Bennett Peek of the Week
May 2nd - May 6th
The Mission of Bennett Elementary School
Achieving excellence by educating and empowering all students to succeed.
2022-2023 Kindergarten Information | Open House
There will be an Open House for incoming Kindergarten Students and their parents on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 from 5:30PM-6:30PM. More information to follow!
https://sites.google.com/fargoschools.org/bennett/kindergarten-readiness?authuser=0
Dear Parents,
There have been some conversation/questions about the doors of elementary schools not opening until 15 minutes prior to the start of school. The reason that doors have not been opening earlier is due to a couple of factors: lack of adequate hourly staff available to supervise students and teachers’ supervision assignment begin 15 minutes prior to the start of school.
The lack of “people power” diminishes our ability to supervise students within the school or in common areas, such as gym, cafeteria and/or playground. Once students are in the building, it is “go time”.
FAQs about why elementary schools are not opening their doors earlier.
Why can’t the doors open earlier?
● There is a lack of staff to adequately fill open positions on a daily basis.
● The number of open and/or unfilled positions results in less flexibility on who can cover bus duty, parent drop off, and breakfast distribution.
Why is lack of supervision a “big deal”?
● The lack of “people power” diminishes our ability to supervise students within the school or in common areas, such as the gym, cafeteria and/or playground, safely.
● Developmentally, elementary aged students are not able to be left unsupervised due to safety.
What does the support staff do?
● Fifteen minutes before school begins, support staff are outside assisting with student drop off and breakfast distribution.
● When the weather is inclement, they supervise drop off and students brought inside to wait until the first bell rings and students can enter the classroom.
Can students ever enter the building early?
● Students may enter the building earlier if they are part of a before and after school child care program hosted on-site. The Boys and Girl Club or the YMCA service FPS elementary schools. In addition, students who are participating before or after music groups, such as, chimes, choir or orchestra may enter the building 5-minutes before the group begins.
What can parents do to support their children and the school with drop off and pick up?
● Prepare your child or children for weather conditions by providing your children with adequate outer gear, such as
○ Winter coat
○ Winter hat
○ Winter gloves
○ Snow pants
○ Winter boots
○ Scarf
○ Raincoat
○ Umbrella
● Assist in doing your part in assisting with drop off and pick up,
○ be patient,
○ be a positive role model in front of all children-your own and others’,
○ follow your building's drop off/pick up traffic patterns and “flow”,
○ be cautious around schools by watching for pedestrians and bicyclists, and
○ adhere to speed limits and cross walks.
Drop off/pick up can be a very stressful time. Our students are excited to get to school and parents are eager to get on with their day. This can result in both groups not paying attention to traffic and pedestrians. It can also result in unpleasant confrontations among adults. School staff are trying to prevent accidents and keep traffic moving. Please, please be as patient as you possibly can.
Thank you for your continued support!!
Ms. Schafer
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PTA
Hello Bennett Elementary Families!
The PTA is so excited to bring back the Spring Family Fun Night this year on May 13 from 5:30-8pm! Students will be sent home with event flyers today that include a Presale Ticket form. We encourage families to fill out the form and send cash or check payment back to school by May 6th with their student. This helps us have a better estimate for food purchases. Students will turn in forms and payment to their classroom teachers. You can pick up your Presale Tickets at the event. There will also be ticket sales and additional concessions, including Shaved Ice by Northern Brain Freeze, for purchase!
We are also holding a Silent Auction at the Family Fun Night this year. Each classroom has been assigned a theme. Informational flyers specific to classroom themes will be sent home today. Donations are due April 29. All of the funds raised during this event stay at Bennett Elementary; thank you in advance for your donations!
We need LOTS of volunteers to make this event a success. There are multiple time slots for each area. Please click the link to find which fun spot you'd like to fill. We appreciate your help and can't wait to see you there!
Virtual Academy 2022-2023
Recently, Fargo Public Schools made the decision to continue its Virtual Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. For planning purposes, we need to gather information regarding interest for next year.
Elementary (grades K-5): The elementary model will stay the same through the North Dakota Center for Distance Education (NDCDE).
Secondary (grades 6-12): Secondary students will utilize a program called Edgenuity for core classes. This program, currently used at the high schools for credit recovery coursework, provides greater flexibility to meet students’ academic needs. In addition, secondary students will have the opportunity to meet via Zoom with an FPS instructor at scheduled times throughout the day. Elective courses will be offered through NDCDE at the secondary level.
Please complete the survey linked below to indicate your interest in attending the Fargo Public Schools Virtual Academy for the 2022-2023 school year: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFZEu1-qzxbzL7xn_Pq_txT2LnKXhJfURO9Kkx76Y7OtGGyg/viewform?usp=sf_link
More information on the Fargo Public Schools Virtual Academy can be found on our webpage: https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/virtualacademy.
If you have questions, please contact the Virtual Academy administrators listed below:
Lori Nappe (Grades K-5)
(701) 446-1601
Holly Fiechtner (Grades 6-12)
(701) 446-1602
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Student Need Sheet 2022-2023 School Year
Bennett Elementary will start the process of NOT taking parent requests for a particular teacher for any school year.
We do this to:
- better align practices with other Fargo Elementary Schools and the school district
- make sure all of our students are equally dispersed, and
- meet the individual needs of our students by first looking at students needs rather than teacher/parent need.
The assigning of students to classrooms requires careful planning by teachers, administrators, special education, counselors, and gifted and talented. A great deal of time and thought goes into placing children into classes. We carefully look at having equal numbers of students, the number of boys and girls, students needing extra support, a mixed range of performance levels, special needs, and students who shouldn’t be together for various reasons when determining the class lists.
The teachers will compile class lists this spring and summer. I will assign teacher names to the class lists that are created. Then, sometime in August notification of your student’s teacher will be sent to you via email.
IF you want to express your students needs, learning abilities, or strengths, please see the google form below. Information in the google form needs to be completed by Friday, May 20th. No paper copies will be handed out.
Thanks for all you do!
FREE SCHOOL MEALS EXPIRING JUNE 2022
A waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has enabled schools across the nation, including Fargo Public Schools, to provide all students free meals since the COVID-19 pandemic first disrupted K – 12 education in March of 2020. The free school meal benefits will expire after the last school day of the 2021 – 2022 school year.
What does this mean for families? In the fall of 2022, meals will return to paid-for status. Families will need to pay full price for student meals or fill out an application to qualify for free or reduced price meals. Applications for the 2022-2023 school year will be available starting July 1, 2022. Applications will be available on the Nutrition Services Department website after that date and will be shared at the start of the 2022-23 school year with families.
Special Education Parent Advisory Council
Fargo Public Schools (FPS) is forming the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and is currently accepting applications from parents of students who receive special education services.
General membership is open to any FPS parents/guardians of students currently attending FPS. FPS seeks the following four parent/guardian volunteers for membership of the FPS SEPAC, with the following requirements:
- A person who lives in the FPS District and who is a parent or legal guardian of a student directly receiving special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504 Plan or is in the referral process within a FPS school, but not employed by the FPS district.
The role of SEPAC members is to provide insight and support to the SEPAC in the understanding of parent/ family issues and perspectives, and to attend all regular meetings and special meetings as requested.
Read more about the Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
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The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley (BGC) offers affordable and flexible youth development programs for before school, after school, and school out days for youth K-5th grades, and The CLUB Teen Center at our BGC Midtown location after school and summer for teens 6th through 12th grade.
Visit our website at bgcrrv.org for more information, including upcoming registration dates for School Year 22-23.
Summer 2022 registration is now open!
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley
Scheduling, Registration, & General Information
701-235-2147 | schedule@bgcrrv.org | bgcrrv.org
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2022 is open online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration on February 1, 2022. Your child must be age 5 by July 31, 2022 to attend school in the fall.
Registration is a two-step process:
STEP ONE: REGISTER ONLINE
Complete online registration forms at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. For assistance, please contact your child’s school to schedule an appointment to complete in-person. Masks are required for all visitors.
STEP TWO: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION
Upload or bring the following documents to your child’s school by August 25 to finalize registration.
- Child’s certified birth certificate
- Child’s immunization record with 5-year shots
- Document (i.e. current city utility bill or bank statement) that includes parent/guardian name and current address for verification
If you do not know which school your child will attend, call 701.446.1043 or check online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/boundarymaps.
If you need help in PowerSchool (Fargo Public Schools online registration software), please call 701.446.1006
Community Resources
School counselors and staff are available during the school day to assist students. After hours and during weekends and holiday breaks, families need to utilize community supports. If you are in need of assistance for yourself or someone else, please contact the following resources:
FirstLink: Dial 2-1-1
(24/7 hour help line for community resources and emotional support)
Suicide Lifeline (answered locally): 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Red River Regional Dispatch: 701-451-7660
If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1
Enrichment Summer School
The Fargo Public Schools Elementary Enrichment program offers a wide variety of classes for children who have completed grades 2-5. The summer enrichment courses are intended to strengthen students’ self-esteem, learn new abilities, and encourage lifelong learning through creative and enriching activities. You can register online for courses by clicking the following link:
https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Elementary-Enrichment-Summer-School-Cour/MeaF
June 6th to June 17th
8:00AM – 10:30AM
10:30AM – 1:00PM
All Classes held at Lewis and Clark Elementary School
1729 16th St. S. Fargo, ND 58103
Please contact Lori Nappe, Summer School Director, with any questions at nappel@fargo.k12.nd.us.
Bennett Elementary
Email: schafes@fargo.k12.nd.us
Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/Bennett
Location: 2000 58th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-4000
Twitter: @SchoolBennett