Mena School District

Friday, January 24, 2020 Lunch Menu: Friday, 1-24, Chicken Spaghetti, Hamburger, Chicken Sandwich, MTO Baked Potato Activities Friday, 1-24 @ Hope, Sr. VG, Sr. VB Sr. High Quiz Bowl: Mena Invitational: Monday, Jan. 27 Jr. High Quiz Bowl: Mena Invitational: (9th and 8th) Thursday, Jan. 30 Students: If you need to know your lunch balance, please go see Mrs. Jennifer Students, there will be no more lunch trays or cafeteria food allowed in the library due to the amount of carelessness with the garbage left behind. Thanks for understanding! Library Lunch Closings this week: Friday: Open both lunches Only two weeks remain to order your 2020 MHS Yearbook. The final deadline to order a yearbook will be Friday, January 31st. Yearbooks are $60, and can be ordered through Mr. Philpot’s room 205 or online through the Jostens yearbook website. Applications to be on the 2020-21 Yearbook staff are now available in Mr. Philpot’s room. If you’d like to be considered for next year’s yearbook staff, please fill out an application and return it to Mr. Philpot’s room by next Thursday, January 30. Please continue to recycle your aluminum cans in the red recycling trash cans around campus, but please do not put any other forms of trash or plastics in these red cans. The Senior Winter Formal will be held Saturday evening, February 1, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Grace Bible Church. Tickets will be $10 for one person, or $15 for a senior and their guest. Seniors may invite one person between the ages of 9th grade and 21 years old. Tickets may be purchased in advance through Mrs. Hobson’s room. Seniors: If you did not order your Cap & Gown when Herff Jones was here, please go by and see Mrs. Jennifer. If you do not order by March 1st the cost goes up from $45 to $55. Special Olympic Polar Plunge is scheduled for February 13 at 11:30 in the Student Parking Lot. Stop by Room 214 and pick up your Plunge Form and get more information on how to be involved...Rumor has it that Coach Wright and Coach Lyle will plunge if their girls can raise $1000.00….Let’s help the girls make this possible!!!! The tryout signup sheets for the 2020-2021 Cheerleading Team and Competition Team, and Mascot are in the office. Please see Coach Hughes in room 315 for any questions about tryouts or cheer. There will be a MANDATORY parent meeting on February 26th for ALL candidates. Students interested in creating: Holograms, Game Design, Photography, Videography, Virtual Realty, Robotics, Solar Powered Cars, etc., please contact Mrs. Lunsford through email. All students will attend their regularly assigned enrichment class for the remainder of the semester!

Announcements for Friday, January 24th Reminders: BADD Club coloring sheet entries are due to Mrs. Rose by the end of the day today. Remember to complete your AMI work by next Wednesday. Students who have turned in their Parent Permission Form for the Robotics Club will be meeting after school next Thursday in the Library. There will be a student list posted on the bulletin board near the Cafeteria. From Mrs. Sikes: FBLA members that are attending next month’s conference, need to go to her room after these announcements. From Mrs. Lunsford: EAST Conference competitions are due today. EAST students need to go to the MMS EAST room after these announcements to complete your submission. From Mrs. Ponder: 6th grade math classes will be kicking off next week’s Kindness Week by participating in the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Math-a-Thon. Lunchtime Weather: Lunch Menu: Line 1 – Chicken Spaghetti, MTO Baked Potato Line 2 – Sausage & Jalapeno Pizza, Deli Sandwich, Pizza Salad Concession – Hamburger, Chicken Sandwich, Mini Corndogs

The UA Rich Mountain Electricity CDE Contest is being held in the Ouachita Center today. The contest featuring ten competing schools is being hosted by the Mena FFA & Aleshire Electric.

Jerod McCormick from UA Rich Mountain recently talked to the 5th graders at Holly Harshman Elementary about the importance of having a healthy body and proper nutrition.

Gameday Saturday!

Gameday Friday!

The Mena Preschool Teacher's are celebrating 100 Days of LOVING their jobs and their Student's!

Announcements for Wednesday, January 22nd Today is our 100th day of school – 78 days to go. Reminders: BADD Club coloring sheet entries are due to Mrs. Rose tomorrow. Alternate Method of Instruction (AMI): You have until next Wednesday to complete AMI work assigned for our missed day. If 90% of the students in our district complete the assignments by next Wednesday, we will not be required to make up the day we missed. Check with all of your teachers today if you have any questions about your AMI work. Lunchtime Weather: We will stay inside during lunch. You may use your phone / device once you’ve eaten and have left the cafeteria. Lunch Menu: (Wednesday’s menu will be served today) Line 1 – Chicken Alfredo, MTO Boneless Wings Line 2 – Fiesta Pizza, Deli Sandwich, Turkey Chef Salad Concession – Hamburger, Hot Dog, Chicken Sandwich Club / Group Meetings: At this time, 8th grade GT students need to go to the Conference room.

Thursday, January 23, 2020 Lunch Menu: Thursday, 1-23, Fish Sticks/Mac & Cheese, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, MTO Tortillo Line Friday, 1-24, Chicken Spaghetti, Hamburger, Chicken Sandwich, MTO Baked Potato Activities Wednesday, 1-22, Sci Fi Meeting Thursday, 1-23, JAG Meeting Friday, 1-24 @ Hope, Sr. VG, Sr. VB Thursday: 1-23 Jr. High Quiz Bowl practice during ACHIEVE at middle school campus Thursday after school: Sr. High Quiz Bowl practice in Mrs. Moore’s room at Holly. Please let Mrs. Moore if you are unable to attend. Sr. High Quiz Bowl: Mena Invitational: Monday, Jan. 27 Jr. High Quiz Bowl: Mena Invitational: (9th and 8th) Thursday, Jan. 30 Students: If you need to know your lunch balance, please go see Mrs. Jennifer Students, there will be no more lunch trays or cafeteria food allowed in the library due to the amount of carelessness with the garbage left behind. Thanks for understanding! Library Lunch Closings this week: Thursday: Lunch B is closed Friday: Open both lunches Only two weeks remain to order your 2020 MHS Yearbook. The final deadline to order a yearbook will be Friday, January 31st. Yearbooks are $60, and can be ordered through Mr. Philpot’s room 205 or online through the Jostens yearbook website. Applications to be on the 2020-21 Yearbook staff are now available in Mr. Philpot’s room. If you’d like to be considered for next year’s yearbook staff, please fill out an application and return it to Mr. Philpot’s room by next Thursday, January 30. Please continue to recycle your aluminum cans in the red recycling trash cans around campus, but please do not put any other forms of trash or plastics in these red cans. The Senior Winter Formal will be held Saturday evening, February 1, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Grace Bible Church. Tickets will be $10 for one person, or $15 for a senior and their guest. Seniors may invite one person between the ages of 9th grade and 21 years old. Tickets may be purchased in advance through Mrs. Hobson’s room. Seniors: If you did not order your Cap & Gown when Herff Jones was here, please go by and see Mrs. Jennifer. If you do not order by March 1st the cost goes up from $45 to $55. Special Olympic Polar Plunge is scheduled for February 13 at 11:30 in the Student Parking Lot. Stop by Room 214 and pick up your Plunge Form and get more information on how to be involved...Rumor has it that Coach Wright and Coach Lyle will plunge if their girls can raise $1000.00….Let’s help the girls make this possible!!!! The tryout signup sheets for the 2020-2021 Cheerleading Team and Competition Team, and Mascot are in the office. Please see Coach Hughes in room 315 for any questions about tryouts or cheer. There will be a MANDATORY parent meeting on February 26th for ALL candidates. Students interested in creating: Holograms, Game Design, Photography, Videography, Virtual Realty, Robotics, Solar Powered Cars, etc., please contact Mrs. Lunsford through email. All students will attend their regularly assigned enrichment class for the remainder of the semester!

Mena MIddle School 8th graders arrive at Mena High school for an orientation today.The students will be familiarized with the campus & will hear about various programs in preparation for their move to MHS.next year.

SCHEDULE CHANGE! The soccer game against Bauxite that was originally scheduled for March 30th has been rescheduled for April 7th! https://www.menaschools.org/o/athletics/athletics

Due to inclement weather, Mena Public Schools will be closed Wednesday, January 22nd. The district will use the 1st Alternative Method of Instruction (AMI) Day approved by the State. Please follow the AMI Day procedures for your child’s building and grade level. Students will have the opportunity to complete their assignments on the day missed or when school resumes. Attendance will be calculated by the successful completion of the assignments. If 90% or more of the students complete their required learning expectations for the AMI Day, the day will not have to be made up at the end of the year.

The Mena School Board held their January meeting on Tuesday Night at the Administration Building . The board went into executive session immediately to discuss the renewal of Benny Weston's contract as Superintendent. When the executive session ended the board voted unanimously to add an additional year to Weston's contract. Danny Minton addressed the board on the HVAC Scheduled Maintenance Agreement. The board renewed the agreement for Mena High School, including the addition of the safe room systems, at a cost of $14,850.00. The board also approved the addition of an agreement for Louise Durham Elementary at a cost of $4,292.00. Minton also gave an update on the district facilities which included information on damage caused by a recent lightning strike. The strike took place on a light pole at the baseball field & not only caused damage there but also to phones, cameras, HVAC & more. A complete damage assessment is underway & may continue for some time before all damage is discovered. Attention then turned to the Mid Year Review in which Weston was pleased to report that the district had exhausted 47% of the budget for the year. Weston then updated each member of the board on the requirements of Act 589 the School Board Member Training Report in which all board members had met or exceeded the required number of hours. The Board moved on to the financial report which was approved. The Annual School Board Liability Insurance & General Liability Coverage premium was briefly discussed before the being approved at a cost of $8783.00. Finally there were a pair of personnel issues. The board accepted the resignation of Hope Cannon who is a para pro at MMS & also they also approved the move of bus driver Gwen Andrews from a "C" to a "B" route.

The Mena Ladycats picked up a big win 40-35 over Arkadelphia Tuesday at the Union Bank Center. The Bearcats were not as fortunate as they lost 40-47. The Sr. Teams play next on Friday at Hope.

The Mena Technology Department is participating in a 2 day Advanced Information Security workshop at DMESC. They are focusing advanced cybersecurity concepts, including Network Attack, Cryptography Theory, Applied Cryptography, Laws, Regulations, Compliance, and Policy, Forensics, Network Defense, Ethics and Legal Considerations, and Physical Security.

The Mena Jr. High Girls & Boys defeated Arkadelphia Tuesday at the Union Bank Center.. The Ladycats won by a score of 41-24 & the Bearcats won by a score of 48-40. Both teams will be back in action on Monday 1/27/20 @ Malvern... GO BEARCATS!

HHE has teamed up with Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center with the “Empower Me”-Body Safety for all third graders. Thank you to Jill Lacomfora and Gina Rockwell for spending the afternoon with our 3rd graders

Ravyn Wilson, a 4th grader from Holly Harshman Elementary School in Mena, made school counselor Vicky Maye’s day by sharing her poster for Maye’s office as they are gearing up for the Great Kindness Challenge Week. Ravyn stands in front of the school mascot sign “Bearcat Eyes Are Watching!” This positive behavior system encourages the students to spread kindness like confetti all the year through with no bullies allowed!!!

The Mena 7th Grade Ladycats & Bearcats will play in a basketball jamboree at Lake Hamilton this Saturday 1/25/20. Check the schedule below..

Announcements for Tuesday, January 21st BADD Club coloring sheet entries are due to her by this Friday. Check the lost and found box for your missing items. It is already getting full again. The Jr High and Sr High Bearcat Basketball teams will be hosting the Arkadelphia Badgers this evening at the Union Bank Center at the High School. 9th grade Lady Cats will tip off at 4:30. Lunchtime Weather: The current temperature is 32º. It is expected to be 36º by Lunch “A” and 40º by Lunch “B”. If you are dressed appropriately, you can go outside during lunch. You may also choose to remain inside. Lunch Menu: Line 1 – Popcorn Chicken Bowl, MTO Tortilla Line 2 – Meat Lover’s Pizza, Deli Sandwich, Cobb Salad Concession – Steak Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders Club / Group Meetings: