a chance to work or play. Give others a chance to express
themselves. Share. Remember that others are counting on you, so live up to your duty.
As we head into the weekend, we hope that each family will take some time to review the virtues that
students have learned this month and talk about what that looks like within your own family’s values.
Calling all Dads: You’re Invited to the Ben's Brigade Meeting Tonight
You're invited to attend the Ben’s Brigade meeting tonight, Thursday, September 26, 8 p.m. at Max Taps Highlands Ranch (2680 E. County Line Road). 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.
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% on 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 valued BFA PTO sponsors, so please spread the word and show your support. We hope to see you there!
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.
We are also looking for volunteers to help organize the treats and host a car at Trunk or Treat. If you’re interested in helping to organize or distribute items, please see the volunteer Signup Genius.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Abby Jensen, PTO Trunk or Treat Committee
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
