Mena Public Schools meets two of its three goals for 2022-2023

Submitted by Mark Hobson

The Mena School Board met for their regular May meeting on Tuesday, May 16, in the district administration building.

The meeting began with the superintendent’s report. Dr. Lee Smith recognized Chelsea Johnson as a High-Impact Teacher for Mena Public Schools. The state department has started recognizing High-Impact Teachers around the state based on improving student growth scores and Smith was notified of this designation earlier this month. Johnson teaches math at Mena Middle School.

Smith then told the board that the district will end the year having met two of its three goals. The attendance goal was not met this year. The attendance rate was 93% but that was still above the state average.

The district did meet its discipline goal with a referral rate 15% below last year.

The reading goal was also met with 74% of the student body on grade level. The final ACT Aspire scores will not be released until this summer so the reading goal results may be adjusted at that time.

Smith concluded by inviting board members to the End-of-Year Celebration on Wednesday, May 24, at 11 a.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

In new business the board approved the Budget of Assurance Agreement for special education and related services. Special Ed Supervisor Christy Harrison explained that passage certifies that MPS is spending state and federal funds for the education of children with disabilities.

The board also renewed the contract with Horizon Software which is used in the child nutrition program at a cost of $8,101.

Next on the agenda was the renewal of the Student Accident Insurance. The rate was actually reduced by some $1300 with a cost for 2023-2024 at $26,700. The renewal was approved.

The board approved a 10 cent increase in meal prices and milk prices for the 2023-2024 school year.

Assistant Superintendent Bridget Buck- ley then spoke to the board about new policies. Most of which were due to bills passed recently by the state legislature. These changes affected personnel and student policies. As well curriculum and instruction, community engagement and finances. The board approved.

One of the policy changes was to appoint a member to the DeQueen/Mena COOP Board of Directors for a two-year term. The board elected Dr. Lee Smith as its representative.

Next on the agenda was the district’s investments. To take advantage of the rise in interest rates Smith had recommended at the April meeting to seek new CD rates from financial institutions. The Union Bank of Mena responded with the highest rate of 5.15% and that was approved by the board.

District Maintenance Supervisor Danny Minton then updated the board on projects around the district. He stated that the sound system and scoreboards at Jim Rackley Gymnasium have been installed. The home bleachers at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium have been power washed. Bulbs in the Performing Arts Center are in process of being converted to LED and work on the sound system in the PAC will take place this summer. The district recently received a security grant that will be used in part to pay for a new six-foot security fence and automatic gates at Louise Durham Elementary. Leon Perry Fencing had the low bid of $54,440 and the board approved that bid. New door locks for Holly Harshman Elementary have been ordered. A grant through the summer feeding program will pay for the installation of a new cooler and milk box.

Smith added that the district had received a bill for architectural fees for the new activity center from Architecture Plus in the amount of $163,708.29. The board approved the payment.

Next on the agenda was the topic of athletic passes. Again, this had been a point of discussion at past meetings. Smith recommended that season passes for fall sports be made available to the public for $150 and that season passes for spring sports be made available for $100. The board approved.

The board then updated the salary schedule to include provisions for 195and 235- day contracts.

The board passed a school choice capacity resolution which dealt with accepting or declining of school choice students. A notification letter will be sent by July 1st.

Next was the Freedom of Choice Act. Smith informed the board that the school choice window closed on May 1 with a total of nine applications to attend MPS and 12 leaving the district.

The financial reports were quickly approved with Smith stating that revenue outpaced expenses by $497,000 for the month.

Finally, in personnel:

Retirement

• Patty Oglesby - RTI Facilitator at LDE

• Malea Ellison Fields - Math Teacher at MMS

• Staci Brooks - Library Media Specialist at MMS

Resignation

• Reagan Black - Fifth Grade Teacher at HHE

• Stephanie Hoyle - Art Teacher at MHS

• Stacy Salisbury - Dyslexia Interventionist

• Tabitha Baxter - Paraprofessional at HHE

• Lisa Falls - LPN at HHE

• Amber Hendricks - AE Paraprofessional at MMS

• Trevor Humphry - Head Baseball Coach/PE/Health

Restructure

• Katie Thomas - From First Grade Teacher to Elementary Reading Intervention Coach

• Jamie Copelin - From Preschool lead teacher to Paraprofessional.

• Heather Goss - From Special Education at MMS to Physical Education

• Rebecca Sprague - From Special Education at LDE a.m. to Special Edu- cation at MMS a.m. and at LDE p.m.

• Brad Lyle - Assistant Athletic Director/Dean of Students at MHS

• Rachel Dover - From Jr. Girls Track to Indoor Track/Heptathlon/Decathlon.

• Chad Arnold - From Head Jr. High Football to assistant Jr, High Football.

• Ryan Luttmer - From Sr. Special Team Coordinator to Head Jr. High Football.

• Tia Fryar - From Assistant Girls Basketball to Assistant Sr. High Volleyball.

• Zen Valencia - MMS and MHS Social Studies and PE.

• Shanda Craig - From Student Success Planner to MHS Behavioral Interventionist, Alternative Education Assistant Director as well as District Family and Community Engagement Coordinator.

• Linda Shelley - From Secondary Behavior Interventionist to Special education Teacher and Behavior Interventionist at LDE.

Hires

• Cynthia Shelli Chaney - Library Media Specialist at MMS

• Emily Jacobs - MMS Literacy

• Kristopher Clark - MMS Math

• Amanda Mershon Beck - Teacher LDE

• Misty Mullen - HHE Teacher, 7th Grade and Jr. High Cheer Coach.

• Macie Johnson - HHE Teacher

• Allison Hughes - HHE Teacher

• Olivia Ward - HHE Teacher

• Jenny Robertson - MHS Art

• Cody Koch - MHS Social Studies, Assistant Jr. High Football, Assistant Sr. High Football, Junior Girls Track.

Contract Change

• Curtis Black - Last day of employment will be May 31, 2023.

• Samantha Sellers - Principal LDEOne Month Contract beginning June 1, 2023.