Express Check-In (E Check-In) for the 2026-27 School Year

Launches: 8 a.m. July 22 | Deadline: 3 p.m. July 31

Express Check-In (ECI) is a required annual process for all Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) families. Parents/guardians must complete a separate check-in for each K-8 BFA student.

Why is Express Check-In So Important?

This online process is your primary opportunity to review, update, and confirm vital information before the school year begins.

During E Check-In, you will:

• Update emergency contacts, phone numbers, and critical student health conditions.

• • Emergency contacts are independent for each K-8 student. Make sure to update for each child when you complete their check-in.
• Verify communication preferences to ensure receipt of vital school and district emails and texts messages, including updates about weather-related closures.
• Make Media Elections: Year-long Opt-in or Opt-Out media preferences.⚠️
• Review Policies: Confirm receipt of district and BFA-specific policies.

⚠️ Important Note on Media Elections: The selections you make during E Check-In will remain in place for the entire 2026-27 school year and will not be changed later. Review our Media Release & Restriction webpage to make sure you understand the elections before you finalize them via E Check-In.  We have added a “No Social Media” option to help parents who want a slight modification.

📋 Important Details

• Deadline to Complete E Check-In: 3:00 p.m. Friday, July 31.
• Use a Computer: You cannot complete this process on a mobile device.  
• Time Commitment: It takes about 10–15 minutes per child. You can save your progress and return later if needed. Once submitted, however, you cannot return to make changes.
• Incentive: Families who complete for all K-8 BFA students by the deadline will:
  • Receive three volunteer hours!
  • Have access to K-5 teacher assignments and/or Middle School schedules on August 7.

🔑 Step-by-Step Access Instructions

To access the EngagED Parent Portal for E Check-In, you must use your Infinite Campus (IC) Parent Portal credentials.

Step 1: Know Your Credentials (New and Returning Families)

• Brand New to DCSD? If you completed Open Enrollment (OE) for your child, the username and password you created will automatically be activated the first week of July. These will become your IC credentials. If you did not complete the OE process for your child, look for a setup email from DCSD’s IT Support Center during the first week of July.
• Test that you can log in successfully before ECI starts. Follow Steps 2 and 3 below to access your EngagED Portal.
  • Forgot your username? Retrieve your username.
  • Forgot your password? Reset your password.

Step 2: Format Your Single Sign-On (SSO) Email

When logging in, you will be prompted for a single sign-on email. This is simply your IC username with @p.dcsdk12.org added to the end.

• Example: If your IC username is b_franklin, your single sign-on email is b_franklin@p.dcsdk12.org. Your password is your standard IC password.

Step 3: Log In and Complete

On July 22, log into the EngagED Portal to access E Check-In. (Note: If the page is titled “EngagED Parent Portal Login Process (Internal/External),” review the info and click “Proceed to Login”.)

🏠 Dual-Household Families (Primary vs. Secondary)

If your student lives in two different homes (e.g., parents/guardians live at separate addresses), Infinite Campus treats these as two completely separate households. For privacy and security, you will not see the other parent/guardian’s address, phone number, or contact info. 

Because of this system design, please note the following:

• Do Not Submit Information for the Other Parent/Guardian: Again, you can’t see their name, address, phone number, etc. Making unnecessary submissions creates duplicate data and slows down the system.
• Primary Household Role: The parent/guardian from the student’s primary household must complete E Check-In for the process to show as “complete.”
  Remember: The process needs to be completed for each BFA K-8 student.
• Secondary Household Role: The parent/guardian of the student’s secondary household should also complete E Check-In to review and update their own household-specific information, ensuring accuracy and receipt of school communications.

Questions or changes? If you need assistance establishing two households, please first complete E Check-In. Do not add the new household information yourself. Instead, email Colleen Bobbin, BFA’s Director of Admissions and Records, at cbobbin@bfacademy.org. 

🛠️ Need Technical Support?

If you cannot access the system or are experiencing login issues, please try the following resource links:

• Account Recovery:
  • Retrieve your username.
  • Reset your password.
• DCSD IT Support Center Guides:
  • Parent Tech Support – English
  • Parent Tech Support – Spanish
  • Parent Tech Support – Chinese
• Phone Support: Call the IT Support Center directly at 303.387.0001

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure a safe, accurate, and wonderful start to the school year!

Necessary Steps for the 2026-27 School Year

Complete DCSD Express Check-In (E Check-In): coming July 22.

Express Check-In ​is a required annual process for DCSD. BFA parents/guardians must complete a separate check-in for each K-8 BFA student in July.  See the “Express Check-in” Tab for full details.

School Supplies

We ask our parents/guardians to provide a backpack (or similar), lunchbox (if needed) and a daily water bottle for their own student(s).  Any necessary school supplies are included in our annual student fees and BFA orders those supplies for our teachers and students.

Parents/Guardians may be required to purchase supplies for grade/class projects throughout the year.  Teachers will notify parents in their weekly newsletters with information when needed.

Attend BFA Annual Lightning Launch – August 11 & 12

Please join us on August 11 & 12 for our Annual Lightning Launch. Students will get their annual individual school pictures, Volunteer Fair with our School Committees, school medications can be check in and families can review our Carpool procedures.

Tuesday, August 11

Families with last name beginning M-Z
Hours: 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.. Please expect to stay for about 30 minutes.  Doors will close 30 minutes prior to the end.

Wednesday, August 12

Families with last name beginning A-L
Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Please expect to stay for about 30 minutes.  Doors will close 30 minutes prior to the end.

Complete Online Express Check-In, pay any student fees and complete all required forms before coming to Lightning Launch.

When you come to BFA, make sure to:

• Be ready to SMILE! Student photos will be taken. Check out MJ Thomas Flyer for picture ordering information.  Students should wear a BFA uniform shirt. (No parent pictures as this is now done at the Front Office.)  Students who miss will have a Picture Make Up day.
• Current families DO NOT need to bring in their carpool tag this year–but please keep it to use during the upcoming school year as it’s a helpful part of the carpool process, along with the PikMyKid app. New families will receive a tag, and should allow extra time to learn about BFA’s drop-off/pick-up processes.
• Bring student medications and completed required health forms from DCSD Express Check-In with parent and physician’s signature.
• Visit our Volunteer Fair to see how you can get involved
• Spirit Wear and Used Uniform Sale

PTO will be there to purchase BFA logo apparel, Used Uniforms and Spirit Wear

CEC will be available to learn about volunteer opportunities.

SAC will be available to learn about volunteer opportunities.

STEM will be available to learn about volunteer opportunities.

New BFA Parent/Guardian Orientation – August 13

Brand new BFA families are welcome to join us for an orientation from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, at BFA.

• Come learn more about BFA and how you can get more involved in our Community.
• Hear from our staff and teachers
• Learn about what your students will be doing this upcoming year.
• No RSVP is needed
• Children can accompany parents but it may be worthwhile to have something to keep their attention during the presentation
• A tour will follow the orientation presentation, for those who did not attend one previously.

Teacher Meet and Greet Open House*- August 14

K – 8 students (and parents) come to meet their teachers for an open house meet and greet..  Preschool Meet and Greet is through a sign up.

• Preschool parents will receive an email to sign up for a time to meet with the teacher. Please arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled time to ensure your student (and parents) gets their special one on one time with their new room and teacher.
• Elementary students will meet their homeroom teacher and get a chance to visit at their room.
• Middle School students will receive their locker information from their homeroom teacher and can begin to organize their lockers. Our Middle School teachers will be there to greet the students.

*As this is a day for our students to meet their new teachers, we ask you to refrain from visiting previous teachers’ rooms on this day.

First Day of School – August 18

K – 8 Back to School Nights & State of BFA – August 25 & 26

Every year, parents are invited to a Back to School Night to help them become better acquainted with the school, staff and information specific to their child’s grade level.

There will be 2 identical sessions for each classroom/grade level as well as the State of BFA, presented by our principal, Diana Simpson.  Information will be updated in our weekly newsletters.

• Grades K-4: Back to School Night from 6 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
• Grades 5-8: Back to School Night from 6 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Middle School Electives 

Middle School Electives Selection took place in May.  Newly enrolled middle school students will have an opportunity to make elective selections after enrollment at BFA is finalized. Please see our Electives webpage for more information.

Middle School Schedules available August 7 (Returning Students Only)

Parents/Guardians who complete Express Check-In by July 31 for EACH K-8 student, can access Middle School Schedules starting August 7 through their Infinite Campus (IC) Parent Portal.  Instructions for accessing it will be emailed to parents.

Returning students class schedules will be able to see their schedules by visiting Infinite Campus Parent Portal by 5:00 p.m. If your student is new to BFA this year, their schedules will be available after the Math Placement testing on August 14.

Middle School Math Placement Testing for Brand New BFA Students – August 14

On Friday, Aug. 14, middle school students new to BFA will complete math placement testing for the 2026-27 school year. Details including how to sign up, will be emailed to parents closer to August.

Teacher Meet and Greet & Locker Move-In – August 14

Students and Parents come to visit their teachers.  Middle School students will get locker information from their homeroom teacher and can begin to organize their lockers.  Our Middle School teachers will be there to greet the students.

As this is a day for our students to meet their new teachers, we ask you to refrain from visiting previous teachers’ rooms on this day.

• Students with Medication needed during school hours can drop off medication and forms during this time.

• Locker Sizes at BFA: We have 1/2 sized lockers stacked. Each individual locker measures 18 in height by 12 in width.  Most locker kits will fit, but some students may need help. Have your student ask a teacher for help.

Elementary School Teacher Assignments – August 7

Parents/Guardians who complete Express Check-In by July 31 for EACH K-8 student, can access K-5 Homeroom Teachers after August 7 through their Infinite Campus (IC) Parent Portal. This information will be posted by 5:00 p.m.  Instructions for accessing it will be emailed to parents.

Homeroom Teacher Meet and Greet Open House – August 14

Students and Parents will meet their homeroom teachers.  Drop in during these times to see classrooms, have a brief chat with their teacher.  As this is a day for our students to meet their new teachers, we ask you to refrain from visiting previous teachers’ rooms on this day.

Students with Medication needed during school hours can drop off medication and forms during this time.

Kindergarten First Day of School and BooHoo/Yahoo – August 18

• Kindergarten students also begin on Tuesday, Aug. 18, but for the first day of school ONLY, morning and full-day kindergarten begins at 9:00 a.m; afternoon kindergarten starts at the regular time (12:30 p.m.).
• Students should wear their Formal Uniform, which is a navy polo with the BFA logo and tan pants, shorts, skirt or a skort.
• Parents should plan on walking their students into school for a story and stay for our traditional CEC BooHoo/YaHoo social event. (The BooHoo/Yahoo event also will be held around 12:45 p.m. for our afternoon parents.)
• Parents who plan on walking their student in, must get a visitor badge from the front office.  Parents can come during Lightning Launch or Teacher Meet and Greet to get pre-scanned or come between 8:30 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. (or 12:00 p.m. to 12:25 p.m.) on August 18.
• Please note:  This event is intended for parents/guardians only and is not open to additional adults or siblings.

Preschool Teacher Meet and Greet  – August 14

Parents will receive an email to sign up for a time to meet with the teacher.  Please arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled time to ensure your student (and parents) gets their special one on one time with their new room and teacher.

As this is a day for our students to meet their new teachers, we ask you to refrain from visiting previous teachers on this day.

Students with Medication needed during school hours can drop off medication and forms during this time.

First Day of School – August 18 & 19