#BeABobcat
#APlaceToBelong
My name is Travis Dirks, and this is my 13th year of teaching at Benton Community. I taught special education in Norway for six years before moving up and teaching special education at the middle and high school levels. I also coach 8th-grade boys' basketball and high school girls' golf.
School Bus Driver Appreciation Dinner & New Bus Driver Recruitment Dinner: Benton Community School District is looking for new bus drivers. If you have any interest, please join us for dinner to learn more and meet the current transportation staff this Wednesday, March 29 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Van Horne Community Center, 558 1st Avenue, Van Horne.
Congratulations Jenna! Bobcat proud!
Starting next week the evening shuttle will run at 5:30 each night. There will still be no shuttle on Wednesdays.
FFA Members: Drive Your Tractor to School will be on Wednesday. Please park in the lot closest to the road and have your tractors in place by 7:45 AM.
BYSA Refs: If any high school students with a soccer background would like to earn money as a referee with the BYSA organization, see Mr. Hayden ASAP.
#BeABobcat
#APlaceToBelong
Benton Community will have a 12:00 p.m. (Noon) dismissal TODAY (Friday, March 24) for professional development.
#BeABobcat
#APlaceToBelong
Benton Community School District will make up missed/canceled school days on the following dates: May 25, May 26, May 30, May 31, and June 1. June 1 will be a noon dismissal and the last day of school for the 2022-2023 school year.
If you have questions, please contact your child's school office.
#BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
The Annual Benton Art Show took place recently, and of the hundreds of amazing artworks submitted, the following were recognized
in their respective categories:
Middle School Two-Dimensional Category: Honorable Mention- Lillie Pickart, 3rd Place- Anastasia Brunssen, 2nd Place- Brianna Gahrig, 1st Place- Averie Gale; Middle School Three-Dimensional Category: Honorable Mention- Alaina Fisher, 3rd Place- Alissa Zimmermann, 2nd Place- Brayden Junge & Brock Corrigan, 1st Place- Marin Mitchell; Drawing Category: Honorable Mention- Keri Ketchum, 3rdPlace- Alec Meyers, 2nd Place- Molly Light, 1st Place- Kierstn Wacek; Watercolor Painting Category:Honorable Mention- Isaak Schmitz, 3rd Place- Andria Stull, 2nd Place- Paola Plascencia-Munoz, 1st Place- Taylor Kitzman; Oil & Acrylic
Painting Category: Honorable Mention- Taylor Kitzman, 3dPlace- Izabella Hupfeld, 2nd Place- Ashlyn Drahos, 1st Place- Molly Light; Photography Category: Honorable Mention- Mo Brown, 3rd Place- Reagan Basham, 2nd Place- Mackenzie Bruns, 1st Place- Dylan Belekevich; Mixed-Media Category: Honorable Mention- Dani Portillo, 3rd Place- Hayden Bange, 2nd Place- Fionna McLeod, 1st Place- Hailee Johnson; Three-Dimensional Art Category: Honorable Mention- Morgan Dobbs, 3rd Place- Kierstyn Wacek, 2nd Place- Molly Light, 1st Place- Ashlyn Drahos. The Best of Show Overall Award was awarded to Ashlyn Drahos for her ceramic sculpture.
Congratulations to all who placed, and a big thanks to all who submitted artwork. Projects that were submitted for the Show, can be picked up in the Art room.
The photo is of the winning Artwork in the display case outside the Art Room. It will be on display for the next few weeks. Stop by and check it out! #BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
Thomas Trainer is the Chemistry Teacher at the High School. He is also the 9th Grade Boys Basketball Coach and the Varsity Girls Soccer Coach. Thomas lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife Lindsay. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, golfing, and spending time outdoors.
#BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
My name is Bridget Speer and I serve as the Teacher Librarian for the district as well as working with the Talented and Gifted program. I grew up in northeast Iowa on a dairy farm and I wrote a book about dairy farming as part of my Master's research project. In my free time, I quilt, read, and enjoy spending time outdoors with my 3 children camping, biking, and gardening.
School Bus Driver Appreciation Dinner & New Bus Driver Recruitment Dinner: Benton Community School District is looking for new bus drivers. If you have any interest, please join us for dinner to learn more and meet the current transportation staff on Wednesday, March 29 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Van Horne Community Center, 558 1st Avenue, Van Horne.
MS Vocal Concert. Pictures by Ryan Junge #BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
I am in my second year as Tanager’s Engagement Specialist at Keystone Elementary. I have loved the opportunity to collaborate with the Tanager staff as well as Benton Community in order to best support students. When I am not at Keystone, I can be found doing homework for my Master’s Degree in Social Work or playing Frisbee with my puppy, Paisley.
The Middle School Micro-course students created and played carnival games to end their unit on Probability in Mrs. Boerm's class.
#BeABobcat
#APlaceToBelong
Courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
Benton Speech Team competes in individual and group contests
Individual Speech State Results
Hailee Kruse - Review - Division 1 Rating
Emma VonKampen - Acting - Division 2 Rating
Gavin Walters - Spontaneous Speaking - Division 2 Rating
Large Group Speech State Results
Short Film - Division 1 Rating - Members: Emma Bange, Hayden. Bange, Jacob Bange, Brady Gammill, Jackson Kleinmeyer, Natalie Rickels
Readers' Theatre - Division 1 Rating - Members: Kindyl Andrew, Jacob Bange, Reagan Gorkow, Molly Light, Natalie Rickels, Joey Shepherd, Cayman Swartzendruber, and Emma VonKampen
Radio News Broadcasting - Division 2 Rating - Members: Hailee Kruse, Greta Offill, Noah Pickart, Cayman Swartzendruber #BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
