Benton Weekly Update

On Tuesday this week, we are back at Barnes & Noble for a great night of showcasing student work and fundraising. Be sure to visit Barnes & Noble on Malvern from 5-8pm to see students perform, view student artwork, and experience their creativity. Barnes & Noble will donate a percentage of all sales to Benton to support classroom libraries.

It was good to get rain this weekend and got me thinking about the recent fires and other natural disasters than can affect students and families. There are times when a student is ill or injured, and the parents are not able to pick them up from school. Have you kept your student's contact information up to date with names and numbers of relatives or friends who can pick your student up from school in case of an emergency? This is a good time to make sure that we have your most up-to-date and current contact information.

PARKING LOT CLOSURE REMINDER:

I'm excited to announce that Benton will be installing a solar panel array on campus. We expect construction to begin on February 17. Most of the parking lot will be fenced off during construction. Parents will NOT be able to enter the parking lot at all to pick up or drop off your student(s). Please start now locating a new spot to pick up or drop off your student; many parents have their students walk down to Oxford or Ocaso and pick up their students there. By making a plan now, you can avoid frustration and confusion in February when the parking lot will be blocked off to parents. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.

The Performing Arts Boosters are selling Sees Candies for Valentine's Day. If you want to show some love, get your Valentine some delicious See's Candy!

8th Graders: Get your Baby Picture in the Yearbook. See the blurb below for more details!

7th Graders: Sign up now for Science Camp on Catalina Island in May. Visit our Science Camp page for more details.

Make it a great week!

Have you ever noticed that many of the students hanging out in front of Benton before or after school are standing next to each other, but on their phones and not really interacting with each other? I worry about how much our students are on their phones and how it affects them. Did you know that 46% of teens say they are on the internet constantly? I have read a lot of research on how social media negatively affects adolescents and over the break I saw a great interview with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discussing his new book, The Anxious Generation. This book explores how social media and phone-based parenting led to Gen Z's mental health crisis. He says young brains have been rewired and calls for societal change. The video posted below is about a half hour in length but worth your time to view and think about how our students use their phones and whether it makes sense to limit their access.

This week is Kindness Week. We have a video posted about this event and encourage all Benton students to think of ways they can demonstrate kindness every day. It doesn't cost anything to be kind to others. I know I'll be wearing my Benton Chooses Kind shirt this week.

Open Enrollment ends this week on Friday, January 31. If you have a student entering 6th Grade or 9th Grade and wish to attend a school that is not your school of residence, you will need to complete an Open Enrollment Application online. Returning 7th & 8th Graders do not need to reapply for a permit. At Benton, we appreciate the opportunity to share our unique programs with prospective families and students. Please spread the word if you have friends looking for a great middle school for next year and feel free to forward our Choose Benton flyer linked below.

Boys' BB Practice: Tuesday & Thursday 3:00-4:15

Girls' BB Practice: Monday 3:00-4:15 & Wed. 2:00-4:00

Boys' Soccer Practice: Monday & Thursday 3:00-4:15

Girls' Soccer Practice:Tuesday & Thursday 3:00-4:15

The NLM Middle Schools Basketball & Soccer Tournament will be at Benton on Wednesday, 2/12. Spectators will be able to enter campus after 8:45am through the sliding gate in the parking lot.

Join us at Barnes & Noble in Fullerton from 5pm-7:30 as students showcase their talents. Benton receives a percentage of all purchases made that night!

Students will attend periods 5B – 8B on Wednesday. This Wednesday, like all Wednesdays, we have early dismissal at 1:45pm.

The Benton Performing Arts Boosters will meet on 2/11 at 5:30pm in Room 85. Join the Boosters and support the arts at Benton!

To include your 8th Grader's baby picture in the yearbook:

• Must be a digital copy
• "8th Grade Baby Picture" in the subject line
• Student's First and Last Name in the body of the email

Email photo to Ms. Degener at edegener@nlmusd.org

8th Grade Students and Families, we have a newsletter curated just for you! The 8th Grade newsletter contains information specific to you, 8th Grade Students and Families, to help you make the most of 8th Grade, and to plan for the end of the year. Click here to read the 8th Grade Newsletter.

Parents, please help us by checking your student's outfit before they leave for school. If students are out of dress code, the students may be asked to change into P.E. clothes or a loaner shirt or shorts.

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

Instagram: @BentonWolverines