Sarah Harrell

Student Support Coordinator

504 Coordinator

K-4th Grade Learning Specialist

English Language Development Teacher

Phone: 720-383-4519 ext. 3225

Sarah Harrell is a Colorado native and received her B.A. from CU Boulder.  After working with students of all ages for several years in a variety of settings including residential treatment facilities and charter schools, she decided that she most enjoyed working with struggling students.  Sarah received her Literacy Intervention Specialist certificate from Colorado College.  She then went on to attain her M.Ed in Special Education. She works as one of the Learning Specialists as well as the 504 Coordinator and ELD teacher.

She and her husband, David, have two college-age sons, D.C. and Xavier. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, traveling anywhere, reading, hiking, spending time outdoors, and watching Xavier play football. She also loves to volunteer with RezDawg Rescue.

Sarah Russell

Speech Language Pathologist

Sarah Russell is an accomplished Speech Language Pathologist who graduated with her Masters degree from the University of Colorado and Undergraduate degree from Miami University.  She has always wanted to work with children and help them improve their communication skills.  Sarah’s experience covers many settings including schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and Purdue University as an associate professor.  After taking a few years off from her career to spend time with her three amazing young children and wonderful husband. Sarah is excited to be part of the BFA team!! As a fun fact, Sarah attended school in Michigan as a child, and for 8 years wore the same plaid as the students at BFA! What a coincidence!!

Hugh Redford

School Psychologist

Angela Bond

Intervention Specialist: Gifted Education Facilitator

Katie Murphy

Gifted and Talented Specialist

Katie is starting her 23rd year of teaching. She has worked with students in grades three through five for most of her career and taught fifth grade for thirteen years. This upcoming year will be her eighth year as the Gifted and Talented Education Specialist at Ben Franklin Academy, her seventh year as the DCSD Gifted Charter School Lead, and her fifth year coaching volleyball. Teaching is her passion, and she loves every minute she spends helping students meet their academic potential.

Katie has a Bachelor’s degree in Painting from the University of Missouri Kansas City, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver, a Master of Science in Special Education from Western Governor’s University, and her Gifted and Talented Specialist endorsement from Regis University.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Katie moved to Colorado in 1999. She lives with her husband, Patrick, and their three children, Lillia (sophomore in college at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago), Aidan (11th grade at MVHS), Charlie (8th grade at BFA), and their dog, Stella, in Castle Pines. Katie spends most of her free time keeping up with her very active children. She also loves to spend time knee-deep in a great book, walking her dog on the beautiful trails throughout Colorado, or planning her family’s next vacation to a National Park. Her goal is to visit all 63 National Parks. Katie and her husband also enjoy gardening–she takes care of the flowers, and he’s in charge of the vegetables. As a family, they enjoy being outdoors, family game and movie nights, trips to the mountains, skiing, and visiting her family in Wisconsin.

Faculty Favorites

• Website: Link

Erin Atkins

Middle School Moderate Needs Teacher

Becky Archunde

Occupational Therapist

Ellen Cain

Literacy Interventionist

READ Act Coordinator

This past school year Ellen completed her tenth year working with elementary-aged students in the Douglas County Charter School system. Prior to her Charter School experience, Ellen began her career working for a major test-prep company, where she prepared students for college, grad school, and medical licensure.  When not on the sidelines watching her kids play sports, Ellen can be found hiking, biking, snowboarding, or READing!

Paulette Graves

Literacy Specialist

Mrs. Graves was an Elementary Education Teacher for 17 years in Michigan. She has a B.S. Michigan State University and her masters from Oakland University. She has experience in most elementary grades; she taught second, third, and fourth grades primarily and one year of kindergarten. Her hobbies include needlework, golf and watercolor painting.

Tracy Pierce

Second Step Coordinator

Tracy is thrilled to join the eighth grade team for her third year at Ben Franklin Academy.  Tracy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in both Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s Degree in Education from University of Colorado at Boulder. 

Tracy grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago, visiting Colorado often, and finally moving to Denver after college.  She has a wide variety of teaching experience that ranges from traditional classrooms to directing an overnight camp to homeschooling her own children in an RV for seven months while traveling the country.  

Faculty Favorites

Jackie Losasso

Special Education Paraprofessional

Jackie has worked as an ISS para for several years in Douglas county.  She received her college degree from University of Northern Colorado.  She has worked with various special needs populations over the past 30 years.  Jackie lives in Highland Ranch with her husband and her dog Layla.  She has two adult children, a son and a daughter.  Jackie calls herself an energizer bunny; she enjoys yoga, weight lifting, and speed walking.  She has a unique passion for working with students, and receives tremendous joy from working with BFA students.

Michelle Ziegler

Student Support

Emily Pitrone

Behavior/Learning Specialist