Best Wishes to the Class of 2012

On Sunday, May 20th, Benton Community will celebrate a special event as seniors in the Class of 2012 become high school graduates. Commencement Exercises begin at 2:00 p.m in the gymnasium. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. This is a very special day for the seniors, families, and friends. The Benton Community administration and staff congratulate the seniors on their many accomplishments and extend best wishes for a bright future.

Spring JAVA at Benton

On Wednesday evening the Bobcat instrumental and vocal departments will cap off an outstanding year with an awards potluck at 6 p.m.followed by Spring JAVA at 7:30. This year's Jazz Band and the show choirs will perform for a final time. In addition, fine art students will showcase their talents in a variety of ways on the Benton stage. Please consider attending to support these students and bid a grand farewell to a very talented group of senior musicians!

Outdoor Education at Camp Wapsie Y

Benton Community 6th grade students are in for a tremendous learning opportunity as they travel to Camp Wapsie Y this morning for two days of fun and forming new friendships.  This is one of the best transitional experiences we provide for students moving from the elementary setting to the middle school next year.  The Benton staff does a great job of providing an action pack schedule for the students while at the camp.  The weather is going to be an added plus!  Best wishes to the students and staff out "roughing it" the next couple of days!

Teacher Appreciation Week Message

President John Kennedy once stated, “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.”  As we conclude this Teacher Appreciation Week, please join me in expressing your thanks and gratitude to Benton Community teachers and all employees for their contributions in developing the hopes and dreams of our students.  Thank you Bobcat staff on a job well done!

Senior Awards Program

On Wednesday afternoon Benton Community will honor and recognize members of the Class of 2012 on their many academic,citizenship, and service accomplishments. The awards program will be held in the auditorium at the MS/HS starting at 1:30 p.m. This is always a special day for the seniors, parents, and families in attendance. Benton Community would like to thank the Benton Foundation, community organizations, and other agencies for their support of these great young people. Best wishes to all members of the Class of 2012!

Benton Community Recognizes Leaders During School Board Recognition Week

As citizen leaders, school board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet few people fully understand the scope and far-reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. All Iowa citizens should recognize the vital contributions of these men and women and focus attention on the crucial role these elected public officials play in the education of our children. Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure schools are accountable to the com¬munity and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning. That job entails an endless string of meetings and school functions to attend; reams of reports, agendas, proposals and other infor¬mation to read and study; and a host of difficult decisions to make.


School board members come from all walks of life. They are farmers, secretaries, doctors, lawyers, homemakers, architects, truck drivers, professors, business owners and real estate agents, to name a few. Although they wear many hats in the workday world, school board members put on a collective hat when they get down to the business of leading their school districts. Board members must pull together as a team toward a common goal—helping students achieve. Though they may individually disagree on cer¬tain issues, their role as a board is to consistently strive toward that goal!

Board members contribute thousands of hours each year leading their districts. Whether it be crafting policies, hiring administrators, listening to staff and student concerns or recognizing outstand¬ing programs, board members always keep their eyes on the goal of student achievement. The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours school board members spend leading in their districts. They also work hard at seminars and training sessions to keep abreast of the latest trends in educational leadership, are deeply involved in community activities and spend many hours in the schools and at extracurricular events. Their love for learning, and concern and caring for students, staff and community, drives board members’ desire to lead so students can achieve.

In recognition of the dedicated service of Iowa school board members, May 6 -12 has been designated School Board Recognition Week. Please join us by saying “thanks” to our school board members and recognizing their efforts throughout the year. Members of the Benton Community Board of Education include: Jack Barnes, Roy Becker, Bill Boies, Wayne Reinhardt, Patrick Stepanek, Brian Strellner, and Dan Voss.

Benton FFA Chapter Celebrates Successful Year

Congratulations to the Benton FFA Chapter and Adviser Wright on a very successful year. The annual FFA Chapter banquet was held on Sunday evening at the MS/HS. Many awards were presented including sub-district, district, and state honors. The banquet also featured recognizing Iowa Degree winners and Chapter hall of fame honorees. In addition, Scott Weber, Emily Schulte, and Diane Redmond were presented with Star Educator awards. A special thanks is in order for the 2011-12 leadership team. The Chapter Leadership team for 2012-13 was announced and recognized as well. It was a great evening for the Benton FFA Chapter.