Louise Durham Elementary School

4,000 face masks arrived at Mena Public Schools on Friday. They will be distributed to students and staff for the 20/21 school year that begins on August 24th. Each student, age 10 & above, will receive face masks for use on campus. These face masks will become the responsibility of the student. The Centers for Disease Control has info on how to wear & care for masks. Just follow the link. https://www.cdc.gov/…/prevent…/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

A message to all parents from our nursing staff. We want your child(ren) to be able to fully participate in school safely and stay healthy. Here are a few guidelines that we ask you to follow before sending your child to school: Please check your child's temperature each morning. Keep your child home if they have a fever of 100 F or higher. You should also keep your child home if they have other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea,loss of taste or smell, sore throat, or persistent coughing. All students 10 years and older must wear a cloth face covering on our campuses and practice social distancing whenever possible. If you know your child needs immunizations at this time, please make an appointment with their Primary Care Provider or the Health Department as soon as possible. We strongly encourage everyone who can to get the flu shot this year.Opportunities for your child to receive a flu shot at school will be announced at a later date. If you have any questions or concerns about your child's health at school please contact the school nurse. We look forward to getting this school year started! See Less

ATTENTION PARENTS! Please daily check your students for symptoms of Covid 1) Do they have a cough? 2) Any difficulty Breathing? 3) Sore throat? 4) A Loss of taste or smell? 5) Had contact with a positive Covid-19 person in the last 14 days? 6) A fever? If any of these are a yes, please keep your child home, notify the school and monitor your child. They should be fever free for 48 hours before returning to school.

LDE Drop Off & Pick Up Times and Procedures We will accept K-2 car rider students starting at 7:20am each morning. The K-2 Drop off/pick up will be the same route as last year. K-2 car rider pick up will be split into 2 groups. The first group will begin picking up at 2:45pm. The 2nd group will begin picking up at 3:05pm. Teachers have notified families about times and other drop off and pick up information via internet and mail. The Pre-K drop off/pick up needs to turn on Gann street then turn left on Missouri then left on North Reine street then right on Bolton. When Pre-K is leaving they need to turn LEFT on North Reine. This will help with traffic congestion and make traffic run more smoothly for everyone.

Joe Bunch & James Davis walk you through bus safety policies for the start of the 20/21 school year. The first day of school is Monday, August 24th. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sNMmvbQBiZu3Ru1mYSlLPeLNrIJCoY4K/view?usp=sharing

The Mena School Board conducted their August meeting on Tuesday Evening in the Mena High School Library. The meeting began with the approval of the minutes from the July meeting & a brief Superintendents Report. In new business the board approved the 2019/2020 inventory list. Assistant Superintendent Lee Smith spoke on changes in the District Policies Manual. A majority of the changes revolved around recently released changes in Title IX requirements. The changes were accepted. Administrators from LDE, HHE, MMS, MHS & PCVA then spoke on changes in the handbook as well as the reentry plan at each campus. All were minor & mostly related to Covid 19. The changes & re-entry plans were unanimously approved. Little to no changes have been made to the extracurricular/athletic handbook, coaches handbook & athletic administration guidebook. The few changes had to do with Covid policies & all were approved. Mr. Shane Torix then presented point of contact information to the board. He updated them on Covid policies & the reporting procedure. No action was required. Mr. Danny Minton then gave an update on projects around the district of which Included the installation of new equipment in the kitchen at HHE, a walk in cooler at MMS, new track fencing at Bearcat Stadium and painting of faded red awnings at the high school. Minton also happily reported that the district has passed all inspections leading up to the school year. The board approved a year end transfer of $362,767.22 to the building fund. These funds were designated for projects in 19- 20. These funds will be transferred back as those projects are completed. Personnel was the final item on the agenda. The board accepted the retirement of Tammy Taylor & the resignation of Terry Dino Cabello as well as Julie Gordon. The board also approved the hiring of Heather Catlett for MHS History & Kristi Cogburn for MHS/MMS Choir. The next meeting of the Mena School Board will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd

From Susan Bodey Aramark Food Service Director We will be handing out 5 days of breakfast and 5 days of lunch beginning this Friday Aug. 21. 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. https://forms.gle/J81xjdomzJMfHr7X6

Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available on-line Only ONE application PER household is needed. If your household received a Notice of Direct Certification - there is no need to complete a meal application this year - To apply online click on the link:: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/…/FREQUENTLY_ASKED_QUEST… If you have any questions, contact Sherry Newman - sherry.newman@menaschools.org - 479-394-1710

Watch your email for news! Teachers have emailed all parents with instructions for the new year. If we did not have your emaiI address, you can expect a letter or a call. If you do not receive either, we probably don’t have you registered. If that is the case, please call the office at 394-2943. We cant wait to have our HEROES return to the building!

All LDE parents will need to submit this health form on students in grades Pre-k(Mena Public School class) Kinder, 1st, and 2nd grades before August 24. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoEp8mfCMT18XhszsVDjU0vyuJrjVHzESk9krk0PQ2j80jaA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

The Mena Public Schools Bearcats Ready for Learning Plan! https://5il.co/icgo

If you have not registered your student online you are asked to do so as soon as possible... Links for registration: Returning Students: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx?action=24782&culture=en New Students: https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx?action=24780&culture=en tagTag PhotopinAdd LocationpencilEdit If you need a snap code please contact the school office. Mena High School - 394-1144 Mena MIddle School - 394-2572 Holly Harshman Elementary - 394-3151 Louise Durham Elementary - 394-2943

Mr. Joe Bunch & Mr. Leo Barge talk about the cleaning & sanitizing plan for the 20/21 school year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Kd-d3FKsk Click the link for more info on the Clorox Total 360 System. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOKX4220Bqc

Mena School District teachers began early with a day of training with Edmentum Professional Services in the Performing Arts Center! Edmentum training continues Tuesday & Wednesday as in preparation continues for the 20/21 school year which begins on August 24th...

Mena Public School offices are closed today. Regular office hours will resume on Monday. You can see the complete 20/21 calendar on the Mena Schools website. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/828040/Calendar_2020-2021-4.pdf

The Mena Star recently polled it's readers & ask them to choose the "Best of the Best" in Polk County. Thanks to the Mena Star & their readers. Also a big thank you to our patrons who truly are the "Best of the Best". GO BEARCATS!

Pick up a copy of this weeks Mena Star & see who is the "Best of the Best" in Polk County. Thank you for voting for Mena Public Schools!!! We value & appreciate our students & patrons.... GO BEARCATS!

New water bottle filling stations are being installed at all Mena campuses as preparation continues for the first day of school on August 24th!!!

The 2020-21 Mena School District Parent/Family Engagement Plan is now available on our website... Click the link https://www.menaschools.org/o/mena-school-district/documents

The Mena School District Comprehensive Counseling Plan is now available on our website. Click the link https://www.menaschools.org/o/mena-school-district/documents