Benton Weekly Update

This week, Benton celebrates Red Ribbon Week with spirit days. Red Ribbon Week is an annual drug prevention campaign that promotes a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. Our Cheer Team and Pep Squad will be at Dulles Elementary on Monday morning performing at their Red Ribbon Rally and helping to kick off their RRW activities. Benton students can team up with friends to dress alike on Monday, sport Crazy Hair and/or Socks on Tuesday, wear Red on Wednesday, Camouflage on Thursday, and Costumes on Friday. (Benton Dress Code applies to all spirit days). Check out this video for Monday's Spirit Day!

Students can sign up to participate in a lunchtime Costume Contest on Friday and the challenge is out to all Benton Staff; which staff member or team will have the best costumes? (I'm rooting for the Front Office Team, of course!) See the flyer posted below for more details.

Ms. Truesdell's Dance students will have their first performance at lunchtime on Wednesday. This is the first of several lunchtime performances scheduled for this year before their Dance Showcase coming up in April.

Last Wednesday, Benton students participated in Unity Day and wore Orange to show support for others and to stand up against bullying. Students pledged to promote kindness, inclusion, and acceptance. You can see some of their inspiring messages chalked out on the Quad, and our Counselors passed out positive affirmations for students.

Last week, Benton's Flag Football and Volleyball teams competed against Hutchinson at the La Mirada High School Stadium and Gym. Our Football teams remain undefeated! The Cheer Team and Pep Squad were there to cheer them on to victory, and we hope for a similar outcome this week as we compete against Corvallis at Corvallis Middle School. Teams and Cheer will take the bus to Corvallis at approximately 2:40pm on Wednesday, games should start by 3:30, and students will return to Benton by 6pm. Good luck Wolverines!

Saturday School is coming up this week. Students can recover one full day absence by attending Saturday School, it's also an opportunity to get support with school work, and have some fun. There are just 3 Saturday Schools this semester, and only 6 more after Winter Break. 8th Graders, don't you have absences or tardies you need to make up?

Make it a great week!

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.

You can now purchase the 25-26 Benton Yearbook on our Webstore. The Yearbook is produced by Benton students and is delivered the last week of school. It's important to purchase your yearbook in advance, as we only print the number of books we sell in advance. Don't miss out, secure your yearbook now!

The Benton Yearbook needs your photos! Do you have any Back to School photos you would be willing to share with us? This includes photos you may have taken at home holding "1st Day of Middle School" type signs. If you would email a digital copy to me at rridgeway@nlmusd.org, that would be appreciated. We hope to create a collage of Back to School photos in our yearbook.

Please note the times and locations of the different activities. The hours vary from one activity to another. All students must sign in each day for attendance using the QR code.

Students will attend periods 5B – 8B on Wednesday. This Wednesday, like all Wednesdays, students are out at 1:45pm.

Leading up to the NLM Middle Schools Sports Tournament on 11/12 at JGHS, there will be a series of games held at different middle schools in the district. Bus transportation will be provided to all players, cheer, photographers, scorekeepers. Games start when all players arrive, approximately 3:00-3:15pm. For away games, buses will depart Benton at approximately 2:45pm, and will return to campus approximately 5:30-6pm.

10/29 Benton vs. Corvallis at Corvallis MS

11/5 Benton vs. Los Alisos at Benton

11/12 Championship at John Glenn High School

Saturday School will be on 11/1 from 8:00am-12:15pm. Breakfast and lunch available, students can make up an absence by attending Saturday School, get caught up on schoolwork, and have fun. Permission slips are in the office, or print out the one linked below. Please let us know you're coming and Sign up for Saturday School at this link. Upcoming Saturday Schools this semester on 11/15 & 12/6.

That's right, it's a 5-day weekend for students with no school on Friday, 11/7 as well as Monday, 11/10 and Veterans' Day, Tuesday 11/11. School will resume on Wednesday, 11/12.

Tickets on sale now at https://bentonms.booktix.com

There will be no school during Thanksgiving Break. Students will return to school on Monday, December 1st.

Students will have 2 weeks for Winter Break. The last day of school, Friday 12/19 is a minimum day with dismissal at 1:15pm. Students will return to school on Tuesday, January 6.

Don't forget to enroll on the 2026 East Coast Trip.

Click the link below to enroll:

https://enroll.efexploreamerica.com/2782313XM

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 by scanning the QR code below.

Parents, please help us by checking your student's outfit before they leave for school. If students are out of dress code, the students will 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 nationally recognized, award winning 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