Benson Bulletin

We are looking forward to all things spring, the month of March, and continuing to level up our goals and commitments to our school community.

A few exciting events are coming up:

• Kids Heart Challenge (formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart)
• Kids Teach Too – Thursday, March 26
• Kindergarten Information Night – Wednesday, March 25. Kindergarten registration will also open on this date.

March 13 Bingo Night at Peacok

March 25 Chaperone Training 5:30-6:00pm

March 25 Kindergarten Information Night 6:00-7:00pm

• Please RSVP here

March 26 Kids Teach Too

March 30-April 3rd: Spring Break

Interested in ordering a yearbook? See the attachment below.

• We are currently at 14% parent completion for participation.

The information you provide will assist us with directing our efforts and guide educational opportunities for students. While your participation is voluntary, it is crucial to access results from the survey. We are unable to access survey results unless a minimum of 20% of parents respond.

• The homeroom with the most parent responses will be treated to a pizza party! Please complete the Google Form below once you complete the survey. Each individual student will also receive Benson Bulldog Paw and Sticker. Please complete the form linked here once you have completed the survey.

Thank you for your input. We appreciate your support!

The survey will be open February 3, 2026 through March 13, 2026. Please know your identity and responses will be kept confidential and will not be connected with your child.

• Go to: https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/ to take the survey.

• Select “Parent Survey.”

• You may enter your email address if you would like to receive confirmation of your submission, but it is not required.

• Then enter “DuPage” into the county field and “Benson Primary” to find our school.

The libraries at Peacock, Franzen, and Benson are always looking for an extra hand. As a volunteer you might check out books for the students, help shelve library materials, listen to a small group of children read aloud, assist with library projects … The possibilities are endless!

Volunteers are needed each day in some capacity. Your help would be appreciated one morning or afternoon each week, once or twice a month, during your student's library time or whenever you find you have some free time to spend at the school with the children!

• Please complete the form linked here to volunteer in your child's library. Training will required prior to volunteering. Volunteers will be invited on an as needed basis. The school librarian will contact you to get you started!

Thank you,

Ashley Darling - Peacock Librarian

Anita DeValk - Franzen Librarian

Jennifer Susina - Benson Librarian

Your attendance matters and we strive to have a strong attendance rate at Benson Primary- please make sure your child is here to learn and grow each day.

• 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.

If your child has a medical condition that is contributing to missed school days, contact the school nurse. Students must be in school at least half of a school day in order to participate in after school events.

In order to attend school, students must be in compliance with all DuPage County Health regulations. See the Health section for more information related to deciding when your child is too ill to be in school.

• Even as the weather gets nicer, students will continue to go outside for recess when the temperature is above 20 degrees.
• Please continue to send your child to school with appropriate winter gear such as coats, hats, and gloves so they can stay warm and enjoy time outside.
• Please have an extra change of clothes that are weather appropriate for an accident or spills at school.

As winter weather continues, thank you for allowing a little extra time and patience during morning drop-off. To help keep everyone safe, please remember:

• 🚪 Students must exit from the passenger side only — this is a law, not a school rule.

• 🔄 Use your blinker when entering or exiting the turn/drop-off lane for safety.

• ⏩ Pull forward when space is available — use the passing lane to move into open spots further down the line.

• ❄️ Winter conditions may slow things down; thank you for your cooperation and kindness.

Your support helps ensure a safe and smooth arrival for all students and families!

Children need consistency. In order for the office to effectively communicate these changes, we need parents to plan ahead and do the following:

• The morning, write a note to the school, tell your child about the change, and have your child give the note to their classroom teacher stating the needed change.

Written notes are to be sent whether a child does or does not take a bus and will be going home to another student’s house. Notes are needed from both sets of parents, the sending and the receiving parent, so that neither parent gets a “surprise visitor” or gets worried thinking that their child is lost.

• If a phone call must be made by a parent regarding a change in dismissal,the office must be contacted before 1:30 in the afternoon. Since the office gets very busy, especially near the end of the day, a message called after that time may not reach your child in time for dismissal.

Please remind your child to leave toys at home. Bringing toys to school can:

• Lead to lost or misplaced items

• Cause distractions during learning and play

Thank you for helping us keep our classrooms safe, focused, and organized!

• We’ve noticed some students are forgetting to bring a snack.
• Please help your child remember to pack a snack each day.

IPTO February 2026 Newsletter

IPTO January 2026 Newsletter

IPTO December 2025 Newsletter

IPTO November 2025 Newsletter

IPTO October 2025 Newsletter

IPTO September 2025 Newsletter

IPTO August 2025 Newsletter

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
  

Below are links to our school stores:

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

• Bricks 4 Kidz
• Young Rembrandts
• Crayola

Children need consistency. In order for the office to effectively communicate these changes, we need parents to plan ahead and do the following:

• In the morning, write a note to the school, tell your child about the change, and have your child give the note to their classroom teacher stating the needed change.

Written notes are to be sent whether a child does or does not take a bus and will be going home to another student’s house. Notes are needed from both sets of parents, the sending and the receiving parent, so that neither parent gets a “surprise visitor” or gets worried thinking that their child is lost.

• If a phone call must be made by a parent regarding a change in dismissal,the office must be contacted before 1:30 in the afternoon. Since the office gets very busy, especially near the end of the day, a message called after that time may not reach your child in time for dismissal.

As the year begins please know it is normal for your child's bus route to be delayed as students become familiar with their bus route. We have a service to help you be notified if there is a delay.

Please click the link below to sign up for BUS BULLETIN notifications.

The district offers optional Chromebook insurance that can be purchased at the link below.

https://gpo.worthavegroup.com/gpo/itasca10/

Please contact the school if you have any questions.

This school year, students will learn more about the 8 Keys to Excellence through activities that include reflection and application. We encourage all students to go beyond being "respectful, responsible, and safe" to embody the characteristics of the 8 Keys. More information about each key and it's meaning can be found here.