November 2025 - Bennett PTSA Newsletter
In this edition:
Event Calendar
Snapdoodle Toys Fundraiser - This Week!
On-Campus Clubs
Book Fair Update
Reflections Program Update
Walkathon Donation Corporate Matching
Call for Nominating Committee Members
Shop to Give
Regional Town Hall on Education Funding
WA State PTA Membership Award
Becoming a PTSA Member
Volunteer Signups
Bennett PTSA on Social Media
Attachments: Mad Science Flyer, Drama Club Flyer, Regional Town Hall Flyer
Mark Your Calendars!
NOVEMBER
Nov 27-28 - No School: Thanksgiving Break 🦃
DECEMBER
Dec 22-Jan 2nd - No School: Winter Break ❄️
JANUARY
January 7th: Regional Town Hall on Education Funding Newport HS 7 pm
January 8th: Bennett 2026-2027 Kindergarten Information Night 5-6 pm
January 13th: PTSA General Meeting
January 23rd: Walkathon Glow Party! 🎉
Fundraiser with Snapdoodle Toys This Week!
It's PTSA Holiday Shopping Week at Snapdoodle Toys!
This year’s event will run Sunday, 11/23 through Sunday, 11/30 — the perfect time to kick off the holiday season with some cheerful giving. Here’s how it works:
🛍️ Shop at any Snapdoodle Toys location
🏫 Tell them your school’s name at checkout
💝 They will donate 20% of your purchase back to our PTSA!
All purchases must be made in-store, so grab your shopping list and make it a festive field trip.
Before & After School On-Campus Clubs
We have two new clubs beginning in January for our winter session!
🔬MAD SCIENCE will replace the 3D Printing club on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 pm, running for 8 weeks from January 6th to March 3rd, with no class February 17th. Please see attached flyer and register at http://www.madscienceregistration.com/.
♻️ GREEN TEAM student sustainablility team is run by high school students and needs two background cleared parent chaperones 2 times a month in order to run. They will meet two times a month on Wednesdays from 1:15-2:15. Dates for the winter are: December 3rd and 17th and January 7th and 21st; Feb-May dates TBD. Please contact WMCheng@bennettptsa.org if you can help as a chaperone! Level 3 background clearance check must be completed prior to the first meeting.
Other club updates:
🤖 LEGO ROBOTICS will have a new link to register for the new session after winter break. The classes will run February 2nd-March 30th from 3:30-4:30 on Mondays (no class February 16th). Here is information on their winter session theme: Winter machines are ready for the quarter of build-learn-play LEGO fun! Join Bricks4Kidz LEGO Jr. robotics building for Winter quarter with 8 classes of machine making fun. For returners, the Winter quarter brings snow machine adventures in energy/motion! These classes deliver play that's fun, educational and enriching for each child. We follow a seasonal or machine theme with guided instructions for kids to build a project with technic tools (gears, axles+), connect it to a motor and battery and watch their vision come to life in robot form. New builds for returners! Newcomers welcome! Each child is checked out for each class the same kit to care for and only used by them for class while they learn, build and play! Kids take home an action figure. What better way to give kids hands-on fun while they learn practical ways to apply STEAM concepts?! Register here: https://us.bricks4kidznow.com/profile.php?id=97947&selected_schedule=3341086
🎭 DRAMA CLUB will meet Wednesdays before school January 7th-28th with a performance on January 28th. Please see attached flyer/registration form.
Winter Clubs Schedule:
MORNINGS 8:00-8:55 am
Tue - CHESS ♟️
Wed - DRAMA 🎭
Fri - NEARBY NATURE 🌿
AFTERNOONS 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Mon - ROBOTICS WITH LEGO® 🤖
Tue - MAD SCIENCE 🔬
Wed - NRITYA DANCE 💃
Wed 2x a month - GREEN TEAM ♻️ (pending chaperones)
LEARN MORE: bennettptsa.org/clubs
Scholastic Book Fair Update
Book Fair was a great success! Sales totaled $17290.10, surpassing previous years' sales to support the Bennett library! Thank you to the Book Fair Committee and many volunteers who made it possible.
Reflections Art Contest Update
Reflections is a National PTA arts program where students create original works inspired by an annual, student-selected theme. It’s a chance for students to express their creativity, gain recognition, and even compete for state and national awards. Art entries from Bennett are being submitted to Bellevue PTA Council for consideration. In addition to the art contest, students were also invited to submit theme ideas for 2027–2028. WA State PTA selected Bennett kindergartener Dhriti Vishwakarma's entry, "Colors of Kindness", as one of their 5 finalists to be sent to the National PTA for consideration. Congratulations, Dhriti! 🎉 The winning entry will receive $100 and be presented at the 2026 National PTA Convention.
Lending a Hoping Hand Food Drive Update
Thank you to Bennett's Student Lighthouse Leadership Team for your initiative with the food drive for Hopelink Bellevue and to all families who donated! PTSA delivered the donations on November 25th. Stayed tuned to our social media for an announcement on how much food was collected to help our neighbors this holiday season!
Walkathon Donation Corporate Matching
The final step of Walkathon fundraising is to check if your employer offers charitable donation matching, and submit a matching request! These can be logged under "Richard Bennett Elementary PTSA". We are a 501(c)(3) organization and our EIN is 91-1067689.
Some parent employers we know match donations include: Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing, Google, Wells Fargo, Alaska Airlines, Costco, T-Mobile, Tableau, Amazon, Expedia, Safeco, REI, Adobe, Apple, Bank of America, BECU, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 3M, UPS, Verizon, and Zillow.
If you submit or have submitted a matching request to an employer other than Microsoft, please email treasurer@bennettptsa.org and let us know so that we can verify receipt of the match; each employer uses a different platform for sending matching donations and we do not want to miss any!
Call for Nominating Committee Members
We're seeking volunteers to serve on the PTSA Nominating Committee, which helps identify future leaders for next year's PTSA board.
We need 1-3 people for this elected position (elections for Nominating Committee will be held in January in preparation for 2026-2027 Board elections in the spring)
Great position for those who have many connections in the Bennett community
Encourage underrepresented groups to be involved in PTSA leadership
Nominating committee members are eligible to run for election for next year's board if desired (but don't have to)
Low pressure / low time commitment position (no consequences if you cannot fill a position)
Givebacks Shop to Give
During the busy shopping season, there is an easy way to give back to Bennett PTSA to support our programming without any extra spending! Through Givebacks, PTSA's online membership platform, you can "Shop to Give" both at many stores online and at local restaurants, and participating merchants will automatically donate a percentage of your purchase (anywhere from 0.3% to 15%!) to Bennett PTSA.
To make sure you’re all set up to give, register for an account (if you're a PTSA member, you already have one!) and securely link your credit card. Then, select "RE Bennett PTA 2.3.22 (Bennett PTSA)" as your favorite cause. Follow the directions below and then shop and dine like your normally do and you'll start powering donations!
On your computer: 💻
● Add the Givebacks Chrome extension from the Givebacks website
● Activate offers when they pop up
● Shop and pay with your linked credit card
On your phone: 📱
● Download the Givebacks app and follow the instructions to enable the extension on your mobile browser (Safari for iPhone and Chrome for Android)
● Note: You will not earn cash back through a store’s app, so make sure you’re using your mobile browser
In-person: 🍽
● Choose ‘Claim Offer’ on the Givebacks website or in the app before shopping
● Make sure to run your card as credit, not debit 💳
Local restaurants participating include The French Bakery 🥐 and Momiji Sushi 🍣.
Online businesses participating include: Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Kohls, Bed Bath & Beyond, Great Wolf Lodge, Undercover Tourist (discounted Disney and theme park tickets), Stubhub, Disney Store, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, At Home, Casper mattresses, Mpix, Rad Power Bikes, Huffy Bikes, Tentree, Sole Stove, Highlights magazine, AAA, Bouqs, Macys, Janie and Jack, Europcar, Etihad Airways, Lego.com, and Discount School Supply.
PBIS Update and Call for Volunteers
The school's PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Team) has been hard at work at a new program this year! Instead of earning individual prizes for positive behavior and demonstrating The Bennett Way (Show respect - Solve problems - Make good decisions), students are working cooperatively to earn them as classes and grades. Most grades have already earned dance parties and many have earned popcorn parties as rewards, and more celebrations are in the works - students are getting excited for when they earn enough Positive Paws for a "teacher swap"!
School Counselor Ms. Didrickson is looking for volunteers to help count Positive Paws for each grade weekly on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:00 or 11:30 so we can keep the positive momentum going! If you are able to help, please sign up below!
Regional Town Hall on Education Funding
Bellevue families, educators, and community members are invited to come together for a powerful evening focused on the future of our schools. Washington State continues to fall short of fully funding K–12 education, and our students feel these gaps every day. The Regional Town Hall on Education Funding is our opportunity to show up, learn, and advocate for the equitable, sustainable support our students deserve.
This student-led Town Hall will center student voices from across our region. Students will share personal stories and real experiences showing how funding impacts their learning, opportunities, and daily school experience. Their courage and leadership deserve a full room of community support. When we show up as a community, we strengthen our schools — and our future.
📅 Wednesday, January 7, 2026
⏰ 7:00–9:00 PM
📍 Newport High School Gymnasium
4333 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue, WA 98006
Submit Your Questions for Legislators
The program will feature a Q&A Forum with regional state legislators to ask questions and elevate the issues affecting our schools. We invite families, educators, and community members to submit questions in advance:
🔗 COMMUNITY QUESTIONS: https://forms.gle/HzJEaNGzJSh3d8tKA
Bennett PTSA Wins WA State PTA Membership Award
Washington State PTA Recognizes Bennett Elementary PTSA with the Platinum Membership Growth Award
Bennett PTSA has recently been recognized by Washington State PTA as a Platinum Membership Growth Award recipient! PTAs are presented with this award for enrolling at least 20% more members this year than last year. That means our PTA growth has been truly exceptional! Thank you to everyone who has become a member so far this year: YOU are the reason our PTA achieved this award! If you haven’t yet signed up for a 2025-2026 PTA membership, please consider joining today! By doing so, you are demonstrating your support for our PTA and all it does for Bennett. See link in the section below to join today!
Become a PTSA Member
One way to support Bennett's PTSA is by joining as a member! Members can vote at general membership meetings, and receive benefits including member discounts from Washington State PTA.
Spiritwear
The link to Bennett's Spiritwear shop is below.
Japanese spiritwear is in the works and coming soon! 🎌
CLICK HERE FOR SPIRITWEAR SHOP
Volunteer Signups
We need your help! PTSA is looking for volunteers to serve in the following positions:
🗳 Board Nominating Committee (urgent need)
♻️ Green Team Parent Chaperones - every other Wednesday 1:15-2:15 beginning in December (urgent need)
🐾 Positive Paw Counting Volunteers - Wednesdays 10:30-11:00 or 11:30 am (urgent need)
🔍 Science Week (April) / STEAM Challenge Chair/Co-Chairs
🏅Field Day (June) Chair or Co-Chairs
CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER WITH PTSA
Bennett PTSA on Social Media
Follow us to get the latest updates
Instagram: @bennett_ptsa
Facebook: BennettPTSA
Visit Bennett PTSA Website for more Information: bennettptsa.org
Bennett's Office also has a NEW Instagram account: @bennett_bulldogs
This newsletter will be published monthly. For PTSA updates between newsletters, please visit our website and/or social media above!
For questions, newsletter submissions, or to subscribe/unsubscribe, please contact comms@bennettptsa.org.