Principal's Weekly Newsletter

Please be sure to follow me on X (Formerly Known As Twitter @BensonTechPride.) (X)

Please be sure to go to our PPS/BHS Website at www.pps.net/benson for important school information, events and school activities that will be happening throughout the school year. (PPS/Benson Tech Website Calendar)

Parents/Guardians please be sure to download the Trivory App for up to date information regarding Benson Tech. This is a great communication tool for Benson Tech and we highly encourage all parents/guardians and students to stay connected with the school by downloading the app. https://trivory.com/

(Trivory App)

Principal Wilson

Dear Benson Tech Community,

Thank you all for coming out and participating in Benson's 103rd Tech Show. The atmosphere was electric and the Benson Tech Staff and students really did a fantastic job in preparing for the Tech Show. Please be sure to Save the Date for April 22nd and 23rd 2027 for Benson's 104th Tech Show.

Principal Wilson

Greetings Benson Tech Families,

We hope you made it out to the school and enjoyed Tech Show last week. It was interesting to write about curriculum in last week's newsletter and then to see the day before Tech Show was our highest daily attendance since returning from winter break (despite a lot of students running around getting projects done). It was also refreshing to have a number of Seniors starting to come see me to make plans to raise their attendance for these final weeks leading up to attendance to get extra graduation tickets. Here is a look at how Benson's student body stands:

YTD attendance: 86.74% (including excused absences)

Regular attenders by grade level (90% or better attendance)

9 - 66.6%

10 - 59.9%

11 - 50.8%

12 - 34.38%

Joe Mitacek he/him

Vice Principal

Benson Polytechnic High School

Benson hosted and won the 2nd Annual PPS Construction Skills Competition on Friday April 17th. Christian Juan (12th grade), Jack Parker (11th), Henry Chaney (11th) and Chloe Alexander (10th) defeated teams from Cleveland, Grant, Franklin, McDaniel and Roosevelt. The students were tasked with building a pair of folding Adirondack chairs.

Huge thanks to the Benson Tech Foundation for sponsoring the 1st place prizes, and to Mortenson Construction for sponsoring the 2nd place prizes, and to both for assisting with judging the final products. Students worked furiously for nearly five hours in Room 138 using the cedar we milled and were given by Sutherlin HS on a field trip last month. It was so beautiful and encouraging to see students come together and work so hard for so long.

Luke Hotchkiss

Building Construction

Benson Polytechnic HS

Instagram: @bphs_construction

Kudos to our Clubs and Student Activities for Successful Fundraising at Tech Show

Congratulations are in order to the advisors, coaches and student leaders who organized a myriad of fundraisers to benefit their groups. Students demonstrated creativity in coming up with ideas, showed up with professionalism, and did the work to earn funds needed to sustain their groups. Thank you to everyone who came and supported their efforts.

Senior Clearance and End of Year Reminders

As we approach the end of the school year, please make sure that you have paid the PIL fees for sports this year. In order to complete clearance for graduation tickets, seniors need to have fees paid, uniforms returned, library books returned or lost books paid for, and the Chromebook and charger returned, in addition to other graduation requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the bookkeeper, sbryan@pps.net.

Sheli Bryan (she/her)

Bookkeeper

Benson Polytechnic High School

546 NE 12th Ave.

Portland, OR 97232

503-916-5100 ext. 88412

Parents/Guardians: As a reminder, cell phones and wireless listening devices are BANNED items on campus. As the sun has been coming out more, so have banned devices. Students who bring a cell phone/wireless listening device into the building (knowing its banned and can be confiscated), should keep the item in a bag or locker (i.e. out of sight).

Also please note that tablets and Meta Glasses are considered banned items as well.

Colleen Johnston

Dean of Students

Senior 60 Day Rule in Effect

On March 30th we will be 60 school days away from the graduation ceremony.

Any Portland Public Schools student found to be in violation of the student rights and responsibilities handbook calling for serious disciplinary action may not participate in the graduation ceremony.

Sara Callies (she/her/hers)

Vice Principal

Benson Polytechnic High School

503-916-5100

SEEKING NEW LEADERSHIP

Finally, TechBoosters is seeking a new president for next school year. If you are interested in helping guide and sustain the work that supports Benson students, faculty, and staff, then we encourage you to reach out to learn more: bensontechboosters@gmail.com.

Go Astros! Go Tech!

Kelly Janes, President

Benson TechBoosters

Contest Schedule This Week

Monday, 4/20

• Softball @ Jefferson (Delta Park), 3:45 PM
• Girls tennis vs Roosevelt (Irving Park), 4:15 PM
• Boys tennis @ Roosevelt, 4:15 PM

Tuesday, 4/21

• Softball @ Grant (Wilshire Park), 4:00 PM

• Baseball vs Grant (Buckman Field), 4:00 PM

• Boys golf @ qualifying match (Heron Lakes - Great Blue), 1:00 PM

Wednesday, 4/22

• Track & field @ Varsity Relays (Wells HS), 4:00 PM
• Girls tennis @ Cleveland (Irving Park), 4:15 PM
• Boys tennis vs Clevealnd (Portland Tennis Center), 4:15 PM

Thursday, 4/23

• Softball @ Franklin (Clinton Park), 4:00 PM
• Girls golf @ JV 9 hole tourney (Colwood), 3:00 PM
• Boys golf @ JV 9 hole tourney (Colwood), 1:30 PM

Friday, 4/24

• Track & field @ Twilight Relays (Jesuit HS), 2:00 PM

• Baseball @ Grant (Irving Park), 4:00 PM

• Girls tennis vs Grant (Portland Tennis Center), 4:15 PM

• Boys tennis @ Grant (Grant Park), 4:15 PM

Saturday, 4/25

• Girls tennis @ Gresham Tourney, 9:00 AM start

Jessica Russell

Athletic Director

Benson High School

• Sign up for sports at Benson here!
• Need a blank physical exam form? Links are below.
  Languages: English | Spanish | Vietnamese | Chinese | Russian | Arabic | Chuukese | Japanese | Somali | Ukrainian | Marshallese | Swahili
• Here is a link to the Benson Wellness Center, where you can schedule a physical exam.

Interested in international travel and service learning? Come along on the trip to Peru's Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca in the summer of 2027! Join us for an online informational meeting on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30. (Attending could get you $300 off the trip cost.)

https://bit.ly/4tntp96

Benson Tech Community,

A quick friendly reminder! Our Dominican Republic informational meeting is coming up, and I don’t want your family to miss out. This trip could be a turning point in your child’s life—building confidence, curiosity, and global awareness.

Find meeting info and RSVP here: https://rsvp.eftours.com/exshp23

Reminder:

- $200 discount available for early enrollees.

- Enrollment opens at the meeting—first come, first served.

- Learn more about our travel partner, EF Educational Tours, at www.eftours.com.

Meredith McClanen

Meta Glasses are considered a "Personal Electronic Device" and, as such, have been banned by the district. If a student wears them to school, the glasses will be confiscated like a cell phone or wireless listening devices would be.

Please leave the Meta Glasses at home.

-

p.s. You matter -- you really, really do.

Benson Polytechnic High School

Dean of Students & School Climate Coach

Office phone: 503-916-5100 ext. 88208‪

(pronouns: she/her/hers)

Dear Benson Tech Community,

Please find our latest mental health newsletter linked below. It includes: NAMIwalk May 16, Neurodiversity Celebration Week/Autism Acceptance Month, Community Transition Program Plant Sale 4/4 & 4/18, 5/2 & 5/9, Healing Stories, World Bipolar Day (MAR 30), Transgender Awareness Day (MAR 31), Community Resources/Crisis Support, and more!

• Link to Newsletter: https://app.smore.com/n/v7wn2-benson-mental-health-support

Wishing you wellness, Benson Mental Health Team

2) Students for Mental Health Club - our 3rd year of participation! - Please join us for the NAMIWalks event on May 16.

Walk Day Details

Join us on Saturday, May 16th

Location: Peninsula Park, 700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland OR
Route Length: 1/2 mile loop
Registration & Resource Fair Opens: 11:00 AM
Opening Ceremony: 1:00 PM
Walk Begins: 1:15 PM
Event Ends: 2:00 PM

Link to donate to the Benson Team and/or register and join us! Our goal is $250 raised, and we have already raised $100! https://www.namiwalks.org/team/82217

Dear Benson Tech Parents and Guardians,

We would like to share an update on how to report student attendance at Benson.
The following options can ONLY be completed by a parent or guardian:
ParentVUE
Benson Attendance Reporting Form (it can also be found on the Benson website)
Call the Attendance Office: (503) 916-5109
• Please leave a detailed voicemail if we are unable to answer your call.

When notifying the school of an absence, please include:

• Student’s full name (ID number if known)
• Your phone number
• Date(s) of absence
• Reason for absence
• If a COVID or flu test was taken: test date and result
• If the absence is due to illness, please list symptoms
  (Based on the information provided, our school nurse may contact you for follow-up.)

• Students arriving more than 15 minutes late must sign in at the Attendance Office.
• Students leaving early must sign out at the Attendance Office.
• If returning the same day, students must sign back in at the Attendance or Main Office.

Eva Martinez Mercado

Administrative Assistant II-Counseling

(503) 916-5100 ext. 88413

Please check out the college newsletter for information on college applications, financial aid, our big list of scholarships, and upcoming. We have added a link to great summer programs and opportunities.

Here is a link to our College Info Night presentation which took place on March 3rd: College Info Night

Seniors - Oregon State University, Portland State University, University of Portland, and PCC are still accepting applications. Reach out to Kathleen Reid or Katie Clark if you would like support applying or have questions.

------

Kathleen Reid (she/her)

College Counselor/AVID Coordinator
School Counselor, Students with Last Names So-Z
Call/Text 971-238-8322
Set up a COLLEGE COUNSELING APPOINTMENT

For non-college-related appointments, click HERE

Parents/Guardians,

Please click on the link and attachments below to read about the Governor's/Portland Public Schools/Benson Tech Cell Phone Policy which goes into affect for the 2025-26 school year.

Students have done a great job during the 1st semester of the school year in not utilizing their cell phones when they enter the building and we want to continue on with that shift in cell phone use. Remember that we will be asking students to turn in their cell phones to the main office to be held by our Dean of Students or an Administrator if the cell phone is seen within the building during the school day.

Principal Wilson

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13jOZHqb2eYPXRSeXipBxTYU4NjmIUflA5_G6DR3sAEg/edit?usp=sharing (Cell Phone Letter to Parents/Guardians)

Cell Phone Reminder:

9th and 10th graders are expected to keep their cell phones in their lockers. Ipad's are not allowed, as they are basically large cell phones. Please keep those at home.

Additionally, wired headphones to a chromebook or CD player are okay with teacher permission on time/place. Wired headphones should NOT be connected to a cell phone (b/c it's a banned item).

Benson Polytechnic High School

Dean of Students & School Climate Coach

Office phone: 503-916-5100 ext. 88208‪

(pronouns: she/her/hers)

Benson Tech Parents/Guardians,

Picking Up Students: When needing to pick up your students from school during the day please be sure to call the attendance office ahead of time to let us know that you're coming to the school as we will need that time to locate your students class and have your student ready for you for pickup upon your arrival to the school.

Just call (503-916-5100) and you will be transferred to the attendance office.

Student Notifications: When calling to let the Attendance office know if your student will be out for a class period or more or for the whole day, PLEASE provide the reason why they will be late and/or absent. This will help us update their attendance correctly for them and you.

Thank you.

Benson Tech Attendance Office

ACTIVITIES UPDATES!

-CLASS OF 2026 PARENTS: We need you! If you are interested in volunteering this year to help put on events for our senior class, please email me at toking@pps.net. If you would like to make a donation to that School Pay fund, you can do that here: https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/Benson-Class-of-2026-/Sb8kM9V

Have a wonderful week,

Torin King (she/her)

Benson Polytechnic High School

Leadership, AP Art History, & Art Teacher

Activities Director

Student Government Advisor

Career News: Please check out Benson Tech's Career Opportunities board for an updated list of current opportunities for all grade levels. If you have any questions or need help applying, please connect with Jzalana Bethune-Summers, Career Coordinator, in the College and Career Center or email jbethunesummers@pps.net.

Thank you

Jzalana Bethune-Summers (She, Her)

Career Coordinator

Benson Polytechnic High School

Call/Text: (971) 471-9189