Mena School District

Please welcome Sandra Spence to Louise Durham Elementary! I graduated from University of Oregon with a BA in English. I put my degree to good use drafting manufacturing contracts in California’s Silicon Valley. While working, I added an Associates in Paralegal Studies. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, writing, quilting and many forms of art. Passing on my love of the written word is a challenge and a blessing, and if there’s one thing I could teach your student, it’s this: The only limit to what you can achieve is the limit you set for yourself.

Please welcome Kristine Albin to the team at Mena High School! Hello, my name is Kristine Albin. I will be teaching 11th and 12th grade English at Mena High School. I was born in Mena and a lot of my family is still here. I look forward to returning to my home town to help prepare local students for their future careers and goals.

Holly Harshman Elementary will once again be providing most of the supplies needed by our students for the 2022/2023 school year. Below is a short list of items that parents will need to provide.

Mena High School Class of 2023 Senior Pictures are being taken in the MHS Safe Room today and tomorrow, July 11 and 12. Students were mailed appointment cards, but we know there's always a handful of students who don't get their cards in the mail. Any students who don't get their photos done today or tomorrow, we will have a senior pictures makeup day sometime in September. The sitting fee is $10, and can paid with cash or check if the student didn’t already confirm their appointment and pay online. For further information or any questions, contact MHS Yearbook Adviser Andy Philpot at andy.philpot@menaschools.org

Social Studies, Art, and Math working together to gain some practical life skills to pass on to our Middle School students! Pictured MMS staff: Claire Williamson 7th grade Social Studies, Le Ann Johnson 6th - 8th Math, and Malea Ellison 7th grade Math. “

Please welcome DAVID CHANEY to the staff at Mena Middle School! Hello, my name is David Chaney and I am the new Mena Middle School Band Director. I grew up in the Mena band program and am excited to be home! My primary instrument is the Saxophone and I had the opportunity to play in the Hendrix College Wind Ensemble before transferring to Central Baptist College and playing in the Mustang Band. I graduated from CBC in 2021. I have been married to my beautiful wife Avanlea Chaney for nearly 2 years, and we have two pets a dog and a cat. I am so excited to be back home in Mena! Go Bearcats!

Please welcome HOLLY WELSER to the staff at Mena High School! Hello! I am looking forward to my first year in the Mena High School Science Department. I am coming from Conway High where I have been teaching Environmental Science. Before that, I taught Agricultural Sciences. I am originally from Kentucky and have always enjoyed the outdoors, animals and plants. I currently raise dogs, rabbits, garden and am a beginning beekeeper. I also have been a 4-H agent and love guiding students to enjoy learning by doing! I am ready to start exploring the Life Sciences with my students.

Mena High School junior Claire Walston recently attended a judging camp at the University of Arkansas. Claire’s Results: Advanced Division Sheep & Goats 2nd Cattle 2nd Hogs 1st Reasons 1st Overall 2nd Congratulations on your hard work this week.

Please welcome REAGAN HANSARD to the staff at Holly Harshman Elementary! My name is Raegan Hansard. I am a graduate of Mena public Schools and I’m excited to be joining the Mena public school team as a special education paraprofessionalI have a two year old daughter who is the joy of my life. I also have two wonderful Great Danes Creed and Flynn. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year and helping to make a difference wherever I’m at!

Welcome SUSAN TYLER to the staff at Mena Middle School ! My name is Susan Tyler and I am very pleased to be joining the staff of Mena Middle School as a Special Education Teacher. This is a picture of the day I began moving into my farmhouse this past March. I have taught for 12 years in both general and special education. After spending the last decade in the Dallas area, I along with my children have decided to get back to my country roots. I am originally from Louisiana but have vacationed, camped in this area for most of my life. Arkansas has always had a special place in my family’s heart and we are happy to be part of this community. Joining me on my adventure are my 20-year old son, my 14-year old daughter, my 70 year old mother and my critters (the fur and feather family is already growing since arriving here in Mena). We enjoy being in the great outdoors and this is a wonderful place to now call home.

Final Day of Summer School at HHE!

Several Mena High School teachers completed a three-day Google Certification Boot Camp on Thursday. The boot camp was led by Tyra Hobson, DMESC Instructional Technology Specialist. Those attending included Bernice Philpot, Colby Singleton & Jerusha Neufeld.

On Thursday at HHE we are practicing cleaning up the ocean from trash and oil, after reading about the famous ocean conservationist Jacques Cousteau

Mena FFA members have been at the Arkansas FFA World Explorer Leadership Camp. The members learned about different countries and the food insecurities there, participated in several team building outdoor activities, and are bringing back great leadership skills to our chapter, school, and community.

Several Mena High School students are in Chicago for the FBLA National Conference. Wednesday was filled with shopping, a competition for Psalm and the Opening session where they unveiled the new FBLA logo. The convention center is right on the lake so the views out the east side are gorgeous! Nights in Chicago are busy and loud so we walked across the street from the hotel for Gelato and to a market for snacks. Some had their (including me) first taste of authentic Chicago Deep Dish for dinner. The opinion was split on whether they liked the crust or not 🤷🏻‍♀️ Thursday was an all day conference day. Shantal and Briley competed andI worked competitions all morning. The girls attended workshops in their “spare” time. They learned about communication, the future of education, internships and Business Achievement Awards. Now headed to the hotel for a little rest then dinner at Hard Rock Cafe….YUM!!! We are still tired from walking 15,000+ steps yesterday, have blisters on our feet and heels, saw a terrible wreck and had delayed and lost shuttle buses BUT it’s been a great experience and can’t wait to explore more Friday and Saturday and find out if our competitors placed

Mena School administrators are teaming up with our local Walmart for the annual “Tip the Tank,” a fundraising activity for the Arkansas Children’s Miracle Network. Pictured are Louise Durham Principal Curtis Black and Superintendent Dr. Lee Smith.

Please welcome COREY COLLINS to hi new position at Mena MIddle School! Hello, my name is Corey Collins. I am the Head Jr. Boys Basketball Coach, Assistant Sr. Boys Basketball Coach, and Assistant Baseball Coach! I will also be teaching Middle School Health and P.E. I played at Williams Baptist University before transferring and graduating from Arkansas Tech University. I am a member of the Arkansas Army National Guard. I am getting married to my fiance, Ashton Andrews, in September of this year, and we are so excited to be a part of the Bearcat Family!

Please welcome STACY SALISBURY to the staff at Mena Public Schools ! Hello Bearcat Nation- I am so happy to be a part of Mena Schools as your dyslexia specialist and coordinator of the dyslexia program at Mena Schools. I am a CALT or Certified Academic Language Therapist. I received my CALT training from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, Texas at the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders in 2007. I have been a dyslexia therapist for several school districts in Texarkana,Texas serving grades K-12. I started my teaching career in 1982 (graduating from Texas A&M- Texarkana with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education) and have been a classroom teacher for grades 1st-6th until becoming a dyslexia therapist. I retired from teaching in Texas in 2017. After only being retired a few months, I returned part-time as a dyslexia therapist for Texas High School in Texarkana. I truly enjoy helping students overcome their dyslexic challenges and achieving their highest academic success. My husband of 42 years, Dennis Salisbury, and I found your beautiful community about 4 years ago and bought property on Highway 8 West. We have been busy building our home here and finally Dennis has decided to retire! He has been a quality home builder in the Texarkana area building beautiful homes for over 30 years. I look forward to continuing my passion of helping dyslexic students and bringing my experience and knowledge of dyslexia to Mena Schools. I feel extremely blessed to be a part of Bearcat Nation!

Mena School Staff are wrapping up three days of professional development at the Arkansas School Counseling Association Conference in Hot Springs.

The history of Mena Public School Part 5: Friday, June 10, 1949 will always be remembered as a very special day for Central School. This was Louise Durham Day for all the pupils. Teachers and community came together to honor Miss Louise Durham who was retiring from the Mena Schools after fifty-seven years in education. All students in grades seven through twelve were housed in the high school building. The enrollment in these grades had increased in number until the high school building was not large enough to care for the students without overcrowding. Mena Junior High School was organized in 1951. A new gymnasium was approved by district patrons and construction on the project was completed in 1958. In 1960-61 a much needed school auditorium was added to the high school building. In 1968 students first occupied a new cafeteria. The 1968-19 term was a time of change at Stillwell. The first four grades were all moved to Louise Durham School. Only fifth and sixth grade children attended Stillwell. In 1973, the district asked for a five-dollar-per-thousand tax increase to build a new high school. Following the completion of the high school project, the Mena District underwent a reorganization as a middle school was created and kindergarten was added to Louise Durham Elementary. This reorganization began in 1976. The middle school housed 6-8, and the high school housed 9-12. The Stillwell school remained until 1983. In the fall of that year, grades three, four, and five were moved to a new elementary facility that was named after Miss Holly Harshman who had served the Mena District 45 years as a teacher and elementary principal. In 1986 a total of 10 new classrooms plus a band room and athletic facility was built by the district to help meet new state standards. Two years later a new 2200 seat stadium was constructed to replace Boyd Stadium which was plagued by inadequate seating, restrooms, and lighting. The Mena District went from 1973 to 1991 without asking its patrons for a millage increase. However, In September of 1991 district patrons were asked to vote a two mill increase in order to bring the district into compliance with Arkansas Law. The two mills were approved by the people. As of May. 2022, the Mena District has a present enrollment of 1696.. Louise Durham PreK-2 has 460, Holly Harshman has 368, Mena Middle School has 391, Mena High School has 463, Polk County Virtual Academy 14.