All school buildings will be closed after Saturday, January 1 at 10:00 a.m. - Sunday evening, January 2. Weather forecast predicting measurable snow. No open gym or other scheduled practices after Saturday at 10 a.m. through Sunday evening.
#BeaBobcat
#APlaceToBelong
Winter Break
A little Holiday Cheer
Atkins Elementary - Busy, busy day in second grade! Gingerbread villages, crafts for the family and friends, and lots of collaborative learning! Lisa Tatman and Christy Deutsch
#BeABobcat
#APlaceToBelong
and more from Java
Benton Community presents Java!
Bobcat wrestlers are second at Bill Van Horn Invite December 18th. Photo courtesy of Jim Magdefrau
#BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong
Hall of Fame
Congratulations Jaiden Moore!
8th grade
Norway Intermediate - 6th grade students are learning about Madagascar hissing cockroaches in Mrs. Eckles' science class this week.
It was a magical evening!
More photos!
Benton Community Vocal Department presents their winter concert, "Carols in a Cathedral!"
Keystone Elementary - Let’s check in on our BC Fitness Challenge. We have a great group started and have made it to the Wolf, Sloth, and Octopus clubs. Make sure you are logging your workouts and turning your sheets into Mr. Voss. And pay special attention to the bonus wellness blocks at the bottom of each sheet! Get active, Bobcats!
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#APlaceToBelong
Congratulations to our newest member of the Benton Community Hall of Fame! All State player Abby Brunssen was presented the award by head volleyball coach Mike Embretson.#BeABobcat #APlaceToBelong #OnceABobcatAlwaysABobcat
Iowa Department of Education releases new school
performance results
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Education today released new results and features in an online school accountability reporting system called the Iowa School Performance Profiles.
The Iowa School Performance Profiles website shows:
● Updated scores and ratings for all public schools based on how they performed on a set of accountability measures in the 2020-21 school year.
● Postsecondary readiness indicators for public high schools based on student participation and scores on college entrance exams, participation in postsecondary or advanced coursework and percentage of students who are focused on career and
technical education within one of six service areas defined in Iowa Code 256.11(5)h.
● The ability to search and compare school building, school district and state-level
performance data.
● Additional data that are required by law but do not count toward accountability scores.
Of particular note is that while the performance scores and rankings have been updated for all public schools, no new schools have been identified for additional support and improvement.
The U.S. Department of Education waived this requirement for the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools previously designated for additional support will continue with
their current designations.
“This is an important tool for families, educators and other stakeholders to understand how their schools are performing and to help determine next steps for moving forward,” said Iowa
Department of Education Director Ann Lebo. “The Iowa School Performance Profiles can assist communities in data-driven decision-making, but it doesn’t tell the whole story about our schools. It’s important to understand the challenges brought on by the pandemic, and to take that into account when looking at the 2021 performance scores.”
The latest scores reflect results of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), which all 327 public school districts administered last spring. A remote online testing option was made available in 2021 for students who were enrolled and unable to test at school.
Since remote assessments were not proctored, the results are not included in the average school achievement scores. About 3.4 percent of all tested students took the ISASP remotely.
Between 2019 (the last time that the ISASP was administered) and 2021, the number of schools in the Exceptional category decreased by six and the number of schools in the High Performing
category decreased by 26. Conversely, the number of schools in the Needs Improvement and Priority categories (the lowest two categories), increased by seven and 21 schools, respectively.
When comparing performance scores from 2019 to 2021, it is important to take into account the disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic had on schools during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school
years.
The Iowa School Performance Profiles, launched in 2018, meets state and federal requirements to publish report cards reflecting the performance of all public schools.
For more information, visit iaschoolperformance.gov.
For the safety of our students and buses, we will dismiss school tomorrow, Wednesday, December 15th at Noon due to the forecast of high winds and unpredictable weather. Please plan accordingly. Information will be sent out to students who are involved in practices and rehearsals.
Academic Awards: The Academic Awards ceremony will be on Tuesday, December 21 at 7:30 AM in the auditorium. There is a list of award winners posted by the counseling office door. If you do not see your name on the list and think it should be, please stop in the counseling office and talk to Mrs. Bear.
