Franklin Center

The Bridge Newsletter

January 5th, 2023

Student Reunion Basketball Tip-off is THIS Saturday!


This Saturday, January 7th, from 5:30-7:00 pm is our Student Reunion Basketball Tip-off! You won't want to miss the basketball game, pizza, games, and a chance to hang out with the Franklin Center Community! All former and current students, clients, participants, families, and staff are invited! Not interested in playing basketball? No worries! Come and cheer on your peers and enjoy other games and pizza in the community room!

RSVP Today!

Tuition Assistance



Beginning Tuesday, January 10th, we are accepting tuition assistance applications through Blackbaud for the 2023-24 school year. Please note: Since Blackbaud Financial Management is a new module for us this year, those who submit an application should sign up as a "new user" and use Franklin Academy instead of a school code.


The deadline for applications is Friday, Feb 17, 2023. You will be asked to submit income and tax information for 2022, so we encourage you to file your 2022 taxes at your earliest convenience. Incomplete applications or those not containing verifying documents may not be considered.


For technical questions regarding the Blackbaud online application, please contact: 1 (800) 360-8027 or financialaidsupport@blackbaud.school

COMING UP

January 7th

Student Reunion Basketball Tip-Off

January 13th

Coffee and Convos

January 16th

No School

No Therapy Services

No Activity Day

January 30th

Session three clubs begin

View the 2022-2023 Year at a Glance Calendar on our Parents' Page

Live Calendar

Franklin Academy's Family Corner

Holiday Party



A BIG thank you to Franklin Center parents Danny Della Lana and Steve Hall for the fantastic holiday party they hosted at their beautiful home! From the amazing food to the festive atmosphere- everyone had a ball!

Annual Fund


Good news, our triple match has been extended!!! When you donate through January 31st, your gift will still be tripled! So far, we have raised $162,076 toward our goal of $305,000. Donate today and join us in transforming lives.

Triple Your Gift Today!

Coffee and Convos



Franklin Center's Coffee and Convo events provide a fun way to get to know other parents or caregivers in our community. Held on the second Friday of each month after drop off (around 8am), parents and guests can stop in for coffee and breakfast treats (often made by our students in the culinary science class) to mingle and get to know one another better. Events are held in our beautiful community room at Franklin Center. Come join us!

Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA)



Franklin's own GSA is starting soon! Student-led and staff-advised, GSA is an opportunity for high school students to build community around issues impacting them. Learn more here.


Questions? Feel free to email gsa@franklinmn.org

Classroom Highlight: Foundational Reading

By Kaari Erickson


Over the past few months in Foundational Reading we have been getting in the swing of our reading groups where we explore a different book each week. These groups allow us to practice our comprehension, vocabulary and discussion skills. We have enjoyed reading aloud The Hobbit where we get whisked away to magical lands of dwarves, goblins and dragons. We look forward to seeing if Bilbo and his companions can retrieve the lost treasure! Before winter break we took some time to get into the season when we did some silly holiday MadLibs and the reading class even turned into a winter ornament “workshop” during Privilege Day!

Sick Policy


It's that time of the year again. With flu season among us, many parents question whether their child's symptoms are enough to keep them home from school. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, they should not attend school in-person regardless of vaccination status:

  • Fever (100 or more)
  • Muscle pain
  • Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Runny nose or congestion
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Fatigue


For more information follow this link to view our Sick Policy.

Book Club


The Franklin Center Book Club recently celebrated the holiday season with a lovely lunch and cookie exchange at the home of Beth Malloy. Do you love to read? Join us! The club is open to all Franklin Center parents and caregivers.


For more information, contact Maureen at maureen.maher@franklinmn.org.


Franklin Enrichment

Owls' Nest 


Owls' Nest is provided before and after school during the following hours:

7:00 am-8:00 am, 3:10 pm-5:00 pm. As a reminder, with winter weather and it getting darker earlier, please call (952) 737-6922 to have your student released from Owls' Nest.


Owls' Nest tuition billing occurs via Blackbaud or SmartTuition and is completed on the 1st of the month for the previous month, i.e. January 1, 2023 for December 2022.

Clubs 


Session Three clubs will begin the week of January 30, 2023. Registration is open now! If clubs are cancelled due to low enrollment, you will be notified on Friday, January 20, 2023 by 10 am. Clubs with waiting lists are: MS/HS Minecraft Club (Mondays).


If you have any questions, please reach out to Amber Trapp, Enrichment Program Manager, at amber.trapp@franklinmn.org or (952) 737-6925.


LS/MS/HS Third Session Clubs

Activity Days


Activity Days are scheduled for the week of February 21-24, 2023. To register, log into your Blackbaud account. For Activity Days, Owls' Nest is available for an additional fee and the hours are from 7:00-8:00 am and 3:10-5:00 pm.


If you have any questions, please reach out to Enrichment Program Manager, Amber Trapp, at amber.trapp@franklinmn.org or (952) 737-6925.


Activity Day Flyer

Letters From Leaders

Kim Snow, Executive Director



Happy New Year! I want to start with a big thank you for your confidence and support as I step into the role of permanent Executive Director.  I am honored and excited for the opportunity to lead Franklin Center.  We are at a pivotal moment to expand on our great foundation and support our mission to transform the lives of the neurodiverse community through holistic academic, social, emotional, and mental health services.


In the past six months, I have listened and learned a great deal about Franklin Center, our programs, and our dedicated staff.  I have learned that we do many things extremely well and that we have areas of opportunity driven in large part by our rapid growth.  Over the next several months, we will begin updating our long-term strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Trustees.  As we learn, we will build a model of continuous improvement that will likely create changes in how we do things.  This process will happen over time, not over night. We will communicate with you throughout the journey, so you can have confidence and understanding of our objectives and desired outcomes.  


Again, I want to thank you for this opportunity.  I look forward to coming to Franklin Center each day to see the smiling faces of our students as they interact with their friends, teachers and behavior therapists.  Our future's so bright!  I look forward to what 2023 and beyond have to offer our Franklin Center community.


All my best,

Kim

Audra Williams and Kerry Brown

PTO Co-Chairs

k.amsbry.brown@gmail.com

williams.audra@gmail.com

Kim Snow

Executive Director

kim.snow@franklinmn.org

Kim Strandemo

Academy Principal

kim.strandemo@franklinmn.org