Esther Bennett Elementary School

08/25/2026

8/24/26 at 4:00pm

This is an important message from Washoe County School District:

As a result of the Hawk Fire and in collaboration with public safety officials, all classes, events, and activities at all WCSD schools – except Incline and Gerlach K-12 Schools – will be canceled on Tuesday, August 25.

In the interest of safety for students, staff, and families, the District exercises great care and consideration before making the decision to cancel classes. Thousands of students and staff have been evacuated, and many neighborhoods and District facilities are still experiencing prolonged power outages.

WCSD's public safety personnel continue to assist our regional law enforcement partners, and transportation resources have been repositioned to minimize further negative impacts on our schools and the community.

Governor Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County due to the impacts of the fast-moving fire.

WCSD will continue to monitor and evaluate all options for when it is safe to reopen schools and will keep you informed.

Once again, all classes, events, and activities at all WCSD schools—except Incline and Gerlach K-12 Schools—are canceled for Tuesday, August 25.

WCSD is grateful to all those who continue to help our community, and we thank our District personnel who are assisting with this effort.

For information on shelters and other resources, please visit https://loom.ly/Vrv_75E

Click here to view our Family Resource Center locations and contacts - https://loom.ly/_-b-H9o

Click here for School and Family Support Resources - https://loom.ly/1uKorYk
In Spanish - https://loom.ly/1XSckAE

In response to the Hawk Fire and its impact on our community, the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows will be opening four of our Clubhouses to help accommodate WCSD families who may need a safe and supportive place for their children during this time.

The following Clubhouses will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.:

Pennington Clubhouse
Donald W. Reynolds (DWR) Clubhouse
Neil Road Clubhouse
Carano Youth Center

08/23/2026

8/23/26 at 12:30pm

This is an important message from WCSD:

As a result of the Hawk Fire and at the request of public safety officials, all classes, events, and activities at all WCSD schools – except Gerlach K-12 School – will be canceled on Monday, August 24. The decision to close schools is due to evacuations, impacts on regional public safety resources, and to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. Once again, upon the recommendation of public safety officials, all schools with the exception of Gerlach K-12 School are canceled on Monday, August 24.

Governor Lombardo has declared a state of emergency in Washoe County due to the fast-moving fire, unpredictable weather, power outages, and the closure of major roads in our area. Our district continues to provide support wherever possible to public safety agencies as widespread evacuations and other lifesaving efforts have been carried out.

We understand that so many people in our WCSD family—students, families, and staff —are impacted. Over the next few days, we will continue to update our entire district family with information as it becomes available. We are grateful to our firefighters and first responders as they continue to battle this fire, and we thank our district personnel who are assisting with this effort.

For information on shelters and other resources, please visit www.emergencywashoe.com

08/15/2026

What an amazing first week of school! We are off to a great start of the school year! 📚📚

08/11/2026

What an amazing first day!! We saw so many happy faces, big smiles and lots of excitement as we kick-off a brand new school year!
Please remember tomorrow is our Back To School Night!

08/06/2026

What a great day of learning with the amazing teachers from Allen Elementary and Bennett Elementary!
It was inspiring to see educators collaborating, sharing ideas, and growing together as we focused on Teacher Clarity. This professional learning helps us be clear about learning goals and success criteria. Students are better equipped to understand what they're learning, build confidence, and achieve success when they engage in this work. We are excited for the 2026-2027 school year!

06/10/2026

06/05/2026

Today, we had the honor of welcoming back our former Bennett Elementary students as they took their final walk through the halls before their high school graduation. 🎓
Our current students lined the halls, cheering them on and offering high fives as they walked through the school where their educational journey began. It was a special moment filled with pride, memories, and inspiration.
We are grateful to have been a part of their story and their success. Congratulations to the Class of 2026! We wish you all the best as you take the next step toward your bright futures. Thank you for letting us celebrate this milestone with you! ❤️🎓 Congratulations to our former students from Spanish Springs, Hug, Wooster, Dennie Smith, Reno, and McQueen HS! 🎓 You make us proud!

06/05/2026

The beginning of a Bennett Buffalo Journey! 🦬❤️

We are so proud of our kindergartners and excited for all they will grow, learn, achieve, and the impact they will make along the way. The best is yet to come! A special thank you to our fourth graders for welcoming our kindergarteners to their first grade journey!

06/04/2026

🎓Congratulations to our amazing fifth graders!🎓

Today, we celebrated all of your hard work, growth, and accomplishments as you move on to middle school. We are so proud of each and every one of you and can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll achieve in the future.

💙 Best of luck Buffaloes on your next adventure…we know you’ll do great things! As we always say…”Once a Buffalo…always a Buffalo.”