The Mena School Board met for their September meeting on Tuesday evening in the Mena High School Library.
The board unanimously approved the 2020—2021 operating budget. Including federal programs, VI-B & special education.
They also unanimously approved the 2020-2021 Standards of Accreditation, the Polk County Virtual Academy Charter School Statement of Assurance as well as Resolution Act 1120.
Superintendent Benny Weston then made the board aware of a bond sale which will take place in the near future. These bonds will receive an improved rate which will save the district money over the life of the bond.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lee Smith then recommended to the board that they accept a bid from Velocity Fusion for a new phone system for the district & new intercom system on three campuses. The cost to the district will be just over $119,000. The board voted to accept that bid.
Graduation 2021 was next on the agenda & after a brief discussion a date of Saturday, May 22nd was approved.
Each school board member is required to take 6 hours of training this year & they were made aware of 9 hours of training being made available in the month of October that they can take advantage of.
The board quickly approved the financial reports.
Under personnel. The resignation of Jessica Smith, from her position as Family & Consumer Science teacher, was accepted & will become effective September 30th. They then approved the transfer of Lauren Frost to that position from her current position as a secretary at MHS effective October 1st.
Finally the board approved the drafting of a letter, to the faculty & staff at Mena Public Schools, expressing their deepest gratitude for the good job they have done under difficult circumstances this school year.
School day pictures with Lifetouch will be on Monday, September 28, for grades 9, 10, and 11, as well as faculty. This will be the only school picture day Lifetouch plans to offer to Mena High School this year, so we need everyone to be at school that day to get their photo taken for the yearbook.
School pictures at MMS are Tuesday 9/29. Picture forms will be given out today during ACHIEVE. You are not required to order or purchase pictures, however, everyone will have their photo taken for the yearbook and to have a photo on file for ID cards.
Picture day at HHE is Thursday, October 22nd.
Picture day at LDE is Wednesday, October 21st.
If parents know their students are going to be out for an extended amount of time please come and pick up their chrome book so they can continue their school work & won’t get behind in classes.
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 28th - October 2nd.
https://forms.gle/trtEGbCH1mAUW4ty6
Attention parents of Blended students: Our District website has a page of resources to assist you and your students with the technical issues of learning online. This page will be continuously updated as more resources are available. Click the link
https://www.menaschools.org/…/pa…/blended-learning-help-page
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.
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!
HHE students get a round of hand sanitizer on the way to recess!!!
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
HHE students enjoying the sunshine at recess today!!!!
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
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
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
It was swine day at the Polk County Livestock Show today & Mena Public Schools were well represented. The Junior Livestock sale is Friday at 7pm....
