The quarterly meeting of the Mena Public Schools Health and Wellness Committee will take place on Tuesday, September 24th, 3:30 pm. The meeting will be held in the Mena Middle School Library
3rd grade Math /science teachers at HHE are doing unusual strategies to help kids understand decompose/distributive properties in math. Mrs. Woodral is "fishing" Mrs. Parsons is "cooking" and Mrs. White is doing surgery! All 120ish students will rotate through all 3 teachers.
HHE Family Night is still on GO!!!!
Lets here it for the 3rd grade !!!!! They won the spirit award at the Holly Harshman Peace Day Pep Rally!!! GO 3rd GRADE BEARCATS!!!!
Holly Harshman Elementary students & staff capped off peace day with a pep rally. A big thanks to Mr. Vacca for bringing his therapy dog to meet everyone. "Say No to Violence and Yes to Peace!"
Mark your calendars for the “Pack the Back” event with Southwest EMS! Let’s pack the ambulance with items for our Comfort Closet on Monday, September 23 from 5-6 at Holly Harshman Elementary!
HIPPIE DAY on Friday at Holly Harshman Elementary to celebrate saying "No to Violence and Yes to Peace" for PEACE Day on Friday.
The Mena School Board conducted their annual Report to the Public meeting on Tuesday night. The evening began with a Facilities Meeting which included a one hour update on facilities, improvements & the five year plan. In total the district buildings include 430,000 square feet with a replacement cost of 71 million dollars. Improvements over the past year were reviewed as well as those on the horizon & additions to the five year plan.
That was followed by the annual Report the the Public Meeting. Mr. Benny Weston began on the district financial status. The end of year balance was $4,185,544.06 which is set aside for emergencies & potential shortfalls. Weston went on to state that the district currently employs 229 people & that 67% of the districts students qualify for free or reduced meals.
Paulette Sherrer spoke briefly on curriculum & testing. She shared a graph with those in attendance which show the students in the district are meeting or exceeding the national average.
Louise Durham Principal Jimma Holder says that enrollment in kindergarten has increased to 170 students & that the number of students testing proficient & exceeding have increased.
Principal Tamara Smart from Holly Harshman Elementary noted a gain in ACT Aspire scores in each grade.
Mena Middle School Principal Cliff Sherrer reported a total of 400 students over the three grades. He is excited about the upcoming student council elections as MMS has not had a student council for a number of years. Sherrer also added that many improvements have been added to the science curriculum.
526 students are currently enrolled at Mena High School & Principal David Maxwell told the board that is an increase of 32 students. In addition he reported that students performed well above the state average on the Aspire testing & that he is planning to improve those scores even more. Maxwell also ran down a long list of concurrent courses which have been added at Mena High School.
It was at this point in the meeting that a number of VIP's interrupted the meeting to award Superintendent Benny Weston with an award as the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. (see photos & details on our social media & website)
Mrs. Bridget Buckley, MHS Assistant Principal & PCVA Director, reported an enrollment of twenty nine in the Polk County Virtual Academy & a positive response to a change in curriculum.
Finally Mrs. Paulette Sherrer announced an increase in federal funding & an increase of fifteen students to the schools gifted & talented program.
After a short break the September School Board meeting was conducted. It was a very brief meeting that included an executive session. Afterwards the board approved a one time bonus of $1,000.00 for Mr. Weston in recognition of his well-deserved accomplishment of Arkansas 2020 Superintendent of the Year. The School Board meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Administration Building.
Mr. Benny Weston has been named the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators Superintendent of the Year. Richard Abernathy presented the award at the annual report to the public on Tuesday night at the administration building. A number present & former superintendents from around the state also attended. Congratulations to the Boss Bearcat!
There are a lot of fun things happening at Holly Harshman Elementary!!! September 20th will be Peace Day. September 23rd will be the HHE Family Night-Tailgate Party. Southwest EMS is sponsoring a "Pack the Back" event to gather donations for the Comfort Closet. All information can be found on the fliers below!
Homecoming Dinner!
Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans refer to Patriot Day as 9/11 or September 11.
Patriot Day is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.
Patriot Day remembers those who lost their lives during the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
On the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the whole world. The flag should be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect to those who died on September 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time). This marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. Some communities, particularly in the areas directly affected by the attacks, hold special church services or prayer meetings. People who personally experienced the events in 2001 or lost loved ones in them, may lay flowers or visit memorials.
Patriot Day is not a federal holiday and schools and businesses do not close. Public transit systems run on their regular schedules. Some people and organizations may take some time out to hold prayers for the victims of the attacks, but these do not usually affect public life for more than a few minutes.
On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the planes into two important buildings, the Pentagon in Washington DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3000 people died in the attacks.
At Holly Harshman Elementary Mrs. Brevik's class' engineering project making balloon powered cars. GO HHE BEARCATS!!!
It's a good day to be a Bearcat! Friday coding with spheros in Mrs. Brevik's 5th grade Science class at Holly Harshman Elementary!!
Mena Public Schools will be closed for the Labor Day Holiday on Monday, September 2nd... Classes will resume on all campuses on Tuesday, September 3rd at the regular time... We hope our students, staff & patrons have a chance to enjoy the three day break! GO BEARCATS!
Children & hydration
Children are at a greater risk of dehydration than adults. This is because in relation to their size, children have a larger proportion of their skin available to lose sweat and be exposed to heat. Additionally, children don’t always recognize that they’re thirsty, and if they’re not encouraged and reminded may forget to drink. Luckily, there are a few ways to tell if your child is hydrated.
How do I know if my child is hydrated?
Frequent bathroom breaks or wet nappies are the easiest way to tell if your child is hydrated. You can also look out for these common symptoms of dehydration:
Headaches
Poor concentration
Thirst
Cracked lips
Dry mouth
Constipation
Lethargy
Dark urine
How much water does my child need?
The amount your child needs will vary depending on their age, size and level of activity. For children under 8 years of age, at least 4-6 glasses of water is recommended. For children older than 8 years of age a minimum of 6-8 glasses is recommended.
If your child is playing sports or is very active they will need extra fluid, see our section on hydration for active kids. Kids will also need more fluid on hot days or when unwell.
Tips to help your kids stay hydrated!
Pack a water bottle for school and when you go out. Try a frozen water bottle in summer.
Encourage your child to drink water before, after and during physical activity
Always offer water with meals and snacks
Encourage your child to drink water, even if they don’t like it!
Tips for kids who don’t like water
Try adding slices of fruits such as lemon or orange to water, for variety and flavour.
Let your kids choose their own drink bottle or serve water in colourful glasses or jugs.
Be a role model! Make a point of drinking water with your kids.
Experiment with temperature; try having a jug of water in the fridge, adding ice-cubes, or even warm water in winter.
Water is the best choice to keep your kids hydrated throughout the day. Water contains no extra energy and can quench your thirst. Other fluids such as milk, juice and sweetened drinks can also contribute to your child’s fluid intake. For more information on drink choices for your kids, check out the Drinks section of our website.
Students at Holly Harshman Elementary attended a pep rally this morning. The football team & cheerleaders got them fired up for the new school year. Several life long Bearcats spoke & Mena Mayor Seth Smith signed a proclamation declaring "Mena Bearcat Week". GO BEARCATS!
Congratulations to the 5th grade Bearcats!! They won the spirit award at this morning pep rally!!! GO BEARCATS!!
The Little Cats Cheer Campers are invited to cheer with the MHS Cheerleaders at the Red and Black Scrimmage this Friday night. Admission is powdered detergent or Gatorade. Be there by 5:45 to warm up. GO BEARCATS!
ATTENTION Parents of HHE Car Riders:
Please see the map below for our car rider procedure in the afternoon. If you have any questions, please contact our HHE office. 😊
394-3151
*The yellow arrow on the map indicates a yellow road barrier that will be set up during this time.
