Principal - Martha Flemming

Assistant Principal – Kimberly Booker

Office Manager – Lori Hollaway

Attendance/Health Specialist – Sally Martin

Office Hours: 8:00am – 4:00pm Monday-Thursday,  9:30am – 4:00pm Friday

MAIN OFFICE:  (425) 204-3300

ATTENDANCE LINE:  (425) 204-3310

ATTENDANCE EMAIL: bensonhillattendance@rentonschools.us

FAX:  (425) 204-3313

“All Bobcats are valued, connected, and learning through active intellectual engagement.”

Dear Families,

We appreciate your interest and involvement in our school as we team together to support children.  As a staff, we are guided by Renton School District’s three core values of service, excellence, and equity.

• Service – We serve our students, staff, families, and communities.
• Excellence – We strive for excellence in all that we do.
• Equity – We remove barriers and pursue outcomes that enable all students to realize their potential and maximize their future opportunities.

New families to Benson Hill will find a number of school-wide practices in place here. Our school motto is “We are a Reading School”. Students are expected to read or be read to twenty minutes each school night. Reading fluency and comprehension skills are emphasized in daily instruction across curriculum. Mathematics also continues to be a focus. Classroom teachers have developed a school-wide model for teaching math problem solving strategies to students. Staff members and school volunteers teach and assess students’ computation and problem solving progress regularly. Each Benson Hill student is taught a specific strategy for use when organizing his/her thoughts in the pre-writing process. School-wide behavior expectations (PAWSITIVE EXPECTATIONS) are taught and reinforced by all staff. Academic progress, positive interactions, and student success are important to our teaching and support staff. 

At Benson Hill, we believe that communication between home and school is critical to student success. In an effort to keep families informed, we have developed this handbook. Please review it and let us know how we can improve upon it. Throughout the school year, we encourage parents or guardians to call or stop by with questions or concerns. We recommend that you contact your child’s teacher directly with questions pertaining to the classroom. Questions regarding arrival, dismissal, and playground may be directed to one of us. Above all, we want families to contact the school with questions, suggestions or concerns. Working together, we can provide powerful support to students!

Again, welcome to Benson Hill. Thank you for entrusting our staff with your child’s education. We pledge our best efforts to help your student have a successful school year!

Martha Flemming
Principal        

Kimberly Booker
Assistant Principal

Benson Hill Office Hours

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday
Friday - 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

School Starts (Monday - Thursday):

8:35 a.m. - 3:10 pm

Please have students in their class line at 8:30 ready to enter into the building and be ready to learn at 8:35. Students may not arrive prior to 8:20 a.m.

Late Start Fridays

10:05 am - 3:10 pm

Pawsitive Behavior Expectations

At Benson Hill we:

• Take care of ourselves
• Take care of others
• Take care of our place

By following the expectations:

• Be Safe
• Be Responsible
• Be Respectful
• Follow Directions
• Do Your Best!

Working together as a school community, following the PAWSITIVE BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS strengthens the healthy school climate at Benson Hill. Student behavior expectations are taught by all school staff at the beginning of each school year and reinforced during the year. Students are recognized regularly by staff members for their positive behavior. 

Benson Hill is committed to promoting our positive learning environment through weekly, monthly, and periodic incentives,

Positive Incentives

Benson Hill is committed to promoting our PBIS system through our weekly, monthly, and periodic incentives.

Daily: Individual Bobcats can earn Pawsitive Tickets for demonstrating our Pawsitive Expectations.

Weekly: One Bobcat from each class is selected from those who earned Pawsitive tickets and is recognized as a Pawsitive Behavior Bobcat in Monday morning announcements. Students earn a special prize and have their photo on the recognition wall.

Monthly: Exceptional classroom students will earn Pizza with the Principal which is celebrated the first Thursday of each month.

Bobcat Assemblies are held monthly – typically on the last Friday of the month – to celebrate filling our positive ticket bin, to highlight class learning, and to celebrate special school wide events.

In addition, any Bobcats who receive no minor or major discipline referrals will earn extra recess (“Way to Go Recess) or activity at the end of each month when they have not received a major or minor referral.  Students who do not earn extra recess or activity, process with an administrator in “Way to Go Next Time” and are encouraged to set a goal to earn the extra recess the following month.

Each Trimester: As each of our Bobcats receive Pawsitive tickets we continue to fill our ticket bin. When the bin is filled, we celebrate with a school-wide celebration.

Minor Discipline Referrals:

If a student is not following the PAWSITIVE Behavior Expectations, a minor referral will be written to communicate the behavior concern with the student and family. Any staff can issue a minor referral. Teachers will also communicate the behavior incident with parents by phone or email and partner together to determine ongoing support for students. The student will be retaught the expected behavior and a relevant intervention or consequence will be given. The student will take home the white copy of the referral form to return with a parent signature.

 Major Discipline Referrals:

Students will receive major discipline referrals for persistent behavior that disrupts the learning environment and/or health and safety of students at Benson Hill. Major Discipline referrals are intended as a teaching tool for problem-solving behavioral incidents where staff and parents partner to communicate and support students. An administrator will call home and send the white copy of the form home. The student will take home the white copy of the referral form to return with a parent signature.

Regular and punctual attendance is important to your child’s success. The Renton School District policy allows up to 48 hours after a student has returned from an absence to excuse the absence. An absence cannot be excused after this 48 hour period and will remain on your child’s record as an unexcused absence.

Parents are asked to contact our school nurse or provide a physician’s written verification if their student is absent five or more days due to illness.

Additional information

For additional attendance information, including extended absences, please view our attendance page.

Arrival

Students should arrive no earlier than 8:20 am. To ensure the safety of your child, please do not drop off before this time as there is no student supervision prior to 8:20 am. 

All students should be lined up in their appropriate class lines by 8:30 am.

On late start Fridays supervision begins at 9:45am and students should be in their lines by 10:00am.

Dismissal

Students are walked out with a teacher to their bus, to the designated teacher area, or to the parent pick-up zone. Parents/guardians must make contact with the teacher in order for students to be dismissed. If a family has students walk home without an adult, the walkers and bike riders are expected to go directly home after dismissal. Bus students are to walk directly from the classroom to bus loading zones and stand in line until the bus arrives. 

Parent Pick-up/Drop-off Map

Drop-off and pick-up your children from the pick-up zone in the south lot. The front lot is for Staff and Buses ONLY. Please have your yellow pick-up card displayed. When dropping children off in the morning, please pull all the way up in the drop-off zone and stay behind the car in front of you at all times.

 If parking your car, please display a pink PARKING card in your windshield. Cars who are parking move to the left lane and park in an angled parking spot.

 The church across 116th Street is also available for parking.

 Remember that you may only make a right turn out of the parent lot to keep cars moving and U-turns are not allowed.

Early Student Dismissal Policy

Adults are required to come to the office when checking out your student for early dismissal. Students will be called from the classroom to be picked up in the office. Please ensure that the attendance office receives notes students bring to the classroom regarding early dismissal.

Students are released only to parents, guardians, or those persons listed as emergency contacts on the student’s emergency information/registration sheet. All adults will be asked for identification to ensure every child’s safety. 

Dismissal after 2:45 is highly discouraged. This is an important time in the school day as teachers are providing important information to go home, to include homework, to students. Dismissal at this time can be very disruptive.

Late Pick Up Policy

Student safety is the highest priority of the Renton School District. Therefore, we make every effort to ensure that all students are under appropriate supervision until they return to you at the end of their school day. Please ensure that you pick your child up on time each day.

Benson Hill staff is concerned about students who are left after dismissal time or who are brought back to school because no one is there to meet the bus.  The school is not, and cannot be, staffed to provide supervision for students in these situations; hiring extra personnel is beyond our financial resources. In addition, children can feel confused and apprehensive when they are not picked up on time.

Menus and Prices

Bicycles

ONLY students in grades four and five may ride a bicycle to and from school. State Law requires that students wear bicycle helmets. A chain or standard lock which can attach the bike to the bike rack must be provided. The school is not responsible for bikes on school property. Students bringing bicycles do so at their own risk.

Cell Phones

Cell phones and other communication devices must be turned off and stored in students’ backpacks during school hours from 8:30am – 3:10pm Monday through Thursdays and from 10:00am – 3:10pm on Fridays.

Directory Information

Federal law and school district regulations allow schools to release directory-type information (student name, address, phone, date/place of birth, dates of attendance, awards the student has received, and previous schools) to such agencies as school news or PTA unless parents notify the school of wishes to the contrary. Information other than Directory Information is considered confidential.

District Policies and Procedures

Renton School District Policies and Procedures can be located on the district’s website (www.rentonschools.us ). At the left side of the district’s homepage, click on Board of Directors. On the Board of Directors page, click on “Policies and Procedures.”

Dress Code

Dress and appearance must be appropriate and not present health or safety problems or cause disruption to the learning environment. Chests, backs, and stomachs should be covered. Tops or dresses with spaghetti straps should be covered by a shirt. Hems of skirts and shorts should not be shorter than fingertip length. Hats and hoods are worn outside the school buildings only. Footwear should be safe.  For safety, no flip-flops or shoes with wheels. Tennis shoes are required during PE classes. Clothing containing tobacco, drug, alcohol or suggestive profanity is not allowed. 

*Students are asked to dress appropriately for the weather. Most days, students will go outside for recess.

Emergency Contact Information

An Annual Emergency Information form will be provided to all families in September. Please complete this form and return it to school. During the school year, if changes in family address, home or emergency phone numbers occur, please notify our school office.  Keeping emergency contact information up to date is extremely important for the safety of your child.

Emergency Procedures

In the event of an emergency (such as snow, severe storms, earthquakes and power failures) Renton School District schools may close, delay opening and/or limit bus service. School closures will be communicated through School Messenger (phone notification system), over local television and radio stations and on the internet.

E-News

A community e-mail newsletter is sent each week. To receive Benson Hill weekly e-news you may sign up in the school office or with your classroom teacher.

Gum

Gum is not allowed at school.

Individual Photos

Families have an opportunity to purchase individual student and class photos. Student photos are scheduled in the fall and class photos are scheduled later in the spring.

Insurance Availability

Renton School District does not carry medical, dental, or life insurance for students. However, arrangements have been made to provide these services to parents. Information regarding the student insurance fees and a company provider are sent home each year in September and must be mailed back directly to the insurance company.

Lost and Found

Please label your child’s coats, caps and lunch boxes. Each year, abandoned, unlabeled items collect in our Lost and Found area. If unclaimed, items are donated to local clothing banks. Check our lost and found regularly, it is located in the commons.

Media Release

From time to time, Renton School District uses pictures of students in educational publications. Please indicate on the Student Information – Annual Update form under the section titled “photo/media release information” if you do not want your child’s photo used or directory-type information released for school/district publications, TV, radio, and/or media or yearbook purposes.  If you would like to change this status at any time, please call the main office.

Parent Concerns

Sometimes concerns are expressed about our actions or decisions.  When parent concerns are voiced to the principal (relating to classroom activities) the parent will be referred back to the classroom teacher.  Following the teacher and parent conversation the teacher may ask for administrator’s involvement.

Parent Conferences and Report Cards

Each November, time is scheduled for parents or guardians to meet with teachers to discuss students’ progress. Additional conferences may be requested throughout the year.

Student progress is reported 3 times a year at the end of each trimester.  Progress reports are distributed again in March and June. 

Personal Property

Students are asked to leave ALL personal toys or equipment at home. Examples of items are roller blades, skateboards, scooters, trading cards, radios, iPods, digital cameras, and electronic games. Our school and Renton School District are not responsible for theft, loss, or damage of student property. Students may not bring a playground ball from home. Playground equipment is provided for students to access. If items are brought to school, they will be collected by the teacher and returned at the end of the day.

School Messenger

School Messenger is an automated telephone notification system. It is used to notify families of school events, closures and other important information. 

Special Services

Benson Hill provides Special Education services for students who qualify. We have a Resource Room and self-contained classes to meet “identified students” individual needs.

Safety Concerns/Vandalism

If you observe or suspect vandalism or other security-related concerns at the school, please call the district’s 24-hour emergency number (425) 204-4411.

Safety Patrol

Benson Hill Student Safety Patrol is made up of 5^th grade students. They will help your child cross the parking lot and 116^th AV SE. Please obey the patrol and model cooperation and safety when using the crosswalk with our patrol.

Transportation/Bus Information

Students riding the bus go directly to the bus loading area at the front of the schools. Students who are identified as the cause of discipline problems at the bus stop or while on board the bus are subject to disciplinary action including suspension from bus services. Bus rider information is distributed at the beginning of the school year. If you have questions or concerns about a bus problem please contact the Transportation Department at 425-204-4455.

Benson Hill PTA enriches our school community in many ways including providing support for special reading programs, field trip transportation fees, guest speakers, assemblies, special classroom projects, family fun nights, and much more. You are invited to join Benson Hill PTA. PTA meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 6:00pm in the library.

Find updated information our Benson Hill PTA Facebook page