Badgerline
A guide to all things Bennington Elementary
Important Upcoming Dates
- September 29th Fun Run
- Sept 27 - Oct 1st Homecoming Dress Up Week (see theme days listed below)
- October 6th Picture Retake Day
- October 12th/13th Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-8:00 pm (see links below)
- October 14th No School; Teacher Inservice
- October 15th No School
- October 22nd Spirit Day - GO BADGERS!!
- October 29th Fall Parties
A Message From Mrs. O'Connor
This week brought some big news! I have been appointed as the principal for the new elementary building, scheduled to open in August of 2022. This announcement brings both excitement and sadness as I start a new adventure but transition from such a wonderful community within Bennington Elementary.
I am grateful and honored to be selected to lead such a wonderful community through the next growth opportunity. My time at Bennington Elementary has taught me many things, but most importantly, how much those around me influence the impact we have on kids, families, and our school community. I do not lead alone and value each and every relationship I have built along the way. Bennington Elementary has always been my “happy place.” It will forever be my foundation and where I have learned how to put this community first.
While I am very excited to create a new happy place, build new relationships, and continue the excellence of Bennington Public Schools within a new building, Bennington Elementary still has my focus. We have much yet left to accomplish this year and I will continue to commit my energy and effort to my Bennington Elementary family.
The District is scheduled to announce the successor for the leadership of Bennington Elementary in November.
FUN RUN 2021 - TIME SCHEDULE BELOW
Great work Bennington Elementary Families! We’re have surpassed our goal of 90% of students registered and are getting close to reaching our $40,000 goal to raise money for playground and courtyard updates. We would like to add things such as outdoor instruments, weatherproof whiteboards, and other outdoor elements to enhance our beautiful spaces. We also hope to be able to purchase FUN DAY shirts at the end of the year for EVERY student with our earnings.
Thanks for your support so far! Please help our school TODAY by sharing your donation link with others, or giving to our school if you are able.
We’re looking to make a big leap in participation this weekend with the Weekend Challenge. Any student that gets $2 per lap or a total of $60 donated on mybooster.com will receive a bonus prize in addition to the regular prizes!
Thanks for helping our school raise funds this year and have a GREAT weekend!
Please see the schedule below for the fun run times for September 29th. Visitors are allowed to support our students during their run time. Students will run out on the green space. We ask that you remain in the cheering section, off of the track, unless you have volunteered to help with marking laps.
8:30-9:30 1st Grade
9:30-10:30 5th Grade
10:30-11:30 3rd Grade
12:00-1:00 2nd Grade
1:00-2:00 Kindergarten
2:00-3:00 4th Grade
FUN RUN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Fall Parent Teacher Conferences
We are excited for your families to join us for fall Parent/Teacher conferences on Tuesday, October 12 or Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
Your family will have options! We will be offering traditional in-person conferences or virtual Google Meet conferences. We understand there is a desire for some of our families to be back in the classrooms with the teacher while other families greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with the teacher from a variety of locations (home, office, etc.)
UPON OPENING THE LINK, SCROLL DOWN TO YOUR TEACHER ON THE GRADE LEVEL LIST AND SELECT THE DATE AND TIME THAT WORKS FOR YOUR FAMILY. SIGNING UP UNDER THE CORRECT TEACHER IS VERY IMPORTANT SO PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE TO FIND YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER PRIOR TO SELECTING YOUR DATE AND TIME. Remember to indicate your preference of either in person or virtual attendance as well as sign up for your preferred time
If you wish to meet with Music, PE, Art, Counselor, Library, HAL, math intervention, and reading intervention, please use the specialist link.
Please let our office know of any questions.
Kdg - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-kdgparent2
1st Grade - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-1stgrade5
2nd Grade - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-2ndgrade6
3rd Grade - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-3rdgrade6
4th Grade - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-4thgrade6
5th Grade - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-5thgrade6
Spanish - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4da5ad2ba4fb6-fall23
Specialists - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C45A5A92DA3F49-specialist2
Conference Meal Sign Up
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0545afa62aa3fd0-conferences
COVID-19 Information
For possible positive cases within our Elementary Buildings, there are steps that differ between Vaccinated and UnVaccinated. At this time, we understand that Elementary Students do not have the option to receive a vaccination, but if that should change this explains how it would affect the close contact experience:
- First case in a classroom: All self-monitor unvaccinated wear a mask until 14 days have passed from the last exposure to the positive case.
- Second case in the same classroom: Within 14 days of the first case, all self-monitor and unvaccinated wear a mask (i.e. vaccinated do not have to wear a mask at that step. Unvaccinated choosing to NOT mask at this step will not be allowed to attend school) This occurs until 14 days have passed from the last exposure to the positive second case.
- Third case in the same classroom: Within 14 days of the first case, the school district will consult with DCHD to determine further mitigation measures; may include quarantine.
- The health department recommends if a household member tests positive for COVID-19, that the unvaccinated other household members quarantine. Your child’s school’s front office staff will be able to assist you in determining a safe return to school date for your child should this event occur within your household.
We will once again send staff and students home who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 Symptom Lists:
Students and staff with any one (1) of the following symptoms will be sent home:
New Cough, New Onset of Shortness of Breath, New Loss of Taste or Smell
Students and staff with any two (2) of the following symptoms will be sent home:
Fever 100.4 F. or Above, Chills, Muscle Aches, Headache, Sore Throat, Nausea or Vomiting, Diarrhea, Fatigue
Please continue to communicate with us if a household member of your student has tested positive for COVID-19. If the student is Unvaccinated, the student must quarantine at home away from the positive individual. They may return to school with a negative COVID-19 test on Day 5 or later from the last time they were in close contact with the household member and may return to school after Day 7. The student should wear a mask and continue to self-monitor through Day 14.
Badger Blue Spirit Days
Mark your calendars! On these days, we are looking for the class that has the highest percentage of participation. We encourage you to send your child in all the spirit wear they own...or even a blue shirt! Add those bows, socks, hair paint etc. The winning class from each grade gets to keep "Tuffy", the badger in their rooms for a month.
October 22nd
(SWITCHED from 10/29 due to Fall Parties)
November 19th
December 17th
January 28th
February 25th
March 25th
April 22nd
May 13th
THESE KIDS HAVE CHARACTER!!
HOMECOMING WEEK - DRESS UP DAYS 9/27-10/1
Scholastic Book Fair Website
Adopt The Lounge
BE PTO Happenings
Upcoming PTO Food Nights
- Tuesday, October 13th - Runza (Bennington) 5:00 - 8:00 pm (**originally scheduled 10/12)
- Thursday, November 4th - Godfather's (Bennington) All Day
All Bennington Elementary Families - We are compiling the Online Directory NOW
STUDENT ABSENCES/TARDIES
If you're just running late or your student is coming in after an appointment, we would like to know. We just want to make sure all of our BE students are accounted for.
Bennington Preschool Peer Applications
To all families interested in having their child apply and be screened for our district's 2022-2023 preschool classrooms, please note there will be an application that opens up on October 1st through our district website, specifically on the Early Childhood Home Page.
You will find a link to a Google Form to complete with your child's information. We will send out a sign-up genius in December to those families that apply to select a screening date and time, which is required to enter our preschool lottery. We always have more applicants than we can serve, therefore this will be a first come first serve process for sign-ups. Once sign-ups are complete, we plan to screen all Peer Models in January of 2022 and complete our lottery by the end of that month. All families will be notified if their child will be placed in our preschool at the beginning of February. If any part of our process changes, we will notify each applicant's family via email.
**If you are a current three year old student in our preschool program, you do not need to complete this as you will be able to move to our four year old class automatically.***
POST PROM - Support our Junior and Senior students!
Please bring $1.00 to cast your vote on who should be dunked from Bennington Elementary. Voting will take place from September 27th - October 1st.
Bennington Elementary's nominees are:
- Mr. Johanek, PE
- Miss Weaver, 3rd Grade
- Mrs. O'Connor, Principal
Birthday Treats
Bennington Public Schools Mission
The Mission of Bennington Public Schools is to provide opportunities in a safe, caring environment that will prepare all students to meet the challenges of the future.
Notice of Nondiscrimination: Bennington Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, or other protected status in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
About Us
Email: kwitt@bennps.org
Website: www.benningtonschools.org
Location: 11620 North 156th Street, Bennington, NE, USA
Phone: 402-238-2690
Twitter: @Benningtonelem