Benton Parent Update

Dear Benton Families,

We are off to a fantastic start to the school year! Thank you, families, for helping your children arrive at school on time and ready to learn each day. Our goal is for every student to maintain at least 90% attendance throughout the school year. Every minute matters! Our school day runs from 7:40 a.m.–2:35 p.m. and consistent, on-time attendance gives students the very best opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

WE HAVE BIG NEWS TO CELEBRATE! We are incredibly proud to share some exciting results from last spring’s MAP Test! Benton had the MOST growth in Reading/Writing of ALL elementary schools in Columbia Public Schools and the 2nd MOST growth in Math! We are the highest performing Title I school in our district. This is something worth celebrating! These results reflect the hard work of our students, the dedication of our teachers and staff, and the support our families provide at home. We are so proud of what our Benton students accomplished, and we are excited to keep that momentum going this year!

There are several exciting things happening at Benton this month! Be sure to read the information below for details about:

• NEW Take Home Student Reading Program
• Trivia Night Fundraiser

• Benton T-Shirt Orders

• 1st PTV Meeting next Tuesday at 5:30 pm in the media center
  
  

We have a great year ahead of us, and we are so thankful to have our Benton families along for the journey!

Your Proud Principal,

Allison Chostner

• September 8 PTV, 5:30 pm
• September 23 Fall Picture Day
• September 24 STEAM Night, 5-6:30 pm
• September 30 Early Dismissal, 12:10 pm

Please remember that student drop-off takes place in the alley behind the playground. For the safety of our students and to keep buses moving efficiently, cars may not use the bus lanes for student drop-off. If you would like to walk your child to the school entrance, please park your vehicle and walk with your child to the building. Thank you for helping us keep arrival safe and running smoothly!

We are excited to launch our new take-home reading program next week for our first through third graders! In November, we will have the funds to purchase books to include our kindergarten and fourth through fifth graders. This optional program is designed to help students spend more time reading outside of the classroom, build confidence and fluency, and develop a love of books.

Families who sign up will have a book sent home with their child that is matched to their individual reading level. We encourage you to read the book with your child and make this a positive time to enjoy reading together!

How it works:

• Beginning Readers: We encourage students to read their book several times over the course of a couple of evenings. Rereading familiar books is a great way to build fluency, accuracy, and confidence!
• Readers with books of 20+ pages: Students may choose to read the book a second time, but a second reading is not required.
• After your child has finished the book, sign the slip that came home with it and circle whether the book felt “just right” or “too hard.” This feedback will help us continue selecting books that are a good fit for your child.
• Place the book and signed slip back in your child’s Take-Home Reading Bag and return it to Mr. Ray in the library.
• Mr. Ray will check it in and send home another book for you and your child to enjoy!
  
  

Our goal is simple: get more books into students’ hands and get our students reading more! The more opportunities children have to read, the more they can grow in their skills, confidence, and engagement as readers.

Want your child to participate?
Please complete the sign-up form at the link below. We can’t wait to start sending books home next week!

Gather your friends and family and put your trivia skills to the test! Join the Benton staff and Sunrise Optimist Club for a fun Trivia Night benefiting our school on October 24th! Funds raised from this event will help us provide more after-school clubs and opportunities for our students. We would love to see our Benton families there for a fun night while supporting more opportunities for our students!

Show your Benton pride! Benton t-shirts and sweatshirts are available to order now through September 11. Orders are open to students, families, and staff! Payments can be made via Venmo (@Benton-Social), check, or cash. All payments must be received by September 11 for us to place your order.

Our Parent-Teacher Volunteer (PTV) group is a great way for families to get involved, stay connected, and help make Benton an even better place for our students! All parents and caregivers are welcome. There’s no membership or commitment required.

Please join us for our first PTV meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Media Center. We’ll share how our Title I funding will support students this school year, talk about the family events we’re planning, and discuss fundraising ideas and goals for the year. We’d love to have your voice, ideas, and involvement as we plan for a great year at Benton!

It’s time for hearing and vision screenings!

Students in K, 1st, 3rd, and 5th will be screened for vision.

Students in K, 1st and 3rd will also be screened for hearing.

All new students to the district will be screened for hearing and vision.

Please contact Nurse Angela if you do not want your student to participate in the screening.

Change of clothes for students

Please send a change of clothes in your student’s backpack. We have limited clothing available at school and accidents do happen. Having back-up clothes at school will keep your student comfortable and save you a trip to school.

Warm Winter Clothing Opportunity

We are excited to share an opportunity for children to receive warm winter clothing and a winter coat. Families who would like their child(ren) to participate should complete the form below with sizing information for each child: https://forms.gle/q7Jg1bQeQ8FXmZqH8

Please complete the form no later than 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18. Be sure to provide accurate sizing information for each child so we can help ensure they receive clothing that fits comfortably. We want every child to be warm and ready for the winter season!

New Shoes Through The Wardrobe

The Wardrobe offers families an opportunity to purchase a $5 shoe voucher that can be used at Shoe Carnival toward the purchase of a new pair of shoes valued up to $60. This is a great resource for families whose children are in need of new shoes!

If you are interested in a shoe voucher referral to The Wardrobe, please provide information at the following link. (All household members must be listed) https://forms.gle/HgrzMdHg8TvvBGDn9

Benton School Pantry

Did you know that Benton has a school pantry available to support our families? Through our partnership with The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Benton is able to provide food resources for families who may need a little extra help.

Parents and guardians are welcome to stop by Benton and select food from our pantry when needed. Whether your family is experiencing a temporary need or could simply use some additional support, this resource is here for you. For more information https://forms.gle/z8VYhmDrVEGkErXF8

Please don’t hesitate to reach out or stop by. We are happy to help!

Wondering what your Benton Bee is learning outside of the classroom? Our specialists have put together a monthly update sharing what students are working on in Art, PE, Music, Media, Counseling, and our brand-new Engineering Design classes! From designing NASA missions to exploring sound, navigation, and more, there are some exciting things happening! Click the link below to see what your child is learning this month!

We post school happenings on our private Facebook page and would love for you to join!

Doors Open: 7:20 am

School Starts: 7:40 am

Dismissal: 2:35 pm

Benton Office: 573-214-3610