Dear Franklin Families,

I hope that you had a wonderful and relaxing spring break! It was great to see all of your children back at school this Monday!

The next time you are on campus, please take a moment to check out the 3 beautifully designed and built benches on our yard near the staff parking lot. We are so thankful and grateful for Franklin alumnus and current Samohi student, Alicja Morawiec, who chose this for her Eagle Scout Service Project for BSA Troop 223G. We are all loving hanging out and relaxing on the 3 benches that artistically illustrate all of our 9 Franklin Core Values – Lucky Us! 
See below from Alicja, as she describes her dedicated and admirable journey;  “An Eagle Scout Service Project is the final step that a Scout takes before they are able to become an Eagle Scout, or “graduate.” It’s an act of service meant to give back to their community. For me, I chose Franklin Elementary School as my beneficiary. During my time in Scouts, I’ve been to many other Eagle Projects, ranging from planting trees, bushes, or flowers, to building rabbit houses, flower boxes, or picnic tables. So, when Ms. Burton responded, saying she’d love to have Benches with the Franklin Core Values painted on, I was immediately excited. Involving some creative component to this Eagle Project was one of the reasons I had such a great time planning, painting, and building these benches. It took some time for me to plan, design, and complete the required documentations and workbook, as well as receive approval from my Troop. Once it finally was approved, I hosted two workdays at Franklin to sand the wood, paint the base layer, and paint the clouds, kites, and lighting bolt. At home, I painted the lettering, little keys, and topped it off with a weatherproof varnish. Then on my third workday we assembled the three benches. I hope all the students at Franklin Elementary School enjoy them, as much as I enjoyed building them. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to give back to school and community!”  

We have tremendous gratitude for Alicja!

Our Multicultural Fair, one of the most joyful events of the year, is coming on Thursday April 23rd! With 25+ countries represented by Franklin families, we can travel the world in one evening on the blacktop by visiting tables from Australia to Uzbekistan, sampling delicious food, and learning about the traditions that make our school community so special. There will be exciting performances to watch and join in, like taekwondo board breaking, lively Zorba dancing, and the cultural fashion parade, plus a raffle with fun prizes generously provided by our community businesses.  What truly makes this event magical is that it’s created directly with love by our own families. It’s a rare chance for kids to see classmates’ cultures come to life in a really joyful event.

Also, Ms. Pickett and I are very excited and nervous to be showcasing the “Are You Smarter Than an Elementary School Principal/Assistant Principal?” Quiz with our Franklin student rivals!  Please come cheer us on!!

Fondly, 
Natalie R. Burton