Tell your Instagram friends to like the NEW Mena Schools account!
https://www.instagram.com/menaschools/
Please return MMS library books! Tubs are located outside the front entrance Monday -Thursday 8am-4pm..
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
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."
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.
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.
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.
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."
Meal pick up Monday
Mena Public Schools is be able to provide one more week of meals & distribution is tomorrow, Monday, May 11th...
ATTENTION PARENTS!
Please make sure your MHS & MMS student is checking their school Email. Important information is being communicated to them through Email..
Want to know more about the Polk County Virtual Academy? Just click the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2PzxYOwJi4&feature=youtu.be
Mena Public Schools Would like to express our appreciation for today's donation by one of our patrons to the Feed a Bearcat Program. This donation will help those students who are behind on meal charges. If you would like to help Feed a Bearcat you can make a donation at the Administration Building located at 501 Hickory in Mena or call
479-394-1710...
Mena Middle School Calendar of Activities
May 5th, Band School-Owned Instrument Drop Off:
8:00-3:00-Leave instruments on the sidewalk outside of the High School Band Room door.
May 6th: Personalized Yearbook Distribution
Students with personalized yearbook received an email about this pick-up.
Questions to Melissa Lunsford (melissa.lunsford@menaschools.org or text 479-637-6599)
May 7th: Yearbook distribution
Drive in at the MMS Front entrance.
A-H last name: 10:00-11:00
I-P last name: 11:00-12:00
Q-Z last name: 1:00-2:00
May 11th-14th: Gather Library Books, Teacher’s Books, and Packets and Locker Content Pickup
Please deposit Library books or Teacher’s Books in the marked bin outside the Middle School Front door.
Any AMI or PBS packets can be turned into the bins marked for each grade at the Middle School front Door. Please make sure the student's name is on the packet.
Please call the office (394-2572) to confirm that you need to pick up locker stuff for your student. We will know by Wednesday, May 6th which students had locker contents.
Contents have been bagged and marked and available to be picked up between 9:00 - 1:00 any day the week of May 11-14.
May 18-19: Chromebook Turn in: Please bring the Chromebook and charger to the Bus loading area.
9:00 - 10:30 - 6th grade
10:30 - 12:00 - 7th grade
1:00 - 2:30 - 8th grade
If you have students in multiple grades, please bring all of them at the earliest time.
May 18-22 Student Registration for next years Classes
Links will be shared on Facebook for next year’s 6th, 7th, & 8th graders to sign up for classes.
May 21-22: Final Report Cards Released & Academic Students recognized.
All A’s and All A/B’s will be recognized with a Facebook Live
All Mena Middle School and Mena High School Band students will return their school owned band instruments on Tuesday, May 5th from 8am-3pm. The drop off point is in front of the high school band hall door on the sidewalk. No students will be allowed in Mena High School.
