Benton Elementary School

Benton is a neighborhood school in west Wichita that celebrates a safe, nurturing environment where all students can earn a quality education.

Benton offers all-day kindergarten, before- and after-school program, Accelerated Reader, a severely multiple handicapped program, a full-time librarian and a networked computer lab. Learning outside the classroom takes place with student council, Mary Benton Singers, 5th grade Strings, Field Day, PTA Fun Night, book fairs and the Benton Explorer Program.

Benton Explorers Program

The program is designed to provide a long-term enrichment infrastructure for Mary Benton Elementary students. The infrastructure will:

• Support age appropriate participation of grades K-5
• Encourage parent and community participation
• Allow for new themes to be implemented every two to three years
• Create an annual Expo so that children may demonstrate their new knowledge
• Provide for student recognition, such as Explorer Points, Elite Explorers Club
• Offer accelerated learning opportunities
• Always be compatible with school district education standards

Achievement Highlights

Exit west Kellogg at Ridge Rd. Go north on Ridge to Maple. Go west on Maple to Woodchuck. Benton is on the south side of street. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

Benton Elementary eagerly supports all students in a safe, positive and progressive learning environment.

Values and Beliefs

The following are the curriculum, instruction, assessment and environmental factors that staff believe support effective learning for Benton students.

CURRICULUM
Must be progressive, structured, innovative and enriching.  Curriculum must include:

• Active participation by all students
• Structure, reflection and incorporate current and varied resources
• Enrichment and support academic risk taking
• Demonstration of commitment, knowledge and collaboration

INSTRUCTION
Must be specific, clear and presented with a variety of strategies that are student-centered.  Instruction must include:

• Relevance and organization with eager participation
• Collaborating teamwork
• Hands-on activities with a constructive noise level
• Guided discovery
• Support of all students in a non-threatening manner
• Giving students a sense of pride and accomplishment

ASSESSMENT
Assessments must be clear, accommodating, non-threatening and reflect measurable progress for all students.  Assessments must include:

• Be ongoing
• Positive comments and timely feedback from the teacher
• Appropriate noise level
• Clear and in a familiar format
• Non-threatening but with an appropriate level of concern
• Involve parent support
• Show measurable progress
• Easily accessible student materials
• Students on task

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The ideal learning environment demonstrates respect for learning by providing a safe, secure, positive, caring place of which the professional learning community can be proud. The learning environment must include:

• A clean, healthy, well-maintained campus
• Minimal interruptions to learning
• Respect for learning
• A safe, secure and positive atmosphere
• Evidence of pride, ownership and connectedness

1. All students will use strategies to improve reading comprehension
2. All students will improve in problem solving skills
3. All Benton students will demonstrate growth in written communication skills

Each school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives.

Meeting Day:     3rd Thursday of the month
Time:                6-7 p.m.
Location:           Library
Chairperson:      Rick Williams
PTA President:  Marcia Fletcher

• Before- and after-school program
• Breakfast program
• Fun Night
• Field Day
• Accelerated Reader program to develop reading comprehension
• Scholastic Reading Inventory to assess 3-5 graders' reading comprehension
• A networked computer lab for 30 students
• Networked computers in the classrooms
• Building-wide wireless network
• PTA Book Fair
• Site Council
• Primary and intermediate Interrelated classrooms which serve students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders and mental retardation.
• SMD
• Mary Benton Explorers Program
• Community Partners - Target and Westwood Presbyterian Church
• State Standard of Excellence in Math and Science for the 2004-2005 school year
• Computerized Smart boards and Clickers integrated into two grade levels

Student Activities

In the fall of 1957, Mary Benton Elementary School was opened with a staff of nine teachers for grades kindergarten through eight. Mobley and Safely were architects for the building. Mrs. Norma Thomason, first grade teacher, was acting principal.

Benton was an outgrowth of Peterson School, District 69, Sedgwick County. The name was selected in honor of Miss Mary Benton who was the first teacher at Peterson in 1875. She began teaching December 13, 1875 and taught for three months at a salary of $75.

In the fall of 1959 three classrooms, a storage room and a special services room were added.

In the spring of 1960 the patrons of District 69 requested annexation by the Wichita Public School System, and in the fall Benton opened as a Wichita public school with grades kindergarten through six.

In 1976 bond funds provided for an addition of six rooms, a library and rest rooms. Air conditioning was provided in the original building as well as the addition. Safely Associates were the architects for the addition.

The rapid expansion of special education programs throughout the school system during the 1970s necessitated additional classroom space on the west side. In November of 1976 the Board of Education employed Thomas, Harris, Ash and Mason to provide architectural planning for a three-room addition at Benton to house educable mentally handicapped students. Scheduled to open in 1978, this project was included in planning for capital outlay expenditures.

At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of approximately 450 students.

In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, included the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required.

Benton's infrastructure was upgraded, a new addition including 5 classrooms and a kitchen was added, and renovations were made to the student support area. The school was also made more handicap-accessible.

On December 10, 2001 the Board authorized an agreement with the  architectural firm of Howard & Helmer Architects, P.A. for phase 2C of the Bond Issue project.

On January 12, 2004 the district contracted with Commerce Construction for an amount of $1,943,200 to complete the remodel and addition project. The Bond project was completed and the dedication ceremony was held November 16, 2004.