Banning Lewis Academy Newsletter
Information for Kindergarten-12th Grade (November 19, 2021)
What's Happening at BLA!
Elementary School:
Happy Thanksgiving!
We appreciate everyone’s flexibility as we needed to covert to e-learning this last week. We are so proud of our staff and students for pivoting with us during this time. We look forward to getting back to in-person learning on the 29th.
We hope you enjoy this break and have a wonderful time with friends and family!
Prep-MS/ HS:
We hope all our students and their families have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break. Take time to rejuvenate, connect with family, and eat some delicious food!
December will be filled with many activities and classes will be preparing for finals week.
We look forward to seeing you on November 29th!
Letter From a Leader:
I introduced myself in the last Letter From a Leader so in this letter I’ll tell you a little about how I got into teaching in the first place, and how it has shaped my philosophy surrounding education.
I grew up in Washington state about 20 minutes from Puget Sound. Like many students who grow up near the ocean, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I was well on my way down that path at the University of Washington when a graduation requirement changed my career path. During my junior year I was required to do community service as a requirement for graduation and I chose to volunteer at a school for homeless children in Seattle. The children that attended this school had a myriad of issues standing in the way of them being successful in school, but with the help of supportive, caring adults many of them found educational success that had previously been elusive to them. Perhaps more importantly, the school provided a safe, structured environment that was missing in their current situations. This experience was transformative for me and after my community service stint was over, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher and work with kids instead of dolphins. (And, let’s be real, I probably would have been working with some strange plankton rather than a dolphins anyway!) I finished my Zoology degree at the University of Washington and then got my Master’s degree in education from Regis University and have never looked back.
I truly believe that education is the ultimate equalizer and up-lifter in society. Through education, students of all backgrounds have the opportunity to become adults who contribute meaningfully to society. It has always been my goal as an educator to help students overcome the roadblocks that stand in the way of their success and to aim for goals that might seem out of reach. As we head into Thanksgiving break, I reflect on how grateful I am to have been able to spend the last 22 years in a career that I not only love, but one that allows me to strive daily to make a difference in the lives of students.
Mrs. Athena Rehorst is happy to join the BLPA family as the Interim High School Principal. Mrs. Rehorst grew up outside of Seattle in Mill Creek, Washington. She attended school at University of Washington where she received a BS in Marine Zoology. While doing community service work during her junior year, Mrs. Rehorst decided that she wanted to be a teacher instead of a researcher. She moved to Colorado and received her M.Ed. from Regis University. She taught 5th grade for one year at Remington Elementary and then spent the next 18 years teaching middle school math, science, and technology, first at Divine Redeemer and then at Carson Middle School. She then took the leap to high school and was the Dean and MTSS Coordinator at Rampart High School for the next 3 years. Mrs. Rehorst is married and has two daughters. Her oldest is a sophomore at St. Olaf in Minnesota and her youngest is a freshman at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. In her free time she loves to travel, read, and be outdoors!
Winter Weather is Coming!
We are approaching the winter season when delays and cancellations begin to happen. Here is what to know:
- We follow D-49. If they call a 2 hour delay/cancellation, BLA will as well.
- BLA will send out an email, text blast, alert news stations, & post on Facebook, in addition to FlashAlert (instructions below)
- Create a new account
- Choose Colorado Springs/Pueblo
- Go to Private/Charter schools
- Choose Banning Lewis Academy
Finish the Semester Strong!
Parents, Please Join Us on the SAC!
The School Accountability Committee (SAC) is a group of BLRA and BLPA parents, teachers, and administrators who discuss topics mandated by the State of Colorado: review school performance and improvement plans, approve BLA’s use of Mill Levy tax funds, and make recommendations to the School Board for budget priorities. We meet bi-monthly and it's open to all. Please join us this year.
Next meeting is December 13 at 6:00 pm. Find info here:
Banning Lewis Academy
Email: info@blracademy.org
Website: https://blracademy.org
Location: Banning Lewis Ranch
Phone: 719-638-3040
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLRAcademy