Press Notice
Attention: Home School Representatives
February 27, 2025 (Benton, AR) --- Benton Public Schools is offering ongoing consultation with representatives of private and homeschool students to discuss equitable services under IDEA. This consultation meeting will be held on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 8:30 AM at the Benton School District Administration building located at 207 W. Conway, Benton, AR, 72015.
If you have questions, please call 501-776-5701.

Join the Panther Family!
We're hiring for our Food Services Teamβapply today!
β¨ Monday - Friday schedule
β¨ No nights, weekends, or holidays
β¨ 401K, Medical, Dental, Vision & PTO
Get started now π https://careers.aramark.com/

CAPS Conferences β Monday, March 17, 2025
Itβs time to plan for next school year! CAPS (Career & Academic Planning) Conferences for BMS, BJHS, and BHS will take place on Monday, March 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
What is a CAPS Conference?
Students will choose their classes for next year, with counselors ensuring they select the required courses. Then, during their CAPS Conference, families will meet with a teacher or counselor to review and finalize the schedule.
Important Details:
-Students will not have a regular school day but must attend their scheduled conference with a parent/guardian.
-Each campus will communicate conference times directly to families.
-Attendance matters! Students who do not attend their conference will be marked absent for the day.
Stay tuned for more details from your school, and get ready to plan for a great year ahead!

Panther Spring Sport Passes Are Now Available! You can attend all HOME spring sports eventsβincluding baseball, softball, soccer, and trackβfor just $50! βΎπ₯β½π
ποΈ Purchase your Panther Spring Sports Pass here: https://gofan.co/event/3318150?schoolId=AR4644
π² Receive your digital pass instantly!
Go Panthers!

π Alternate Bus Routes for Friday, February 21, 2025 π
Due to continued hazardous road conditions, some bus routes will have adjusted pickup locations and times tomorrow. Please see the details below:
π RE-81 β All bus riders will meet at New Hope Methodist Church (1705 New Hope Rd) from 8:30-9:00 AM.
π CE-57 β Students in River Heights, Twin Oaks, & River Oaks will meet at Lyledale & Volcanic from 8:30-8:45 AM.
π MVE-64 & MVE-78 β All bus riders will meet at Ten Mile Grocery (17194 Hwy 70) from 8:15-8:45 AM.
π MVE-55 β All bus riders will meet at Kentucky Missionary Baptist Church (7070 Hwy 5) from 8:15-8:45 AM.
π MVE-70 β Students living on Sunnybrook or Meadow Ridge will meet the bus two hours later than normal pickup time at Brazil & Sunnybrook or Brazil & Meadow Ridge.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Stay safe! βοΈπ

π¨ Weather Alert π¨
Due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions, Benton Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. βοΈπβ οΈ
The safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. Please stay safe and warm, and we will provide any further updates as needed.

CAPS (Career & Academic Planning) Conferences for BMS, BJHS, and BHS will take place on Monday, March 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
π Important details:
Students will not have a regular school day but must attend their scheduled conference with a parent/guardian.
Each campus will communicate your childβs scheduled conference time.
If a student does not attend their conference, they will be marked absent for the day.
Thank you for your attention to this important event!

π’ Schedule Update Reminder π’
Benton Public Schools will now be in session on Monday, February 17, 2025, as a snow make-up day. βοΈπ
Originally scheduled as a holiday for Presidents Day, this date was designated on our 2024-2025 district calendar as the first make-up day in the event of inclement weather closures.

ππ Huge Congratulations to Benton High School! ππ
Benton High School has been recognized by the Arkansas School Recognition Program for being in the TOP 5% statewide for student growth and graduation rate! ππ Because of this outstanding achievement, BHS will receive $122,033.58 in financial awards! π°π
This recognition reflects the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff, who are dedicated to excellence every day. Way to go, Panthers! πΎβ€οΈ
#PantherProud #PantherExcellence #Top5Percent

On behalf of the School Board, I would like to share our anticipated timeline regarding the hiring of our next Superintendent. We are committed to expediting the hiring process so that times of uncertainty are minimized. The next Superintendent will be expected to deliver and execute a vision that encompasses a standard of excellence in academics, facilities, teacher development, and student growth, all while being fiscally responsible. The job opening will be posted for two weeks. Our goal is to interview and hire in February. Click here https://bentonschools.schoolspring.com/ to apply.
Go Panthers!
Tadd Farmer
President, Benton School Board

π January is School Board Appreciation Month! π
We are incredibly grateful for our School Board members and their unwavering dedication to our students, staff, and community. They give their time freelyβattending meetings (sometimes several a month!), supporting school events, and making decisions that shape the future of our district.
Please join us in thanking our board members for their service:
β Tadd Farmer β President
β Karen Hammer β Vice President
β Boyd Goodner β Secretary
β Justin Dorsey β Zone 1
β Paul Childress β At Large
β Luke Fulcher β Zone 3
β Randy Wright β At Large
Your leadership and commitment make a difference every day. Thank you for all you do! β€οΈ #SchoolBoardAppreciation #ThankYou

π Alternate Bus Routes for the Remainder of the Week π
Bus #64 (MVE):
Morning Pick-Up: Ten Mile & Pleasant Run (6:05-6:20 AM)
Afternoon Drop-Off: Ten Mile & Pleasant Run (4:00 PM)
π Note: The bus will not travel up Pleasant Run this week.
Bus #78 (MVE):
Morning Pick-Up: Narrows & Boondock (6:00 AM)
Afternoon Drop-Off: Narrows & Boondock (3:45 PM)
π Note: The bus will not travel up Boondock this week.
Thank you for your understanding as we adjust these routes. Please plan accordingly! π
These alternate routes will run through January 17, 2025 unless otherwise stated.

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Reminder
Benton Public Schools will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
Enjoy the holiday!

π’ Important Announcement: Alternate Bus Routes for Delayed Start
Due to the delayed start to school tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., some buses will have alternate pick-up locations and times. Please carefully review the details below for your studentβs bus route. Only the listed buses will have changes; all other buses will run their regular morning routes two hours later than usual.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact your school office. Afternoon routes are expected to run on their normal schedules, and any changes will be communicated via text and social media. Thank you for your cooperation! π
Both Hwy 70 buses, #64 MVE & #78 MVE, will catch the bus at Ten Mile Grocery (17194 Hwy 70) from 8:45-9:00. These buses will not run their regular morning routes.
Students that ride Bus #70 MVE and live in the area of Sunnybrook/Chivers/Shimrod will be picked up at Brazil & Sunnybrook at 8:45. The bus will not go up Sunnybrook.
Students that ride Bus #57 CE and live in River Heights or River Oaks will be picked up at the Lyledale entrance of River Oaks (Lyledale & Volcanic) from 8:30-8:45. The bus will not come through River Oaks or pick-up at River Heights.
All students on Bus #81 RE (Bennett, Prysock, Chatfield, New Hope areas) will catch the bus at New Hope Methodist Church (1705 New Hope Rd) from 9:00-9:15. The bus will not run its regular morning route.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work towards getting everyone back to school safely!

π’ Delayed Start Announcement
Benton Public Schools will have a delayed start at 10 AM on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
π Alternate bus routes will be posted here later this evening as we are still working on them.
π If you feel itβs unsafe or cannot get your child to school, please contact their campus in the morning.
Thank you for your understanding, and stay safe!

βοΈ Snow Day Gratitude βοΈ
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible city and county teams for their hard work clearing roads during the snowstorm. Your long hours and dedication will make it possible for us to return to school sooner and safelyβthank you!
A special shoutout to Paul Tudor, Tracy Smart, and their team for coming in on Friday and Saturday to ensure our campuses and buildings will be ready for our return. Weβre also grateful to Greg Little for walking through the buildings to ensure everything was secure and in great shape.

π’ School Update:
After assessing road conditions across the county and consulting with our transportation team and local authorities, Benton School District will be CLOSED on Monday, January 13, 2025.
While most roads in town and main highways are clear, several areas remain wet and have patches that are likely to refreeze tonight. Additionally, poor road conditions in the northern and western parts of our district would prevent 11 buses from completing their routes, with several others only able to run partially.
We hope that allowing another day for roads and parking lots to clear will enable us to resume classes on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will provide updates through our usual communication channels, including text, social media, our website, and local TV stations.
Stay safe and warm, Panthers! π«ΆπΌ

Due to incoming winter weather and its potential impact on our area, Benton School District will be closed on Friday, January 10, 2025. Stay safe and warm!

Benton schools will be in session on Thursday, January 9, with an EARLY DISMISSAL at 1 PM.
All activities and athletic events scheduled for tomorrow are canceled.
If weather or road conditions change and we need to dismiss earlier or close schools for the day, we will notify families immediately through our usual communication channels.
Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the safety of our students and staff! Stay safe, Panther family! πΎ

πΆοΈ Benton Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser β Join the Fun! π
The Benton Counseling Department is thrilled to invite YOU to our Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser! This is your chance to enjoy an evening filled with food, fun, and fantastic entertainmentβall while supporting a great cause!
π
When: Thursday, January 23, 2025
π Where: BHS Cafeteria
β° Time: 5:00 PM β 7:30 PM
β¨ Hereβs whatβs in store:
π² A spicy chili competition to crown the districtβs best!
πΆ Live entertainment
ποΈ A silent auction with incredible items up for grabs.
Admission is FREE, but this is a fundraiser, so we hope youβll support us by bidding in the silent auction and enjoying the event.
Bring your friends, family, and appetiteβwe canβt wait to see you there!

