Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) is a John Irwin School of Excellence, was voted Best of the Best in 2023, and is The STEAM School of Choice in Douglas County, Colorado.
We are a kindergarten through eighth grade public, charter school that combines a challenging, sequenced curriculum with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) as well as Social-Emotional Learning and character education. BFA also offers a tuition-based, Core Knowledge preschool. We’re conveniently located near C-470 and Lucent Boulevard.
The mission of BFA “is to develop young adults with character like America’s founding Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged.”
This is supported by BFA’s vision that:
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.
BFA uses the proven Core Knowledge Sequence (not to be confused with Common Core) to provide preschool through eighth grade students with a well-rounded education, which places emphasis on science, mathematics and literacy. We focus on the success of each individual student through the use of flexible ability grouping and differentiated instruction. BFA uses grade-level field trips to enhance classroom instruction and create exciting additional hands-on learning opportunities for our students. Further, our character education program is modeled on Benjamin Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues and enhanced by other programs, such as Second Step.
In middle school, our students benefit from receiving a dedicated Chromebook for use during their tenure at BFA. We also offer these students honors core classes (science, math, language arts and social studies) as well as a wide range of electives in addition to their PE/Health, STEAM Lab and Life Skills rotation. Consistent with our mission and vision, students can participate in middle school sports and are presented with a variety of leadership and community outreach opportunities, including Student Council, National Junior Honor Society and membership in BFA’s Thespian troupe. BFA students also participate in Spelling and Geo Bees, and often send students to the Regional Science Fair competition.
At BFA, parents and teachers work collaboratively toward the success of our school. BFA families are asked to volunteer for the school and generally log more than 20,000 volunteer hours (the equivalent of more than 10 full-time employees) each school year. BFA volunteers can be found helping students out of their cars in carpool and with their lunches, listening while young students learn to read, organizing one of our many BFA traditions, planning a school fundraiser and doing so much more. Having parent volunteers at BFA shows our students that we take an interest in and value their education. Moreover, we are teaching by example that it is important to participate in the larger community.
Thanks to the partnership and dedication of our students, teachers, parents, staff and leaders, BFA is proud to be a John Irwin School of Excellence!
Enrollment
BFA participates in the annual Douglas County School District (DCSD) online Open Enrollment process to fill K-8 openings. Parents interested in K-8 enrollment at BFA need to complete DCSD Open Enrollment for their child to be eligible for openings. (Previous year’s Open Enrollment lists do not “roll forward.”) Please see our K-8 Enrollment webpage for additional information about the process.
Are you interested in a preschool that uses the Core Knowledge Sequence and offers a nurturing environment as well as individualized instruction to ensure your little one is ready for Kindergarten? Then, our preschool is the right place for your student! Please click here for preschool enrollment information.
History and Facility
Driven by their desire to provide a choice in educational programs for their children, parents in Douglas County, Colorado, came together and created a vision for BFA in the winter and spring of 2010. BFA opened its doors for instruction at its new facility on September 6, 2011 for preschool through sixth grade. Since then, both its student body and facility have grown. BFA now serves students in preschool through eighth grade.
BFA’s facility is a modern two-story building of about 84,500 square feet with about 47 classrooms, including two preschool classrooms. We have two state-of-the-art technology labs, including one with a dedicated robotics space; well-equipped science rooms as well as an elementary science lab; a robust library staffed with a full-time librarian; both a smaller, and a full-sized gym for PE and middle school sports; a large art room with tons of natural light and a kiln; and, a big music room with plenty of space for creative expression and instruments. The school also offers a a climbing wall, plenty of playground space (with some of that space dedicated to our younger kiddos), as well as a large stage, complete with sound system and performance-quality lighting.
In addition to these features, BFA has an outdoor classroom, beautiful planter boxes for learning about gardening, a middle school commons, and a turf field on the playground. BFA’s classrooms are equipped with audio enhancement capabilities for improved instruction, and teachers use the whiteboards installed in each classroom with iPads and/or Chromebooks to further engage the students.
BFA continues to invest in its students and programs, consistent with our original vision for the property, so we can fulfill our mission and vision. As America’s founding father and inspiration for BFA’s name, Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”