Holly Harshman Elementary School

URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS

Mena Public Schools will provide many hand sanitizing stations in classrooms and hallways. Signage in bathrooms will emphasize the importance of hand washing and instruct students on proper procedures. The district has purchased state-of-the-art antimicrobial electrostatic systems to disinfect classrooms, hallways, commons areas, and buses. These systems will be used on a routine basis and in the event of outbreaks. Furthermore, general cleaning agents will be used along with further disinfection training of administrative, teaching, clerical, and custodial staff.

WE will supply MOST supplies for students this year in our school supply kits & ask that you provide the following items *Backpack *Disinfectant wipes or Lysol *Hand sanitizer *Kleenex *24 pack of bottled water Kits provided for students that choose traditional OR blended.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has issued a mandate requiring masks to be worn in public statewide. The district will wait on guidance & may make changes to the district's Ready for Learning Plan. Click the link to watch the press conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk3NOo84PDQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0MEaCvKNLQZKh41brknB9Z5jSKNMDV6LAgQGW92FA0xygr2oozU6W2q8o

The Mena Public Schools Bearcats Ready for Learning Plan! Learning options, safety & frequently asked questions are included. Follow the link to the Mena School District website to read the entire document. https://5il.co/icgo

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lee Smith is leading a meeting of the Health & Wellness Committee this morning. The committee consist of local health professionals, school nurses, students, administrators & teachers. Student Support, Facilities and Transportation, Human Capital, District Operations and Fiscal Governance and Community Engagement Committees will all be meeting this week to develop the Mena Public School’s “Ready For Learning Plan”. The state announced that the 20/21 school year will begin the week of August 24th.

Mena Schools Leadership are meeting this morning in the Mena High School Performing Arts Center. Many of the questions that our patrons have concerning the 20/21 school year are on the agenda. Options will be available & answers can be expected soon. Your patience is appreciated.

Preparations continue for the new school year at all Mena campuses. The first day of school is scheduled for Thursday, August 13th.

The Mena School Board met on Tuesday in the Mena Middle School Library & faced a lengthy agenda. Follow the link for the full story. https://www.menaschools.org/article/261150?org=mena-school-district

Mr. Benny Weston awarded Mrs. Paulete Sherrer with a plaque honoring her for her service to the Mena School District at Tuesday's school board meeting. Those attending applauded & wished her well in retirement.

Governor Asa Hutchinson & Dr. Ivy Pfeffer spoke at length today about a return to the classroom. Dr, Pfeffer is the Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Click the link to watch today's press conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch

Mena School District Parent/Guardian Survey for Fall 2020 - Please complete 1 survey per household. Please take the time to complete the following survey. Your input is valuable to us. We have never before had to prepare for a school year like the upcoming Fall 2020 Semester. There are still so many unanswered questions for parents, students, and school personnel. The Mena School District is asking you to consider the following statements in each category and check all of them that apply to your situation. Your choices for your student and shared concerns are important to us. Your feedback will assist us to make important decisions about the upcoming 1st semester of the 2020-2021 school year. With your input our goal is to continue to strive to best meet the needs of our students and their families while still remaining in compliance with all the state agency guidelines and restrictions. We will offer you similar choices again in preparation for the 2nd semester of the 2020-2021 school year. Please complete one survey per household. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your input. *If you are participating in this survey and you know someone in our district with no internet access, please direct them to call our Administration Office at (479)394-1710 and answer these important survey questions over the phone. https://forms.gle/mzHQpZVujrqW7tT87

Applications for the 2020-2021 school year are now available and can be completed online at the link below. PCVA is an online, home based educational option for K-12 students. For more information, contact PCVA Director Bridget Buckley at bridget.buckley@menaschools.org or 479-216-0205. https://forms.gle/13iWJAdUPgCMYDKS7

Tell your Instagram friends to like the NEW Mena Schools account! https://www.instagram.com/menaschools/

Tell your Twitter friends to like the NEW Mena Schools account! https://twitter.com/SchoolsMena

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

THANK YOU to all of our amazing students and parents that completed and dropped off work that you have been doing over the past several weeks!! WE are so very proud of all you have done- this includes those of you that worked digitally the entire time, but had no "paper work" to turn in to us. LIBRARY BOOKS: WE will leave a library book tub outside of HHE throughout the month of MAY. As you come across books while cleaning, etc....please drop them off to us here at school. The tub will be outside during office hours only. Again, WE appreciate all of your cooperation during these unprecedented times! Have a wonderful summer!

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.

Any work/papers/books can turned Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Also, there are Social Studies projects that can be picked up as well. There are filing cabinets set up to place work in by grade level.