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Mr. Steve Soto, Principal

 

It is my privilege to welcome you to Benson West Elementary, Home of the Bulldogs!  I am Steve Soto and it is a true honor to be the principal of Benson West Elementary.  I have been a proud member of the Omaha Public Schools since 2008.  I have served as a second, fourth, and fifth grade classroom teacher, Instructional Facilitator and Curriculum and Instruction District Administrator.  The Benson West team is a highly experienced and skilled staff with a shared vision of building a community of students who will make a positive impact in the world, today and tomorrow.  Each day, the Benson West staff happily open our doors and serve students in kindergarten through fifth grade.  The diversity of our population is a true reflection of the make-up of our community and the world around us.   

At Benson West Elementary, we truly believe together we are better!  We know when the school and families work together collaboratively, children thrive.  We create an environment where staff, students, and families collaborate to foster high student achievement, a lifelong appreciation of learning and respect for others in an atmosphere where diversity is valued.  It is through teamwork, dedication to continuous school improvement, and open communication we can continue to make Benson West Elementary a place of belonging for all learners. 

The entire Benson West Elementary staff joins me in welcoming you to a new school year!  I look forward to meeting each and every child and family this school year!  Please do not hesitate to contact me at steven.soto@ops.org or 531-299-1120, if we can support your family in any way!  Go BULLDOGS!  

Mr. Steve Soto, Principal

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Mrs. Melissa Wolken, Assistant Principal

 

I am excited to begin my second year as the assistant principal at Benson West! I believe that our school is truly special as we have such a diverse community and such dedicated staff. I’ve appreciated the collaboration between families and school staff and look forward to building on that even more this year! Prior to coming to Benson West, I served as an assistant principal, Dual Language lead teacher, 3rd grade teacher, 2nd grade teacher, and EL teacher in OPS. I also worked for the Buffett Early Childhood Institute for four years as an educational facilitator. I have learned so much through all of my roles, and still love to learn something new every day!  I am bilingual in Spanish and have an appreciation for what it takes to learn another language, as many of our students do!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if there is anything we can do to support your family. You can email me at melissa.wolken@ops.org or call 531-299-1120.

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Mrs. Sarah Assmann, Instructional Facilitator

 

I have been with Omaha Public Schools since 2008. I started off as a paraprofessional at Chandler View before starting my teaching career at Benson West. I taught both 4th grade, and 2nd grade before becoming the Instructional Facilitator in 2021. Some of my favorite things are my dog, traveling, and watching sports (Go Huskers and Bear Down!). At Benson West, I also serve as our Student Assistance Team (SAT) Coordinator. If you have concerns academically for your child, please reach out at sarah.assmann@ops.org or 531-299-1120. I enjoy working with families to make sure their students get the best education possible. I look forward to a great school year with all our little Bulldogs!

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Mr. Dave Eikenbary, Counselor

 

Hello! My name is Dave Eikenbary and I am school counselor at Benson West. You may hear me referred to as “Mr. E” by your students. I’m excited to start my 21st year at Benson West this 2024-25 school year! My role as a school counselor is to work to help student success through Social Emotional Learning.

This year I will provide classroom instruction to help students develop the social and emotional skills they need to succeed. We will be using the newly adopted ReThink curriculum that I am really excited about. I will also be meeting with students in small groups and individually as needed. I specialize in Solution Focused Counseling. It is goal-directed, and it offers a set of clear and simple intervention methods that focus on making changes in perception, behavior, and social interactions. We build on and emphasize our strengths and learn to deal with issues in a positive way. I help our students problem solve so they can get back in their desks and ready to learn!

I absolutely love my job as counselor and I consider myself so lucky to be able to work with such an amazing group of students. They always teach me so much! I hope that we can work as a team to make the school year a success. Please don’t hesitate to call me if you ever have a concern with your student.  My direct line at school is 531-299-5723.

Thanks again! Mr. E.

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Mrs. Megan Seeley, Social Worker

 
 
Hello Bulldogs!
 
My name is Megan Seeley, CMSW, LMHP, and I am so proud to be your school social worker for the school year. I have been
 
working with Benson West and Franklin Elementary since 2019 and I love getting to know the students and families of the
 
community. The easiest way to explain my role is that I attempt to alleviate barriers to student education. Whether it is processing
 
an individual feeling, problem solving a classroom conflict, or assisting a family in crisis, I am here to help! Even though I am split
 
between two buildings, you can always email me megan.seeley@ops.org or leave me a voicemail on my office phone: 531-299-
 
4870.  Here for you! - Mrs. Seeley