Mena School District

The Mena School District is actively working on a re-entry plan for our students who will be participating in extracurricular on-site summer activities including student athletes, band members, choir members, and our FFA members. Our number one priority is the safety of all of our students and staff members. We are developing a plan that properly implements and follows the Governor's Directive, the CDC Guidance, the Arkansas Department of Health Guidelines, and adheres to the Arkansas Activities Association COVID-19 Updates. This includes the planning, preparation, and training for our administrators, staff members, and coaches on the expectations of meeting each guideline, assuring prior measures are in place, and properly maintaining the use of our facilities to ensure the safety for all involved. Additional information regarding re-entry will be released directly from our district social media outlet in regards to this fluid situation. Mena Public Schools appreciates your continued support and understanding.

Attention Parents of Students who attended Mena School District: State and Federal guidelines require that all special education due process forms and records be destroyed within six (6) years after a student leaves the special education or speech therapy program. If your child was dismissed, graduated, dropped from the program or found to be ineligible for special education services and/ or speech therapy during the school year 2012-2013, you have the right to review and request copies of your child’s due process records before they are destroyed. Your child also has the right to review these records providing he or she is 18 years or older. If you wish to see these records, they will be available at Mena School Special Education office beginning May 25, 2020 to June 15, 2020 from 7:00 am to 4:00 p.m. Records, which are not picked up will be destroyed on June 22, 2020. These records are NOT your child’s permanent school records, they are only special education due process forms and records. You may contact Laura Bunch Special Education Supervisor 479-394-1144

Mena High School JAG (Job's For America's Graduates) seniors have earned $1,215,279.00 in scholarships and grants as of May 15th! Go Bearcats ! Go JAG !

THANK YOU to all of our amazing students and parents that completed and dropped off work that you have been doing over the past several weeks!! WE are so very proud of all you have done- this includes those of you that worked digitally the entire time, but had no "paper work" to turn in to us. LIBRARY BOOKS: WE will leave a library book tub outside of HHE throughout the month of MAY. As you come across books while cleaning, etc....please drop them off to us here at school. The tub will be outside during office hours only. Again, WE appreciate all of your cooperation during these unprecedented times! Have a wonderful summer!

Congratulations to Mena Middle School on being chosen as one of the schools in the State of Arkansas to be included in an adequacy case study. They were chosen for “repeatedly performing higher than their demographics indicated they should”. "We are humbled in being chosen to be part of this case study. It is a credit to our diligent staff and the wonderful students that have graced our hallways. We look forward to helping the future of education in Arkansas." said Principal Cliff Sherrer. Our Leadership committee: Clifton Sherrer, Todd Coogan, Leilani Rose Teacher committee: Robin Ponder, Malea Ellison, Sheli Chaney  

Mena Middle School Offers Computer Science Course for 2020-2021 School Year Computer Science for Grades 7 and 8 is an elective consisting of an introduction to computers, hardware, software, internet, research, coding, and 21st Century Skills. This is a Project Based Learning course where students apply knowledge and skills to solve problems they identify in their school and community. Mena Middle School will continue to offer these Career Technical course electives: Family CSI (Consumer Science Investigations) Introduction to Agriculture Career Development Keyboarding Leadership through Service Learning Introduction to Business Applications / Computers These courses allow students to establish foundation skills for their future - high school, college, and workforce. Students should make their course selections via the School Form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiPXurZ4kFtf6EMLQ0ISAe8vRotzxcX8oYsPKcBiDlX3gAcw/viewform

Welcome Dr. Lee Smith back to Mena. Smith has been hired as the next Assistant Superintendent at the Mena Public Schools.. GO BEARCATS!!!

The Mena School Board met on Tuesday, May 19th. The meeting began with the Superintendents Report. Mr. Benny Weston updated the board on the multiple phases the leadership team is working on for reentry & the beginning of the 2020/2021 school year. Assistant Superintendent Paulette Sherrer added that a needs assesment is underway in anticipation of the award from federal COVID-19 CARES Act monies. Personnel was next on the agenda. RESIGNATIONS Traci Gray Malani Vega RESCIND CONTRACT Markie Blocker TRANSFER Amy Dollar - 6th grade social studies Justin Goodnight - Mena High School Agri Chelsea Johnson - 8th grade algebra Susan McKeever - LDE Special Education paraprofessional HIRE Dr. Lee Smith - Assistant Superintendent Cheyenne Burdess - HHE Lisa Falls - HHE LPN Alicia Farringer - MMS Special Education self contained Amy Martin - MMS Chase McCormick - MMS Agri Colby Singleton - Secondary MHS COACHING DUTIES Landon Dover - head sr. girls track Tia Fryer - assistant jr. boys basketball Ryan Luttmer - head jr. boys basketball & head jr. boys track Brad Lyle - assistant sr. boys basketball Heather Goss - head jr. girls track All were approved unanimously. The board then renewed the contract with Aramark Food Service & also renewed the agreement with Horizon Software. The board accepted the Freedom of Choice Applications of 9 students. Next was an update on the district's Five Year Plan to improve the FTE (Full-time equivalent). For the 20/21 school year the FTE has improved to 91.4% & is expected to jump to 95% once final calculations are made. Finally financial reports were approved & the meeting adjourned.

Mena Middle School now has bins available for students to return packets, library books, and teacher books. The bins are available from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Monday, May 11th through Thursday, May 14th and are located at the main entrance. Students' locker contents have been bagged and will be available for pickup during that time as well. MMS students will be able to return their Chrome Book device (and charger) May 18th &19th on the following schedule: 6th grade 9:00 - 10:30, 7th grade 10:30 - 12:00, 8th grade 1:00 - 2:30. The turn-in point for Chrome Books will in the bus loading area. If you have any questions, please call Mena Middle School at 394-2572."

Any work/papers/books can turned Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Also, there are Social Studies projects that can be picked up as well. There are filing cabinets set up to place work in by grade level.

Attention Mena High School Students!!! Want to change your schedule for the 2020/2021 school year??? Follow the link & fill out the form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8eU47a9KlnCnGlqZh5K5NZXOLS5bFdsGYhfMzGmbD5-8R0Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

ATTENTION MMS PARENTS / STUDENTS: Just a reminder that all student locker contents have been bagged and labeled. All bags need to be picked up by Thursday, May 21st. After that date, all usable items will be donated to local charitable organizations. If you're not sure if your child has items to be picked up, please call Mena Middle School at 479-394-2572.

Mena High School Chromebook, textbook & library book return. Follow the link to the MHS Website for dates & times. https://www.menaschools.org/o/mena-high-school

Exciting news to pass along! Next week we will offer a Zoom meeting with both our JH and and incoming 7th grade football players. Information will be passed along on each "Remind" group. We will get information out early next week. Until then if you have an athlete in that group it would be good to familiarize with Zoom. We can't wait to see those Bearcats! https://www.facebook.com/Mena-Bearcat-Football-453541635192334/

Mena Middle School has 10 Yearbooks left for purchase. Come to the school NOW if you want to buy one while supplies last.

May 11, 2020 Dear Seniors of the Class of 2020, We would have had this meeting in person had we been fortunate enough to have had a normal fourth quarter. Senior Exit Procedure List: 1. Turn in textbooks, library books, etc. 2. Turn in Chromebooks once finished with all class requirements including AP assessments or last minute assignments to raise a grade. 3. Settle all debts with the school. Mrs. McCauley has a list and I would recommend each of you to check with her. 4. Settle all responsibilities with extra curricular including uniforms, instruments, costumes, etc. 5. Send official transcript requests to Mrs. Lauren Frost (​Lauren.frost@menaschools.org​). Once we have finalized each transcript and reviewed, we will send them electronically to the institution(s) of your choice. 6. Most importantly, start moving any items from your school Google account to your personal accounts that you feel you would benefit from by keeping. Start using your personal, professional email account now, because your school account will no longer be in use after May. Make sure your ACT, college, scholarship and employment correspondence have your personal account. Change any website usernames from your school account to your personal account if you have not already done so. This includes ACT, NCAA, FAFSA, etc. Take care of your business as early as possible, then you will not have this hanging over your celebrations of graduation.

Students: Please use the link below to select your course for next year. Link for Middle School Course Requests. https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfiPXurZ4kFtf6EML…/viewform This link has also been sent to the student's email as well.

MHS Girls Soccer will be handing out Fan Cloth orders on Wednesday, May 20th at 11:00am at the Middle School bus loop.

Subiaco Academy has recently decided to drop to "8 Man Football" which removes them from our conference. This left us a hole in our Senior High Schedule. We are excited to announce that we will now play Booneville week 3 of the 2020 season and have a bye during week 9. We will go to Booneville in 2020 and they will come to Mena in 2021. It will be a great series!

Mena Middle School now has bins available for students to return packets, library books, and teacher books. The bins are available from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Monday, May 11th through Thursday, May 14th and are located at the main entrance. Students' locker contents have been bagged and will be available for pickup during that time as well. MMS students will be able to return their Chrome Book device (and charger) May 18th &19th on the following schedule: 6th grade 9:00 - 10:30, 7th grade 10:30 - 12:00, 8th grade 1:00 - 2:30. The turn-in point for Chrome Books will in the bus loading area. If you have any questions, please call Mena Middle School at 394-2572."