Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast

Happy Thursday!

Thank you for the steady, professional work you bring to Mena Public Schools each day. As we move further into the closing stretch of the school year, our goals for student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear focus, and it is the consistent habits you carry into classrooms, hallways, buses, cafeterias, offices, and activity spaces that keep us moving in the right direction.

This week brings a mix of reflection and forward momentum. We are honoring the daily work of educators during Teacher Appreciation Week, recognizing the relationships and instructional skill that make our recent gains possible. At the same time, we are continuously using college and career planning tools and approaches to help students connect their present efforts to future opportunities in concrete ways.

This week’s Wrap-up reflects both of those realities. There is a clear focus on the people whose work shapes students’ lives every day, new data for our college and career planning efforts, and several closing celebrations that highlight how Bearcats are showing up in ways that will stay with them long after this school year ends.

Teacher Appreciation and Redefining Ready

This Teacher Appreciation Week, I am thinking about our work through the lens of “college-ready, career-ready, life-ready.” Readiness is measured by what students actually do: taking advanced and CTE courses, maintaining strong attendance, engaging in work-based learning, participating in activities, and building the social-emotional skills that help them persist.

When we look at those kinds of indicators in our college and career reports highlighted later in this Wrap-up, what we are really seeing is the daily work of Mena educators showing up in the data. Every AP or dual-credit assignment you design, every CTE lab you run, and every time you use a club, practice, or rehearsal to reinforce attendance and belonging, you are pushing students closer to those readiness benchmarks.

When our students meet college-ready or career-ready indicators, it is not an accident; it is the result of thousands of decisions made by teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, bus drivers, office staff, custodians, and administrators across the year. If you are a classroom teacher, I hope you take a moment this week to see yourself in those readiness stories.

If you are in a support role, I hope you see how your consistency, relationships, and high expectations make it possible for students to show up and succeed. Teacher Appreciation Week is a reminder that our systems, our initiatives, and our goals only matter if they reflect and support the work you do with students every day.

College & Career Planning 2026

Earlier this year, we committed to giving every student in grades 8–12 access to the Encourage college and career planning platform, along with a set of College & Career Planning 2026 resources. Encourage gives students a free web and mobile app to explore careers, compare programs, and discover scholarships, while giving educators tools to see student interests, track engagement, and use ready‑to‑go planning lessons.

That combination is exactly the kind of system we have in mind when we say we want to be purposeful, not random, in how we prepare students for what comes after Mena. As of April 2, 293 students across three Mena schools have participated in the Encourage program, with roughly half identifying as female and half as male, and a significant share identifying as first‑generation college‑bound. The majority of participants are in the classes of 2026, 2027, and 2030, which gives us a strong view of both near‑term graduates and students who still have several years to plan.

The postsecondary pathways report shows that large majorities of students in every group are considering public state colleges and universities, and that many are also interested in private colleges, community or junior colleges, and career and technical schools. Students who would be first‑generation college‑goers are just as likely to express interest in public and private college options as students whose parents completed college, which underscores the importance of the information and support they receive at school. At the same time, meaningful percentages of students are looking at apprenticeships, direct‑to‑work options, and the military, reminding us that “college and career ready” must include a range of high‑quality pathways.

On the career interest side, health and medicine, finance and business, and art, design, entertainment, and media rise to the top, each drawing interest from around one‑quarter of students. Law, criminal justice, and protection services; architecture and engineering; and education and teaching also show up strongly, with clear patterns by gender and graduation year. For example, many students in the classes of 2028 and 2029 report interest in health and medicine alongside business, while students in earlier grades show growing interest in engineering and other technical fields.

These reports are not just charts to look at once and file away; they are an invitation to ask, “If this is what our students say they want, how do we design the experiences, partnerships, and supports that match?” As we learn more, we will keep aligning our college and career work with local industry, high‑demand programs, and the two‑ and four‑year options our students are naming. At the same time, we will keep asking whether every student, especially those whose families did not complete college, has access to the information and encouragement to pursue the pathway that fits them best.

Closing Celebrations

The school year is coming to a close, but we still have had a lot to celebrate this week.

Our track and field athletes turned in outstanding performances, including a state championship in the pole vault and another podium finish in the same event, representing Mena with grit and excellence.

Our FFA chapter capped off the year with its 79th Annual End of the Year Banquet, recognizing the accomplishments of members from the 2025–2026 year and thanking the parents, staff, and community partners who helped make the evening and the program a success. We also honored our school nurses on National School Nurse Day, recognizing the essential role they play in student health, safety, attendance, and learning across all of our campuses.

Good luck to our Bearcat baseball team this evening in the regional tournament as they take on Pea Ridge, and thank you for the hard work, preparation, and teamwork that brought you to this moment. We also wish our boys’ soccer team the very best as they are working hard for their own postseason play. We appreciate the effort, sportsmanship, and pride with which you represent Mena.

It was a good week of appreciation at Mena Public Schools.

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

Tomorrow is our final planned school closure day of the year. So have a nice long weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

Thank you for the steady, professional work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools. As we move deeper into these final weeks of the year, our performance targets in student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear view, and the habits you bring each day to classrooms, hallways, offices, buses, cafeterias, and activity spaces are what keep us moving toward those goals.

As we begin May, there is a great deal to be encouraged by across our district. This time of year asks a lot of schools. We are still carrying out work that matters greatly every day for students while also helping students and families look ahead to what is next. That combination matters because purpose grows when people can connect present effort to future opportunity.

This week’s Wrap-up reflects both of those realities. There are strong signs of academic progress worth recognizing, several new opportunities connected to student learning and wellness, and another reminder that meaningful experiences often shape students in ways that last far beyond a single week or event.

ATLAS Progress and What It Tells Us

One of the clearest reasons for encouragement right now is the direction of our ATLAS Summative performance.

Across the last three years, our overall proficiency moved from 34 percent to 44 percent in ELA, from 34 percent to 54 percent in math, and from 41 percent to 55 percent in science. Those gains are significant, especially in math and science, and they reflect steady improvement over time, indicating the professional growth you all have had.

Several cohort trends are especially worth noting. In ELA, grades 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 all showed gains from 2024 to 2026, with the current 8th-grade cohort moving from 28 percent to 51 percent. In math, some of the strongest jumps include current 2nd grade up 21 points, 8th grade up 15 points, and Algebra up 21 points over that same span. In science, 3rd grade rose from 34 percent to 57 percent, 4th grade rose from 44 percent to 64 percent, and overall science proficiency increased by 14 points.

Those results deserve to be recognized for what they represent. They reflect the daily work of classroom teachers, interventionists, paraprofessionals, counselors, instructional leaders, and support staff across the district. They also reflect students who have stayed with the work, families who have remained engaged, and schools that have kept expectations clear and support strong.

It is important to add one note of caution here. While it is useful to look at year-to-year trends, the state department does not want schools trying to calculate their own official growth scores because the methods they use are not straightforward. Plus, not all testing is finished. We should absolutely celebrate the improvement we can see, but we also need to wait for the state’s official growth information rather than trying to reverse-engineer that process ourselves.

Arkansas Future and Beyond

The Arkansas Department of Education has released May’s Arkansas Celebrates America250 update, and the theme is Arkansas’s Future.

This is a helpful reminder that history instruction should not only look backward. It should also help students see how past investments, innovation, and service shape what comes next. Through the Journey Across Arkansas resources, schools have access to ready-to-use lessons that highlight Arkansas innovators, industries, literacy connections, arts integration, and future pathways for students.

The broader message of this month’s update is one that fits our district well. Students should be encouraged to connect with their heritage, celebrate what others have built, and think seriously about how they will contribute through advanced education, high-growth careers, military service, and community leadership. These are the kinds of connections that help learning feel purposeful.

You can access all of the resources in this Commissioner’s Memo.

Supporting Student Wellness

The state is also promoting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ #RazorbackReady2026 Fitness Challenge as a way to celebrate student wellness and build enthusiasm around physical fitness.

This initiative is tied to the return of the Presidential Fitness Test in Arkansas public schools beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. Districts have the opportunity to participate by sharing a short video of students engaging in selected fitness activities, and the challenge aligns well with National Physical Education and Sport Week, which runs from May 1 through May 7.

For our schools, this is about more than a challenge or a social media post. It is another reminder that physical health, school engagement, and student readiness to learn are connected. We appreciate the work our physical education teachers and staff do to help students build habits that support both wellness and learning.

School of Conservation Leadership

Another opportunity worth watching is the School of Conservation Leadership, a statewide initiative designed to help schools build hands-on, outdoor, and conservation-focused learning experiences.

Programs like this matter because they connect classroom learning to the natural resources and outdoor economy of Arkansas in practical ways. They also give students additional opportunities to learn through movement, observation, exploration, and problem-solving rather than only through traditional classroom routines.

The initiative includes standards-aligned curriculum, professional development, equipment support, and opportunities for schools to grow outdoor learning experiences over time. For a district like ours, that kind of opportunity fits well with the idea that meaningful learning should be connected to place, purpose, and the real world students live in. Besides all of the natural resources around our district, we also have the Duckett Outdoor Classroom as a wonderful location to apply these concepts.

If you want to know more, please contact Brian Schuller, Science Specialist, at the DeQueen-Mena Educational Services Cooperative.

Closing Celebrations

This week brought one of those rare opportunities that students are likely to remember for a long time.

A group of Mena students had the chance to learn filmmaking through an experience connected to Inclusion Films, giving them more than just exposure to a creative field by helping them build communication, teamwork, confidence, and the ability to move an idea from concept to completion. A filmmaker named Joey Travolta made this meaningful opportunity possible. He is a veteran filmmaker, former special education teacher, and founder of Inclusion Films, an organization focused on teaching filmmaking and creating meaningful pathways for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities while centering belonging, skill-building, and helping young people see themselves as capable contributors in meaningful work.

Experiences like this reflect something important about the kind of school system we want to be. Students grow when they are given access to authentic work, supportive adults, and opportunities that help them see a future for themselves beyond the walls of a classroom.

Today is School Lunch Hero Day to recognize our Food Service staff. It is a good reminder that their work goes far beyond serving meals—they create a welcoming environment, support attendance and readiness to learn, and take care of students in ways that often go unseen but never go unfelt.

Today is also School Principals’ Day, and it highlights how much our campuses depend on steady, student-centered leadership. Our principals provide direction, encouragement, and support for students, staff, and families every day, and this is a good moment to pause and thank them for the way they lead and serve our schools.

Next week also brings an important moment of celebration for two longtime Bearcats. On Monday, May 4th, we will honor the retirements of Ray Hunter and Tommy Johnson with a reception in the middle school library at 4:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to join in thanking them for their years of service. I have known these two men for most of my career, and their steady presence, commitment to students, and loyalty to this community have had a lasting impact on our school system. Their legacy is seen not only in the work they have done, but in the relationships they have built and the example they have set of what it means to serve well over time.

It was a good week of gratification at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a good weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Thursday!

Being out of school tomorrow brings another early Wrap-up.

Thank you for the steady, professional work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools. As we move deeper into these final weeks of the year, our performance targets in student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear view, and the habits you bring each day to classrooms, hallways, buses, cafeterias, and offices are what keep us moving toward those goals.

This time of year requires us to do two things at once. We need to stay focused on the daily work that still matters greatly for students, and we also need to help students, staff, and families see what opportunities are ahead. That balance matters because purpose grows when people can see both the immediate work in front of them and the next step beyond it.

As we move toward the end of the semester, I want to use this week’s Wrap-up to highlight a few opportunities connected to student growth, staff learning, and community engagement. Each one reflects something important about who we are as a district. We want students to experience meaningful learning beyond the classroom, we want staff to continue growing in practical ways, and we want our schools to remain deeply connected to the broader life of our community.

Summer Opportunities for Students

There is a great no-cost summer science opportunity for our high school students. Arkansas students entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the 2026–2027 school year can apply for the free AEGIS Summer Camp: Project Water & Wilderness through the Ozark Natural Science Center. The two-week residential camp runs from July 18 through August 1, 2026, and gives students the chance to work alongside field researchers while exploring ecosystems across the Ozarks.

Students in the program will participate in activities such as tracking reptiles with radio telemetry, learning about bird banding from ornithologists, monitoring bats using acoustic technology, sampling fish and aquatic life in the Kings River, and studying the night sky. The experience also includes a glade field study, canoe trip, and overnight camping expedition, making it a strong example of the kind of real-world learning that helps students build both knowledge and confidence. The application deadline is May 15, 2026, and families can learn more and apply at www.onsc.us/aegis.

Summer Opportunities for Staff

Our staff also has access to valuable summer professional development through Economics Arkansas. Mena Public Schools is a member district, and Economics Arkansas provides practical training that helps teachers connect economics, personal finance, and decision-making to everyday classroom instruction. These are the kinds of learning opportunities that can strengthen instruction while also giving teachers ideas and materials they can use immediately with students.

I currently serve on the Economics Arkansas Board, and Tracy Floyd, first-grade teacher here in our district, serves as one of their ambassadors. That local connection makes this opportunity especially meaningful for us. One session I want to highlight is Cooking Matters, which will be offered here in Mena and includes a stipend for attendees. This is a strong example of professional learning that is practical, relevant, and tied to real-world readiness for both educators and students. Teachers interested in exploring the full summer catalog can register here by using the QR code in the summer catalog.

Community Opportunity Through First Fridays

One of the strengths of a community like ours is that schools do not grow in isolation. They grow stronger when students, families, staff, local organizations, and businesses share common spaces and common purpose. This year, the Mena Advertising & Promotion Commission is launching First Fridays as a new series of community events that will run from May through December on the first Friday of each month from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

These free, family-friendly evenings will feature live music, children’s activities, food, arts and crafts vendors, a street dance, and other opportunities for people to gather in downtown Mena. Most events will take place at the Historic KCS Depot, with June connected to the Lum & Abner Festival at Janssen Park and December held at the Old Armory as part of Winterfest.

This also creates a practical opportunity for some of our student clubs and organizations. Groups looking for ways to raise funds, increase visibility, or connect their work to the community may want to consider participating as vendors. Vendor spaces are available in 10x10 booths for $20 per space, and nonprofit groups may apply through the vendor process provided by the Mena Advertising & Promotion Commission.

For our students, this is more than a booth space. It is a chance to represent their organization well, engage with the public, and learn how service, leadership, and initiative can create real value in the community. Those interested in learning more about event details or vendor participation can use this folder for forms and information.

Staying Focused on Our Purpose

As we move through Week 33, please continue to keep a close eye on the same actions that support strong performance. Daily attendance. Calm, predictable expectations. Strong instruction. Supportive relationships. Clear communication with students and families. When those pieces are in place, we give ourselves the best opportunity to meet our performance targets and finish the year the right way.

These final weeks are also a reminder that purpose is strengthened when people can connect effort to opportunity. When students see adults who remain steady, focused, and encouraging, they are more likely to believe they can keep growing, too. That is at the heart of our mission: helping every student and staff member build a strong sense of purpose and the skills to pursue it. In keeping with that idea, here is an interesting Reel posted on Instagram by Christopher Mukiibi.

Closing Celebrations

Our students have had another strong week of activity beyond the classroom. Mena wrestlers brought home top finishes at Freestyle State, reflecting both their hard work and the time invested by coaches and volunteers to help them grow in skill and character. On the track, our junior high athletes continue to perform at a high level, with strong individual and team showings at the conference meet that highlight their commitment to practice and competition. Our soccer teams added solid wins on the field, and our choir students are sharing their talents tonight in their spring concert that celebrates achievement, recognizes seniors, and reminds us how the arts contribute to a well-rounded education.

Louise Durham Elementary’s Spring Picnic was a success, and I want to thank everyone who helped organize, support, and facilitate that event for students and families. Events like that take a great deal of planning and teamwork, and they help strengthen the relationships that matter so much in a school community. The other schools’ picnics are still ahead, and I appreciate the work and adjustment that is already going into making those events meaningful for those families as well.

I also want to thank the teaching and administrative staff at Mena Middle School and Mena High School for spending time with parents last night during parent-teacher conferences. Those conversations matter. When schools and families stay connected, students benefit from the shared clarity, support, and encouragement that come from adults working together.

This has also been a good week for student leadership and scholarship. Mena FFA members represented our district well at the Arkansas FFA State Convention and Expo, competing in leadership development events, earning scholarships, and being recognized for the strength of their chapter. Their work is a reminder that when students are given opportunities to lead, speak, and represent their school, they often rise to the occasion in impressive ways.

Our BassCat anglers returned this year after the program had not been active for some time, and they opened that return with a strong result in their first tournament. We appreciate the sponsors who helped make that opportunity possible for our students.

It was a good week of forward focus at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a good long weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady, professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets in attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view, and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keep us moving toward those goals. This week’s Wrap-up focuses on how we use the last weeks of school to keep students moving forward and how we are planning next year’s professional learning so it truly fits the people doing the work.

I also want to thank you specifically for your conscientious approach to our ATLAS summative assessments as we move through the testing window. We are already receiving some scores back right away, which is a great benefit of the current system and gives us an early look at how students are performing. For the writing portion of the assessments, about 15% of student responses are hand-scored by human scorers to validate the AI scoring. Those results take a little longer to finalize, but this extra step helps ensure that the scores we receive are accurate, fair, and trustworthy reflections of the work you and your students have done all year.

Finishing the Year the Right Way

The environment we create in these final weeks matters as much as any single lesson plan. Students are watching how we respond when they struggle, how we talk about their future, and whether we truly believe they can still grow. When they see adults who are consistent, caring, and focused, they begin to believe those same things about themselves. Our classrooms, buses, cafeterias, and hallways all send a message, and you play a central role in shaping it every day.

Academically, we know from our data that many of our students are within reach of important targets. That means the work right now is not about starting over; it is about moving students who are “close” into truly proficient territory. The way we plan questions, structure small groups, prioritize writing and reasoning, and use feedback in these next few weeks can nudge students across that line. Every conference, every re-teach, and every moment when a student gets to explain their thinking is another brick laid in their long-term success.

As we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. Daily attendance, both for students and adults. A calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations. Strong Tier One instruction that uses the time we have with students very well. When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation.

Looking Ahead to 2026–2027 Learning

As we look ahead to 2026–2027, we have finalized a district Employee Professional Development and Training Plan that outlines our required days, district priorities, and major opportunities for next year. You can review the full plan here: 2026–2027 MSD Employee Training Plan. This plan provides a backbone for our work, with a clear focus on curriculum and instruction, literacy engagement, and writing engagement. It also maps out required training days, district data days, parent conference hours, and additional opportunities offered through our partners.

The plan includes on-site professional development, classroom work days, and conference days designed to support staff across all campuses. There are scheduled sessions for math instruction at different grade bands, lesson plan internalization, strategic reading, and district-wide data days that help us align what we teach with what students need. In addition, the plan highlights cooperative opportunities through DMESC, such as math intervention, writing aligned with ATLAS, and summer conferences that touch nearly every content area.

Professional Learning that Fits You

At the same time, I want to be very clear: our goal is not to simply “fill hours”; our goal is to grow people. A strong district plan gives us alignment, but the most powerful professional learning happens when it is connected to your actual needs, your Professional Growth Plan, and the students you serve every day. If there are trainings, conferences, or sessions you believe would benefit you more than what is currently listed, or would better fit your role and goals, we want you to have those opportunities.

You have access to a wide range of options through DMESC, ADE, AR IDEAS, and professional organizations. The plan already points to sessions in areas like literacy, mathematics, science, CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support. In short, there is something there for almost every role, and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available and how it connects to your work.

If you see a session, conference, or course that clearly aligns with your growth areas or instructional needs, please visit with your building administrator. We will work with you to see how it can fit with the district plan, required trainings, and available resources. When you invest in learning that truly matters to you, our students are the ones who benefit the most.

This same mindset applies to our support staff, drivers, counselors, paraprofessionals, and all who serve students in roles that may not always be in the spotlight. Your learning matters just as much. If there is a training or certification that would help you serve students more effectively, strengthen safety, or make your daily work more sustainable, I want us to talk about it. The purpose of our professional development system is to support you, not box you in.

Staying Focused on Our Purpose

As we move through Week 32, please continue to treat these tasks—finishing strong with students and planning your own learning—as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another. Building strong relationships, holding high expectations, and providing the kind of feedback that helps students believe they can grow remain the core of our work. When students experience adults who are both supportive and demanding in the best sense of the word, they develop confidence that carries far beyond our classrooms. That is at the heart of our mission: helping every student and staff member build a strong sense of purpose and the skills to pursue it.

Closing Celebrations

Mena baseball picked up a hard-fought road win at Booneville on Monday, edging out their hosts 9–8. It is good to see our players continuing to compete well, respond in pressure situations, and represent our community the right way as they move through a busy spring schedule.

Our track and field athletes at both the junior high and senior high levels continue to perform very well in recent meets. Across events, our Bearcats and Ladycats are turning in strong efforts, earning top finishes, and showing steady improvement as the season progresses. Their work on the track and in the field reflects a lot of time invested in practice and a commitment to competing with character and effort.

As a reminder, if you have not yet completed the DeQueen–Mena Educational Service Cooperative user feedback survey that was shared last week, please take a few minutes to do so. Your input directly shapes the services and professional learning the co-op provides in the future and helps ensure that support remains aligned with the work you are doing every day. You can access the survey here: DMESC User Satisfaction Survey.

It was a good week of determination at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady, professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets in attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view, and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keep us moving toward those goals. This week’s Wrap-up focuses on a behind-the-scenes task that has real implications for how our work is measured and recognized, an update on summer professional learning from our Teacher Center Committee meeting, and several celebrations that show how our students are growing in academics, the arts, and athletics across the district.

Getting Credit For Your Work

The state Roster Verification System window is now open in LEA Insights, and this step is essential to ensuring Merit Teacher Incentive Fund rewards are based on accurate and fair data. Roster verification is how we confirm that every student is correctly linked to the teacher who actually provided instruction, so that growth scores and future merit pay decisions reflect your work with students.

This year, roster verification includes both our traditional ATLAS-tested areas and our earliest grades. That means teachers who serve students in grades K through 2, as well as teachers in grades 3 through 10 English language arts, grades 3 through 8 mathematics, algebra, geometry, and tested science courses, will verify that their rosters are correct. For K through 2 teachers, this is a forward-looking step. The state is beginning to collect and link K through 2 scores now so that, after three years of data, those grade levels can also be included in merit pay calculations. Careful roster verification this spring is what will make it possible for early elementary growth to count in future years.

Our local deadline for completing teacher-level roster verification will be ten days before the state final due date. We build in that time so principals and I can review and certify everything before it goes to the state. Please do not wait until the last week of the window to begin. The earlier you log in and review your rosters, the more time we have to correct any issues and ensure that you receive full credit for the students you serve.

The state has provided a helpful set of slide decks and short videos to walk teachers and administrators through the Roster Verification System. These resources are available on the state department Roster Verification System page and are organized by role, including Primary and Secondary Teachers of Record, Potential Collaborators, Building Administrators, and District Administrators. I encourage you to use the slide deck and video that match your role as you complete your verification. If you need assistance after reviewing those materials, please reach out at the building level first so we can support you quickly.

Our goal is simple and important. Every student correctly linked to the right teacher, every time. When the state calculates growth and merit incentives, we want those numbers to reflect the real work that you do with students each day.

Teacher Center Committee Meeting at DMESC

This week, our spring Teacher Center Committee for the DeQueen-Mena Educational Service Cooperative (DMESC) met to complete one of our three required annual meetings and to provide feedback on school needs while previewing summer professional development. The Teacher Center Committee continues to play an important role for us by serving as a direct line between schools and the co op. Their input helps shape the kinds of support and training that are offered, and it keeps the focus on what our teachers and students actually need.

The co op team shared a wide range of summer professional development offerings that touch nearly every content area. There will be math sessions focused on fluency and foundational number sense, literacy sessions from state specialists that support writing, comprehension, and planning an effective literacy block, and science sessions that use high-quality instructional materials and ATLAS data to guide instruction. In addition, there are opportunities in CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support. In short, there is something here for almost every teacher, and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available.

One key update for us involves RISE training. The K–2 and 3–6 RISE Academies scheduled at our co-op will not make because they did not meet the state minimum of fifteen registered participants. Teachers who still need RISE proficiency will need to register at other co-ops, such as Dawson, Southwest, Guy Fenter, or Arch Ford. Those sessions are already filling, so if you still need this requirement, please register as soon as possible rather than waiting until later in the summer. Click here for a list of dates and locations.

The meeting also highlighted several important opportunities connected to CTE and early career readiness. Pre-educator pathway trainings are scheduled for late July, and districts are encouraged to send their pre-educator teachers to both days so that these pathways remain strong options for students who are interested in the teaching profession. Schools that serve grades six through eight will also have a chance to send a team to an early career exploration training in September. Participation in that training will be tied to eligibility for Paxton Patterson Career Exploration Kit grants, which could provide additional hands-on experiences for our middle school students.

Another theme of the meeting was targeted support in areas where we know there are gaps. A new Geometry Nexus collaborative will bring geometry teachers together across districts to align curriculum maps with standards, address the disconnect between current materials and the state assessment, and build a shared set of resources. Dyslexia support will expand through Level 2 screener training at Dawson Co-op and through on-site “What Every Educator Needs to Know About Dyslexia” sessions that districts can schedule. Coaching and mentoring opportunities will come through John Wink training for experienced teachers who support novices, and there will be additional literacy sessions, such as Strategic Reading Days for middle school teachers.

Our next steps as a district are straightforward. We will identify staff who still need RISE or other required training and help them register at available sites. We will ensure that pre-educator pathway teachers are signed up for both summer sessions and that we have appropriate teams registered for early career exploration training so we remain eligible for grant opportunities. We will also continue to monitor the co-op professional development offerings, paying attention to both the updated and the canceled sessions, so that our staff receives accurate information as they make summer plans.

Finally, please take a few minutes to complete the DMESC user satisfaction survey for this year if you have not already done so. Anyone in our district who uses the co-op in any capacity is invited to respond. Your feedback directly shapes the services and professional learning that DMESC provides in the future, and it is an important way to make sure that support remains aligned to the work you are doing every day.

Looking Ahead

As we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. Daily attendance, both for students and adults. A calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations. Strong Tier One instruction that uses the time we have with students very well. When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation.

If you have not yet logged into LEA Insights to review your rosters, next week is a good week to begin. A few focused minutes now will save you stress later and will help us avoid last-minute corrections at the end of the window. If you are planning summer professional development, please carefully review the offerings that best match your role and your students' needs, and communicate any questions through your principal so we can support you in that planning. Thank you for treating these tasks as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another.

Closing Celebrations

Mena Soccer hosted Bauxite at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium this week, with the Ladycats battling in a close match and the Bearcats earning a solid 3–1 win. Both teams continue to gain valuable experience as they move through the season, and they will be back on the field this evening in Nashville as they keep representing our community well.

Our student artists did great at the Mena Art Gallery youth show, bringing home multiple top awards across categories. It is encouraging to see our art students using their skills and creativity to such a high standard and to see their work recognized in a public setting.

Mena Middle School theatre students recently brought “Julius Caesar” to life for AP Literature and Theatre classes, giving our high school students a live performance that connected classic text with real stage experience. Their work on this production reflects strong collaboration between our middle school and high school programs and gives students another powerful way to build confidence, communication, and a deeper understanding of literature.

Mena baseball earned a strong win over Ozark this week at Union Bank Park. It is good to see our Bearcats and Ladycats staying competitive, learning from each contest, and supporting one another as they move through a busy spring schedule.

The seventh-grade Bearcat track team turned in an impressive performance at the Waldron Bulldog Relays, finishing as runner-up in the meet. Their work on the track reflects a lot of effort in practice and shows how our younger athletes are learning to compete the right way.

Our Senior Ladycat Track team turned in a very strong showing at Waldron yesterday, finishing second overall in a competitive field. Their relay work, individual events, and steady effort throughout the meet reflect a lot of time invested in practice and a commitment to representing Mena the right way. We are proud of the way they competed and encouraged one another from start to finish.

Mena High School FBLA had an outstanding showing at the State Conference, with several competitors placing near the top and qualifying for nationals in multiple events. Their success highlights the strength of our business program and the real-world skills our students are building in areas such as finance, management, and accounting.

Mena Middle School and High School FCCLA chapters had an outstanding day at State Star Events, with every student placing and multiple competitors qualifying for National contests in Washington, D.C. This level of success across so many different events reflects strong preparation, a wide range of career focused skills, and the steady support of our advisers as they help students grow in leadership, service, and real world readiness.

The Mena High School Band earned first division superior ratings from all judges at the Region VIII Concert and Sightreading Assessment. This highest level recognition reflects consistent practice, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to excellence from every member of the Bearcat Band.

It was a good week of bright spots at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Thursday!

Thank you for the work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools as we move deeper into the final stretch of the school year. This time of year always brings both urgency and fatigue, but it also reveals the strength of a district. The steady effort taking place across our classrooms, offices, buses, cafeterias, and campuses is what keeps us moving toward our performance targets and keeps our mission in front of students each day. I am grateful for the consistency, care, and professionalism you continue to show.

As we move toward the close of the year, I want to use this Wrap-up to provide a brief overview of our district performance targets, highlight a few encouraging indicators, and remind us that the final weeks of a school year matter greatly. The work done now has a lasting effect on student growth, student confidence, and the way we finish together as a district.

Staying Focused on What Matters Most

Throughout the year, we have aligned our efforts around clear district performance targets related to academic growth, attendance, and a positive school environment. These are not separate initiatives. They work together. When students are present, engaged, and supported in an orderly learning environment, achievement becomes more likely. When instruction is intentional and aligned to standards, growth becomes less accidental and more predictable.

You can review our full district performance targets and progress here:Mena Public Schools District Performance Targets

There are several reasons for us to be encouraged at this point in the year. Our current district attendance rate is 94.0%, which is above our target of 93.5%. That is worth recognizing. Daily attendance is one of the clearest conditions for success, and remaining above target reflects the effort our staff has made to build schools where students are welcomed, expected, and supported.

We also have encouraging signs in school climate and behavior. Through Week 30, our district has recorded fewer discipline referrals than we had at this same point last year, decreasing by 14.28 %. That improvement reflects the intentional work being done by teachers, principals, support staff, and all employees who help create consistent expectations for students. A better learning environment does not happen by accident. It is built day by day through routines, relationships, and clear standards.

There are bright spots across our campuses as well. Mena Middle School and Mena High School are both currently above 94 percent attendance, which reflects the strength of their routines, relationships, attendance policies, and shared expectations. Those results are encouraging because they show that consistent systems and daily effort are making a difference for students.

Just as important, we continue to see evidence of stronger instructional focus across the district. Our emphasis on writing across the curriculum, attention to standards, and close monitoring of student progress are all helping to strengthen learning. Better writing supports better thinking, and better thinking supports better reading, understanding, and problem-solving in every content area. That work extends far beyond a test and strengthens the future functioning of our students in school, work, and community life.

This is the part of the year when small, consistent actions matter most. A well-timed check for understanding, a strong review, a clear expectation, an encouraging word, or a corrected misconception can make a real difference for a student. Let us take encouragement from the progress we have made while remaining committed to the work still ahead.

Cooperative Feedback Opportunity

It is also time again for the annual DMESC User Satisfaction Survey for 2026. This survey is for everyone in our district who uses DeQueen-Mena Educational Service Cooperative services in any capacity.

Your feedback is important because it helps the cooperative evaluate its support and improve the services, resources, and professional learning opportunities provided to the districts it serves. Please take a few moments to complete the survey and encourage others in our district who utilize co-op services to do the same. The survey will remain open through May 31.

DMESC User Satisfaction Survey - 2026

Looking Ahead

While our focus remains on finishing this school year well, I also want to share something positive to look forward to next year. We have booked Jason Curry as the keynote speaker for our back-to-school convocation.

Jason Curry is known for delivering messages about purpose, mindset, and commitment that challenge people to raise their expectations and take ownership of their growth. His message aligns well with who we are and what we are trying to build as a district.

One of his recurring ideas is that excellence is not something that appears all at once. It is built through repeated choices, steady effort, and a willingness to grow. That is a message worth remembering now as much as it will be worth hearing in August. The habits we strengthen in these final weeks of school are the same kinds of habits that shape the culture and momentum of an entire year.

We believe his message will encourage us, challenge us, and help us begin next year with strong energy and shared purpose. We are excited for our staff to hear him.

Closing Celebrations

Our students continue to represent Mena Public Schools well in a variety of settings. This week, our Gifted and Talented students competed in regional chess tournaments and performed at a high level, earning top finishes while also demonstrating sportsmanship, focus, and discipline. Success in those settings reflects both preparation and poise, and we are proud of their efforts.

Yesterday was Paraprofessional Appreciation Day, and I want to express sincere gratitude to our paraprofessionals across the district. They are essential members of our educational team. They support instruction, help meet individual student needs, strengthen relationships, and contribute every day to the smooth operation of our schools. Their impact is significant, and we are thankful for their dedication and service to students and staff alike.

In athletics, our teams continue to compete hard and represent our district with pride. All of our spring sports were in action this week, with several team victories and individual winners. Our students continue to demonstrate effort, resilience, and school pride as they move through the spring season.

It was a good week of action at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice Easter Weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

As we reach Spring Break, I want to thank each of you for the work you have done throughout the school year so far. Education is demanding work that requires patience, persistence, and a constant focus on the needs of our students. The break ahead provides an opportunity to pause for a few days, spend time with family and friends, and recharge for the final portion of the year.

One thing that is always remarkable about the school calendar is how quickly the final weeks pass once Spring Break is behind us. When we return, we will soon find ourselves preparing for the many culminating moments of the school year, like student performances, competitions, end-of-year activities, and ultimately graduation. These moments remind us why the work we do throughout the year is so important.

Even during Spring Break, many of our student-athletes will continue representing Mena Public Schools in competition. We appreciate the dedication of these students, as well as the coaches and staff who will continue supporting them during the break. Their commitment reflects the same determination and perseverance we hope to cultivate in all of our students.

I hope each of you enjoys a safe and restful Spring Break. The work we do matters greatly, and taking time to rest allows us to return ready to finish the year strong for the students and community we serve.

It was a good week of preparation at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

Thank you to everyone across our district for the work you continue to do each day for our students. As we move deeper into the spring semester, the instructional focus of our classrooms becomes even more important. This is the time of year when the adjustments teachers make in instruction can have a significant impact on student learning as we move toward the spring ATLAS assessment. One of our goals as a district has always been to avoid simply hoping that learning is happening. Instead, we want to know where our students stand and respond with the best instruction possible.

This week, I would like to share several observations from our Winter ATLAS Interim assessments in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. Interim assessments serve an important purpose. They provide evidence of student learning at this point in the school year and help us determine where additional instructional attention can help students move from approaching proficiency to being proficient. They also allow us to compare our performance with the state average so that we have a clearer understanding of where we stand and what our next steps should be.

Achievement Level Descriptors and Strong Thinking

One of the most important themes that continues to emerge from the interim results is the importance of helping students understand what strong thinking looks like. We have been talking about assessing student performance using Achievement Level Descriptors, or ALDs. These descriptors outline the level of thinking students must demonstrate to reach proficiency. A Level 3 response, which represents proficient performance, generally requires students to explain their reasoning, apply knowledge to unfamiliar situations, support ideas with evidence, and analyze information rather than simply recall it.

During several of our leadership meetings this year, we have watched classroom videos that highlight instructional strategies designed to move students toward this level of thinking. One encouraging practice we have observed is that some of our teachers are explaining the Achievement Level Descriptors directly to their students so they understand the level of response that is expected. When students clearly understand what a strong response looks like, they are far more capable of producing it. They begin to see that success is not simply about arriving at the correct answer, but about demonstrating the reasoning and understanding behind that answer.

This matters for every classroom, not only those in the core academic areas. Whether students are asked to explain a solution in mathematics, support an interpretation in English Language Arts, analyze evidence in science, justify a design choice in a CTE course, or explain a performance decision in the arts, the same principle applies. Students grow when they understand the quality of thinking that is being asked of them.

English Language Arts

The winter interim results in English Language Arts show encouraging progress in several areas of literacy development. In the early grades, our students performed ahead of the state in important foundational measures. Kindergarten posted 44% proficient compared to 32% statewide, while Grade 1 reached 56% proficient compared to 34% statewide, and Grade 2 posted 39% proficient compared to 33% statewide. Grade 3 also remained ahead of the state at 35% proficient compared to 31% statewide. These results suggest that the instructional emphasis placed on foundational literacy skills is continuing to produce positive results for our students.

At the same time, the reports show that students face greater difficulty when standards require them to analyze texts and clearly explain their thinking in writing. Students are generally stronger when asked to demonstrate vocabulary knowledge and direct comprehension, but they experience more difficulty when asked to analyze how authors develop ideas and themes, compare information across texts, support interpretations with textual evidence, and explain their thinking clearly in written form. This pattern becomes especially important in the upper grades, where many students are clustered near proficiency rather than well below it. That tells us the work ahead is not to start over, but to sharpen and strengthen what we are already doing.

This is one of the reasons our district has placed such a strong emphasis on writing across the curriculum. Writing requires students to organize their thoughts, explain their reasoning, and support their ideas with evidence. When students learn to explain their thinking clearly in writing, they also become stronger readers because they must interact more deeply with the text. Our interim results reinforce that point. If we want more students to move from approaching proficiency to being proficient in literacy, we must continue giving them opportunities to write, explain, support, and refine their thinking in every possible setting.

Mathematics

The winter interim mathematics results also provide encouraging evidence of progress. In several grade levels, district performance in foundational mathematics concepts was comparable to or stronger than the state average. Grade 1 mathematics reached 54% proficient compared to 27% statewide, Grade 2 reached 47% compared to 32% statewide, Grade 7 reached 54% compared to 35% statewide, and Grade 8 reached 52% compared to 21% statewide. These results suggest that in several areas, our students are building a stronger understanding of the fundamental structures that support later mathematical reasoning.

However, the reports also show that students experience greater difficulty when mathematics requires them to analyze a situation, determine an appropriate strategy, and explain the reasoning behind their solution. Many of the most challenging problems require students to solve real-world situations that involve multiple steps, careful interpretation, and explanation of why the strategy they chose makes sense. Students tend to perform better when the task requires recall or direct computation, but they face greater difficulty when the task requires strategic thinking, modeling, and explanation.

This type of thinking aligns closely with the expectations described in the Achievement Level Descriptors for proficient performance. In mathematics, a strong response is not only a correct answer. It is an answer supported by reasoning. When students explain the thinking behind their work, draw models, compare solution strategies, or justify how they know their answer is reasonable, they move beyond procedure and begin developing the analytical thinking mathematics is designed to cultivate. That expectation is important not only in a math classroom. It is a way of thinking that supports learning across the district.

Science

Our winter interim science results also provide encouraging evidence of progress across multiple grade levels. District performance generally met or exceeded state averages in several tested grades, showing that students are building a solid foundation in important scientific ideas. Biology proficiency was a terrific 67% compared to the state’s 38%, and 8th-grade Science posted 50% to the state’s 40%. All other tested grades were an average of six percentage points higher, as well. The broad pattern in the science reports suggests that students are developing conceptual understanding in life science, Earth and space science, and scientific systems, and that many are positioned within reach of proficiency as instruction continues.

At the same time, the reports show that students face greater difficulty when questions require them to analyze evidence and explain scientific processes. Students are more successful when identifying concepts and recognizing scientific relationships, but they struggle more when asked to interpret models and diagrams, analyze data from investigations, explain cause-and-effect relationships, and apply scientific understanding to unfamiliar situations. These expectations closely reflect the Achievement Level Descriptors for proficient performance, where students must demonstrate reasoning and analysis rather than simply recalling information.

Science instruction becomes most powerful when students are not simply memorizing facts but are learning to think like scientists. When students examine evidence, interpret findings, explain what they observe, and connect that evidence to larger systems, they are developing the very habits of thinking that science education is designed to promote. This is another place where the classroom videos we have been watching are helpful. They remind us that strong teaching does not only deliver content. Strong teaching makes the level of thinking visible to students.

What the Interim Data Tells Us

When we look across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science together, a consistent pattern emerges from the winter interim results. Many of our students are very close to reaching proficiency. In many cases, the difference between approaching proficiency and achieving proficiency lies in the ability to explain reasoning, support ideas with evidence, and demonstrate deeper levels of thinking.

That is why the Achievement Level Descriptors matter so much. They help us define for students what a strong response looks like, and they help us align instruction with the actual level of thinking that is expected. This is also where collective efficacy becomes so important. When teachers across all grade levels and content areas work together to help students develop strong explanations, thoughtful writing, careful reasoning, and evidence-based responses, the impact spreads across the entire district.

The progress reflected in these interim results is the result of the work taking place every day in classrooms across Mena Public Schools. I appreciate the commitment and professionalism our teachers and staff bring to this work. Together, we are helping students understand what strong thinking looks like, and that lesson will serve them well far beyond the classroom.

Closing Celebrations

Congratulations to our Mena High School Band Director, Mr. Charles Morgan, who was named Educator of the Year by the Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce at the annual Chamber Banquet this week. We are proud of the leadership he provides to our band program and the positive example he sets for our students and community. We also want to recognize the other outstanding nominees from Mena Public Schools who were honored at the event, Savannah Todd and Colby Singleton. In addition to the recognition, members of our Mena High School Student Council, FCCLA, and FFA organizations volunteered at the Chamber Banquet, serving guests and helping make the evening successful. Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for providing our students with opportunities to serve the community and earn valuable service hours.

Our Career and Technical Education students also completed an excellent real-world learning experience this week through the “Get Real, Here’s the Deal” financial literacy simulation hosted in partnership with the Polk County Extension Office. Students worked through real-life budgeting scenarios, visited community-run financial stations, and learned how choices about housing, transportation, groceries, childcare, and credit affect long-term financial stability. Experiences like this help prepare our students for responsible adulthood, and we appreciate the Polk County Extension Service and the many community volunteers who made the simulation possible.

Another exciting development came through the Mena High School Yearbook program, which partnered with the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain to help preserve our district’s history. Students have begun scanning historic yearbooks to build a growing digital archive, beginning with the 1930 Bearcat yearbook. This project will help preserve long-forgotten memories, traditions, and stories from past generations of Bearcats while allowing our current students to contribute to preserving our community’s history.

Our Bearcat and Ladycat athletic teams continue their spring seasons with strong effort and determination. Our junior high and seventh-grade track teams delivered an impressive performance at the Booneville Relays with multiple first-place finishes and a high-point performance. Bearcat and Ladycat soccer also competed this week at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium, representing our district well on the field. Our baseball and softball teams are early in their seasons and continue to compete hard each game while representing Mena Public Schools with pride, sportsmanship, and determination.

It was a good week of discovery at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Friday!

Thank you to everyone across Mena Public Schools for the hard work and dedication that continues to shape our district each day. As we move deeper into the spring semester, classrooms remain active with learning, extracurricular programs are in full swing, and students are preparing for the important milestones that come with the end of the school year. From literacy activities and academic competitions to career readiness events and community service projects, our staff and students continue to demonstrate the determination and perseverance that define our district.

At this point in the year, with only 46 school days left, it is helpful to pause and consider the importance of finishing well.

The early months of the school year are often filled with excitement, planning, and fresh momentum. By the time spring arrives, however, the work of teaching and learning has become more demanding. Students begin looking toward summer, teachers are balancing instruction with assessments and activities, and the pace of the year can begin to feel long. Yet the final portion of the school year is often where the most meaningful growth occurs.

In many ways, the strength of a school system is revealed not in how it begins a year, but in how it finishes one.

Great schools maintain focus, consistency, and purpose all the way to the final day. When classrooms remain structured, expectations stay clear, and instruction continues to challenge students, the cumulative effect of the entire year begins to show. Reading skills strengthen, writing becomes more precise, and students demonstrate the confidence that comes from sustained effort.

This is also the time of year when we begin to see the results of the many initiatives we have worked toward together. Our focus on writing across the curriculum, our continued emphasis on reading and literacy, and our commitment to preparing students for real opportunities beyond high school are all examples of long-term work that produce results over time. These efforts require patience, consistency, and what we often describe as shared confidence in our collective ability to help students succeed.

As we approach the final stretch of the school year, let us continue to support one another and maintain the level of focus that our students deserve. Every lesson, every conversation with a student, and every moment of encouragement contribute to the larger purpose of preparing our students for the future. The work we do each day continues to move our district closer to the vision we have set together.

Service Leadership Opportunities for Students

This week, we received information from the Governor’s Advisory Commission on National Service and Volunteerism about several grant opportunities connected to the upcoming 2026 9/11 Day of Service. These programs are designed to help schools, students, and community organizations organize service projects that honor the spirit of unity and service that emerged across our country after the events of September 11, 2001.

Several opportunities are available for schools and students. K–12 School Grants provide funding for service-learning projects that engage students, educators, and families in volunteer activities. Youth Service Grants support youth-led service initiatives organized by community or nonprofit organizations. In addition, Campus Grants are available for higher education institutions to organize volunteer projects connected to the Day of Remembrance.

There is also an exciting Student Service Captains leadership opportunity for rising high school seniors. Students selected for this national program will design and lead a 9/11 Day service project in their school or community, and twenty students nationwide will receive $5,000 scholarships in recognition of their leadership. Based on the student-led service activities we have already seen take place across our district this year, I know we have students who are fully capable of earning this recognition. Our students continue to demonstrate initiative, compassion, and a willingness to serve others, and this program provides another opportunity for them to lead in a meaningful way.

Applications for the grant programs are due April 1, and registrations for the Student Service Captain opportunity are due June 15. More information about these opportunities can be found at:

https://911day.org/grants/https://911day.org/k12programs/

Service to others is one of the values that defines our district, and opportunities such as these allow our students to practice leadership while strengthening the communities they serve.

Closing Celebrations

Our seniors had an outstanding opportunity this week as they participated in the Career Connect Reverse Career Fair at UA Rich Mountain alongside students from neighboring districts. Instead of the traditional career fair format, our students hosted booths where they presented their career goals, postsecondary plans, résumés, and portfolios while employers and community leaders rotated through the room to meet with them. This event gave students a valuable opportunity to practice professional communication and demonstrate the preparation they have made for life after graduation. We appreciate the counselors, teachers, community partners, and business leaders who helped make this meaningful experience possible.

This week was also Read Across America Week, and our campuses found many creative ways to celebrate literacy. High school athletes and student groups visited elementary classrooms to read with younger students, while guest readers from the community and local authors spent time sharing stories and encouraging students to develop a love of reading. Activities throughout the week highlighted the importance of independent reading, listening to stories, and discovering new books and authors. It was wonderful to see so many people across our district and community come together to support literacy and reinforce the message that reading opens doors for every student.

Our Battle of the Books teams had an outstanding showing at the DeQueen-Mena Educational Cooperative competitions. Elementary students represented Mena Public Schools with pride and strong preparation. One of our third-grade teams earned first place, while additional teams brought home second and third place finishes, and another group of students earned second place in their division. These accomplishments reflect not only the students’ knowledge of literature but also their teamwork, preparation, and enthusiasm for reading. Thank you to the teachers and library staff who helped prepare students for these competitions.

Students involved in Introduction to Education and Education Technology classes at Mena High School have been presenting Health Information Project (HIP) lessons to health classes. Through this peer-to-peer program, students lead discussions on important health topics while helping younger students learn how to navigate challenges they may encounter in high school. In addition to supporting student wellness, the presenters are strengthening their own leadership, communication, and classroom management skills through this experience.

Our Technology Student Association (TSA) students represented Mena High School very well at the state conference this week. Several students competed in events that were new to our school program, demonstrating courage and a willingness to step outside their comfort zones. One team earned third place in Technology Problem Solving, while another student earned second place in Promotional Design and qualified for national competition. Congratulations to these students and their sponsors for their hard work and for continuing to build this program.

Students in FCCLA partnered with Keep Arkansas Beautiful to organize a community cleanup event earlier this week. Participants spent several hours collecting litter along roads near campus and around town. Thank you to the students for their willingness to serve their community and to a local business partner that provided water and snacks to support the effort.

Our Bearcat Chorus students earned an Excellent rating (Division II) at the ARKCDA Region 3 Choral Performance Assessment. The group demonstrated impressive growth from last year and performed with pride and determination. We appreciate the hard work of these students and the leadership that continues to help them grow musically and represent our school well.

Spring athletics are now underway as track, soccer, baseball, and softball opened their seasons this week. Our junior high track teams had several strong finishes at the Cub Relays in DeQueen, including a High Point award in the girls competition. We appreciate the dedication of our student-athletes and coaches who represent Mena Public Schools with effort, sportsmanship, and pride each time they compete.

It was a good week of action at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

Happy Thursday!

Thank you for another week of focused work on behalf of our students. Across classrooms, offices, buses, practice fields, cafeterias, and performance spaces, our staff continues to demonstrate professionalism, perseverance, and care. Each week we move closer to our performance targets, but more importantly, we continue the steady work of preparing students with the skills and habits that will serve them long after graduation.

As we release this Wrap-Up one day early due to Friday’s closure, I want to center this message on the primary instructional topics that will guide our professional development meetings this coming Monday. Earlier today, administrators shared several instructional resources in preparation for those conversations. Monday is not about adding something new. It is about sharpening our focus using evidence from our ATLAS interim data and classroom observation trends. The goal is clarity and alignment, not overload.

After reviewing assessment results and walkthrough data, five instructional priorities have emerged. These apply across science, social studies, mathematics, Career and Technical Education, fine arts, and every classroom where students are required to read, think, and communicate.

Fluency: The Foundation for Comprehension

Our interim data continues to show that fluency is a leverage point across grade levels. When students read with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate expression, they free cognitive space for analysis and reasoning. Fluency supports comprehension not only in English, but in science texts, historical documents, technical passages, and multi-step math problems.

It is important to say clearly that strengthening fluency does not mean individually assessing every student every day. That would be unsustainable. Effective fluency instruction is short, structured, and embedded into existing lessons. Five to ten minutes of choral reading, echo reading, partner reading with feedback, or repeated reading of complex excerpts can build automaticity without overwhelming the teacher. When fluency becomes a routine rather than a separate task, it strengthens comprehension across disciplines.

Shifting the Cognitive Load

Our data does not show collapse. It shows a large, movable middle band of students at level 2. The shift from Level 2 to Level 3 requires explanation, development, analysis, and sustained reasoning by our students.

This does not mean abandoning the “I do, we do, you do” gradual release model. That framework remains sound. Modeling and guided practice are essential. However, our walkthrough data suggests that in some cases we may remain in the “I do” or “we do” phase longer than necessary. When that happens, students have fewer opportunities to carry the full weight of the thinking independently.

Across content areas, we must ensure that lessons consistently move to meaningful “you do” opportunities where students read independently, attempt problems before full explanation, analyze primary sources, interpret data, and write their reasoning without immediate rescue. In mathematics, that may mean allowing students to attempt a multi-step problem before modeling the solution. In science, analyzing data before discussing conclusions. In social studies, interpreting a document before hearing the summary.

Shifting the cognitive load, then, is not reversing our instructional model. It is completing it. It is ensuring that scaffolding leads to independence rather than dependence. When we gradually release responsibility and allow students to wrestle productively with tasks, reasoning deepens and confidence grows. That is what moves students from identification to analysis and from Level 2 to Level 3 performance.

Intentional Independent Reading

Independent reading must be instructional time, not free time. Students should know the purpose for reading and what they are expected to produce, whether that is analyzing structure, tracking claims and evidence, or identifying cause and effect.

This does not require grading every annotation or response. Short written reflections, structured partner discussions, rotating conferences, and quick comprehension checks can provide accountability without creating a grading burden. Teachers are not expected to read every page. They are expected to build systems that make thinking visible.

This structure applies in science, social studies, CTE, and technical coursework as much as in English. Independent processing builds stamina and prepares students for the demands of complex assessment tasks.

Using Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs)

Standards tell us what students learn. Achievement Level Descriptors tell us how deeply they must think. If a standard requires analysis, comparison, justification, or evaluation, our tasks must require those actions.

Level 3 and Level 4 instruction includes:

* Grade-level complex text.

* Evidence-based responses.

* Writing that explains rather than summarizes.

* Students defending and refining reasoning.

Posting standards is not enough. Tasks must reflect the depth described in the ALDs. Often the shift is small but powerful. Instead of asking what happened, ask why it happened and require evidence. Instead of asking for the answer, require the explanation of how the answer was reached.

When students consistently produce explanation and analysis, performance follows expectation.

Building Sustainable Routines

I want to acknowledge something directly. When we discuss fluency, written reasoning, independent reading, and Level 3 expectations, it can feel like an impossible checklist, but that is not the intention.

The key is routine. High-performing classrooms rely on predictable structures that hold every student accountable without overwhelming the teacher. Turn-and-explain protocols, short written responses, weekly multi-paragraph writing rather than daily long essays, structured partner reading, and targeted small-group conferencing are all effective practices.

These routines work in mathematics, science, social studies, and career courses just as they do in English. When embedded consistently, they increase cognitive demand without increasing chaos or paperwork.

Monday is an opportunity to collaborate. Share what is working. Identify small shifts that produce large gains. Clarify what Level 3 student work looks like in your content area. Build consistent expectations so students experience alignment across classrooms.

We are not trying to do more. We are trying to do the most impactful things consistently.

Closing Celebrations

This week reflected the depth and diversity of opportunity that defines Mena Public Schools.

Across our athletic programs, students continue to demonstrate discipline, preparation, and leadership. Our football program remains intentional in its offseason development, combining structured training with weekly character discussions. Two high school athletes were recognized as Farm Bureau Players of the Month for January, and Mena High School proudly hosted the Special Olympics Basketball Skills Competition, welcoming athletes from multiple campuses in a powerful display of inclusion and community support.

Students from our Gifted and Talented program presented to the Board of Education, sharing projects that highlighted innovation, academic rigor, and student voice. Our Theatre Department represented our district with excellence through performances both at school and to come at the Ouachita Little Theatre. Mena Middle School’s Project Prevent Team collected over 200 pledges during Through with Chew Week, demonstrating student leadership in promoting healthy choices.

With February being CTE month, we were pleased to have hosted the Be Pro Be Proud Truck, providing hands-on exposure to high-demand career pathways and this week has been National FFA Week as well. Agricultural education and Career and Technical Education programs continue to shape leadership, responsibility, and resilience in our students. Having previously served as an agricultural education teacher and FFA advisor here in Mena, I know firsthand the lasting impact these programs have on young people.

Next week, we will celebrate Read Across America Week. We look forward to all of the activities planned, reinforcing the importance and joy of literacy in every grade.

It was a good week of discovery at Mena Public Schools.

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

Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice extended weekend!

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