Welcome 7th & 8th Grade Wolverines

Greetings to our new 7th & 8th Graders and Families! Benton is looking forward to welcoming you this upcoming school year. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed of important events and information to help you get ready for school.

Orientation for 7th & 8th Graders new to Benton will be Wednesday, August 7th. This is a great time to learn the campus, meet new classmates, and get comfortable here before school starts. All new students will be assigned to an 7th or 8th Grade ASB/WEB Leader who will serve as a mentor and someone to ask questions and provide support. Students should wear comfortable shoes for walking around, bring a water bottle and consider wearing a hat and sunscreen as they will be outdoors for part of the orientation.

P.E. clothes will be available for purchase before the Orientation. Parents will be able to purchase P.E. clothes from the main office. Shorts, shirt, and a lock are $28. The office accepts cash or checks payable to Benton ASB. You may also purchase P.E. clothes online at this link and they will be distributed during the first week of school.

Class schedules will be emailed to parents on August 13th. Students can also pick up a hard copy of their schedule on the first day of school. As students enter the campus, there will be tables labeled A-Z by last name. Students find the table for their last name and will be given their schedule. Please be aware that during the first few weeks of school, schedules may change as we balance classes, add new students, check out others who have moved, etc.

School hours on the first day of school are 8:35am-1:15pm. Our gates open daily at 8:05am. On Friday, we resume our regular schedule, 8:35am-3:00pm. Every Wednesday is early release and school is out at 1:45pm. Our bell schedule is linked below.

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. The first Wednesday of the school year, 8/21 will be an A Day.

Benton's dress code is fairly simple. Please keep these guidelines in mind when back-to-school shopping. What students wear should not detract from learning. Clothing should be neat, clean, safe, and appropriate for school.

• Appropriate undergarments should be worn and should not be visible.
• Students may wear sandals or crocs with a back strap, but not flip-flops.
• Clothing and jewelry may not promote racism, sexism, ethnic or religious bigotry, profanity, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, violence, graffiti, or other activities illegal for minors.
• Hats may be worn but should be removed inside the classroom.
• Sleepwear (pajama bottoms), dance shorts, costumes or face masks may not be worn.

A few years ago, Benton adopted a no-phone use policy at school. This was done in an effort to encourage students to interact with each other in a positive, personal way, and to reduce conflicts which can develop over social media and affect students at school. The ban on phones has been successful in reducing conflicts at school and most students respect this rule. If your child chooses to bring a phone to school, please remind them that the phone should remain OFF and IN THEIR BACKPACK all day long. This is especially true in the locker rooms. For the safety and privacy of all students, if phones are out in the locker room or restrooms they will be confiscated and held for parent pick up in the office. Should students need to call or text parents, they may come to the school office to do so.

There's a lot to do as we welcome back students fully on campus. 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 or you can scan the QR code below.

Benton Middle School is an award winning Visual & Performing Arts Magnet school

Email: rridgeway@nlmusd.org
Website: benton.nlmusd.org

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