Ben Franklin March Newsletter
Next and last PTA meeting for this school year is April 4!
Join Ben Franklin Middle School PTA! Go to the Ben Franklin Website and click on Parent Teacher Association under the Quick Links. Our PTA meets every other month in the library at 5:30pm. Here are the dates:
Reminder to parents about morning drop off times:
AFTER SCHOOL REMINDER
We ask that parents make transportation arrangements for students who don’t ride the bus or have their own transportation to be picked up as close to 3:40 p.m. as possible. We lock all doors to the locker bays and academic wings at 3:50 p.m. every day. After 3:50 p.m. students will not be allowed to enter these areas.
Students are asked to wait in the foyer doors to be picked up and not be hanging around in the building after 3:50 p.m. unless they are involved in an after school activity.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION UPDATED IN POWERSCHOOL!
Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2022
Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2022 is open online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration on February 1, 2022. Your child must be age 5 by July 31, 2022 to attend school in the fall.
Registration is a two-step process:
STEP ONE: REGISTER ONLINE
STEP TWO: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION
Upload or bring the following documents to your child’s school by August 25 to finalize registration.
- Child’s certified birth certificate
- Child’s immunization record with 5-year shots
- Document (i.e. current city utility bill or bank statement) that includes parent/guardian name and current address for verification
If you do not know which school your child will attend, call 701.446.1043 or check online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/boundarymaps.
If you need help in PowerSchool (Fargo Public Schools online registration software), please call 701.446.1006
CONNECT & SUPPORT COUNSELING
Fargo Public Schools (FPS) is committed to our mission: Educating and Empowering All Students to Succeed. While school counseling services are always available in the buildings, additional clinical counseling is available to support the mental wellbeing of students and staff through the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. In partnership with Together Counseling, the Connect and Support Program provides counseling services for coping skills, wellness strategies, time management, family conflict, and stress reduction.
The Connect and Support Program is available to any K - 12 student or district employee and offers 30-minute tele-health sessions with a professional counselor before or after school or during an off-period. Sessions are customized to the needs of each client and are intended to be short-term, not exceeding ten sessions annually. The sessions are completely confidential and free of charge to Fargo Public Schools students and employees.
To set up an appointment, contact Tina, the Together Counseling Provider Relations Coordinator, at 701.404.0997 or tinaj@togethercounselinggroup.com.
Educating and empowering all students to succeed includes supporting and enhancing the social and emotional wellbeing of Fargo Public Schools students and staff. We are grateful to partner with Together Counseling to provide these services to our school family.
Donate to Friends of Ben Franklin!
The Ben Franklin Middle School PTA sponsors students’ field trips, special events, teacher appreciation items, and special classroom needs requested by teachers and staff. In order to support these needs, we must raise funds annually. Normally, we sell magazines or other goods, and the BFMS PTA gets part of the money raised, while the rest of the funds go to the fundraising organization. This year, we decided to take a more direct approach and ask for direct donations through this new link on SchoolPay. By donating to Friends of Ben Franklin, you send money directly to the BFMS PTA to be used at Ben Franklin or for programs supported by the school and its PTA. There is no “middle man” – no third-party fundraising organization to pay. All of your donated money stays with the school!
The BFMS PTA is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and your donations are tax deductible. Check with your employer to see if they match non-profit donations to double the benefit of your donation.
Donations to Friends of Ben Franklin will be accepted at any time throughout the year, and anyone can donate! You can find the links at the bottom of this page. The suggested donation amount is $10 per student, but please give as you are able. The small additional transaction fee at checkout comes from SchoolPay. Thank you for your help with this new program. Go, Wildcats!
To donate, go to https://sites.google.com/view/bfmsptafargo/home
ATTENDANCE 446-3610
Research shows that attendance is the SINGLE most important factor in school success.
FIRST STEP: Always call or send a note when your student will not be in school.
- A parent/guardian must call the attendance office to report a student absence by 9am. If no phone call is received, the student will need a signed note excusing them when they check in to attendance upon return.
- Students coming to school after classes have begun or who are returning to school after an appointment, must stop at the Attendance Office for a return slip. They need a signed note to check in unless we have already received a phone call.
- If you know in advance that your student will be absent, please send a signed note to attendance including student name, grade, date and time of absence, parent name and phone number and reason for absence.
- Absence for family vacation- A note needs to be turned in to the Attendance office prior to the absence. Students must arrange for homework before the absence. The students is responsible for makeup when they return to school.
SECOND STEP: Early release passes
- Students leaving during the day must pick up a release slip from the Attendance Office by 9am. Their signed note from home must include student name, grade, time of release, reason and phone number. Students will be excused to meet their ride at the time listed on the note. Parents do not need to enter the building.
- Any absence not verified by phone or note will be considered unexcused.
PARENTAL/FAMILY COMMUNICATION
Communicating with parents and families is always our goal at Ben Franklin Middle School.
You may subscribe to Ben Franklin's Newsletter and Daily Announcements on our website by going to “Content E-Alerts” on our website. Parents/guardians can sign up to receive alerts about new Daily Announcements, Newsletters, etc., for each school your students attend. E-Alerts are sent to users who have subscribed to a homepage or website section of interest. You will receive an email notification that content has been modified.
You may also want to add our school calendar to your personal calendar. This will help you stay informed about all the activities that are happening at Ben Franklin.
Ben Franklin Cycle Days Calendar
IMPORTANT CONTACT NUMBERS
Ben Franklin Main Office
Main Office - 446-3600
Shane Martin, Principal - 446-3604
Jennifer Olson, Assistant Principal - 446-3605
Cory Holten, Dean of Students/Activities Director - 446-3606
Jaime Dougherty, Administrative Assistant - 446-3607
Sue Berg, Office Assistant - 446-3608
Laura Jacobson, Activities Secretary - 446-3609
ATTENDANCE OFFICE
Ann Buerkley - 446-3610
COUNSELING OFFICE
Stacey Penoncello, Registrar/Secretary - 446-3611
COUNSELORS
Lannette Christmann (A-G) - 446-3612
Patti Bathie (H-N) - 446-3613
Sarah Klimek (O-Z) - 446-3614
STUDENT SERVICES
Jamie Benson- Student Wellness & Family Facilitator - 446-3666
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER
Officer Taylor Savageau, SRO - 446-3619
SCHOOL NURSE
Ellen Sondreal, School Nurse - 446-3640
NUTRITION SERVICES
Shelly Kosienski - 446-3717
Ben Franklin Middle School
Jennifer Olson, Assistant Principal
Cory Holten, Dean of Students/Activities Director
Website: https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/benfranklin
Location: 1420 8th Street North, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-3600