November 6, 2023
November 6, 2023
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Mrs. Borcher’s 2nd grade classroom while they were working on their phonics lesson. Students worked on rhyme recognition, phoneme isolation, phoneme deletion & substitution, as well as segmenting & blending words. Having a deeper understanding of how letters, sounds, and words work will assist students in decoding accurately and developing automaticity in their recognition of words they have already deciphered. The ultimate goal is that, by developing these skills, students use less of their working memory to decode while they read and more of that working memory to comprehend what they read. It was great to see students following Mrs. Borcher’s lead as they had their hands out to “chop” words into their distinct sounds before “sliding” their hands to blend them together. I look forward to seeing our students using these strategies in practice as they read texts during their independent reading time.
Mrs. Jewell
Ben Franklin Principal
Family Survey
We need your help. At Ben Franklin Elementary, we have a team of teachers, coaches, and administrators dedicated to making Ben Franklin a better place to learn, better place to work, and part of a better community. This year, one focus of our school improvement team has been family engagement. Specifically, we are seeking your opinion on how we are doing with meeting student’s social and emotional needs, honoring students strengths/goals/talents, and valuing our families’ backgrounds & culture in our school community.
Please take two minutes to complete a short, six question survey to help us better understand how we are doing with family engagement. Our goal is to have 70% of families respond. The survey will close on November 20th. We thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Click here or on the image below to take the survey
Kind regards,
The Ben Franklin Family Engagement Team
VISITOR & VOLUNTEER PROCESS
As a reminder, if anyone is visiting our schools as a VISITOR or VOLUNTEER, this page on the Franklin website outlines the parameters for how individuals can enter our buildings. This page also includes the steps to follow for being a volunteer, including a background check. Individuals are encouraged to complete these steps early as the process can sometimes take a day or two for completion. We are very grateful for anyone who volunteers with us and helps in being part of a better community!
DRESS FOR THE WEATHER
Just a reminder that we seek every opportunity to get our students outside for fresh air during their school day. With the chilly temperatures forecasted this week, it is imperative that students come prepared for the weather. Our staff use their best judgment in determining whether or not a student is prepared to be outdoors, but this is not a confrontation our staff wants to be in with students who are yearning to run with their friends. Please send your child(ren) with appropriate attire. Here are some general guidelines for what we are looking for in regards to outdoor attire:
50-60 degrees: Long sleeves
40-50 degrees: Jacket
<40 degrees: Winter jacket, hat/mittens
FPS School Closure Information
As we begin to move into the winter months, we want to share with you how the district plans to handle School Closures if needed for any reason including, most commonly, “Snow/Cold Days.” The state of Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requires a minimum number of instructional minutes during the school year. Our current school calendar allows for one School Closure day across the district.
If we were to see subsequent closure days, FHS will need to adjust scheduling for the remainder of the school year in order to meet DPI requirements. If we experience more than three school closures at the elementary and middle school level we will communicate around further adjustments that may need to be made. Outlined below is what families can expect:
Closure #1 - 4K-12 no school, no virtual learning
Closure #2-3 - 4K-8th - No school, no virtual learning
9-12th grade - HS will communicate adjustments to accommodate instructional minutes per DPIClosure #4+ - The district will communicate any further changes that may need to take place district wide
BEN FRANKLIN FALL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE SIGN UP
Please click BF Parent Teacher Conference Sign up for important information regarding conferences. We will be holding conferences on Thursday, November 9th and Thursday, November 16th. Sign up today to secure your time slot. Thank you.
LOST & FOUND
Click here for items currently in the lost and found.
FALL SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
The Fall Scholastic Book Fair is NEXT WEEK and we NEED volunteers!!
If you’re interested in volunteering (and earning a punch for your punch card) please click on the link below to sign up for a time slot that works! Questions? Contact Nicole Stuebner at bfpto53132@gmail.com
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4CAEA62CA2F94-45180592-fall
CREATING AN EWALLET IS EASY
Click on our Fair's Homepage link below, look for eWallet, and add funds. Your child’s eWallet is ready to use immediately. It’s also flexible and robust, with features like:
KIDS CAN SHOP IN-PERSON AT THE FAIR
Or shop together with eWallet at The Scholastic Store Online.
ANYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO AN EWALLET
It’s perfect for spoiling grandkids, nieces, and nephews. It’s as easy as sharing your eWallet link with friends and family.
NOT A PENNY GOES TO WASTE!
After the Fair, your remaining eWallet balance becomes a gift card to shop online with Scholastic or to fund a future eWallet.
REWARD TEACHERS WITH EWALLET!
Ask your students' teachers if they have created an eWallet so families can contribute to help build classroom libraries. That way, there’s something new to read for every kid in class. Ask a fave teacher for their eWallet link and add funds to help them stock their shelves.
***IF YOU HAVE FUNDS LEFTOVER FROM OUR LAST BOOK FAIR, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL. SCHOLASTIC SHOULD HAVE SENT YOU AND EMAIL WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ADD REMAINING FUNDS BACK TO AN EWALLET!***
SAVE THE DATE
November 6th-10th - Fall Scholastic Book Fair
November 13th, Cousins Dining Night | 4-7pm | Franklin location (by Target & Pick-N-Save on Drexel)
BOOKMARK
Ben Franklin PTO’s LinkTree so all the info. you need it just a click away!
Stay informed about Activities, Events, Fundraisers, and more Ben Franklin PTO’s website!
FREE 4-PART WEBINAR: THINGS WE WISH GROWN UPS KNEW
Your AAH Student and Family Assistance Program is proud to present a free 4-part webinar series, Things We Wish Grown Ups Knew, highlighting current trends of school-aged children that impact both their academic and home-life. Please see attached flyer with descriptions for each webinar, and please share with your district families!
Please Note: All presentations will be on Tuesdays, offered at both 12:00pm –12:30pm and 6:30pm –7:00pm. Families can register for single presentations OR the entire series! These webinars will not be recorded, to preserve confidentiality of attendees.
COMING IN NOVEMBER: Let Me Do It By Myself. I Need Help!
Presented by She’Leah Fisher, MS, NCC, LPC
This presentation will focus on the developmental stages of children. Knowing these stages can help families understand when to allow age-appropriate independence and when to offer support.
Click on either of the above times OR email EAP.LiveWellBeWell@aah.org to register.
As always, to access our free, confidential SFAP services, parents &/or legal guardians can call us at 800.236.3231
SCHOOL INFORMATION
Parents, Guardians, and Staff are set to automatically receive our District and Building Newsletters. If you are a community member that would like to receive any of our newsletters, please complete our SUBSCRIBE FORM.
Email: Jennifer.Russell@franklin.k12.wi.us
Website: https://www.franklin.k12.wi.us/ben-franklin-elementary-school
Location: 7620 S 83rd St, Franklin, WI 53132, USA
Phone: 414-529-8270
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/BenFranklinElemFPS/posts