Benton Community PTO

A reminder that the 5th annual Bobcat Dash registration sign-ups are due this Wednesday, 9/14.  The Bobcat Dash is on Saturday, September 24 and is a fun family event put on by the Benton Community PTO.   Link for the registration packet -  www.tinyurl.com/BCDashSignUp16  Link  for  the Bobcat Dash volunteer sign-up -  www.tinyurl.com/BobcatDash2016     All  registration  packets  must include  a signed waiver and the registration fee.  Get your registration in on time to guarantee a  t-shirt ! Please email BentonCommunityPTO@gmail.com with questions! 

The 2016 Bobcat Dash registration forms are coming home this Friday! Look for them in your child's backpack! Registration, waivers, and money are due on Wednesday, September 14! Bobcat Dash Registration See the video below for highlights from past years' Bobcat Dash festivities!

"School Alerts" has now changed to "GovDelivery". To resubmit your email/phone for school alerts, visit this website: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/IAEDU0609/subscriber/new

August 1, 2016   Norway - 6:30 PM Introductions Treasurer’s Report  Administrative Report Back to School Pool Party!   Belle Plaine pool on  Sunday, August 14th Apparel Update New family Welcome Baskets Open House Bobcat Dash

The BCPTO Pool Party is Sunday, August 14 from 7-9PM at the Belle Plaine Pool!  The entry fee is free for all BC Elementary families. Concessions will be available.  We hope to see you there! 

Sign up for apparel sales with BCPTO at registration on August 9 at the MS/HS in Van Horne! The times needed to cover are: 9:00-11:30 11:30-2:00 2:00-4:30 4:30-7:00 Please help us out if you can by clicking on this link! https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0d49adae2ca5fc1-selling

Party in the Park will be moved INSIDE Norway Elementary tonight from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM (minus the Dunk Tank)! Free entry & games, and concessions available!  Join us! 

BCPTO was approached to do a celebratory t-shirt for the Benton Community 50th Anniversary.   We would like these shirts to be ordered and returned before school gets out.  Please visit HERE for the order form and directions for where to send your money!  Mail-in orders must be postmarked by 5/13!  All other orders must be returned to the school office by Monday, May 16.  Please email bentoncommunityPTO@gmail.com with questions!  Thank you for your support!   Happy Anniversary, Benton Community! 

Join us tomorrow night (May 2) at 6:30 PM at Keystone Elementary for our May BCPTO meeting.  On the agenda.... election of officers, Party in the Park, and more!  We'd love your input and suggestions.

Our spring fundraiser was a success!  These students sold over 20 items each and earned a 30 minute limo ride! Congratulations to the winners and thank you for participating in our fundraiser!  We can't wait to see what the schools request so the students can benefit from their hard work! Keystone Elementary winners Norway Elementary winners Atkins Elementary winners

Benton friends: Just a reminder that Breakfast Buddy RSVPs for Atkins & Keystone students are due on Monday, April 18th.  We need to make sure that enough muffins, bananas, & milk are ordered in advance. Norway parents - May 20th is the event date for your spring Breakfast Buddies......save the date!  Forms will be sent home soon.

Please join us for Benton Community Schools Night at the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Friday, May 20 th  at 6:35 pm! Gates open at  5:30 pm . Discounted club tickets are $8.00 and are available for Benton staff, students, families and friends. Come enjoy a night out at the ballpark! It’s Angry Birds Theme Night and the first 1,000 fans get a free Angry Birds shirt! Tickets can be purchased using the flyer distributed at school, by calling the Kernels ticket office at  (319) 896-7560 , or online at the link below (Please select Section 108-109 to sit with other Benton friends!) https://www.ticketreturn.com/ prod2/Buy.asp?EventID=165029& promocode=benton  

Please visit the following link to sign up to help pass out our fundraising products on Wednesday, March 23.  There are a total of six spots needing to be filled at each center (Atkins, Norway, and Keystone).  We need this support from 3:00 - 6:00 PM to help parents at pickup.  It is extremely organized, so the volunteers will simply have to help parents find their pile of product and help call parents as 6:00 draws near.  Please email bentoncommunityPTO@gmail.com  with questions. Thanks for your help!  FUNDRAISER PICKUP 

The BCPTO voted tonight to allow an additional $50 reimbursement from our BCPTO for teachers to use toward classroom expenses.  If you attend the April or May meeting and bring a receipt, the BCPTO will reimburse any Benton Community elementary teacher up to $50 for classroom supplies, on top of the $50 already allotted for each teacher.  Email BentonCommunityPTO@gmail.com with questions!

Visit this LINK for our summer and fall 2015 apparel order.

Elementary Families & Teachers at Benton Community Schools, The purpose of this letter is to communicate changes which are being made as the district moves ahead with elementary restructuring for the 2015-2016 school year.  We currently have three parent/teacher organizations at Benton Community: Atkins PTA, Keystone/Van Horne PTO, and Norway PTO. This spring, the three organizations got together and brainstormed positives and challenges of joining together into one organization.  The overwhelming benefit of joining together is that together, we are stronger.  Together, we can do great things for our students.  Our initial meeting was spent weighing out our options. From there, the representatives were able to take information back to the separate PTO/PTA meetings to update and seek feedback from the rest of the members.  Discussions were had on the availability of funds to put into a new account, making sure there was still enough in each PTO/PTA account to carry out co