Week 33: Opportunity in the Weeks Ahead

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!

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