Benton Weekly Update

On Monday our 8th Graders go to Disneyland. Students should be dropped off at school at the regular time in the morning. Students will return to Benton at approximately 8:30pm-8:45pm. Please pick up your 8th grader on time.

On Tuesday, Benton Track & Field will compete at John Glenn High School. Students will check in first to their 5B class and should return by 8B.

This Friday from 5:00-7:45 is our biggest event of the year, the Kaleidoscope VAPA Festival. At this event, all of our arts, performing and visual, will be on display. There will be performances, exhibits, and several food trucks. This is a community event showcasing the many talents of our Benton Artists; bring your families and enjoy an evening of the arts.

Opportunities for students:

• Benton will be offering an enrichment (not for grades) summer school this year with classes in art, photography, gardening, sports, creative writing, and film critique. If your current 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grader is interested in participating, please see the information below to sign your child up.

• Will your student need additional math support next school year? Benton has offered the double-blocked math class in 8th grade, and we plan to expand it to 7th grade next year. Teachers will be reaching out to students with their recommendations for this class, and if you would like YOUR student to be in the double-blocked math class, please reach out to Ms. Ridgeway or Ms. Alcala.

The School News Spring publication is here! Click on this link for the Superintendent's Message and to see what's happening around the district.

Thank you to all the parents and students for showing the love last week for Staff Appreciation.

Make it a great week!

In Ms. Choe's Korean language class, students have created Mother's Day cards and fans decorated with traditional plant drawings. These beautiful gifts are sure to have made their mothers happy Sunday.

With all the beautiful weather we've been having, it's a good time to remind students of the dress code. Clothing should be neat, clean, and appropriate for school. That means that profanity, violence, and images of things that are not legal for minors cannot be portrayed. Students should wear undergarments and those undergarments should not be visible. Many students have been wearing the Nike pro shorts pictured to the right; while acceptable in PE or Dance, these shorts have an elastic waist band that gives the appearance of being underwear and are not appropriate for school. Shoes should have a strap across the back, and shirts should cover the midriff area.

Benton hopes to expand its double-blocked Math Enrichment classes to 7th & 8th Grade next year. Would your student be interested? Although students give up one of their three electives for the double blocked Math Enrichment class, students benefit from more time and consistency with math. The Math Enrichment classes not only cover math concepts, but builds on students' growth mindsets and incorporates social-emotional learning. Students can build their confidence in math and be more prepared for high school. 100% of students who have taken Math Enrichment report the following: it raised their confidence in math and was worth losing one elective and they would recommend it to other students. Top 3 reasons for success: teaching style, more time, no homework. Please contact Ms. Ridgeway or Ms. Alcala if you would like your student in the Math Enrichment class.

The 23-24 Benton Yearbook is on sale now for $40 in the front office only. Yearbooks will be distributed during the last week of school.

Students report to school at the regular start time. Wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen, consider a hat. Benton dresscode is still in effect, wear appropriate attire. Buses will return to Benton approximately 8:45pm. Please pick your child up on time.

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

6th Grade Students will need to get a TDAP vaccination before entering 7th Grade. Start scheduling those appointments now! For your convenience, the District is providing TDAP Clinics at its middle schools, the final clinic at Benton this upcoming Saturday 5/18. See the Benton flyer below.

Our End of the Year Awards Ceremony will be on Tuesday, 5/28 at 6pm in the Benton Quad. Students will be recognized for Honor Roll, Principal's Honor Roll, P.R.I.D.E., Perfect Attendance, and Outstanding Achievement in their classes. Our Salutatorian and Valedictorian will be announced, and Honor Cords awarded. A list of students receiving awards will be posted a week before the ceremony.

The final School Site Council (SSC) meeting of the year will be 5/30 at 3:30pm in the Benton Conference Room. The SSC will review/revise and adopt the School Plan for Student Achievement.

6th & 7th Grade students will be turning in their iPad, charger, and cable on Thursday, 5/30. 8th Graders will turn in their iPads on Friday, 5/31.

The 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony will be at 9am on Wednesday, June 5th. Entry will be through the sliding gates in the parking lot. Each 8th grader will receive 4 tickets to Promotion. If your student requires more tickets, please contact Ms. Ridgeway.

Benton will be having Summer School this year for incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders. There is limited space available, and classes fill up fast. You can sign up for Summer School at this link.

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 .

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