Badgerline

• October 15th/16th-Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:00-8:00)
• October 17th & 18th-NO SCHOOL
• October 22- Don & Millie's Food Night
• October 25th-Spirit Day
• October 31st-Halloween Trunk or Treat
• November 7th-4th and 5th Grade Music Concert at 6:30 P.M.
• November 27th-29th-Fall Break

We invite you to join us for Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, October 15th or Wednesday, October 16th!

Art, Music, Media, and PE teachers will be available on a drop-in basis on both the 15th and 16th. Our HAL teacher will be available at Bennington Elementary on the 16th only, as she also serves students in another building.

Please click on the Sign Up Genius links below to reserve a date and time to visit with your child's teacher(s).

Our teachers look forward to meeting parents and visiting with you about your student's progress so far this year!

Mrs. Robb

Thanks to everyone who donated or helped their students with our BE EPIC fundraiser! We appreciate your effort and look forward to hosting some fun events this year! If you are interested in getting involved with the BE Epic fundraiser next year, please let us know. Thanks to Jene Reese and Valerie Howard for their hard work in planning an incredible and successful event.

What’s Happening this month?

Quarter 2 PTO Meeting: Tuesday, October 8th at 6:30pm. We will be discussing our recent fundraiser, Trunk or Treat, Turkey Bingo and Winter Parties. We will be having a raffle drawing for first timers so if you have been thinking about attending a meeting, October is the month to do it! If you bring a friend, you will also be entered into the drawing.

Skinny Bones Family Night: Join us for a family fun evening at Skinny Bones. The PTO has reserved Bonfire Pit #2 from 5-8pm. We will have SMORES to share! We hope to see you there for an evening of fun and community.

Don & Millie's Food Night: Mark your calendars - Our next BE PTO Excuse to Not Cook Dinner is October 22nd.

Trunk or Treat Sign-ups: We are still looking for parents interested in helping coordinate and decorate your classroom trunk. This event will take place on October 31st at 2pm. You can start decorating your trunk at 12:30pm. If you have questions about this event, reach out to Jenny Sawatzke (jenny.swatzke@gmail.com). Sign up here to help with your classroom trunk:
Kindergarten Sign-Up
1st Grade Sign-Up
2nd Grade Sign-Up
3rd Grade Sign-Up
4th Grade Sign-Up
5th Grade Sign-Up

If you have any additional questions, please visit our website or reach out via email at bennelempto@gmail.com

Bennington Public Schools is implementing updated procedures for volunteers working with students. Parents and caregivers who want to volunteer at school throughout the year are asked to review the new procedures at this link. If you would like to volunteer, please complete this form, sign it, and return it to the school office where you hope to volunteer.

When you notice that you’re feeling any strong emotion, such as feeling too excited or nervous, you can look for ways to feel calm. It’s okay to have strong emotions, and when you’re ready to feel calm you can choose a way to manage them that works for you! You can take a break in a quiet place, count slowly, or practice slow breathing. You can even do all three! Thinking helpful thoughts about something that makes you happy is also a great strategy. This week, pay attention to times you’re feeling a strong emotion and try one—or more—of these ways to feel calm!

Please read the following information from the High School regarding attending their events:

Admission Costs for Home Varsity Contests
The cost for admission to varsity regular season contests is:
$7 Adults
$5 Students

Student and Patron Expectations at Bennington Athletic Contests
As we begin attending home athletic contests for Fall sports, (Cross Country, Football, Girls Golf, Marching Band, Softball, Volleyball, etc) please remember to follow Bennington expectations at these events.

1. Badger fans are expected to cheer in a manner that does not distract from the high school competition on the field/court. Examples of cheers that distract from the game on the field or on the court:
   1. Suggesting officials have been paid off
   2. Cheers that suggest an official is permanently poor in your opinion
   3. Consistent screaming/yelling during the contest.
2. Students K–5 must be with a parent/guardian. Unsupervised K-5 students may be returned to a parent / guardian. If no parent/guardian is present at the contest, these students may be asked to head home for the evening.
3. Students are expected to sit with parents or in the section designated for their grade/school. Bennington Middle School and Bennington South Middle School have designated seating on the east side of the main grandstand (toward Bennington Road).
4. Balls, frisbees, and other sports items that could potentially create a safety hazard are not allowed inside the stadium. These items may be confiscated by game personnel.
5. No re-entry for students. Please bring blankets, coats, etc…into the game at the start of the contest.
6. Alcohol and tobacco products are not allowed on school property. Personal beverage cups are subject to inspection by the BPS administration or law enforcement.
7. The NSAA prohibits the following items from athletic contests. These items could possibly lead to a penalty/sanction for the Badgers: Confetti/shredded paper, powder (baby, talc, etc.), Laser light/pointer, flashing objects, miniature sports balls, objects or candy thrown into the crowd, artificial noisemakers, (included but not limited to horns, cow bells, bells, buzzers, clickers, thunder sticks, rattles, instruments not part of a band), whistles, air horns, sirens, cannons/muskets/guns/fireworks, live animals.
8. Gates will open for events 1 hour prior to game time. Blankets or other items placed prior to gate opening may be moved by administration.

Thanks in advance for assisting Bennington staff in providing the best environment for high school activities. With your help, our events will remain a safe, positive environment for all while keeping the focus of each event where it should be: on the athletes and the participants of the event.

All information regarding upcoming Bennington community events, sports camps, and activities

will now be posted on our district website,

and shared through the weekly district newsletter, the Badger Update.

You can access this by visiting

www.benningtonschools.org > Departments > Communications > Community Youth Activities

or through this link:

https://www.benningtonschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=158238&pageId=1321545

If you wish to have your event or activity shared there, please contact our

Communications Coordinator, Stacy Hawn, at shawn@bennps.org.

Email: slehman@bennps.org

Website: www.benningtonschools.org
Phone: 402-238-2690
Twitter: @benningtonelem

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.