Benton Community School District

Students in Mr. Balvance’s class were given an interesting activity recently. Let’s face it: peer editing is a chore. What if we were to make it more fun? Mr. Balvance attempted a ...

There are several health forms needed to be submitted throughout a child's elementary years. Each student at every grade level is required by the Iowa Immunization Law to have ...

In my role as our 5th and 6th grade band teacher, I am so lucky to see young people experience the gifts of music every day. I get to watch their pride grow as they become more con...

Our year started with learning about trees in science and the plant life cycle in our reading curriculum. With fall fast approaching, we learned about the seasonal cycles an appl...

As the director of the high school band I have the privilege of working with some of the best, brightest, and most well rounded students Benton Community has to offer, those of cou...

A student binder or classroom scrapbook, serves as a powerful tool for organizing and preserving the hard work that my fourth grade students put in every day. Keeping their ‘WOW Wo...

A couple of decades ago, I decided to purchase a Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula. At the time I just thought it would be cool. I didn’t even consider the value it might add to connect...

On November 11, the Atkins Elementary third grade students participated in the Veterans Day program at the Benton Community Middle/High School in Van Horne. Students listened to ...

In the world of education, the incorporation of visuals in the classroom has proven to be a very important tool for enhancing student engagement and understanding. Tools such as vi...

This year’s 4th graders may not have been on the ballot this election, but watch for their names in a few years! Currently, 4th graders are learning all about the government, the ...

Benton Community Middle Schoolers recently participated in their annual pumpkin decorating competition. Each 5th block was given two pumpkins to decorate. As a class, they had to b...

Social skills are critical to the foundation for later academic growth and achievement in schools and work related skills. Social skills help children form positive relationships, ...

Each August a new group of students enter the classroom as second graders, for the very first time. As I welcome the new group of students into a classroom, my goal is for each of ...

When I was younger, I always imagined myself in a world where anything was possible. Every day, students throughout our district get the opportunity to do the same thing through...

Wrestling is more than just a sport; it's a transformative experience that shapes young athletes both physically and mentally. As a coach at Benton Community, I have had the privi...

The goal within Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) is to enrich the learning that is already taking place within student’s general education classroom. To reinforce the fourth g...

When you walk into a preschool classroom in the Benton Community School District you will see children experiencing learning through play-based, hands-on investigations. Some examp...

Norway Intermediate students celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month while working together to create a large mural that includes their own artwork. The mural is a combination of images...

At the end of our first Math Unit Kindergarteners participated in a Number Fair. The past two months we have learned all about numbers 0-10 and how to show them in different ways. ...

A school filled with displays of student work sends a message to students that their work and their learning are important. In taking responsibility for displays, students have an ...