Week 20: Not Much of a Week

Happy Friday!

This week at Mena Public Schools, we have experienced a whirlwind of events, quite literally! Our week was as brief as a snowflake's journey, starting and ending on Friday due to a picturesque yet pesky blanket of ice and snow that chilled our town from Sunday through Thursday. It is not every week that our calendar looks like a sandwich with the bread missing, but we made the most of our one-day week with enthusiasm and warmth, melting away any icy blues!

Please be aware that more winter weather is predicted for this coming Sunday and Monday morning, which may cause another day of missed work and instruction. We will try to inform everyone of what we will do on Sunday afternoon depending upon the forecast. We have 1.7 days left in our bank of days before we will have to use our make-up Mondays. See our calendar to better understand how it will work if we do.

As we look beyond our winter wonderland, we continue to monitor our performance targets. Since we have been closed for so many days there has not been much change in the data but the upward trend of discipline referrals slowed down. Attendance remains just at our target threshold. The closure also impacted the assessments that still have to be completed before our full academic performance picture becomes clear.

Scholarships

This is an exciting time for our students and staff, with several scholarship opportunities available. I encourage everyone to explore these opportunities that our administrators’ association offers students and employees. Remember, every scholarship journey begins with the courage to apply!

Next Year’s Calendar

Looking ahead, we are in the crucial stages of planning the 2024-2025 academic calendar, and your voice is essential in this process. Please share your thoughts and ideas through our Thought Exchange survey. But first, read the rest of this to understand why your feedback is important.

Our current school calendar was crafted with our students' academic experience in mind. Regularly scheduled Mondays off have been a boon for various reasons, including providing a break from the routine, aiding in personal errands and appointments, and offering much-needed catch-up time, especially after unforeseen school closures that are likely to continue this winter. This thoughtful approach was created last year as an additional strategy to improve overall attendance.

We want to create calendar options similar to this year’s but it is difficult to do because of current law that states the start of the school year for public schools in Arkansas occurs on or after the Monday of the week in which August 19 falls; not earlier than August 14; and, not later than August 26. But, the law also allows us to ask for a waiver from the state board with local board approval and stakeholder input.

Challenges of Starting on August 19, 2024:

- A later start limits our ability to begin the school year mid-week, potentially affecting break periods and professional development days.

- The fall semester becomes 10 days shorter than the spring semester, disrupting the academic year's balance.

- Only one day is available for teacher collaboration, impacting our ability to analyze student performance data and plan interventions.

- Fewer Mondays are available in spring for make-up days, essential for maintaining academic continuity and alignment with the curriculum before state exams.

Benefits of Starting the Week of August 12, 2024:

With your support for a waiver, we could achieve:

- A mid-week start for the school year, easing into the academic rhythm.

- More Mondays for breaks, required appointments, and make-up days, offering greater flexibility.

- Additional instructional days before state assessments.

- An even distribution of days across both semesters.

- Enhanced opportunities for teacher collaboration, utilizing up-to-date student performance data for improved planning.

Your input is pivotal in shaping a calendar that best serves our students and staff. Help us create a framework that supports our educational goals and maintains the Bearcat standard of excellence. Here is the link to provide your input.

Closing

Tonight, our basketball teams face off against the Ozark Hillbillies at the Union Bank Center. After so many days of being cooped up in our homes, it will be good for our athletes to display our Bearcat spirit and resilience. Please show up and show our support and cheer them on to victory!

I want to congratulate Mrs. Sherma Peters on her retirement which begins today. Her reception will be at Louise Durham Elementary in the cafeteria at 3:45. I have known Sherma since my first year here at Mena in 1999 and want to express how fortunate our school district was to have her on our staff. She will be missed but I know she will enjoy the fruits of her labor in retirement.

It was another great DAY at Mena Public Schools!

At Mena Public Schools our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident.

Have a nice weekend!