Benson Bulletin

At the beginning of this month our students celebrated being in school for 100 days.

• February 12 - School Board Meeting @ 7pm
• February 13 - Early Release Day (No afternoon preschool)
• February 13 - Field Trip Chaperone Class at 2pm
• February 13 - Field Trip Chaperone Class at 2pm
• February 14 - Teacher Institute Day (No School for Students)
• February 17 - Presidents Day (No School)
• February 18 - Field Trip Chaperone Class at 5pm
• February 21 - Trimester 2 ends
• February 27 - Report cards & assessment reports sent home
• February 28 - Teacher Institute Day (No School for Students)

Families,

Would you like to recognize a Benson Primary School employee for their efforts? We are so grateful for them. I'd like to recognize the efforts of our school community and encourage you to do the same. Please use this survey that will be available on all of our monthly newsletters to do so. Highlights monthly will be shared with the employee and with their permission--shared in the next month's newsletter.

Your Turn: Recognize A Benson Primary Employee

Students and staff at Benson Primary School will finish the year learning about the 8 Keys of Excellence. While this will be discussed throughout the year, discussion & activities will occur on our early-release day Wednesdays.

The first two keys to be introduced are:

• This is it
• Ownership

Please see the link here for additional information & more will be shared in the following months.

During the month of January our students took their second AIMSweb and iReady assessment.

• Assessment reports will be coming home with your child's report card
• 70% of students showing on grade level skills in reading & math
• Students have done a TREMENDOUS job showing growth, please extend our congratulations on their effort so far this year
• We'll take these assessments again in the spring
• As a school-wide reward -- the students have all voted on school-wide incentive that will be announced to them next week

When weather permits, we will go outside with the students at noon recess.

Necessary cold weather clothing . . .

• every day: winter coat, hat and gloves

• on any day when it snows: winter coat, hat, gloves and boots

• to play in the snow: winter coat, hat, gloves, boots, and snow pants

Extra clothes at school:

Several times this school year, there have been children who have needed their parents to bring them a change of clothes for a variety of reasons. Therefore, we are requesting that you send a change of clothes for your child to keep in his/her locker. This should include pants, shirt, socks, and underwear all placed in a plastic bag. As with other items your child brings to school, it is important that you write your child’s name in each item in case they are lost.

The temperature will be checked daily. If the temperature is 20 degrees or below factoring wind chill, the children will not go outside for recess.

If the temperature is above 20 degrees, per our student/parent handbook the children will have recess outdoors.

ALL CHILDREN WILL GO OUT TO RECESS UNLESS EXCUSED WITH A NOTE FROM THEIR DOCTOR.

Attendance patterns are monitored regularly by school staff. If the number of days missed to school is equal to 5% of the total days that school has been in session, a referral will be made to the DuPage County Truancy Office. This means that the truancy officer will contact you for problem solving in order to improve the child’s school attendance. A student who misses 5% or more of school every year will lose ONE FULL ACADEMIC YEAR of learning before reaching high school graduation. Poor attendance or repeated tardiness will impact a student's eligibility to participate in field trips, extra-curricular events, and school events.

If your child has a medical condition that is contributing to missed school days, contact the school nurse.

• IPTO Website - consider becoming a member!

The IPTO is proud to announce online clothing store that will also be linked on their website. Here are some details:

• Store never closes
• Items ship directly to your house
• Shop from several school stores and all items will be placed in one shopping cart
  
  

• Benson Primary School
• Franzen Intermediate School
  
• Peacock Middle School