Student Arrival and Dismissal
Student Health and Wellness
Communication at BFA
- Principal Simpson’s weekly newsletter is sent out via email every Thursday during the school year. You can find back issues here.
- The BFA website is the central hub for news, calendars, policies, teacher webpages, committee webpages and essential quicklinks for absence/attendance reporting, lunch, payments and volunteer management. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the website!
- BFA has a public Facebook page and posts various announcements and pictures throughout the day.
- Teacher websites, newsletters and blogs ensure you stay abreast of all the happenings inside your student’s classroom.
- The Ben Franklin Academy app offers quick access to all the information you need from your mobile device, and if you enable notifications, you’ll also receive helpful reminders throughout the year. The app is available on IOS and Android devices–download it today!
- Be sure to follow our Instagram account, BFAmazing, to see what is happening every day. You never know who might pop up on the ‘gram!
- Additional communications will be sent routinely to Middle School and Preschool families.
- And, there are two Facebook pages run by BFA parents that can be helpful. They are not official BFA pages, so if you have a policy or calendar question, you should reach out to someone at BFA; however, they can help you connect with other BFA families in an informal way or even find used uniforms to purchase. There is a Buy and Sell Facebook page and Friends of Ben Facebook page. Additionally, some grade levels have their own Facebook page–contact your Room Parent or ask other parents in the classroom for more information.
School Uniforms
Absence Reporting
Click here to view the webpage with instructions on how to report an absence.
Student Fees, School Supplies & Payments
Families new to the Douglas County School District (DCSD) should set up a MySchoolBucks (MSB) account after July 1. Annually, all families should verify their students information is correct in (MSB). Families with existing accounts may need to add their students (new enrollment or incoming Kindergarten). Parents will use their MSB account to pay for lunch, field trips and spirit wear throughout the year. Visit the Payments page for instructions on how to set up your account and/or add a new student.
Annual Student Fee amounts will be specified in Back-to-School communications.
Again, parents DO NOT need to purchase individual school supplies each August.
**If there are Parents/Guardians who need financial assistance with the supply fee, they can contact our Business Manager, Halsley Hoff.**
Lunch
Douglas County Nutrition Services (DCNS) provides lunch at our school. See our lunch webpage for more information. You also can visit the Nurtrislice website and choose Ben Franklin Academy to view the lunch menu.
If you would like to apply for free or reduced lunches, please click here.
In the 2022-23 school year, the prices for lunch at BFA are as follows:
- Meal: $3.75
- Double: $2.50
- Milk: $1.25
Calendar
You can access the event calendar and the academic calendar from the primary navigation bar on the main BFA webpage. In addition, you can print off a PDF version of the academic calendar if you go to the forms webpage (click on forms at the top of the page).
Volunteering
Volunteerism is a fantastic opportunity to connect with other parents, teachers and support your student; as such, it’s an important component of our success at BFA. See our volunteer webpage for additional information about opportunities and how to log your hours.
BASE and Summer Camp
BFA’s Lightning Bolt Before/After School Enrichment (BASE) program serves BFA children and parents by providing a safe, enriching, convenient, and affordable school-age childcare program. Our on-site program features indoor and outdoor activities that keep your child engaged and safe while giving them plenty of time to work on their homework. A perfect fit for working parents or parents who need additional time before or after school, BFA’s Lightning Bolt BASE program provides safe alternative for school-aged childcare.
Parent Portal Password
There are two important steps parents need to complete before the start of every school year for K-8 BFA student(s):
- Mid-summer you will go online to complete Douglas County School District (DCSD) Express Check-In; and
- Before school starts, your family will complete BFA Annual Family Check-In, in-person at BFA.
Additional details about these processes will be in future communications, but there is an important step you can take TODAY to make sure Check-In goes smoothly.
DCSD Intra-District Transfers and/or Former DCSD Families:
Parents who have had students at other DCSD schools should have a Parent Portal username and password already. (You used them to complete Open Enrollment.) Please take the opportunity NOW to make sure you remember it by logging into the EngagED Parent Portal. If you’re successful, you’ll be able to login when Express Check-In opens. If you can’t login, please email BFA’s registrar, Colleen Bobbin.
New DCSD Parents:
Parents who have never had a K-12 student in a DCSD school created a Parent Portal username and password when completing Open Enrollment for their child(ren). On or after July 1, you can make sure you remember it by logging into the EngagED Parent Portal. If you’re successful, you’ll be able to login when Express Check-In opens. If you cannot, Colleen Bobbin can help you reset your account after July 1.