Mena High School

The Mena School Board met for their October meeting on Tuesday the 20th in the Mena High School Library. It was a brief meeting but included significant topics on the agenda. The board began by approving the closing documents on a bond issue. The closing date is November 5th, 2020. This will reduce the current interest rate from 4% to a new rate of 2.55%. This change will save the district $250,000 per year for the first four years and $2.2 million over the life of the bond. Superintendent Benny Weston reported that a part of the new facility near Holly Harshman Elementary will carry a Bearcat theme. The facility is owned by the Rich Mountain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center & they will be naming one of the homes Bearcat House & another the Ladycat House. Next on the agenda was discussion on adding “Flex Friday” to the district’s Ready for Learning Plan. The addition was approved & the first Flex Friday will be October 30th. A video explaining this adjustment will be released on Mena Public School’s social media & website. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lee Smith reported to the board that this year’s Annual Report to the Public will be virtual & available to patrons of the district online. The board was then made aware of upcoming training dates available to them & the meeting was adjourned.

The Mena School Board recently approved a resolution in recognition & appreciation of teachers, administrators & support staff at all campuses during the covid-19 response. MHS Principal David Maxwell attended the October board meeting on Tuesday & accepted on behalf of Mena High School.

The Ladycats picked up an impressive 3-0 victory over Ft. Lake, the #3 team in Class 4A, on Tuesday at the Union Bank Center. With the win Mena improves to 15-2 on the season. They will begin State Tournament play on 10/27 at Valley View. Ft. Lake won the JV Match 2-1.

UA Rich Mountain is on campus at MHS today & judging by attendance our seniors have plenty of interest in UARM !!!!

Lunch Menu: Tuesday - 10/20 - Popcorn Chicken Bowl, Rib Patty Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Cobb Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Wednesday - 10/21 - Ravioli w/Meat Sauce, Hot Dog, Steak Sandwich, Wing Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Turkey Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Thursday - 10/22 - BBQ Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Bacon Cheeseburger, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Popcorn Chicken Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Friday - 10/23 - Burrito w/Cheese, Mini Corndog, Backyard Burger, Pizza, PB&J Sandwich, Pizza Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Monday - 10/26 - Pork Carnitas, Steak Sandwich, Hamburger, Waffle Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Chef Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Tuesday - 10/27 - Hang Time Basket, Cheeseburger, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Cobb Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Wednesday - 10/28 - Mini Corn Dogs with Mac & Cheese, Meatball Sub, Hot Dog, Wing Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Turkey Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Thursday - 10/29 - Baked Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Cheeseburger, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Popcorn Chicken Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Friday - Walking Tacos, Corn Dog, Chicken Sandwich, Pizza, PB&J Sandwich, Pizza Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Clubs & Activities: Monday - Tuesday - ETS 9th and 10th band room- enrichment/ ALL Seniors to the PAC- enrichment. Wednesday - Quiz Bowl Practice in room 211 during enrichment Thursday - Quiz Bowl Practice in room 211 during enrichment Friday - Sports: Monday - Tuesday - Volleyball will host Fountain Lake this afternoon at the Union Bank Center, and this will be the last home game of the season for the Ladycats. Wednesday - Thursday - JH Football @ Dardanelle Friday - Senior High Football vs Dardanelle HERE Students, please remember that per the school dress code, hats and hoods are not to be worn in the building. Students, remember that you must have your masks on and pulled up over your nose in common areas like the cafeteria and the hallways between classes. Anyone interested in joining Sci-Fi Club this school year, there will be no dues this year, just sign up with Ms. Hooker to join! Even Blended students will have access to the Google Classroom. If any 9th or 10th grader is interested in Upward Bound, Please see Mrs. Thacker for an application. If you are interested in joining the National English Honor Society, please go by Mrs. Neufeld’s Room 207 to pick up an application. All students must check their “Enrichment Class Of” google classroom for Xello assignments and complete them. Please email Ms. Hoyle, or Mrs. Wilson, if you need any assistance logging in. There is still artwork from last year in the Art Room. If you had Ms. Hoyle for Art for the 2019-2020 school year, please come by and pick up your art. All Seniors please go to the PAC during enrichment. Please set every 3rd seat every other row. Senior enrichment teachers please assist with this effort. School Day pictures for 9th through 11th graders are being distributed during Enrichment today. There will be picture retake day and make-up pictures on Wednesday, November 11.

Mena Coaches select #33, Cauy House, as the Farm Bureau Insurance Player of the week for game #7 vs Ozark. Cauy led the Bearcat Defense from his Inside Linebacker position with a staggering 21 tackles, plus an interception to stop a Hillbilly drive late in the 4th quarter. Cauy also scored the game winning, go ahead touchdown for the Bearcats, from his Fullback position, in the 4th quarter, to give Mena a 23-20 lead. Cauy is a Senior this year, stands 6’0” and weighs 205 pounds. He is the son of Brad and Brianne House and Ashley and Ian Sullivan. He is also the Grandson of Stan and Julie House and Steve and Kathy Phillips. Cauy hopes to play football again next year, at the college level, but does not know where that may be yet. He wants to pursue a degree in Business while attending college. When not involved in school activities, Cauy operates a local lawn mowing service and also spends a lot of time hunting as well. This Friday night, Cauy and the Bearcats, who are now 4-3 for the season, will host 3-2 Conference opponents, the Dardanelle Sand Lizards.

For those of you who follow and are fans of Bearcat Football. Here are the 4-4A conference standings after last weeks win over Ozark. Mena is scheduled to host Dardanelle this Friday at Bearcat Stadium. https://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/mena-bearcats-ladycats-(mena,ar)/football/home.htm

Click the link for the meal order form for the week of October 26th-30th. PIck up is Friday from 1pm-2pm at Louise Durham & Mena High School. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmGfEKqUNExBm6xVWgERoOFam3F0NLUD7DYmHwz6BSjUPiyw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2QKQBTf5xjq3dq8q7iuL3RWoGW_ZByMnuJn6UZPes8r3n2ywZLzgJ-qgA

The Mena Ladycats host Fountain Lake on Tuesday at the Union Bank Center. The teams split their two previous meetings this season. GO LADYCATS!!!

The Ladycats jumped out to a 2-0 lead but lose 2-3 at Hot Springs Lakeside Saturday. Mena is now 14-2 on the season & will play Fountain Lake on Tuesday at the UBC.

The Ladycats (14-1) play at Lakeside (17-1) at 11:00am Saturday. GO LADYCATS!!!

A memorable night at Bearcat Stadium on Friday night. The 2020 Homecoming court was recognized. The Mena High School Marching band performed their first half time show of the year & the Bearcats earned a 23-20 win over Ozark. With the win Mena improves to 4-3 & 3-0 in conference play. The Bearcats will host Dardanelle next Friday 10/23.

Mena students doing well at the Arkansas State Fair! https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=111942367354891&id=109673307581797

The 14-1 Mena Ladycats are ranked #2 in the latest Max Preps 4A Volleyball Ranking. Mena will play #3 Fountain Lake on Tuesday at the Union Bank Center. The teams have split their two previous meetings. GO LADYCATS!!! https://www.maxpreps.com/.../mena.../volleyball/rankings.htm

Kickoff is at 7:00pm in Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium!!!

The 7th Grade & Jr. High Bearcats played at Ozark on Thursday. 7th Grade / Mena-14 Ozark-0 Jr. High / Mena-8 Ozark-43 Mena will play at Dardanelle on Oct. 22nd at 5:30pm. GO BEARCATS!

The Ladycats played two matches against Little Rock MIlls on Thursday at the Union Bank Center. Mena Won the first match 25-5, 25-2 & 25-11... Mena also won the second match 3 games to 1 by a score of 25-3, 25-6 & 25-5 .... Mena will play at Hot Springs Lakeside on Saturday at 11:00am.. You will want to check next weeks schedule on our website as changes have been made recently. Just click the link https://www.menaschools.org/o/athletics/athletics?filter=19738

To: All ESS Staff serving Mena School District From: Benny Weston Re: Your Safety We want to assure our substitute teachers that Mena Public Schools is making sincere efforts to reduce everyone’s risk of exposure to COVID-19. Although we cannot guarantee that exposure will not happen, we are doing these things to maintain a safe environment: 1. Reducing the interactions between teachers and other students not in their classrooms through scheduling and student pods. 2. Requiring masks to be worn by all people in the buildings ages 10 and older. 3. Reducing exchange of materials such as food trays and books. 4. Disinfecting surfaces daily and providing hand sanitizing in every room throughout the district. 5. Maintaining social distancing protocols in classrooms and commons areas when possible and maintaining students pods when it is not. 6. Not allowing large assemblies. 7. Restricting outside guests from entering the buildings to maintain a controlled environment. 8. Quarantining infected individuals and their close contacts using Arkansas Department of Health standards, which are strictly adhered to. We feel that our school buildings are as safe as any other facility which hosts large numbers of people and would invite all substitute teachers to return to the classrooms. Our cases at Mena Public Schools have been very few and we feel that our attention to the standards and protocols are why we have been successful at controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Friday night is a "PINK OUT" at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium!

Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Lunch Menu: Thursday - 10/15 - Beef Fingers, Chicken Tenders, Meatball Sub, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Popcorn Chicken Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Friday - 10/16 - No School (Fall Break) Monday - 10/19 - Virtual School Day Tuesday - 10/20 - Popcorn Chicken Bowl, Rib Patty Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Cobb Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Wednesday - 10/21 - Ravioli w/Meat Sauce, Hot Dog, Steak Sandwich, Wing Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Turkey Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Thursday - 10/22 - BBQ Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Bacon Cheeseburger, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Popcorn Chicken Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Friday - 10/23 - Burrito w/Cheese, Mini Corndog, Backyard Burger, Pizza, PB&J Sandwich, Pizza Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Monday - 10/26 - Pork Carnitas, Steak Sandwich, Hamburger, Waffle Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Chef Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Tuesday - 10/27 - Hang Time Basket, Cheeseburger, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Cobb Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Wednesday - 10/28 - Mini Corn Dogs with Mac & Cheese, Meatball Sub, Hot Dog, Wing Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Turkey Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Thursday - 10/29 - Baked Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Cheeseburger, Taco Bar, PB&J Sandwich, Popcorn Chicken Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Friday - Walking Tacos, Corn Dog, Chicken Sandwich, Pizza, PB&J Sandwich, Pizza Salad, Turkey Croissant Sandwich Clubs & Activities: Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Quiz Bowl Practice in room 211 during enrichment Thursday - Quiz Bowl Practice in room 211 during enrichment Friday - Sports: Monday - Tuesday - Volleyball will host Arkadelphia this afternoon at the Union Bank Center starting at 4:30 Wednesday - Thursday - JH Football @ Ozark; Senior High Volleyball will host Little Rock Mills at the Union Bank Center Friday - SH Football vs Ozark Here Students, please remember that per the school dress code, hats and hoods are not to be worn in the building. Students, remember that you must have your masks on and pulled up over your nose in common areas like the cafeteria and the hallways between classes. Anyone interested in joining Sci-Fi Club this school year, there will be no dues this year, just sign up with Ms. Hooker to join! Even Blended students will have access to the Google Classroom. The flu shot clinic will be this morning at Mena High School. Only students who have submitted forms will be receiving a flu shot. If any 9th or 10th grader is interested in Upward Bound, Please see Mrs. Thacker for an application. If you are interested in joining the National English Honor Society, please go by Mrs. Neufeld’s Room 207 to pick up an application. There will be no school tomorrow for fall break, and Monday will be a virtual day for students working from home.