Principal's Weekly Newsletter

Please be sure to follow me on X (Formerly Known As Twitter @BensonTechPride.) (X)

Please be sure to go to our PPS/BHS Website at www.pps.net/benson for important school information, events and school activities that will be happening throughout the school year. (PPS/Benson Tech Website Calendar)

Parents/Guardians please be sure to download the Trivory App for up to date information regarding Benson Tech. This is a great communication tool for Benson Tech and we highly encourage all parents/guardians and students to stay connected with the school by downloading the app. https://trivory.com/

(Trivory App)

Principal Wilson

National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated every November to recognize the histories, cultures, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous people.

On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month. The bill read in part that "The President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities". This landmark bill honoring America's Native people represented a major step in the establishment of this celebration which began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation the first historical week of recognition in the nation for native peoples. This led to 1986 with then President Ronald Regan proclaiming November 23–30, 1986, as "American Indian Week".

This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area.

Evolution of Observance: Stemming from early advocacy by figures like Dr. Arthur C. Parker and Red Fox James, efforts evolved into Native American Awareness Week in 1976 via legislation authored by Jerry C. Elliott, culminating in President George H.W. Bush's 1990 designation of November as National American Indian Heritage Month.

Culture and Service: The month honors the traditions of over 575 Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities, while noting the high rates of military service among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Dear Benson Tech Families and Students,

As we start the second quarter of the school year I want to be sure to remind our Benson Tech students and community about our current cell phone policy as we are starting to see an uptick of cell phone usage throughout the building.

As a reminder the School Board adopted new policy and the Governor's Office enacted an Executive Order pertaining to cell phones. Board voted to ban cell phone use in schools for all PPS students and Governor Kotek’s Executive Order 25-09 prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices in all K-12 schools during the instructional day.

At Benson Polytechnic High School, we recognize that cell phones are an important part of our students' lives and can be used for various purposes such as communication, education, entertainment, and safety. However, we also believe that cell phone use in the classroom can be a source of distraction, disruption, and disrespect and cell phones can sometimes interfere with our students’ learning process and our school climate. We have had our current cell policy in place since the beginning of the last school year and as we head into the second quarter of this current school year we want to remind our students about the current cell phone policy that has been enacted by the Governor, PPS and Benson Tech.

1. Students cannot/should not/will not use their personal electronic devices from 8:30 am - 3:34.

This includes not using their non-PPS devices in:

• Hallways

• Bathrooms

• Lunch

• Stairwells

• Classrooms

• Courtyards during school hours

2. What's considered a Personal Electronic Device?

• Tablets

• Cell phones

• Personal laptops

• Smart Glasses and Smart Watches or other Smart Devices

• Wireless Earbuds and Wireless Headphones
  

• If it’s not a PPS Supplied Electronic Device -- it can’t be used

3. We ask that parents call the school office at (503) 916-5100 if there is an emergency and they need to reach their child. The office staff will relay the message to the student or the teacher as soon as possible. Please do not call or text your child directly throughout the school day as this may disrupt the learning environment.

If a Student Violates the Benson Tech Cell Phone Policy:

1. 1st Time In the Entire School Year:

2. 2nd Time In the Entire School Year:

3. 3rd Time In the Entire School Year:

4. Progressive consequences will continue to follow if the behavior continues throughout the school year.

Please note that due to some extenuating circumstances there will be a few exceptions to this policy. We appreciate your cooperation and support in enforcing this cell phone policy. We believe that this policy will help us create a positive and productive learning environment for all our students and staff as we continue to move forward with the Governor’s Executive Order of “Off and Away All Day.”

While we recognize that technology has made communication between families and their children more convenient, an essential part of education is helping students develop independence, self-discipline, and the skills they need to succeed without constant access to technology.

We understand that limiting student access to technology may at times feel inconvenient for families. However, this policy is intentional and grounded in our commitment to the academic growth and success of every student. We ask our entire community to be patient, supportive, and consistent as we implement these expectations. Together, we can create an environment where students are focused, engaged, and empowered to take responsibility for their own learning.

We are aware that families use their personal devices to be in frequent contact with each other throughout the day and that this will be a hard transition for some students and parents/guardians. We will support students as they work to gain self-sufficiency and independence, and we will do our best to facilitate student-family communication when it is necessary.

I strongly encourage families to begin having conversations with their students about this policy change so that they know what to expect when school begins on Wednesday August 26th for our 9th grade students and for all students starting on Thursday August 27th.

Please:

• Review the expectations and guidelines with your student.

• Do not call/text students during class time. Should you need to get a hold of your student during the school day, please contact the main office directly at 503-916-5100. We can send a note to your student or pull them from class to take your phone call.

Please remember that children tend to mirror their adults' reactions. It is important for guardians to talk to their children about this expectation in positive terms. Highlight the mental health, social, and academic benefits of taking a break from electronics during the school day. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email.

Curtis Wilson Jr.

Principal of Benson Polytechnic High School

Research:

Teens spend 9 hours a day on devices (Dodgen-Magee, 2018).

Students earned an average letter grade and a half higher in the absence of mobile devices (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).

There are correlations between time spent looking at phones and reports of teen depression (Twenge, 2017)

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/cellphone-bans-school-are-back-how-far-will-they-go

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html

Greetings Benson Tech Families,

As we kick off the second quarter, please be on the lookout for your student’s report cards. A quick reminder that report cards are no longer mailed home—you can access them directly via ParentVUE. As you review them, I invite you to pay close attention to the strong correlation between class grades and attendance.

We will also be sharing details this week regarding Parent-Teacher Conferences, which will take place the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving from 8:30am-8pm. Conferences are a vital part of the learning cycle, and we strongly encourage all families to attend. If your student ended the quarter with lower grades than expected, please know there is still plenty of time to turn things around before final semester grades and graduation credits are issued in January. The path to improvement relies on close collaboration between students, families, and our staff.

Senior Updates & Expectations I met with the Senior class this week to begin preparations for our Commencement Ceremony on Monday, June 7th, 2026, at 4:30 PM at PSU’s Viking Pavilion. While our main focus was ordering graduation regalia, I also reminded our seniors that to celebrate their journey with the school, they need to be here actively participating in our school community. To reinforce this, extra graduation tickets (beyond the standard 8) will be awarded to seniors who maintain regular attendance (90% or higher) or demonstrate significant attendance improvement. We also shared with seniors on Thursday that meeting these attendance standards will be a requirement for purchasing Prom tickets for themselves and their guests. Specific guidelines for demonstrating improvement will be shared with students after winter break.

Attendance Recognition & Staying Healthy: On a celebratory note, Mr. Granville recognized the 20% of our student body who achieved perfect attendance in Quarter 1—congratulations to those students! As the weather turns, we have noticed a recent uptick in seasonal illnesses. While consistent attendance is essential, please use your best judgment as parents and follow physician guidance to keep sick students home and help prevent the spread of communicable illnesses.

Here is an update on how our student body is doing with attendance this school year:

YTD attendance percentage: 89.71% (including excused absences).

Regular attenders (90% attendance or better) by grade level:

9th - 73.13%

10th - 72%

11th - 62.88%

12th - 49.73%

Thank you for your partnership,

Joe Mitacek he/him

Vice Principal

Benson Polytechnic High School

Tier 2 Attendance Intervention Plan (85%–89% Group)

• Target Audience: 98 students currently hovering between 85% and 89% attendance.




• Ultimate Goal: Elevate all 98 students to a minimum of 90% attendance.

Action Steps

1. Immediate Outreach & Scheduling
   • Who: Attendance Coach.
   • Action: Call the families of all 98 identified students.
   • Objective: Secure a designated date and time for an individual student/family meeting.







2. ASERT Team Review
   • Who: Attendance Coach & ASERT Team.
   • Action: Bring this specific cohort list to the next ASERT meeting.
   • Objective: Collaboratively brainstorm tailored support strategies and review any known barriers for these students before individual meetings begin.







3. Individualized Support Mapping
• Who: Attendance Coach & Student.
• Action: Conduct the one-on-one meetings.
• Objective: Create and sign a personalized attendance success plan that addresses their unique challenges (e.g., transportation, morning routines) and maps out the path to 90%.

Montreal Granville BS, MS

Student Attendance Coach

Mgranville@pps.net

Benson Polytechnic High School

971-413-3134

Refer a Student to me by filling out this quick form!

No School Wednesday November 11th, Veteran's Day Holiday

Parent Teacher Conferences Coming November 23rd and 24th

Benson will hold our Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday Nov 23rd and Tuesday Nov 24th in person on campus both days this year from 8:30am to 8:00pm with a lunch break from 11:30am-1:00pm and dinner break from 3pm-5pm. please see the attached document for more information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D2nrFSMAHqIKiyvpRmK8JwoLKe_HPO83qdUzMjwlOLk/edit?usp=sharing

Sara Callies (she/her/hers)

Vice Principal

Benson Polytechnic High School

503-916-5100

Mark your calendars! Benson's 104th annual Tech Show will take place Thursday, April 22 and Friday, April 23, 2027 from 6-9pm. Tech Show is a celebration of what it means to be an Astro, bringing the entire Benson community together to experience the passion, creativity, innovation, and technical expertise of our students.

Students are expected to participate in Tech Show on both Thursday and Friday nights. In recognition of this evening commitment, there will be no regularly scheduled classes on Friday, April 23.

Families are encouraged to plan ahead and prioritize participation in this Benson tradition, and more information about student expectations and event details will be shared as the date approaches. Please contact the Tech Show Coordinators with any additional questions.

Kayla Stolte (kstolte@pps.net) and Steve Curley (scurley@pps.net)

The Construction 3 students are getting a mulligan on the portfolios to share with everyone. Here they are. This week they were tasked to curate and edit them down to the best 4-5 slides per group to summarize the 1st Quarter. I am very proud of the work they have done, and the efforts they have expended to work with each other. Roles in their groups include a Project Manager (Leader), Architect (Sketchup Modeler), Marketing (Slides Portfolio documentor), and a Laborer. Before beginning each of their projects the Architect has to complete the 3D model in Google Sketchup. We set weekly goals and the group leader tracks their daily progress so everyone can reflect on their efforts. I haven't had students work in groups like this since the before times (pre-covid) and one benefit that surprised me is how well students can carry each other forward when one of their team members is absent. We should be well prepared for the three construction competitions we would like to enter this spring. Looking forward to how far these very capable students can go!

V/R,

Luke Hotchkiss

Building Construction

Benson Polytechnic HS

Dear Benson Tech Community,

Please help me congratulate the Class of 2026 PIL Hall of Fame Inductees from Benson Tech.

From left to right Railynn Elliott from the Class of 1997 who competed in Cross Country and Track and Field. Earl Clark from the Class of 1995 who competed in Basketball. Canaan Chatman from the Class of 1990 who competed in Basketball. Aubre Dickson from the Class of 1993 who competed in Football and Track and Field and Denver Skalbeck from the Class of 1987 who competed in Football and Baseball.

Congratulations to the PIL Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Principal Wilson

Our club is hosted at lunch in room 236. on Mondays and Fridays.

We produce beats/music in the class, We also help other people learn, and how the program works for making beats. there will be times where we will try and remake some beats as practice, without using loops. there will also be times where you can also make your own beats as well.

We can be contacted via emails:

dajoseph5107@student.pps.net

rjoseph6831@student.pps.net

or the club email

bensonmusicproduction@gmail.com

The Benson Tech Music Production Club

Hello Benson Tech - Please find our last Mental Health Newsletter linked below. Our next edition will cover Men's Mental Health Month!

October 26, 3rd edition - Includes: Crisis Resources/Looking for a Therapist, Healing Stories, Stress Awareness, Struggling and Coping Skills, Neurodivergent Insight Corner, and more.

• Link to newsletter
• Link to Archive of MH newsletters

Wishing all wellness, Benson Mental Health Team

Our student club is interested in coming up with free or almost free things in our community and communicating those to Benson students. In addition, once a month, students want to host an optional event where students can simply come and be together somewhere in Portland. (No transportation provided or field trip forms - just an optional gathering - with at least one Benson staff present) If you are aware of options that you think would be fun and/or you know of a business that might be willing to host such an event for free/almost free for maybe 15-20 students, please reach out to Jennifer Fields, jefields@pps.net

Ideas thus far: roller skating at Mt Scott, potluck in a park, attending the Tuba Christmas Concert in Pioneer Square, $5 entry day at OMSI, something with the Zoo, gathering at SCRAP and doing some art. The club could provide a snack for those who come. Goal? Community that is open-ended. Thank you!

Benson is full of Support Staff that is available to help support our students and their families! So many good people doing important work in our building.

NEW! Drug and Alcohol Prevention Student Club

A survey will be sent out soon for students who are interested, where they can indicate their availability to meet. Looking forward to seeing what students come up with!

Here is the link address:

http://bit.ly/apcompscisurvey

"Benson's Got Talent" Show is happening Wednesday December 16th! Doors open at 5:30p. Show 6 - 7:30p. Admission $5 adults, $3 students. Admission fee waivers available, please email jacpatterson@pps.net - 100% proceeds support BATS Club and future events at Benson. No one will be turned away.

Open to all students, staff! School appropriate acts only! Performers need to sign up for an audition here (bit.ly/bensonauditions), and attend a Tech Rehearsal and Dress Rehearsal.

We need 3-4 staff to be our "Celebrity Judges." Will interact with show host, have brief fun chats about each act, holding up emoji signs to signal what you think of the acts, and help select a winning act for a prize at the end of the show. Please let Jacob / BATS know if you are available to help jacpatterson@pps.net

Promotional flier is attached to share with students. Please encourage all traditional and nontraditional talents to be showcased. (Singing, dancing, cultural performances, bands, musicians etc. Media projects, videos, gaming demonstrations, podcasts, yo-yoing and other talents are encouraged too!)

Let's make this one BIGGER, BETTER, and special for our community! Thank you!

Best,

Jacob Patterson (he/him)

KBPS Broadcasting Instructor

Office 503-916-5100 ex. 88130 or 88132

Listener Line (503) 916-KBPS

jacpatterson@pps.net

www.kbps.am

Please click on the link below to read about Benson's own Coach Earl Clark who graduated from Benson Tech in 1995 and has been coaching boy's basketball for the Astros for the last 14 years. Coach Clark will be inducted into the PIL Hall of Fame on Sunday November 8th.

Congratulations Coach Clark on a well deserved accomplishment.

Principal Wilson

https://online.fliphtml5.com/PILHOF/anmw/#p=4

Class of 2027 Senior Yearbook Info

Senior year is already a quarter over! The Benson Blueprint Yearbook wants to make it last forever. Here’s how!

Senior Portraits

Seniors get to choose how they are remembered with senior portraits. The deadline for submissions is January 8, 2027, but you don’t have to wait. Follow THIS LINK to submit them to our staff.

Senior Awards

Best dressed? Best smile? Anyone can nominate a senior for one of 10 awards. But hurry. Nominations close soon. Only Seniors will be allowed to vote once the nominations are set.

Here’s THIS LINK for that.

Senior Recognition Ad

In no time, it will be early summer, and your kid will be marching across that stage. Consider marking the moment with a Recognition Advertisement printed in their senior yearbook. Ads take a number of forms and styles, from heartfelt messages at the start of a new life chapter, to inside jokes, to immortalizing all those senior portraits you paid for, to embarrassing pictures of your kid as a baby… or tween. You have full design control! HERE’S THE LINK FOR SENIOR ADS!

All proceeds from ad sales go towards providing a yearbook for an Astro in need.

Haven’t reserved a book yet?

HERE’S THE LINK TO RESERVE A YEARBOOK. We ran out last year, so don’t wait until May!

Reach out to ghunting@pps.net with questions.

Greg Huntington

Yearbook Advisor

--

Greg Huntington

He/Him/His

Benson Polytechnic High School

10th Grade English

The Benson Blueprint (Yearbook)

The Benson Orbit (Journalism)

AP Computer Science Could Be Coming to Benson! Have Your Say!

Interested in game development, cybersecurity, programming, or creating apps?

Benson is exploring new Computer Science opportunities for the 2027–28 school year, including a possible AP Computer Science Principles course.

We want to hear from you! Whether you've taken Computer Science before or have never written a line of code, your input can help shape future course offerings.

The survey takes about 2 minutes to complete.

Take the AP Computer Science & CS Course Interest Survey

Davie Beckler

Benson Tech Computer Science Instructor

Our PTA Clothing Closet day has changed to Monday, November 16th from 9:30am to 1:30pm. If you're interested in helping some PPS families out during the upcoming holidays, please sign-up here.

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Attention clubs and teams! - We are accepting funding requests for Winter 2026/27 now through Sunday, 11/15 at 10pm. Have your group leader submit one request via our Request Booster Funds form.

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We've partnered with See's Candy to bring your favorite sweet treats right to your door. It's not too early to shop our Holiday Store. Our General Store is open year-round. A significant portion of your purchase will go to support Benson's students.

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Interested in supporting Benson? Add yourself to our mailing list here.

Benson students: would you like to travel to the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2027? Señorita Arias is now leading the “Exploring Health Sciences in the Dominican Republic.” Visit https://www.eftours.com/3094670AA to find out more about the trip.

Please note:

• You do not need to be a Health Occupations major to join this trip.
• This trip is not sponsored by Benson or PPS.

Registration is open until February of 2027!

Reach out to bensonhstravels@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like more information.

A Message from the Benson Swim Team:

Swim Team season Starts November 16th!! Benson Swimming has grown tremendously in the last 4 years and have had some great success! We always need new swimmers to keep growing! So if you can swim well and would like to join other swimmers at Benson for the Winter sports season, DO NOT WAIT, sign up now it is not too soon.

Steve Espe

Benson Tech Swim Coach

College Application Presentation

Please click the link above for a preview of how to fill out the college application.

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Sincerely,

Morgan McFadden

School Counselor- Benson High School

Work Cell (with text): 971-231-4149

Caseload: Last Names G-Ma

To schedule an appointment, use the following link: Ms. Morgan

Dear Tech Families:

Come get your Flu and COVID vaccines in the Benson Wellness Center!

By appointment only: if you have never been seen by our providers you will need to register as a patient by calling 503-494-8505.

Please talk to any adult in the clinic if you have questions about how to do that! Or call 503-418-0409.

Sincerely,

Caroline Bleckmann, LCSW, She/her

School Social worker, Benson Polytechnic High School

Do you like to argue and prove your point? Benson Mock Trial is looking for committed members! Join us every Tuesday & Thursday in Room 11 (Mr. Morris' room in the basement) from 3:40pm-6pm. Dinner is provided. Contact Ms. Goertzen: hgoertzen@pps.net with any further questions.

Do you like to argue? Do you want to understand the proceedings in a courtroom and how to engage? Then Benson’s Mock Trial Team might be for you. Come check it out! We practice every Tuesday and Thursday after school from 3:40pm-6pm. Dinner is provided! Email Ms.G with questions or for more information at hgoertzen@pps.net

Register for winter and spring sports at Benson!

Please sign up for sports at Benson using this link. Winter sports include swimming, wrestling, and basketball. Athletes who want to participate on the first day of the winter season need to register by November 9 at midnight. The first day of the season/tryouts is November 16. All athletes need to be fully cleared (including the physical exam form filled out by a medical provider) to participate.

All-League Honors

Congratulations to the following athletes who earned all-league honors for their performance this fall!

• Second Team

• Giovanni Gioseffi, sophomore - boys soccer

• Alan Martinez Sanchez, sophomore - boys soccer

• Honorable Mention

• Amari De La Torre, junior - volleyball

• Edwin Guzman Anicua, sophomore - boys soccer

• Logan Fruhwirth, sophomore - boys soccer

• Davin Choun, senior - boys soccer

• Jhoan Ibarra, senior - boys soccer

ASB Stickers

Benson Tech will offer ASB stickers for purchase this year to benefit the Athletics Department. If a student or their family purchases this sticker, the student will have free admission to all regular season contests held at Benson HS for the entire 2026-27 school year. A student ticket for a regular season contest costs $5 a game, and we are selling the stickers for $20. The sticker will go on their school ID card, so they can show that at the ticket booth for free admission to regular season home games at Benson HS. Students may pick up the stickers from the athletic office or the bookkeeper after they have purchased it on SchoolPay, or in person. Funds from the ASB sticker sales will go back to Benson Tech athletes to pay for varsity letters, athletic training supplies, uniforms, team gear, and equipment.

Attendance Reminders

Fall rosters have been finalized, so we will begin running attendance reports and holding athletes out from contests and practices if they are in violation of the PIL/PPS athlete attendance policy. I've included the policy below for reference.

Athletic Attendance Procedure
1. Attendance at school for the entire day is a prerequisite for participation in an athletic contest or practice. School related activities or appointments with at least 24 hour notice and approval by the administration do not fall under this regulation. Emergency situations may be reviewed by the administration.

2. As soon as it is verified that a student athlete has an unexcused absence from any class (including being marked late after tardy), they will not be permitted to participate in the practice or contest that day.

Pre-arranged absences that are excused:

• A school-related activity

• An appointment, but only if an athlete’s parent/guardian received prior approval for the absence from the athletic director or a school administrator

• A situation deemed to be an emergency by the athletic director or a school administrator

Unexcused absences:

• The athlete attending an appointment that parent/guardian did not obtain prior approval

• The athlete not attending a class for reasons not deemed to be an emergency by the athletic director or school administrator

Jessica Russell

Athletic Director

Benson High School

From the Bookkeeper

SchoolPay is the online tool for families to make payments for fees and donations easily from home or a mobile device. We recommend that you sign in and use your account so you have a saved history of your payments in one place. Here are some of the direct links for specific items.

Athletic "Pay to Play Fee" For students participating in PIL Benson teams, the fee is $200 per sport for the first two sports per year and the fee for a third sport is waived. If you qualify for Free/Reduced Meals, the fee is $35. If you have not yet paid for fall sports, please do so as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact the bookkeeper, Sheli Bryan.

ASB Sticker Purchase a $20 sticker for your student's ID to get them into any home game during the regular season. Proceeds go to support Benson athletic programs. The regular cost of student admission is $5 per game. The sticker can be picked up from the bookkeeper in room 120 once purchased.

PE Uniform for 9th Graders All families of 9th grade students are asked to pay $20 to cover the cost of the PE shirt, a combination lock, and to help support the costs of the PE/Health course.

Student Activity Fund Families who are able are asked to contribute funds to school-wide activities each year. The school operational budget does not cover all the needs for our programs. We rely on voluntary contributions to enhance the overall experience for our students. As the school year progresses, we will highlight needs as they arise for teachers and student groups. Individual teams and teachers may be sharing information as well. If you are able to contribute a suggested $25, or whatever you can afford, to our Student Activity Fund, these dollars will help support activities and events. Thank you!

Sheli Bryan (she/her)

Bookkeeper

Benson Polytechnic High School

546 NE 12th Ave.

Portland, OR 97232

503-916-5100 ext. 88412

Pre-order the Benson Blueprint (2027 Yearbook)!

This year's staff is assembled and excited to get started making the book.

Follow THIS LINK to Josten's website to take advantage of early-bird pricing. Hurry! Prices go up in October!