Week 36: Our Final Friday of This School Year

Happy Final Friday!

Welcome to this week's Bearcat Wrap-up! With only three school days remaining, we conclude another productive week at Mena Public Schools. I extend my deepest appreciation for everyone's hard work and commitment. This week, we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students in the final days of the school year and recognize the unwavering support of our parents and community members. Each accomplishment this week reflects our district's performance targets and embodies our mission to prepare every student for success, supporting our vision of fostering a confident, capable community. Thank you for your relentless effort and enthusiasm, which propel us toward these important goals with each passing day.

Before we begin the Wrap-up, there is some good news about our attendance. Although we did not reach our goal of 93.5 percent, the Mena School District has demonstrated an overall improvement in attendance rates from the previous year. The overall district attendance rate improved from 92.51 percent in 2023 to 92.82 percent in 2024. While some schools and grades saw a slight decrease, the overall district performance has improved, particularly in the middle school grades, which showed notable gains. The Middle School surpassed our district goal.

Also, I wrote last week that I would be sharing the final academic numbers for the year but those will not be ready until next week. I will share those in a later Wrap-up. Note that ATLAS scores will not be released until October; so, I will only be able to share on performance targets that we have other assessments for.

Merit Pay Determination under the LEARNS Act

As part of the Governor's new LEARNS Act, the state is implementing a merit pay system for teachers. This system is designed to reward educators based on their performance and contributions to student success. As for now, only teachers who are primary teachers of record for courses linked to tested subjects are eligible. To be further eligible for merit pay, teachers must meet specific criteria:

1. Value Added Measure (VAM) Score:

- Teachers must fall into the primary category of "high impact" under the VAM, determined by the state department.

- This is based on their students' scores on the ACT Aspire, averaging the scores from 2020-2021 to 2022-2023.

- The cut score for 2022-2023 is 86.74 or higher to be considered "high impact."

2. Principal's Evaluation:

- Teachers must be rated as "effective" or "highly effective" by their principal according to the TESS standards and recorded in the Educators Effectiveness System (EES).

3. Additional Criteria:

- Teachers must also meet at least one of the following three criteria:

1. Subject Shortage: Teach a subject with a shortage as identified by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for the state. Click the link above to see the shortage areas, both subject matter and geographical.

2. Geographical Shortage: Teach in a geographical shortage area. Note that the DeQueen-Mena Coop does not qualify as a geographical shortage area.

3. Special Qualifications: Be a master teacher, lead teacher, mentor teacher, or hold National Board Certification. Further information about these criteria can be found in this presentation and this document.

It is important to note that there will be future provisions for teachers who teach subjects not currently tested to be eligible for merit pay based on their impact on students. However, this process is still being developed. As this system is new and evolving, there may be adjustments and clarifications in the future.

This merit pay system aims to incentivize excellence in teaching and ensure that our students receive the highest quality education possible. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Closing

I received an encouraging email from Ross White, the Director of Career and Technical Education, commending our Project Lead The Way students and teachers for the outstanding job they did with presenting their learning for the year. This recognition highlights the hard work and dedication of our teachers Lauren Frost, Sarah Billings, and Donita Gann. It is worth noting that this is the very first year we have had this program or anything like it in Mena Public Schools. This achievement marks a significant milestone for our school district and sets a strong foundation for the future of this program.

This past Tuesday, the Mena Schools Athletics Awards Ceremony celebrated the outstanding achievements of our athletes throughout the season. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the athletes for their dedication and hard work, with special recognition to those who earned All-Conference and All-State honors. As we wrap up this successful year, we are already gearing up for the next season with summer camps and training sessions. A sincere thank you goes out to our coaches for their unwavering commitment to fostering the growth and improvement of our athletic performers. We will continue to build on this year's successes and aim even higher in the year ahead!

If you have not completed the user satisfaction survey for the DeQueen-Mena Educational Cooperative, please do this before the end of the year. They use this data to improve their services.

May 22nd is the last day of school for our students and May 23rd is our last in-service day for the year. As in years past, we will assemble at around 10 am in the PAC to recognize achievements, and career milestones, and to give special recognition to our retirees. If you are reaching a years-of-service (1, 5, 10, 15, etc.) milestone this year or if you have made any significant achievements, this is your last chance to fill out this form. Your response will ensure you receive the recognition you deserve for your years of dedicated service. Also, Christ’s Community Fellowship will be feeding us with a bar-b-que lunch right after the ceremony again. We very much appreciate that!

We are excited to celebrate our senior class as they prepare for their graduation ceremony tomorrow, May 18, 2024, at 10:00 AM at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium. Our seniors have shown remarkable resilience and ambition throughout their time at Mena Public Schools, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements.

We also extend our heartfelt congratulations to the parents and families of our graduates. Your unwavering support and encouragement have been instrumental in their success. As our seniors face new challenges beyond our halls, they will carry with them the education and principles instilled here, equipping them to navigate life's complexities with confidence and independence.

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

It was another good week for us 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!