The Wood Smethurst Student of the Month for December is Senior, Mackenzie James. Mackenzie is well-known to strike up conversations with peers, teachers, prospective parents, and faculty members on a myriad of topics. She always has a bright smile and chipper attitude inside and outside the classroom. Mackenzie is a member of many BFA clubs and activities including the Student Ambassadors, and she has been an Open House Tour Guide for two years. Mackenzie is also graduating a semester early; her final semester at BFA was the 2025 Fall Semester. While we are sad to see Mackenzie go, we are, of course, excited to see all the places she'll go and wonderful things she will do! Congratulations, Mackenzie!

Dear Ben Franklin Community,

As we reflect on this season of giving, we are deeply moved by the generosity and compassion shown through this year’s Angel Project. Together, we embraced the opportunity to support a family - a mother and her six children - who had recently experienced homelessness and were finally able to move into stable housing with the help of Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry.

When we learned that this family had virtually none of the essentials needed to set up a home, our BFA community responded with new clothing for all the children, household items of every kind, and all the basics that help transform an empty apartment into a place of comfort and dignity. From paper towels and cleaning supplies to kitchen dishes, bedding, and more, you ensured that no detail was overlooked.

When we delivered these gifts, we witnessed firsthand the impact of your kindness. The family’s joy was truly heartwarming. A seven-year-old daughter lit up when she saw her new pink and white athletic shoes, exclaiming, “New shoes… I’ve never had my own new shoes.” Her nine-year-old brother proudly led us to his room, where he had received a desk from the Furniture Bank, and asked if he could fold his new clothes and place them neatly in the drawers. These moments - small to us, life-changing to them - are a testament to the difference you make.

We may be a small school, but we do big things. Big things that matter. Big things that reflect who we are and what we value. Your generosity has not only provided a family with stability and hope but also reminded them—and all of us—of the strength of a caring community. As we move forward, we are hoping to supply the family with a washer and dryer and would greatly appreciate contributions toward that effort.

Thank you for giving so abundantly and for embodying the true spirit of the season. We are grateful for each of you and proud to be part of a school that leads with heart.

With appreciation,

Jan Bedol

Asefeh Hemmati

What an incredible 38 years it has been! As we celebrate the history of Ben Franklin Academy, we would like to thank everyone for their contributions to our success. We are immensely proud of our faculty, staff, students, and the supportive community we have built at BFA.

In honor of Ben Franklin Academy's birthday, we invite you to give to our Annual Fund. Please click HERE to give to Ben Franklin Academy today. Help us achieve our common goals, honor the past, and celebrate the future!

BFA will host Open Houses on Wednesday, November 12, and Thursday, December 5. We welcome prospective families looking for this school year or next school year to come by and tour our campus anytime between 5-6:30 PM. RSVP here if you are interested!

You are invited to the BFA Fall Play!

The Franklin Players Present a Workshop Performance of a New Play:

"Driving in Circles"

by Laura King

Tuesday, November 4th at 7:00 PM

Wednesday, November 5th at 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 6th at 4:30 PM

Tickets are free, but reservations are REQUIRED

Please contact the BFA Front Office to reserve your seats.

(404) 633-7404, bfa@benfranklinacademy.org

The Wood Smethurst Student of the Month for September, 2025, is Junior, Colin Pan. Colin joined BFA in the 2022-2023 school year as an eighth grader and has been working hard to excel in every subject ever since! Along with his excellent academic work, Colin is always friendly and polite to his peers. Colin is also a “cat whisperer” who is always patient with the two BFA cats even when they sit on his materials during class. Congratulations, Colin!

Join your fellow BFA community members on October 25, 2025 for Emory University's Homecoming 5K ! All BFA students, family members, and teachers are invited to participate in this fun community event.  We will have T-shirts for BFA participants that register before October 8. Click here to learn how to register.

Where: Emory University, 1946 Starvine Way, Decatur, GA 30033

When: October 25, 2025. The race starts at 8:30 AM. BFA's tent will be set up by 7:45 AM if you would like to stop by before the race.

BFA Registration Deadline (if you want a T-shirt): October 8, 2025

BFA will have a tent set up with snacks and drinks before and after the race. 

The walk/run will begin outside the Student Activity & Academic Center and will run through Lullwater Park. 

• $10 Early registration ends on September 30th
• $15 Late registration is from October 1st through Race Day. BFA Participants can use code EmoryRecWell2025 to avoid the late registration cost

We hope to see you there!

Every other Friday, when there isn’t a faculty meeting or special event, Club Advisor, Ryan Cottrill, spends his lunch time playing a variety of games with students in Game Club. A favorite BFA club, Game Club is a place for students to learn new games and skills, play old favorites, and spend time with their peers. Many BFA students are avid Chess lovers and can be found competing at Game Club, along with students learning brand new board games or playing longer campaign games like “Dungeons and Dragons.” While spending time learning how to play games, BFA students also spend this time learning and practicing many important life skills like patience and sportsmanship.

On August 21st and 27th, we welcomed parents and grandparents of BFA students on campus to meet faculty and staff for our Parent/Grandparent Nights. Thank you to everyone who attended!

The 2025-2026 school year is officially in session! The first day of classes took place on Tuesday, August 5. We were happy to welcome new and returning students to our campus.

Happy birthday 33rd, BFA! On November 11, we celebrate our commitment to supporting Atlanta teens find their love of learning and a caring community. We are immensely proud of all that our students and faculty have achieved this year, and we look forward to many more years of memories.

As the year concluded in remote learning, BFA students continued to excel with their academics. The College Board has recognized the following BFA students as AP Scholars in recognition of their achievements taking AP Exams this past spring.

AP Scholar - granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams

- Augie

- Maxwell

- Annie

- Erika

AP Scholar with Honor - granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams

- Sophia 

AP Scholar with Distinction - granted to students who receive an average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams

- Isabelle

- Ellie

- Preston

On August 1, 2020, BFA hosted our first-ever drive-thru commencement ceremony for our Class of 2020. Students and their families came to campus one at a time for the graduates to receive their diplomas and take a commemorative picture outside the Junior House. The BFA courtyard was full of decorations and BFA faculty as teachers cheered for each graduate and their families. We are so grateful to celebrate this momentous occasion as a community, and we can’t wait to see what our BFA graduates will do next as they continue on their own unique journey to success!

The school is busy making final preparations to open and welcome back students, faculty and staff the first week in August. Faculty and staff will start the new school year on Monday, August 3, with three days of pre-panning, and students will return on Thursday, August 6. Teachers are already hard at work with their training on the Blackbaud Learning Management Program, which should simplify communication among students, faculty, and parents. The LMS should make it easier to toggle back and forth between in-person and remote learning, if necessary. We must all be prepared for ongoing disruption in schools during this time of uncertainty. Please review Ben Franklin Academy's re-opening plans on our website here.

Earlier this month, BFA senior, Maxwell, was awarded a gold medal in fencing at the 2020 Junior Olympic Championships in Columbus, Ohio! Congratulations, Maxwell! We are so proud of your dedication and hard work both in and out of the classroom!

Dear Ben Franklin Academy Community:

We have reviewed the most recent recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the increase in the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).  While all the members of our community are following the directions for proper hygiene and are trying to practice social distancing, as possible within a small school, we realize that many are still anxious about being in classes with other students, albeit in small classes.  In response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Atlanta area and in response to the spike in student anxiety about being in group settings, we will move to remote learning to help protect the health of the school community.  Our teachers are prepared, as I described in my last letter, to communicate with each of their students daily by email, moving them through their individualized weekly, monthly, and semester plans. We are cancelling all sports, clubs, field trips, and activities, to include Drama, during this time.

Effective Monday, March 16, Ben Franklin Academy will move to remote learning for all of its students until after the April Break.  We will assess whether we should reopen the school for classes on April 13.  

The decision to transition to remote learning, cancel events, and offer telecommuting options is consistent with CDC guidelines to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and is consistent with closures that have already taken place by many of our peer schools. This seems to be the best decision to ensure that our entire community can feel safe in these uncertain times. We appreciate your commitment to Ben Franklin Academy as we move to remote learning to keep our students and faculty safe.

Sincerely,

Martha

Martha Burdette, Ph.D.

Head of School

Jonas, BFA senior, and Edward Ellis, an English and Philosophy teacher at BFA, attended the STAR Student and Teacher Luncheon this past Friday. We selected Jonas as our STAR Student of the Year based on his GPA, the rigor of his curriculum, and his SAT score. Jonas also takes courses in mathematics and physics at Emory and Georgia Tech. Jonas selected Edward as his STAR Teacher. We are proud to have Jonas represent our school in the community and look forward to seeing what his future will hold!

BFA students Harper (12th) and Sarah (11th) recently launched a new school newspaper, "The Spectacle"! They have been planning this project over the past year and were so excited to share the first issue with students and faculty last month. Harper and Sarah said that they wanted to create an outlet to showcase the writing and artistic talents of our students. "The Spectacle" includes teacher spotlights, a politics section, student highlights, updates on school happenings, a student and teacher birthday calendar, and, of course, Ben and Franklin! They also hope to include an alumni section in future issues. Students and teachers alike loved the inaugural September issue and are looking forward to seeing the next issue soon! We are so proud of Harper and Sarah's creativity and commitment to cultivating the BFA community.