Benton Weekly Update

I hope everyone had a productive and/or relaxing 3-day weekend. For myself, I had an opportunity to prune and plant roses and get some yard work done; we have another 3-day weekend coming up next Monday and I look forward to getting the rest of my yard work honey-do's completed. These are our last holidays before Spring Break in mid-late April (4/18-4/25).

Due to the rain forecast, we are considering rescheduling the NLM Middle Schools Basketball & Soccer Tournament. We will be making a decision by Tuesday afternoon, and will keep you posted. UPDATE: Tournament has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 5th.

We have postponed the 8th Grade Promotion Photos and Panoramic Photos originally scheduled for Thursday this week, also due to the rain. UPDATE: Photos have been rescheduled to Monday, March 3rd.

PARKING LOT CLOSURE REMINDER:

This is the LAST WEEK vehicles will be able to enter the Benton parking lot. Construction for our solar panel array is due to start on 2/17, and only Benton staff will be permitted to enter the parking lot. We will have a supervision aide stationed at the bottom of the driveway to check for parking passes, please understand that she is following my directive and will turn away any cars without the required permit. Thank you for your understanding and your patience. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions.

Other events coming up:
We have our next Homeroom Assembly on March 5. We plan to honor our January and February Students of the Month along with our students who earned Perfect Attendance for each month. 8th Graders will have a virtual visit during the Homeroom with Counselors from Cal State Long Beach who will help them plan their college path. Career Day is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12; students will have the opportunity to hear from various professionals about their careers and how to prepare for that profession. Parent Conferences coming up the week of March 10-14. If your student is earning a D or below, plan to schedule a conference with their teacher.

8th Graders: Get your Baby Picture in the Yearbook. See the blurb below for more details!

7th Graders: Sign up now for Science Camp on Catalina Island in May. Visit our Science Camp page for more details.

For families needing support during this time due to fires or other factors, please see the flyer below for resources. Norwalk-La Mirada Unified is here for all of our students; let us know how we can help!

Make it a great week!

The Benton ASB/Leadership students sponsored a car wash over the weekend with proceeds going to support organizations helping with the Southern California fire relief. The students had fun, washed a lot of cars, and raised over $300! Thank you to those of you who came out to support, and to our Leadership students for their service to others.

There will be no school on Monday, 2/10 in observance of Abraham Lincoln's Birthday.

The Benton Performing Arts Boosters will meet on 2/11 at 5:30pm in Room 85. Join the Boosters and support the arts at Benton!

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

The NLM Middle Schools Basketball & Soccer Tournament has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 5th.

Spectators will be able to enter campus after 8:45am through the sliding gate in the parking lot. Will Benton sweep this tournament, too? Go Wolverines!

Due to the forecasted rain, we have cancelled the 8th Grade Promotion & Panoramic Photos originally scheduled for Thursday, 2/13. Photos have been rescheduled to Monday, March 3rd.

If you are interested in volunteering and helping to plan the 8th Grade End of the Year activities, please come to the Parent Meeting after school on Thursday, 2/13 at 3:15pm in the Benton MPR.

There will be no school on Monday, 2/17 in observance of George Washington's Birthday and Presidents' Day.

Please find an alternate spot to pick up or drop off your student; the parking lot will be closed and inaccessible to any unauthorized vehicles. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Do you need to make up an absence or get caught up on school work? Be sure to attend Saturday School on 2/22 from 8:00am-12:15pm. There are only 4 more Saturday Schools left this year! Permission Slips are available in the office and linked below.

Agenda to be posted soon, the SSC will update the SPSA, and review the Benton Safe School Plan.

Benton was thrilled to host a site validation visit this past week from Schools to Watch (STW). Thank you to our students and parents and community members who met with the team to discuss their experience at Benton. The STW program identifies model middle schools that are academically engaging, developmentally responsive, socially equitable, and have a culture of collaborative leadership. The California STW program is led by the California League of Educators and supported by the California Department of Education. Look for an official announcement in March!

To include your 8th Grader's baby picture in the yearbook:

• Must be a digital copy
• "8th Grade Baby Picture" in the subject line
• Student's First and Last Name in the body of the email

Email photo to Ms. Degener at edegener@nlmusd.org

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. Click here to read the 8th Grade Newsletter.

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