Holly Harshman 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.

Mena Middle School & Holly Harshman Elementary Open House Videos are now available for you to watch. Just click on the link below to get started. Mena High Schools video will be added as soon as it is available. LDE has sent their videos to the individual students on SeeSaw & they will not be available online. https://docs.google.com/…/2PACX-1vRxBBzTmS50mV_Kz9ceNv…/pub…

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

BLENDED STUDENTS! Chrome Book check out will be on Wednesday, August 19th. Here is the schedule for the following grade levels: 3rd grade- 8:30-9:30 4th grade- 10:00-11:00 5th grade- 1:00-2:00

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

Holly Harshman Elementary is asking that parents not drop off their students before 7:30am if at all possible. The first day of school is Monday, August 24th.

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

HHE parents need to complete this form and submit it on students Grades 3, 4, and 5 before August 24. We look forward to seeing all of you. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVBKvlwJM3z2wB656wZzfeAGqMWN6lQbF-7jWtUN_hCmOG0Q/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

IMPORTANT Upcoming Events for Holly Harshman Elementary: 1) TEACHERS will begin contacting parents today regarding student classroom assignments. Be waiting for a call from your child's new homeroom teacher! :) 2) BOTTLED WATER- If you would like to drop of bottled water for students (it was listed on school supply form) you can begin doing so next week, August 17th-21st. Water can just be left on front porch of HHE. Thank you so much! 3) BLENDED STUDENTS- Chrome Book check out will be on Wednesday, August 19th. Here is the schedule for the following grade levels: 3rd grade- 8:30-9:30 4th grade- 10:00-11:00 5th grade- 1:00-2:00 *ENTER through cafeteria doors AFTER being screened. :) * WE ask that only ONE parent & ONE student come for check out. *MASKS are required for students 10 and older. Thank you for your continued support!! WE are ready for a fabulous year!!

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

Holly Harshman teachers will be enjoying a freshly remodeled break room this year.

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!