Benton Weekly Update

Today is the official start to Semester 2. The Semester 1 report cards are being prepared for mail this week and you should receive them by next Monday. A new semester is a fresh start for students, a time to refocus on school, learning, and doing their personal best. There were a few schedule changes for the semester; students should confirm their schedules in PowerSchool.

We had a few retirements at the end of the last semester. We welcome our new Senior Custodian to Benton, Mr. John Medina, who comes to us from La Mirada High School. We also bid farewell to teacher Marla McDonough. We are pleased to welcome back Ms. Ojeisekhoba who will be serving as our long-term substitute in Ms. McDonough's class until we have hired a replacement.

Brrrrrr, we have a cold start to the new year. Students should dress warmly for the weather, including in P.E. class. Benton sweatpants and sweatshirts are available for purchase in the front office only. Unfortunately, our online webstore is not functioning at this time.

8th Grade Parents: each year in the yearbook, we feature a page with baby pictures of our 8th grade students. Now is the time to send a digital baby photo of your 8th grader to edegener@nlmusd.org. You only have a few weeks to submit those photos, do it now and be sure to include your student's name.

Congratulations to Benton's Mock Trial team who made it into the semi-finals of the competition. The Mock Trial Program is an academic competition in which over 2,500 high school and middle school students compete at the county level. Student teams study a hypothetical case, conduct legal research, and receive guidance from volunteer attorneys in courtroom procedures and trial preparation. The trial itself is a simulation of a criminal case, in which students portray lawyers, witnesses, court clerks, and bailiffs, thus acquiring a working knowledge of our judicial system while developing their analytical abilities and communication skills. Benton's Mock Trial Team is being recognized tonight at the La Mirada City Council Meeting.

Make it a great week!

Below are the students who successfully auditioned for parts in Benton's spring musical. Save the date: performances will be held on March 15, 16, 22, & 23.

• All students should bring their iPads daily, fully charged.
• Students should take a photo of their schedule and set that as the home screen on their iPads.
• Remind your student to keep their phone off and in the backpack. And unless directed to do so by the teacher, students should not wear earbuds on campus.
• Gum is not allowed at Benton, please leave it at home.
• Students encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle, fancy Starbucks drinks are not allowed on campus.
• Our blacktop/sports area opens 10 minutes after the start of lunch so that students eat their lunch first, then play.

Open Enrollment for NLMUSD is 12/1-1/31/24. Returning 6th & 7th graders do NOT need to resubmit an Open Enrollment application. 8th Graders transitioning to High School will need to submit a permit if you live outside NLMUSD or if you plan to attend a high school that is not your school of residence.

Looking for a great middle school? If you know of students who are interested in attending Benton next year, please refer them to the Choose Benton tab on our webpage or contact Principal Robin Ridgeway at rridgeway@nlmusd.org for a school tour.

Students will attend periods 1A-4A on Wednesday. This Wednesday, like all Wednesdays, dismissal is at 1:45pm.

Saturday School for students to recover an absence, get support with school work, and get caught up on assignments. Please turn in the permission slip to the office. Both breakfast and lunch are available.

The 23-24 Benton Yearbook is on sale now for $35 in the front office only, our webstore link is temporarily unavailable. You can purchase your copy now, Yearbooks will be distributed during the last week of school.

ENGLISH LEARNERS ADVISORY COUNCIL (ELAC)

Parents of students identified as English Learners are invited to participate on the ELAC. The ELAC provides advice to the School Site Council on the development of Benton's Single Plan for Student Achievement, the plan for improving the performance of English Language Learners.If you would like to serve on this body, please contact me or Ms. Alcala lalcala@nlmusd.org.

The PTSA is a huge support to students and Benton's programs, and we hope all families choose to join, support, and get involved at Benton. Join the Benton PTSA online at this link .

As you can see below, we have A Days and B Days. Students have periods 1A-4A on A Days, every Monday and Thursday, and periods 5B-8B on B Days, every Tuesday and Friday. On Wednesdays, we alternate between A Days and B Days.

Benton Middle School is a Visual & Performing Arts Magnet school. Follow us on Instagram @Bentonwolverines.

Email: rridgeway@nlmusd.org
Website: bentonms.org
Location: 15709 E. Olive Branch Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638
Phone: (562) 210-2500
Facebook: facebook.com/bentonmiddleschool
Twitter: @BentonPrincipal