BADGER BEAT
January 26, 2024
IMPORTANT DATES
January
January 26 Parent Teacher Conference Links included below, links will close Feb. 8
February
February 2- PTO Spirit Day *Wear Blue*
February 5- PTO meeting 7pm
February 7- 11:40 am Early Dismissal-no lunch served (No AM/PM clubs), Bring $1 and wear PJs to support the 5th grade DC trip
February 9- Valentine's Party
February 13-14- Parent Teacher Conferences
February 15-19- No School
February 21- Badger Bites at Porky Butts 4-8 pm
February 26- Parent Work Night at 6:30pm
March
March 1- PTO Spirit Day *Wear Blue*
March 4- PTO meeting 7pm
March 11-15- Staff Appreciation Week (Planning Volunteers Needed)
March 18- Parent Work Night at 6:30
March 20- 11:40 am Early Dismissal-no lunch served (No AM/PM clubs)
March 21- Badger Bites at Don & Millies
March 25-29- Spring Break
April
April 1- PTO meeting 7pm
April 5- PTO Spirit Day *Wear Blue*
April 9- TUESDAY--11:40 am Early Dismissal-no lunch served (No AM/PM clubs)
April 15- Parent Work Night at 6:30
April 16- TUESDAY--11:40 am Early Dismissal-no lunch served (No AM/PM clubs)
April 17- Music and Art Extravaganza *schedule coming soon
April 26- No School
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
3rd Grade
Clara Belgum
2nd Grade
Braxton Owen
Student Services
Lauryn Callahan
Kindergarten
Alexandra Crain
1st Grade
Kaylee Parsons
4th Grade
Ariya Long
THANK YOU!!
Thank you to the following people for volunteering for our audio screening this week:
Betsy Sudbeck, Megan Schultz, Jenny Dooley, Nikki Kean, Valerie Barnes, Oscary Cueto, Megan Dambrosia, Leah Karli Horton, Erin Denker, Jenny Wein, Kim Spargen, and Teri Wolfe
VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY SPECIFICS
Classroom parties will take place on Friday, February 9
Set up will start at 1:45. Parties will run until 2:45. Room parents will plan snack and game and are invited to attend the party.
Your child's teacher should be sending a letter home regarding how and when they prefer your child send the valentines.
Students create their own boxes at home and bring them in the day of the party- Boxes should be able to be carried by students independently
Parent Teacher Conference Links
Please sign up for parent teacher conferences, take time to look for your child's teacher's name.
Order a Yearbook for the 2023-2024 School Year
ONE BOOK ONE SCHOOL-BOOKS CAME HOME!
Monday, January 22- Monday, February 12
For this PTO sponsored event, each family at Pine Creek received a copy of the book Frindle, as well as a reading schedule and nightly discussion questions.
Students will return discussion questions each day to a bin near the front entrance. Daily drawing winners will be called to the office for a small prize.
Here are the youtube links to listen to this past weeks chapters. Each chapter features a different Pine Creek staff member as a guest reader.
2024-2025 NEW STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN!
INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS AND NEW STUDENTS
Do you have a student ready to start Kindergarten in August 2024? Bennington Public Schools is currently accepting registrations for any incoming Kindergarten students. If your child will be eligible for Kindergarten (age 5 by July 31, 2024) please visit our district website www.benningtonschools.org and click on "Enroll New Student" to register for the upcoming school year, and be sure to select the 2024-2025 school year.
Determining the enrollment for the next year is important for future staff planning. Completing registration also ensures that you receive communication regarding kindergarten. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Kindergarten Roundup for students will take place at the conclusion of summer prior to the start of the school year. More information will be sent on this at a later date. If you have any questions regarding enrollment, please contact your neighborhood school.
MORNING ARRIVAL, OUTDOOR RECESS AND SAFETY PATROL GUIDELINES
MORNING ARRIVAL
Students will wait outside at arrival unless the feels like temperature is below 0 degrees. Students enter the building at 8:00 (K-1), 7:57 (2nd-3rd), and 7:5 (4th-5th).
OUTDOOR RECESS
As the weather continues to get colder in the winter months, please send your students in appropriate winter gear (coats, hats, gloves/mittens). Teachers will take students out to their 30 minute recess as long as the feels like temperature is above 20 degrees.
SAFETY PATROL
The 5th Grade Safety Patrol Program is an important service for getting our students to school safely. With cold weather definitely here, we want to provide guidelines when student safety patrol will be on duty. Student patrol members will report for duty if the feels like temperature is 20 degrees or above. When the feels like temperature drops below 20 degrees only the adult patrol members will report to duty. Students on morning patrol duty during the winter months will be offered hot chocolate after on completion of the duty. Please remind your children to wear appropriate weather gear for duty.**While these guidelines help in decision making, staff will use discretion in outdoor activities**
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
MORNING DROP OFF
Parents dropping students off by car should use the parent car lane (right hand lane) and pull as far forward as possible.
Once a car is as far forward as traffic allows and is past the flagpole (main entrance), a child may be dropped off.
Students should only exit from the passenger (curbside) of the car.
Parents should remain in their vehicles during carline drop off.
Any parent needing to enter the school at this time should park their car in an open stall.
Following drop off, students may:
Walk on the sidewalk through the cafeteria doors to breakfast
Walk on the sidewalk through the cafeteria doors to walking or reading club
Students must arrive prior to 8:00 am to join reading and walking club
Walk on the sidewalk to their grade level outdoor spot
Teachers begin outdoor duty at 7:50 am. Prior to 7:50, students will not have adult supervision.
AFTERNOON PICK UP
Car riders are dismissed at 3:07 p.m. Your child’s teacher will accompany them out of school and will wait for pick up in the same location daily
A left turn into the car line, driving South on N. HWS Cleveland Boulevard, is prohibited after school hours. Please access the pick up line coming in from the North.
As with drop off, parents should pull up through the line as far as traffic allows. Staff will work to load students from the farthest point possible, regardless of where student waiting areas are.
Students and teachers will be on the lookout for cars. When appropriate, teachers will send students to walk on the sidewalk to meet their ride.
Especially during the first months of school, posting a car rider tag with family name and grades in the windshield of your vehicle can allow staff to quickly and accurately identify cars and to call students for pick up efficiently.
PTO SPOTLIGHT
School Club Information
JANUARY BREAKFAST/LUNCH MENU
Honoring teachers, support staff, volunteers and alumni for their amazing contributions are one of our favorite times of the year!
The Foundation’s Annual Awards Ceremony is on Sunday, April 28. In addition to awarding graduating senior scholarships, the Foundation will also recognize five special award recipients:
- New Educator of the Year (Receives $1,000)
- Distinguished Educator of the Year (Receives $1,000)
- Support Staff of the Year (Receives $500)
- Distinguished Alumni
- Volunteer of the Year
Let us know who YOU think would be deserving of an Of the Year Award by March 1!
Please contact us
Assistant Principal- Krista Bendell (kbendell@bennps.org)
Secretary- Liz Peterson (epeterson@bennps.org)
Health Para- Amanda Hladik (ahladik@bennps.org)
Email: aevangelisti@bennps.org
Website: benningtonschools.org
Location: 7801 North HWS Cleveland Boulevard, Bennington, NE, USA
Phone: (402)238-2372
Twitter: @pinecreek_elem
Notice of Non-Discrimination
The Bennington Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or other protected status in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Students: Mr. Dan Bombeck, Director of Student Services, 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 (dbombeck@bennps.org). Employees and Others: Dr. Matt Blomenkamp, Assistant Superintendent 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 (mblomenkamp@bennps.org). Complaints or concerns involving discrimination or needs for accommodation or access should be addressed to the appropriate Coordinator. For further information about anti-discrimination laws and regulations, or to file a complaint of discrimination with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education (OCR), please contact the OCR at 601 East 12th Street, Room 353, Kansas City, MO 64106, (800) 368-1019 (voice), Fax (816) 426-3686, (800) 537-7697 (telecommunications device for the deaf), or ocr.kansascity@ed.gov.
Title IX
The Bennington Public School District is committed to offering employment and educational opportunity to its employees and students in a climate free of discrimination. Accordingly, unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation of any kind by District employees, including, co-workers, non-employees (such as volunteers), third parties and others is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.