IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...At the Board of Education meeting on 09/28/26, the following topics were discussed:
3rd & 4th Grade Field Trip Updates: The Board supported a proposal to combine 3rd and 4th grade classes for the Mackinac trip every other year due to low enrollment numbers. 3rd grade remains scheduled for Lansing in December, and Barhitte will host a special local trip (such as Greenfield Village, Detroit Zoo, or Ford Rouge Factory) for 4th graders in off-years.
New Staff Welcome: Sheryl Rumfelt was approved as the new Kindergarten Paraprofessional. She joins the district with 9 years of experience as a GSRP associate teacher and SKIP parent group leader.
Playground Improvement Planning: The committee is actively pursuing a larger, mobility-accessible play structure equipped with tall slides along with spinning, bouncing, and climbing features.
Band Program Expansion: To support strong 6th-grade band enrollment, the district is purchasing 21 new instruments from McCourt's Music.
Campus Security Enhancements (31aa Carryover Funds):
* Nightlock Emergency Window Shades: Quick-drop shades installed on interior door windows for instant privacy during emergencies.
* Lumar Exterior Window Film: Tinted film installed this week to boost penetration resistance, privacy, UV protection, and energy efficiency.
* Overhead Signage: New hallway door signs installed for easier navigation.
* Barhitte Fencing: Playground perimeter fence completed to keep students safely away from the driveway and south parking lot.
NWEA Academic Data: Fall benchmark scores show Grades 1–4 and 10–11 starting in the 3rd quintile (aligned with national norms), while Kindergarten and Grades 5–9 are starting slightly below national peer averages.
Mark Your Calendar: The Annual Volunteer Celebration Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM at Bentley Middle School.
Click this link to see this post on the website: https://aptg.co/M9nSBF
3rd & 4th Grade Field Trip Updates: The Board supported a proposal to combine 3rd and 4th grade classes for the Mackinac trip every other year due to low enrollment numbers. 3rd grade remains scheduled for Lansing in December, and Barhitte will host a special local trip (such as Greenfield Village, Detroit Zoo, or Ford Rouge Factory) for 4th graders in off-years.
New Staff Welcome: Sheryl Rumfelt was approved as the new Kindergarten Paraprofessional. She joins the district with 9 years of experience as a GSRP associate teacher and SKIP parent group leader.
Playground Improvement Planning: The committee is actively pursuing a larger, mobility-accessible play structure equipped with tall slides along with spinning, bouncing, and climbing features.
Band Program Expansion: To support strong 6th-grade band enrollment, the district is purchasing 21 new instruments from McCourt's Music.
Campus Security Enhancements (31aa Carryover Funds):
* Nightlock Emergency Window Shades: Quick-drop shades installed on interior door windows for instant privacy during emergencies.
* Lumar Exterior Window Film: Tinted film installed this week to boost penetration resistance, privacy, UV protection, and energy efficiency.
* Overhead Signage: New hallway door signs installed for easier navigation.
* Barhitte Fencing: Playground perimeter fence completed to keep students safely away from the driveway and south parking lot.
NWEA Academic Data: Fall benchmark scores show Grades 1–4 and 10–11 starting in the 3rd quintile (aligned with national norms), while Kindergarten and Grades 5–9 are starting slightly below national peer averages.
Mark Your Calendar: The Annual Volunteer Celebration Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM at Bentley Middle School.
Click this link to see this post on the website: https://aptg.co/M9nSBF
Barhitte Elementary School
Picture Day September 23rd 2026
Every student gets their picture taken on picture day for their school ID.
Make sure your child comes dressed in their chosen outfit and is ready to show off their best smile!
Order forms were already sent home but, you may order online at: photofactoryusa.com
password: barhitte
Bentley Bulldog Staff Spotlight!
Let’s give a big Bentley welcome to our newest School Social Worker, Michele Prainito!
Bringing 13 years of experience into her 14th year in school social work, she earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology from Oakland University and her Master’s in Social Work from Wayne State University.
Words She Lives By: "Be the person you needed when you were younger."
Wish for All Students: "That every student feels loved and supported."
Get to know Michele a bit better...
* Hidden Talents: She’s an artist! Most of the artwork in her home was created by her, and she also loves decorating cookies and cakes.
* Wild Fact: Elephants are her favorite animal! Last summer, she visited an elephant orphanage in Kenya and adopted a baby elephant named Kerrio.
* Favorite Book: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus—she loved the smart, independent main character who challenged stereotypes.
* Summer Favorites: Spending time outdoors, traveling, reading, and hanging out with her family and dogs.
* Sports Team: Proudly cheering for all team Detroit!
* Most Inspiring Figure: Fred Rogers, because he showed kids that their feelings matter and that kindness, listening, and understanding can make a real difference.
We are so lucky to have Ms. Prainito joining our Bentley family!
In case you missed this week’s Regular Board of Education meeting…
● High School Senior, Alysha Abdullah, and Junior, Bobby Newton, our high school representatives to the Board shared that the 2026-27 year started with the last first senior sunrise (including donuts and orange juice). Homecoming was a huge success, with hallway decorating, a spirit visit to BES, the Teachers vs. students volleyball game (the girls took the win!), and an amazing dance with King Daniels and Queen Abdullah! Beyond Homecoming, fall sports are in full swing, Marching Band is prepping for competitions after an awesome camp at Covenant Hills, AP History jumped into impactful discussions on world religions, and the new cell phone policy is off to a smooth, backlash-free start!
● Bentley Little Bulldogs is now full with 64 students registered! This resulted in a fourth classroom run by our new lead teacher Bella Packwood and associate teacher Jennifer Irish.
● The board engaged in a second reading of policy 8330 for the directory information, which will now consist of: a student’s name, participation in officially recognized activities and sports; height and weight, if a member of an athletic team; date of graduation; awards received; honor rolls; scholarships; and school photographs or videos (for example: this allows for but is not limited to inclusion in the yearbook, local paper, on the district website and social media, etc.).
● The MASB 2026 Delegate will be Amanda Mobley and the Alternate will be Cheryl Blosser.
● The board discussed how nice an arch (or series of arches) would look at the athletic facilities. A committee will meet with a local company who has built arches at other schools to determine next best steps forward.
● There are lots of athletic happenings–please check out the athletic events at:
https://www.bentleyschools.org/o/athletics/events
Check out the full post on our website at:
https://aptg.co/yGngyf
● High School Senior, Alysha Abdullah, and Junior, Bobby Newton, our high school representatives to the Board shared that the 2026-27 year started with the last first senior sunrise (including donuts and orange juice). Homecoming was a huge success, with hallway decorating, a spirit visit to BES, the Teachers vs. students volleyball game (the girls took the win!), and an amazing dance with King Daniels and Queen Abdullah! Beyond Homecoming, fall sports are in full swing, Marching Band is prepping for competitions after an awesome camp at Covenant Hills, AP History jumped into impactful discussions on world religions, and the new cell phone policy is off to a smooth, backlash-free start!
● Bentley Little Bulldogs is now full with 64 students registered! This resulted in a fourth classroom run by our new lead teacher Bella Packwood and associate teacher Jennifer Irish.
● The board engaged in a second reading of policy 8330 for the directory information, which will now consist of: a student’s name, participation in officially recognized activities and sports; height and weight, if a member of an athletic team; date of graduation; awards received; honor rolls; scholarships; and school photographs or videos (for example: this allows for but is not limited to inclusion in the yearbook, local paper, on the district website and social media, etc.).
● The MASB 2026 Delegate will be Amanda Mobley and the Alternate will be Cheryl Blosser.
● The board discussed how nice an arch (or series of arches) would look at the athletic facilities. A committee will meet with a local company who has built arches at other schools to determine next best steps forward.
● There are lots of athletic happenings–please check out the athletic events at:
https://www.bentleyschools.org/o/athletics/events
Check out the full post on our website at:
https://aptg.co/yGngyf
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed.
Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation
Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation
Our newest bulldogs are starting the year off by learning what it means to be a great student
The gingerbread man was on the run from our kindergartners again.
Bentley Homecoming 2026: Traditional Parade Route Restored!
We heard you loud and clear! When we recently announced the shift to an on-campus parade route, our goal was to create a safe, welcoming experience for our students and the broader community. However, your feedback underscored that our traditional route down Belsay and Court Street is a cherished piece of Bentley history that belongs to the whole community.
On Friday, September 11, we are returning to our parade route of years past!
Parade & Game Day Details:
• 4:45 PM—Staging will once again take place at Crystal Field House Ice Arena.
• 5:30 PM—The parade will travel down Belsay Road, turn onto Court Street, and finish at the high school campus.
Join us in lining the streets to honor our 2026 Grand Marshall, Dawn McDaniel, celebrating her decades of unwavering support for our school and community!
Head straight to the stadium following the parade as our Bulldogs take on the Brown City Green Devils, with the Homecoming Queen crowned at halftime.
We apologize for any confusion or frustration the route change caused. Homecoming belongs to all of us—our students, staff, families, and alumni—and we cannot wait to fill the streets with our red and white spirit next week.
Bring your chairs, your loudest cheers, and your Bentley pride. Let's make this a storybook Homecoming to remember!
Whether you are building a house of bricks, donning a red riding hood, or trotting across a troll’s bridge, Bentley’s 2026 Homecoming is arriving early, and the magic kicks off next week with our storybook theme: "Fairytales: Once upon a time..."
Bentley High School Spirit Week & Class Themes
Tuesday, Sept 8: Fairytale Character Day (Dress as your favorite hero, villain, or storybook legend!)
Wednesday, Sept 9: Anything But a Backpack Day
Thursday, Sept 10: Class Colors & Hall Decorating
Freshmen and 6th graders (Purple): The Ugly Duckling
Sophomores and 7th graders (Red): Little Red Riding Hood
Juniors and 8th graders (Green): Three Billy Goats Gruff
Seniors (Pink): The Three Little Pigs
Friday, Sept 11: Full Bentley Spirit Day (Student-only pep assembly on Friday afternoon)
Bentley Middle School Spirit Week Themes
Tuesday, Sept 8: Dress as Your Favorite Fairy Tale Character
Wednesday, Sept 9: Mad Hatter Hat Day
Thursday, Sept 10: Once Upon a Snooze Pajama Day
Friday, Sept 11: Bentley Spirit Day
Barhitte Elementary School Spirit Week Themes
Tuesday, Sept 8: Crazy Hair Day
Wednesday, Sept 9: Dress Like a Staff Member
Thursday, Sept 10: Grade Fairy Tale Theme
Kindergarten: Chicken Little
1st Grade: The Tortoise and the Hare
2nd Grade: Goldilocks & the Three Bears
3rd Grade: Peter Pan
4th Grade: Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
5th Grade: Alice in Wonderland
Friday, Sept 11: Bentley Bulldog / Red & White Day
Bentley Little Bulldogs Spirit Week Themes
Tuesday, Sept 8: Crazy Hair Day
Wednesday, Sept 9: Favorite Character Day
Thursday, Sept 10: Bentley Bulldog / Red & White Day
Mid-Week Alumni and Powder Puff Games: Wednesday, Sept 9
5:30 PM: Annual Alumni Game, followed immediately by the high-stakes Powder Puff Game ($5 admission at the gate as a prom fundraiser).
Homecoming King Crowning: The King will officially take the crown during Wednesday night's festivities!
Friday Night Lights & Parade: Sept 11
The Bulldogs take on the Brown City Green Devils under the Friday night lights, with the Homecoming Queen crowned at halftime. Because game day is early this year, the entire school is combining forces to build one massive, community-crafted float!
We are also thrilled to honor long-time community champion Dawn McDaniel as our 2026 Homecoming Grand Marshall for her decades of dedication to Bentley.
PARADE ROUTE CHANGE & Campus Traffic Details
To keep things warm, welcoming, and safe, the parade route is getting an upgrade. It will launch at Bentley Little Bulldogs, cross the short stretch of Belsay Road into the North Campus entrance, wind through campus, and wrap up at the football field (see included map).
Best Viewpoint: Park in the athletic lot and walk to the western perimeter of campus to cheer everyone on (see included map)!
5:15 PM: Staging for parade at Bentley Little Bulldogs
5:45 PM: Belsay Road entrance closes (there will be continued access to the athletic lot from the Court St entrance until 6:15 PM).
6:00 PM: Parade begins
6:15 PM: Court Street entrance (athletic lot access only) closes.
6:15 PM – 6:30 PM: Campus completely shuts down to vehicle traffic for about 15 minutes while the parade clears Court Street entrance. Please arrive early!!
The Royal Ball: Saturday, Sept 12
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Bentley High School
Tickets: $15 in advance ($20 at the door)
Includes a DJ, magical decorations, delicious snacks, and plenty of dancing.
Bring your Bulldog pride, your loudest cheer, and the whole family to our homecoming festivities—let's make this year's Homecoming a fairytale to remember!
Bentley Community Schools - Transportation Department
Greetings Bentley Bulldogs!
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed. Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
If you did not receive the email, it is imperative that you always update school officials or ParentVUE with all your most recent contact information. See our Transportation page for more information (https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation).
For security purposes, specific bus stop information will never be posted to the website or sent via mobile text.
Greetings Bentley Bulldogs!
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed. Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
If you did not receive the email, it is imperative that you always update school officials or ParentVUE with all your most recent contact information. See our Transportation page for more information (https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation).
For security purposes, specific bus stop information will never be posted to the website or sent via mobile text.
Bentley Community Schools - Transportation Department
Greetings Bentley Bulldogs!
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed. Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
If you did not receive the email, it is imperative that you always update school officials or ParentVUE with all your most recent contact information. See our Transportation page for more information (https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation).
For security purposes, specific bus stop information will never be posted to the website or sent via mobile text.
Greetings Bentley Bulldogs!
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed. Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
If you did not receive the email, it is imperative that you always update school officials or ParentVUE with all your most recent contact information. See our Transportation page for more information (https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation).
For security purposes, specific bus stop information will never be posted to the website or sent via mobile text.
Just a reminder that the Burton Rotary is presenting the 2nd annual Ice Cream Social! This is a fundraiser for the Burton Rotary Club's scholarship program.
* Thursday, August 27 from 6:00-8:00 PM (you can stop by before our first home football game at 7 PM)
* Burton Senior Center 3410 South Grand Traverse, Burton
* Suggested donation is minimum $10 for adults (kids eat free!)
Thank you Burton Rotary for supporting our kids!!
* Thursday, August 27 from 6:00-8:00 PM (you can stop by before our first home football game at 7 PM)
* Burton Senior Center 3410 South Grand Traverse, Burton
* Suggested donation is minimum $10 for adults (kids eat free!)
Thank you Burton Rotary for supporting our kids!!
In case you missed this week’s Regular Board of Education meeting…
* The Board reviewed and approved the Bentley Community School District Student/Parent Handbook School Year 2026-2027, which you can see at the link below:
https://aptg.co/d5Cm3v
* The Board reviewed the state-mandated Standard Response Protocol so staff and students use clear, unified language during schedule shifts:
■ HOLD: Clear the halls and stay in classrooms (e.g., medical emergency).
■ SECURE: Get inside and lock outside doors (e.g., nearby off-campus incident).
■ LOCKDOWN: Locks, lights, out of sight (e.g., immediate threat in building).
■ SHELTER: Tornado–move to shelter area
■ EVACUATE: Move to a safe location (e.g., fire).
* Policy 8330 First Reading: Reviewed guidelines regarding Directory Information and student record updates, which you can see at the link below:
https://go.neola.com/bntl-mi/policy/policy-manual/po8330
● The Board received an update on district numbers as we work to ensure every local student is accounted for and supported.
● Note - Thursday, August 27th is a big day…
■ First home football game vs. FCCA @7PM
■ Bentley Little Bulldogs Learning Center Back to School Night from 4:00-5:30 PM
■ Burton Rotary’s Ice Cream Social Fundraiser at the Burton Senior Center from 6:00-8:00 PM to raise money for scholarships to graduating seniors
You can see this whole post on our website at
https://aptg.co/cPn-4S
* The Board reviewed and approved the Bentley Community School District Student/Parent Handbook School Year 2026-2027, which you can see at the link below:
https://aptg.co/d5Cm3v
* The Board reviewed the state-mandated Standard Response Protocol so staff and students use clear, unified language during schedule shifts:
■ HOLD: Clear the halls and stay in classrooms (e.g., medical emergency).
■ SECURE: Get inside and lock outside doors (e.g., nearby off-campus incident).
■ LOCKDOWN: Locks, lights, out of sight (e.g., immediate threat in building).
■ SHELTER: Tornado–move to shelter area
■ EVACUATE: Move to a safe location (e.g., fire).
* Policy 8330 First Reading: Reviewed guidelines regarding Directory Information and student record updates, which you can see at the link below:
https://go.neola.com/bntl-mi/policy/policy-manual/po8330
● The Board received an update on district numbers as we work to ensure every local student is accounted for and supported.
● Note - Thursday, August 27th is a big day…
■ First home football game vs. FCCA @7PM
■ Bentley Little Bulldogs Learning Center Back to School Night from 4:00-5:30 PM
■ Burton Rotary’s Ice Cream Social Fundraiser at the Burton Senior Center from 6:00-8:00 PM to raise money for scholarships to graduating seniors
You can see this whole post on our website at
https://aptg.co/cPn-4S
Bus stop information has been updated and sent via email to all parents who have had their transportation requests processed. More coming this evening. If you did not receive a "Waypoint" email, then your request has not been processed yet or your contact information is incorrect. Be sure to check your email junk/spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
https://www.bentleyschools.org/page/transportation
Dear Families,
Welcome back! We are thrilled to have your students with us for another great school year.
As we settle into our new routines, we need to make a few adjustments to our bus schedules. While your bus stops will likely remain the same, the pick-up and drop-off times will shift around for the rest of the week as new transportation requests are processed.
Here is what to expect over the next few days:
Each day, around 6pm, we will email you the revised bus times for the following morning.
The first official time changes will take effect this Wednesday.
We plan to have all the wrinkles ironed out and a more permanent schedule in place by next Monday.
This is also a reminder to all parents that if we do not have accurate smartphone numbers AND email addresses in ParentVUE, you will NOT be able to receive bus stop information. Please take this opportunity to ensure that this information is accurate as soon as possible!
Thank you for your patience as we get our routes perfectly dialed in for the year ahead!
Wishing you a wonderful week,
The Transportation Department
Bus stop information has been sent via email to all parents who requested transportation this year.
Be sure to check your spam folders! For more information see our Transportation page.
It was another exciting week of learning with our Barhitte summer school students. They started the week with a visit from MichiganScience Center. The students were challenged to build a structure that would hold up to a variety of weather and they then tested their structures. They also learned about States of Matter which included making slime. Later we used handbells to play some patriotic songs and continued making toys children would have played with long ago
Our Barhitte summer school students ended their time with water balloons, games, and a cool treat on a hot day
Dear Families,
Welcome to the start of a new school year! We are thrilled to have your children with us, and we are very happy to be able to provide transportation for our students.
To give you a glimpse into our daily operations, we are currently routing approximately 400 students across two different time frames (elementary and secondary) using three buses. Our ultimate goal is always to get your kids to and from school safely and in the shortest amount of time possible.
Creating these routes is a complex process. Every time a new student is added, adjustments must be made to the entire route. When designing these schedules, we have to carefully balance several variables, including:
Student Age: Providing safe, door-to-door service for our youngest learners (preschoolers and kindergartners).
Location Safety: Evaluating whether a pickup is on a busy main road (like Belsay or Lapeer) or a quieter secondary road (like Rinn or Roberta).
Medical Accommodations: Ensuring strict adherence to accommodations for students with medical needs.
Our biggest challenge in creating solid, consistent routes at the beginning of the year comes from families registering their children after our August 18 deadline. Because route creation is a highly connected and time-consuming process, every late addition impacts the pickup and drop-off times for everyone else.
Because of these ongoing adjustments, our final routes are not quite ready to be sent out today. However, you will receive your child's specific route details via email by Sunday afternoon.
We kindly ask for your patience, grace, and understanding as we smooth out our routes over the next 10 days or so. It is very much a process, but things will settle into a predictable routine soon.
Thank you for your partnership and understanding as we work to get everyone to school safely.
Sincerely,
Todd Schultz, Operations Director
Barhitte Elementary Open House
Join us to kick off an amazing school year! Meet your teachers, explore your classroom, drop off supplies and reconnect with friends.
When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Parents - Please make sure you have registered your child online before the open house. Enrollment information can be found at www.bentleyschools.org. All new and returning students need to be registered. Thank you!
