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,

As we bring the 2025-26 school year to a close I wanted to let the Benson Tech community know that it's been an absolute honor and pleasure to serve as the Principal of Benson Tech and I look forward to what the 2026-27 school year brings for our community. This will be the last Principal Newsletter until mid August. Please be sure to have a great summer and be on the lookout for our summer mailer with information regarding the registration process for the upcoming school year.

Go Tech!

Principal Wilson

Hello Benson Tech Families,

Please find our final Mental Health Newsletter linked below for this academic year. A reminder that our staff is not available through the summer months, BUT! the Wellness Center is open, there are multiple ways that you can get support through the county, and there are many ways to inspire the "good brain chemicals" throughout the summer. Please check out the newsletter - wishing you wellness, Benson Mental Health Team

Newsletter Link: https://app.smore.com/n/3z0qc-summer-2026-mental-health-team

Latest Benson Mental Health Newsletter - Special Edition! Includes:

SUMMER Resources - What is the greatest gift of summer break? TIME! In an effort to help inspire students and their people toward creative uses of their time this summer, our mental health team puts together this annual newsletter of free or almost free options for students and families. Please check it out!

It includes:

• summer reading programs
• information on free gym memberships
• volunteering, job, and internship possibilities
• Portland Community College teen-centered classes (gazillions of them!)
• Arts for All
• Discovery Passes
• Access Pass for summer recreation
• Free for All events
• Mermaid and Rose Festivals, PRIDE, Juneteenth, and more!

Being active allows for the release of "good brain chemicals" - more in the newsletter toward that end - good chemicals are good stuff!

Reminder for summer 2026: all Benson student service providers are on summer break. All inquiries as of Monday, June 8 should go to outside service providers. The Benson Wellness Center is open ALL summer though! Regional and Local crisis and support services are provided in the newsletter as well.

Wishing all a beautiful TIME this summer - see you in September! Benson Mental Health Team

• Archive of Benson Mental Health Newsletters

The Benson Tech Mental Health Team

"The hottest show on KBPS is back! Summer Sound 2026 returns Monday June 15th! Live, local news, and weather at the top and bottom of the hour! Special guest interviews! Live remote broadcasts! Community events, concerts, job and volunteer opportunities for teens. Music theme days on Wednesdays! Play My Three Songs on Fridays! And always taking your song requests at 503-916-KBPS (5277)! Please add AM 1450 to your presets. Tell Alexa to play AM 1450 KBPS and join us for Summer Sound 2026. Live weekdays 9a - 12noon. Starting June 15th. Only on AM 1450 and KBPS.am."

Best,

Jacob Patterson (he/him)

KBPS Broadcasting Instructor

Office 503-916-5100 ex. 88130 or 88132

Listener Line (503) 916-KBPS

jacpatterson@pps.net

www.kbps.am

Dear Benson Tech Community:

The Benson Wellness Center is open this summer by appointment! Please see the attached flyers for more information.

Sincerely,

Caroline Bleckmann, LCSW, She/her

School Social worker, Benson Polytechnic High School

I am unable to schedule meetings over email. For all meeting requests click here or use google calendar for PPS employees.

Benson staff referral form

Benson Wellness Center

Benson Community Resources

Cell/Non-urgent texting: 503-729-3486

Monday-Friday, 8-4:00

How can the School Social Worker help me?

Outside of office hours, if you or your loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call the Multnomah County Crisis line at 503-988-4888.

Dear Benson Tech Community,

As we head into the summer months, Lime has asked us to help share a few important safety reminders with students and families. The key messages are:

• Riders must be 18 years or older
• Riding on sidewalks is not permitted
• Only one person is allowed per vehicle
• Riders should never operate a scooter while impaired

Attached, you'll find newsletter-ready content as well as poster-sized graphics that can be printed and displayed around your school. With summer just around the corner, this is a great opportunity to remind students to stay safe and to avoid using shared e-scooters if they are underage.

Additionally, to help keep Portlanders safe, PBOT has partnered with Plaid Pantry to provide free Lime helmets to anyone who needs one. The campaign is now live, and you can find more information here.

Thank you for helping us share these important safety messages and for your continued partnership in keeping students and families safe and informed.

Hours: Mon-Thu 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fri 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., off every other Friday

Gui Fonseca| he/him

Shared Micromobility Implementation Specialist

Mobility and Safety Programs Division

Portland Bureau of Transportation
1120 SW Fifth Ave, Suite 1331

Portland, OR 97204

503-823-5963 (Office)

Gui.Fonseca@portlandoregon.gov

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TechBoosters is currently seeking a Treasurer for the 2026–27 school year.

Our board has a vacancy in the Treasurer role. If you are interested in supporting Benson students through budgeting, fundraising, and community engagement work, we’d love to hear from you! Email bensontechboosters@gmail.com to share your interest.

TechBoosters also recently elected new board members for next school year. Alum and current Benson parent Josh Piper will serve as President, Alli Grice as Secretary, and Rachel McDonald will continue as Vice President. Lonnie Bowden will remain as interim Treasurer while we seek his replacement. Together, the incoming board will continue supporting fundraising, sponsorships, Teacher Appreciation efforts, concessions, and funding opportunities for Benson teams and student organizations.

As outgoing president, I want to sincerely thank the Benson Tech community for the opportunity to serve over the past four years. It has been an honor and a joy, which I will always remember fondly.

Hope to see you at the community gathering on August 22nd!

Benson Tech Boosters

Families of Juniors in the 2026-27 school year who wish their student to take the PSAT on Wednesday October 14, 2026 must submit their name to Mr. Ustach for registration in Room 155 or email at tustach@pps.net. Only Juniors may register. If you wish your Junior to have accommodations, you must submit a request to the College Board by August 24, 2026. Here is a link to the request form Accommodations Request Form. PPS will not cover the cost of the test, so it will be at the families expense. The cost is $18.00 paid to the Benson bookkeeper by October 1, 2026.

Tom Ustach

Benson Tech

Testing Coordinator

Dear Benson Tech Students,

Benson Band will meet next year every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:45-8:25am in the Band Room for rehearsal.

Please be sure to see Ms.G for more information or if you have any questions (Room 277 or hgoertzen@pps.net)

Heide Goertzen

Summer School Registration is now open!

Need to make up credit for a failed academic core class?

Here is Information with a list of course offerings and at which high school.

Please let your student's school counselor know by email or students can make appointments in the counseling department.

BHS counselor's contact information HERE

Christy Clement (Wheeler) she/her

School Counselor, students with last name Mc-Sn

503-916-5100 x 88419

Benson Polytechnic High School

546 NE 12th AVE

Portland, OR 97232

https://bensonhs.net/

To schedule an appointment, use the following link: Ms. Morgan

TriMet is removing transportation barriers for high school students, ages 14-19, all summer long with the TriMet Summer Pass. This free transit pass empowers students throughout the Portland area with greater access to jobs, education, social opportunities and a whole lot more. All students— regardless of their economic resources— are eligible. A pass will automatically be loaded to your Portland School District student ID. Find out more at trimet.org/summerpass

Thank you,

Lena Leon (she/her)

Administrative Assistant I | Registrar

Benson Polytechnic High School

Summer Athletics Offerings at Benson Tech

Most of our athletic programs plan to offer activities this summer! Please click this link for more information. Is your sport not listed? Reach out to the athletic director or head coach for more information.

Free Sports Physical Exams from Providence

On Tuesday, June 2, Providence Medical Group is providing free physical exams for student-athletes at Benson. The flier with more information is linked here.

Summer Athletics Offerings at Benson Tech

Most of our athletic programs plan to offer activities this summer! Please click this link for more information. Is your sport not listed? Reach out to the athletic director or head coach for more information.

Jessica Russell

Athletic Director

Benson High School

Benson Tech Community Celebration

Saturday, August 22nd, 2026

Noon-3pm

546 NE 12th, 97232

Join us for an afternoon of celebrating all things Benson Tech!

This family-friendly event is an excellent opportunity for current, former, and future students and their families to (re)visit Benson Tech before the new school year gets under way.

The celebration will include:
- Tours of the school

- The opportunity to engage with members of the school community
- Food trucks
- Benson Tech gear for sale in the student store
- Class Reunions (1966, 1996, 2001, and 2006)

For more information, please visit the Benson Polytechnic High School group on Facebook, or email the BPHSAA (Alumni Association) at info@BensonTechAlumni.org

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

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)

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)