Benton Weekly Update
Week 25: February 22-26, 2021
Parent Conference Week
Are you connected with your child on Schoology? Sign up here for a parent meeting to find out how you can keep track of your child's progress and work. More details below.
Burning the Midnight Oil? Teachers report that many students are submitting assignments after midnight - that's past their bedtime! Students in middle school should be getting 9+ hours of sleep each night. Good practice is to make sure the TV is off and iPads, phones, and other electronics are not in the room where children are sleeping.
For Black History Month, we touch on the Harlem Renaissance and the photographer who documented the major figures in the movement. Find out more below.
Conference Week Schedule
Spotlight on Learning ~ Photography
Photography students watched a short film “A Day in the Life of ‘The Dogist’" and then applied skills previously taught in Photography class to take a picture of their pet or a friend's pet. Students were to use the tips 'The Dogist' gave and add what they have learned about angles, composition, and lighting. You can view their work here:
Spotlight on Learning ~ Drama
PTSA Reflections
Benton PTSA is excited to celebrate our creative students who participated in this year's PTA Reflections Contest. Please enjoy this special slide show awards presentation featuring their entries.
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a large social and cultural movement of the early 1900s -1930s stemming from the “Great Migration" of African Americans from the rural South to cities of the urban North of the United States. In New York City, they found their voices in a politically, socially and culturally vibrant Harlem. Harlem spawned writers and poets like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, as well as musicians and artists whose work encouraged African Americans to take on an independent, enlightened approach to education, culture and politics.
Photographer James VanDerZee was not only the de facto documentor of the Harlem Renaissance, but also a prominent member of the movement. As a result, his body of work is a veritable who’s-who of celebrities including the poet Countee Cullen, dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Bishop Charles M. “Daddy” Grace, boxer Joe Louis, entertainer Florence Mills, and the black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey.
His experimental artistic vision was well suited for the time. He excelled at retouching glamour shots that radiated an aura of perfection and would use double negatives to extend the meaning of his work. Van Der Zee is considered to have created one of the most comprehensive documentations of the Harlem Renaissance.
What's up this week?
Parent Conferences 2/22-2/26
Wednesday is Period 8B 9am-10am.
Log into your period 8B Zoom 9-10, then work on homework, projects, reading from 10am-2pm.
Chipotle Dine Out Fundraiser ~ Wed. 2/24
Schoology Parent Account Informational Meeting
Thursday 2/25 6pm (sign up by Mon. 2/22 3pm)
Tuesday 3/2 10am & 6pm (sign up by Fri. 2/26 3pm)
Thursday 3/4 10am & 6pm (sign up by Tues. 3/2 3pm)
Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/sa-nlmusd
After School Tutoring
8th Grade Baby Photos for Year Book
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. Pflanzer at vpflanzer@nlmusd.org
Coming Up...
NJAHS
Find out more about Benton!
Want to learn more about Benton? Click here for a Bitmoji tour of Benton and its programs!
Need to speak with the School Counselor? The Doctor is In!
Weekly Wellness with Ms. Allie
Hi guys,
I hope you are still off to a strong start with completing your work and getting everything in on time. Here are a few questions for this week! Click on this link here. Have a great week everyone (:
Clubs, Clubs, Clubs!
Chess Club ~ Tuesdays 2:30 – 3:15
For all the information on the Chess Club, join the Benton Chess Club GROUP in Schoology, Access Code WB3D-QF5R-ZS2Z9. Links for Zoom, as well as a parent permission form, are in the “Resources” folder. See you on Tuesday at 2:30.
Join the Bible Club ~ Wed. 11:30am
Dance Club! Mon-Thurs. 2:30-3:30
Join The Diversity Club!
The Schoology GROUP code (not a course) to join is 9R3C-297K-7Q89Q.
Updated Learning/Zoom Expectations
Distance Learning Support
About Us
Email: rridgeway@nlmusd.org
Website: bentonms.org
Location: 15709 E. Olive Branch Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638
Phone: (562) 210-2500
Facebook: facebook.com/bentonmiddleschool
Twitter: @BentonPrincipal