Staci Erbaugh
6th Grade
Staci Erbaugh is delighted to continue her teaching career at Ben Franklin Academy. Staci’s journey as a teacher started as a young child as she fondly remembers writing on the teacher’s chalkboard and playing school. Her passion for education and children led her to attend Colorado State University & The University of Colorado at Denver for her teaching license. This will be her ninth year in education.
In her free time, she loves spending time with her daughter, Jessica. Staci enjoys reading, hiking, yoga, photography, and playing tennis.
Staci feels grateful to join this community and the BFA family. She values the strong relationship between students, teachers, and parents. Staci’s goal is for students to become successful lifelong learners.
Faculty Favorites
Nicole Harms
6th Grade
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Nicole relocated to Colorado in 2004. Nicole has been teaching for 24 years. She started in a public school in the Chicago area, and then taught at a Core Knowledge charter school in Littleton.
She helped open Ben Franklin Academy and taught second grade until 2023. She recently transitioned into middle school where she currently teaches sixth grade social studies. Nicole graduated from Concordia Lutheran University with a bachelor’s in Elementary Education, specializing in English and Language Arts.
Her youngest is at Montana state and eldest lives in California. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys biking, going to concerts, skiing, and hiking. Most of all, Nicole loves to teach children. Nicole describes herself as a very open person and urges you to feel free to contact her.
Nicole is there for the parents and the kids: “Together we are a TEAM!”
Faculty Favorites
Allison Inman
6th Grade
Ms. Inman is delighted to return to Ben Franklin Academy as the 6th grade science teacher. Science is a passion of hers and she loves teaching!
After earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in Psychology with a Biochemistry minor she studied Pathobiology at the University of Arizona Graduate School and was involved in the journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology publication of Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in Oysters in the United States. Shortly thereafter she attended Arizona State University and completed an Elementary Education licensing program. Currently, she is working toward a Masters of Engineering in Systems Engineering through Colorado State University.
In her free time, Ms. Inman spends time in nature. She can be found hiking with her four children and rowdy goldendoodle in Colorado’s beautiful state parks.
Kevin Knudsen
7th Grade
kknudsen@bfacademy.orgKevin is excited to begin his ninth year of teaching. Kevin has been at BFA from the beginning and spent the first eight years in third and fifth grades. He joined BFA as a second career teacher, having spent the previous years in business. He looks forward to providing the education, leadership, and guidance to assist with each student’s present and future success. Kevin also coaches the girls and boys basketball teams.
Kevin graduated high school at Regis Jesuit. After high school, Kevin graduated from Colorado State University and later earned his master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix.
A Colorado native, Kevin lives with his wonderful wife, Sarah, and daughters, Chloe (age 10), Carly (age 9), and Charlotte (5) in Parker. Kevin looks forward to another great year at Ben Franklin Academy.
Faculty Favorites
Blaise Russell
7th Grade
brussell@bfacademy.orgBlaise grew up in Texas, but went to high school here in Colorado. After college in Texas, he spent the next 9 years living and teaching in Indonesia. During his time there, he taught from 1st grade all the way to 12th grade IB. In 2019, he and his family moved back to Colorado and began his teaching career here stateside. He is a husband and a father to an amazing little girl. In his free time, he loves powerlifting as well as any outdoor activity, and is a huge Star Wars nerd.
Faculty Favorites
Christine Svensen
7th Grade
Christine is excited for another great year at Ben Franklin Academy as the seventh-grade science teacher. Christine has taught middle school for over 20 years. She received both her BA in Psychology and her Teaching License from CU Boulder and her MA in Education Administration & Supervision from the University of Phoenix.
Christine has lived in Colorado her entire life. She enjoys staying active around Highlands Ranch as well as traveling to new places with her two daughters, who attend school at Mountain Vista High School and the University of Colorado in Boulder. She appreciates all that Colorado has to offer, including the parks and recreation, the mountains with skiing and boarding during the winter months, and hiking and paddleboarding during the summer months.
Christine is grateful to be part of the BFA community. She looks forward to meeting all of her students and helping them maintain a love for education.
Warren Astler
8th Grade
wastler@bfacademy.orgWarren Astler serves as the 8th-grade science teacher at Ben Franklin Academy, who is deeply passionate about science and STEM education. He brings a wealth of experience to his role, having spent 10 years as a third-grade teacher and 26 years as a middle school science and STEM instructor, including time as a STEM Director at various K-8 schools. Mr. Astler is dedicated to nurturing the curiosity and potential of his students and appreciation of science and STEM disciplines through engaging and innovative educational experiences.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Denver. He is endorsed as a Secondary Science Instructor by the State of Colorado, highlighting his expertise and commitment to education.
A native of Colorado, Mr. Astler enjoys traveling, going to movies, and outdoor activities such as golfing.
His deep appreciation and enthusiasm for the wonders of science and the impact of STEM education have the goal of inspiring and empowering his students, fostering a lifelong love of learning and discovery. His passion aims to encourage them to explore and understand the world around them.
Faculty Favorites
Jared Case
8th Grade
jcase@bfacademy.orgJared is excited to continue his teaching career at Ben Franklin Academy. He graduated from Hastings College as a student athlete in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and an emphasis in History. Jared is passionate about Social Studies and the pursuit of challenging students to embrace the subject to be able to better understand the present.
Lisa Dychus
8th Grade
ldychus@bfacademy.orgLisa is excited to return for her twelfth year at Ben Franklin Academy as the 8th grade math teacher. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Lehigh University and completed her Master of Arts in Teaching at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. As a teacher, Lisa aims to inspire her students to become critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. She incorporates real-world applications of concepts to help students appreciate the mathematics all around them. Prior to teaching, she put her problem solving skills to the test for 3 years as a civilian operations research analyst for the US Navy.
Originally from New Jersey, she enjoys spending time outdoors in all seasons and is thrilled to now call Colorado home. When she’s not in the classroom, Lisa plays ice hockey, spends time in the mountains hiking and skiing, and enjoys volunteering. She is an avid traveler and reader, both of which fuel her passion for learning new things.
Heather Salberg
8th Grade