County health units across Arkansas are experiencing a substantial increase in patient volume, resulting in the need to schedule appointments well in advance. The Mena School District would like to urge parents to schedule appointments for vaccinations. The deadline is October 1st IMMUNIZATIONS Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-702 (Grades K-12 public school students) Requirement: Documentation must be provided verifying proof of immunizations for each student or proof that the student has received an exemption from the immunization requirements. If proof is not provided within 30 days of the student beginning school, the student must be excluded from being physically present at the school until documentation is provided. Students may access virtual or other remote options offered by the school.

Our annual Flu Clinic will be October 9th! If you would like your child to participate please click the link below and fill out the required forms before October 1st! https://sites.google.com/menaschools.org/louise-durham-nurse/home

The Mena High School Student Council would like to invite all campuses to take part in the Homecoming festivities this year by dressing up each day of HoCo Week! Homecoming week is October 5-9. Go Bearcats!

Virtual, blended, or non-enrolled students have to sign up for meals every week. Meals may be picked up at Louise Durham Elementary or Mena High School on Fridays between 1 and 2pm. The form will need to be filled out by 2 pm Thursday for meal pick up on Friday. Follow the link to fill out the form for September 21st-25th. https://forms.gle/eHPL2PCderjTtHcR9

Governor Asa Hutchinson conducted his daily update to media from UA Rich Mountain in Mena on Friday regarding Arkansas’s COVID-19 response. This gave Mena Public School Superintendent Benny Weston an opportunity to speak to the governor in person about issues affecting MPS & the district’s start to the new school year.

Virtual, blended, or non-enrolled students have to sign up for meals every week. Meals may be picked up at Louise Durham Elementary or Mena High School on Fridays between 1 and 2pm. The form will need to be filled out by 2 pm Thursday for meal pick up on Friday. Follow the link to fill out the form for September 21st-25th. https://forms.gle/eHPL2PCderjTtHcR9

Blended & virtual student meals for September 14th-18th may be picked up today at Louise Durham Elementary or Mena High School between 1 and 2 pm.

Sunrise at MPS ! Mrs. Jessica Smith captured this pic when she arrived this morning. Teachers go sunrise to sundown & longer. Go Bearcats!

Send us your "Grandparents Read Week" pictures! Saturday is National Grandparent's Day. Normally Holly Harshman Elementary would host Grandparent's Read Week and grandparents would be invited into the library to read to their grandchildren each day during their library time. Unfortunately, this year, we will not be able to have Grandparent's Read Week, so we are asking all MPS patrons to submit pictures of grandparents reading to their grandchildren. Whether your student is traditional, blended or virtual. Just click the link to submit a photo or post as a comment below. https://forms.gle/Ag7xgSoEvmjwbNqP6

Thank you Mena/Polk Co. Chamber of Commerce. The Mena Public Schools are very proud of the Louise Durham Elementary facility. GO BEARCATS! https://www.facebook.com/menapolkcoc/videos/324632022191156/?__tn__=kCH-R&eid=ARAe2UzwUDns2io7XyS1O6jYN4LXtcFyh39DG3vGKLHpF8MvV35iuzglXW1KS2RSUTFEtf4aWuXnpDB2&hc_ref=ARTtMs9kmNHQrMqPdmnNN-qz0hHPn5L4CUv3mosVdlUlMQkAHQBg3u99qHjHEaT__NY&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARActhOHCwu7Fcy7SbtxoVPebJRlnAqQswPYYr8tkyKjgyrx3l6hMoP4YG2VfAC73hq7JhFiyUDDDT8_RoATL5ZXWriCdkWWchZKlRzUzv_Tuusi8T1uEz_H_1GIzse8oGxUx4tQwKe3OQFcYg7_IJdHiMYytWs0A44GukK7BEQr_vghvzYvdvArRDjhk9mHx3WL25SIdfLko9ptCceMi21i9Mp_65rZpH0GS2jk8DefBaJ_e8II8fH01CspVfI_1UTu_DdA-OCD8q6nym5UpbGS5l9nv33tWakFG0542qn_M8fv_t5YxFTqtbqsVVacg3Oh34WFNUhhM_GcTrdpkcryZPQo4giloOI_bm4HYkd7xzsso1OJAEvJmhdgyCkjUwXZf4HPi7WqAlIP-MG1tk2Xp5j-pp3JCveu8TWhwC01P0P6qBiEry99G2Fi10mdvzFCymrvfyaOslSLnrmgu7TKT1cdPVMCEo-5ISAOMbiqLgUXki4Geu1ETvf1rgCXUqe4

Meals are free for all children under 18 thru December 31st. Virtual, blended, or non-enrolled students will have to sign up for meals every week. Meals may be picked up at Louise Durham or High School on Fridays between 1 and 2 pm. The form will need to be filled out by 2 pm Thursday for meal pick up on Friday. Follow the link to fill out the form for September 14th-18th. https://forms.gle/fDjs4wczv1jFvWb9A

Dear Parents, We would like to thank you for participating in our virtual/blended meal service. On Thursday Sept. 3, USDA announced that they were extending the waiver to feed using the Seamless Summer Option through Dec. 31, 2020. This means that all meals will be served for free to all children 18 and under. We will still need you to fill out your free and reduced application for students. T There is a new link every week, for ordering meals and can be accessed on the Mena Public Schools Facebook page, or on the Mena Public school’s website: Menu Food service information Blended Learning Meal Related Items. There is an added option for you to order meals for any children that you have that are not school aged. Sincerely, Susan Bodey, FSD Aramark at Mena Public Schools

The Mena Cross County Team will run at the Magazine Rattler Invitational & Ladycats will play at Malvern beginning at 4:00pm.

Parent/Teacher Conferences originally scheduled for next week are being postponed for further planning purposes. Please keep watching for updates about Parent/Teacher Conferencing procedures.

Virtual & blended students will have to sign up for meals every week. Meals may be picked up at Louise Durham or High School on Fridays between 1 and 2 pm We are no longer allowed to serve on the SSO option so meals will be charged to the student’s account, as though the student was in school, based on their Free/Reduced/Paid status. The form will need to be filled out by 2 pm Thursday for meal pick up on Friday. Follow the link to fill out the form for September 14th-18th. https://forms.gle/fDjs4wczv1jFvWb9A

Three day weekend coming up!!!

Thank you for the wonderful donation from WoodmenLife Insurance!

Mena Public Schools will be open & students will return to class on Thursday September 3rd..

Virtual & blended students will have to sign up for meals every week. Meals may be picked up at Louise Durham or High School on Fridays between 1 and 2 pm We are no longer allowed to serve on the SSO option so meals will be charged to the student’s account, as though the student was in school, based on their Free/Reduced/Paid status. The form will need to be filled out by 2 pm Thursday for meal pick up on Friday. Follow the link to fill out the form for September 8th-11th. https://forms.gle/rpeN5wcJLRvoBUCRA

After consulting Polk County leaders about road conditions and seeing the rain forecast for tomorrow morning, Mena Public Schools is announcing that it will close tomorrow, September 2nd, for the safety of all students and employees. This will be an AMI day.