Please be sure to follow me

on Twitter

@BensonTechPride

Stay up to date with school

wide events by visiting our

School Calendar at

www.bensonhs.net

Athletics

District Cross Country Championship Meet

Wednesday, October 30th

3:15PM First Race

Lents Park

Flex Schedule This Week

Please note that there will be no Flex Periods happening this

week.

Teacher Planning Day

No School for Students

Friday November 1st will be Teacher Planning Day as the end

of the 1st quarter is Thursday October 31st.

October 28th 2019 A Message from Benson’s AP Testing Coordinator Megan Hill

This is the last week to register for AP exams as the deadline for AP registration is November 1. Attached is a flow chart on how the process will work this year. Please note that only a deposit of exam fees will be due at this time. Also attached is an updated chart showing how much credit students will receive for a passing AP score at Oregon State, University of Oregon, and Portland State University.

The exam fee for students not requiring assistance is being reduced. The exam fee was $94/exam. It is now going to be reduced to $67/exam. The fee waiver process remains the same.

Megan Hill

AP Testing Coordinator

Benson’s Site Council Meeting

Please note that the Benson Site Council will be meeting on Thursday October 31st from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in the Library classroom.

Principal Wilson

Foreign Exchange Opportunities for Benson Tech (See Attached Flyer)

Benson High School has welcomed seven foreign exchange students this year. One of our students is currently with a “welcome family” but needs placement (Please see the attached flyer) with a supportive, permanent family for the remainder of the school year. Our student who’s name is Makram is a wonderful young man and strong student from Israel who is especially interested in a family with teenagers. If you are interested or need more information, contact: Ann L. Schneider, PAX Community Coordinator at 503-890-6644 annleeschneider.pax@gmail.com

Benson Counseling Team

A Message from Benson’s Art Instructor & Yearbook Advisor Joe Rozewski

ALL PERSONAL, AT HOME, SENIOR PICTURES FOR THE YEARBOOK ARE DUE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 15TH 2019. Please send a large PNG or Jpeg file to bensonyearbook2020@gmail.com, or bring it in on a thumb drive, with a full name and we will put it in the Senior section for the 2019-2020 year.

Joe Rozewski

A Message from the AVID/College Coordinator Sherree Thomas-Coleman

Upcoming College Visits/Events

10/30 University of Nevada Las Vegas (lunch time visit in the cafeteria)

10/30 George Fox University (lunch time visit in the cafeteria)

10/31 Scripps College (lunch time visit in the cafeteria)

11/01 OSAC and Oregon Promise online application opens

Class of 2020

College Prep Tips

It’s your Senior year! Congratulations!!! Here are a few tips to help you be successful.

Prepare to take/retake the official SAT/ACT

Start narrowing your college choices (research admissions requirements and tuition costs)

Create your academic resume (i.e., high school awards, honors, clubs, athletics, activities, community service, work experience)

Begin framing your essay for possible scholarship requirements

Start applying for scholarships now (visit the "College News" website https://sites.google.com/apps4pps.net/bphscollegenews/home

Testing for Seniors

12/14 Official ACT Test (Deadline to register November 8th)

http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html

12/07 Official SAT Test (Deadline to register is November 8th)

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines

Note:

PPS will be administering the SAT examination to all juniors on March 4th free of charge. Students will complete registration at Benson.

Get College and Scholarship Information on Your Phone!

Parents and students don’t miss out on important scholarship deadlines and college information. Subscribe to “Remind” today! Simply send a text from your mobile device today to start receiving up-to-date information.

Additional Information from the AVID/College Coordinator Sherree Thomas-Coleman

Text the following: To: 81010 Message: @urcollege

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

ACT Six Scholarhip - Deadline November 5, 2019. Visit their website at http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.php for more details about this scholarship.

For more information on college visits, scholarships and more, visit our website: BPHS College News at https://sites.google.com/apps4pps.net/bphsco

Sherree Thomas-Coleman, PhD

Counselor/Coordinator

College Access Programs and Testing

Benson Polytechnic High School

Office: 503-916-5100 Ext 77261

Fax: 503-916-2690

Email: sthomascoleman@pps.net

A Message from Benson’s TAG Coordinator Nicole Kennedy IT has been working on our mailman list to correct the delivery issues we have been experiencing. They have found some of the issues and have made adjustments. It has also been discovered that Yahoo email addresses have been the greatest issue and amount for a lot of missed emails. Apparently Yahoo has blocked many emails because we have met the maximum threshold for sending email. I am hopeful that IT has found a work around. Postcards have been mailed to families who have children who may be nominated for TAG based on OSAS (SBAC) scores from the spring and NWEA MAP scores from the fall. These scores apply to grades 3-12. If a child is already TAG but is not identified in reading and/or math they will receive a postcard in that area. Schools have the scores as well and can communicate the score if the parent did not receive the percentage score. We encourage parents to nominate their child. Nomination forms can be found at pps.net/TAG or at the building level. The TAG Department has secured an OMSI Family Night for December 9, 2019. The exhibit is Exquisite Creatures. This is free to families and there is no upcharge for the special exhibit. The time is from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Nicole Kennedy

BHS TAG Coordinator

Rose Festival Court Info Session at Benson Tech on October 31st during lunch

The mission of the Rose Festival Court is to provide scholarship for higher education, promote community outreach and volunteerism. Applications are open and due December 11th at 5:00 PM!

Here are the eligibility requirements:

Graduation Senior OR Junior on track to graduate in 2021

Minimum 3.0 GPA (GPAs between 2.75 and 3.0 with exigent circumstances will still be eligible but require extra forms)

Minimum of 20 hours community service

Attend a mandatory Court Q&A Session in January

Please meet with Melissa Brabham in the Vice Principals Office for more specific details.

Melissa Brabham

VP Secretary

A Message from the Benson Tech Pride Volunteers Group

Let's decorate the Benson Tech gym with money for Winter Sports! Benson needs corporate (or individual) sponsors to support our student athletes, and the TechBoosters would like to offer the opportunity first to families and alumni at Benson. Billboards from our sponsors will be hung in the gym in view for the entire Benson community, from all over the city, to see as we cheer on our Men's Basketball, Wrestling, and of course our State Champion Women's Basketball teams. Please email Bensontechboosters@gmail.com for more information on this new opportunity.

Tech Pride Volunteers

A Message from Benson’s Career Coordinator Miranda Ryan (Please see attached flyer)

Please be sure to read the attached flyer for updated information regarding Career and Job opportunities for Benson Tech students.

Miranda Ryan

Career Coordinator

Benson Polytechnic High School

Cell: 503-312-2774

Office: 503-916-5100 X:77201

Career Website: http://bit.ly/bensoncareers

A Message from Benson Tech’s Nutrition Services Department

Did you know that being eligible for free or reduced price meals is not just about access to school meals? Applying can also help with other fee reductions or waivers that may include:

Waivers or fee reduction for field trips, science lab, dances or other school fees

Athletics/Music waivers or discounts

Waivers or fee reduction for summer school or summer camps

Reduction in fees from Comcast or other community organizations

Waivers or fee reductions for PSAT, SAT, AP testing and college applications

Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits

Families who meet the 2019-20 federal income guidelines can submit a Free and Reduced-Price Meal application any time during the school year to see if they qualify for meal benefits. For more information, go to www.pps.net/nutrition or contact the PPS Meal Benefits Office at 503.916.3402 or email mealbenefits@pps.net.

SchoolCafe Online Meal Payment

Families can monitor their student’s meal account by signing up for a SchoolCafe account online at www.schoolcafe.com/pps or download the mobile app. There is no cost to use the system to view account information and setup low balance alerts, only when making payments with a debit or credit card. SchoolCafe charges 5% per online transaction and requires a $15 minimum payment. SchoolCafe is optional to use. Cash and check (payable to Portland Public Schools) payments can be submitted directly to the school cafeteria during cafeteria hours. For more information, please contact PPS Nutrition Services at 503.916.3247 or email nssupport@pps.net.

Benson Cafeteria

503.916.2000 ext. 77123

Nutrition Services

Portland Public Schools

A Message from Benson’s Athletic Director Scott Archer It’s not to late to join the Technique! Benson’s dance team is looking for a few more people to complete our 2019-20 roster. Come join us! We will be practicing this coming Tuesday 10/29 3:30-5:30pm.

Not enough time to get cleared with athletics? Stop by and talk to the coach, meet the team, pickup the practice calendar.

Questions: email bensondanceteam@gmail.com

Sports Registration and Fees:

Please be sure to pay your student’s Fall Athletic fee, if your student participated in fall athletics at Benson. These fees must be paid each sport season and will be on your student’s account balance until paid.

Please contact Benson Book Keeper Hazel Knox (hknox1@pps.net) with any questions.

Winter registration is open for Winter Sports (Basketball, Wrestling, Cheer, and Dance).

All students must be cleared with the following prior to try-outs/practice:

FamilyID.com (search Benson Tech) completed online

Current physical on file at Benson (or uploaded through FamilyID). Physicals must be within the last two years.

Is your student interested in Swimming?

Benson Athletics is hopeful to add some version of swimming back to our athletic portfolio.

In the meantime, please have anyone who is interested in reviving a swimming program stop by the athletic office to write down their name, and grade year.

Or, if you know your student is interested in swimming, please email Athletic Director Scott Archer: sarcher1@pps.net

Benson is looking for a head golf coach:

The link to the position can be found here: https://careers.pps.net/psp/career/SELFSRV/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_SCHJOB&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1

Please forward this opening to anyone who may be a good fit to lead the Benson Golf program.

Fall Team Celebrations:

Please connect with your student’s varsity program head coach about information regarding end-of-season celebrations/awards/banquet nights.

Each program has their own version of how they like to commemorate the past season.

Drivers Education at Benson High School

The program 1st Learn to Drive, ODOT and DMV certified driving school offering

program including 30 hours of comprehensive classroom learning, 6 hours drive lessons and 6 hours observation. Drive lessons scheduled upon registration. Class meets on Tuesdays, 6pm-9pm starting November 12

th.

DMV will waive the license exam for students who complete this course. Additional auto insurance discounts may apply.

Cost is $360, students who receive free/ reduced lunch rate qualify for $75 scholarship applied to tuition.

Call 503-509-0870 to sign up or with questions, or register at: 1stlearntodrive.com

A Message from Benson’s Art Instructor/Yearbook Advisor Joe Rozewski

Yearbook news...

All personal or privately done Senior pictures must have the following..

1. All in by December 15th 2019 at 3:30PM.

2. Large files in Jpeg or PNG format.

Send via email to bensonyearbook2020@gmail.com

1. Or...Bring in a thumb drive or other portable device and drop it in my mail box in main office.

2. Keep pictures "PG-13". ( No drug imagery, etc.)

3. Attach proper name to the file or device, no alias names.

4. Personal professional FREE senior pictures can be taken in house, in room e105. Just make arrangements before December for a "shoot" with DMP or Yearbook staff.

Anyone who does not submit a private photo will have the Life touch photo used instead automatically.* *Any other sports or action pictures you want to share with Yearbook would be greatly appreciated and possibly used in the 2019-2020 Yearbook. Send these in via email as well to: bensonyearbook2020@gmail.com

Thanks for your consideration and time. Joe Rozewski

A Message from the Benson Tech Attendance Office

Regular attendance has been proven to contribute to your student's success in school.

Please remember to communicate directly with the attendance office if your student will be absent for any period of time during the school day. The best ways to let us know are, in order of school preference:

Send an email to the attendance office at benson-attendance@pps.net

Call the attendance line directly at 503-916-5109

Call the school main office number at 503-916-5100 - Select option 3

Send a note via your student excusing the absence

Always remember, we need the STUDENT NAME, ID# (if known) and REASON FOR THE ABSENCE. (Saying it is an excused absence does not give us the reason, please be specific)

The Attendance Office will check messages and emails at 9:00am, 12:00pm and 3:00pm.

The attendance phone line is continuously busy throughout the school day. An email provides a written message directly to the attendance office. The attendance office can excuse previous absences at any time during the school year. You can monitor your child's attendance through ParentVUE. Contact the school if you do not know how to access ParentVUE.

If you do not communicate with the school, we cannot properly record your child's absence. If you have any questions regarding your child's attendance do not hesitate to email or call the attendance office.

Please help us, help your student have a successful year here at Benson Tech.

Thank you.

Norma L. Lawson

School Secretary

Benson Polytechnic High School