Benton Weekly Update

Our first NLM Middle Schools Sports Tournament of the year will be on Wednesday this week from 9:30-12:00noon. Over 40 Benton students will be competing, go Wolverines!

Students will be taking Benchmark tests in their Math, Science, and Language Arts classes this week. These tests are not graded, but provide valuable information for our school. Teachers can see what students have learned, and what they might be struggling with. Please make sure your student is well rested and in attendance this week.

Students on the Volleyball and Football teams have practice after school on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3-4pm. Cast members of Silver's Secret also have rehearsals after school, please refer to the rehearsal calendar for specific call times.

On Monday, October 7, please note that we do not have school for students.

Coming up, we have our Fall Parent Conferences from Monday, October 14-Friday, October 18th. School is on a minimum day schedule during that week with dismissal at 1:15pm each day including Wednesday. Teachers are available for conferences from 1:15-3:00pm each day. Please email your student's teacher to schedule a conference. Emails can be found here.

On Tuesday we welcome October, and though the days are still hot, it is beginning to feel like Autumn.

There are several recognitions and celebrations in the Autumn, and I would like to bring a few to your notice:

Last Friday was California Native American Day when we celebrate Indigenous People.

Also of note, Sept. 15-Oct. 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Over the years I've celebrated various Hispanic artists and posted their work and music videos in this newsletter. One of my all time favorite visual artists is Carlos Almaraz; he created a poster for the 1984 L.A. Olympics and I consider myself lucky to have a framed copy of it in my home. If you're looking for a museum with an outstanding collection of Chicano Art, I encourage you to visit The Cheech at the Riverside Art Museum.

We wear Pink in October for Breast Cancer Awareness (don't tell our secretary, Terié, she sports Pink all the time!)

We also recognize Down Syndrome Awareness in October.

Our ASB/Leadership students are gearing up for Unity Day on October 16th, and Wolverines can practice unity and kindness every day.

Make it a great week!

On Saturday, Trisha from Generation Earth/Tree People joined Ms. Robertson and members of the Green Team and their parents at Benton. These volunteers worked hard to break up and amend the soil and scatter seeds for a hummingbird garden.

Practice for both teams will be after school on Tuesday & Thursday from 3:00-4:00pm.

The NLM Middle Schools Football & Volleyball Tournament will be at Benton on Wednesday, November 13th from 9:30am-3:00pm (approx.) Spectators (no students) will be able to enter the campus from the big sliding gate after 9:15am. No pets* allowed on campus.

*except registered service animals

Students will attend periods 1A – 4A on Wednesday. This Wednesday, like all Wednesdays, dismissal is at 1:45pm.

The first meeting of the Benton SSC will be on Thursday, October 3rd, 3:30 pm to 5pm in the Benton Conference Room. The SSC Agenda is posted here.

There will be no school for students on Monday, October 7th. Students will return to school on Tuesday, October 8th which is a B Day.

Students may attend Saturday School to make up an absence, get caught up on school work, get support for schoolwork, have fun, and learn some new skills. We have 10 more Saturday School sessions coming up through March 2025. Upcoming Saturday School activities are Carpentry, making wooden benches with Mr. Estes, Gardening with Ms. Robertson, Film Critique with Ms. Divine, P.E., Mock Trial with Mr. Udeobong, History Day preparation with Mr. Muñoz, and Study Skills with Ms. Ruiz. The next Saturday School will be on October 12th. All students are welcome. Please turn in the permission slip to the office. Both breakfast and lunch are available.

We are on Minimum Day schedule all week with dismissal at 1:15pm for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Parents should reach out to teachers directly to schedule a conference between the hours of 1:15-3:00pm Monday through Friday. Teacher emails are located here: https://benton.nlmusd.org/academics

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