Episode Details

Happy Friday!

As we close out another productive week at Mena Public Schools, I want to express my deep appreciation for the energy, commitment, and heart each of you brings to our school community. Your efforts continue to drive us forward, and it is through your hard work that we can make a meaningful impact on our students, staff, and families as we strive to reach our performance targets. Thank you for all that you do every day to support our shared mission and vision—we will keep pushing forward together!

A word about this year’s performance target data thus far… While our average attendance rate has seen a slight dip compared to last year, it is important to highlight that we are still performing well above our attendance goal for this year. Our early performance data shows that our efforts are paying off, demonstrating strong engagement from our students. However, just like last year, we see a rise in discipline incidents, which is expected as we continue to rigorously track referrals now across all four campuses using the BX3 behavior matrices. This increased accountability and consistency in managing student behavior reflect our commitment to maintaining a positive learning environment and supporting our students' success. The data may not be tracking in a direction we like but I am not concerned because we are keeping our expectations high.

This Week 7 Wrap-up post is titled "What Are We Doing?" with a focus on self-reflection, impactful actions, and contrasting examples of behaviors that hinder our mission and vision.

What Are We Doing?

This week, I want to take a moment to pause and reflect on a simple yet profound question: What are we doing? In its many forms, this question guides us back to our mission and vision—serving our community by instilling purpose, fostering growth, and building a better future for all. We will explore what this means in practice and how our actions align with the impact we strive to create.

Are We Inspiring Purpose?

What are we doing to inspire purpose in our students and staff? We are creating opportunities for everyone to discover their unique strengths and passions. From personalized learning experiences to community projects, our actions show that every dream is valued. However, the antithesis is when we become too focused on routine and overlook the individual needs of those we serve. Purpose thrives when we see and nurture each person's potential and allow them to showcase their talents.

Are We Building a Supportive Environment?

What are we doing to build a supportive environment? We engage in meaningful professional development, foster collaborative teams, and celebrate successes. Our vision comes alive when we uplift one another, providing support in words and action. The opposite behavior is operating in silos, letting criticism overshadow encouragement, or failing to offer a helping hand when someone struggles. Support is not a passive act; it is a daily commitment.

Are We Creating Confidence in Our Community?

What are we doing to instill confidence in our community? We are showing up with transparency, communicating openly with families, and involving community members in our journey. We build confidence when we own our successes and our challenges, demonstrating that we are all in this together. The counterproductive approach is avoiding tough conversations, shutting out feedback, or failing to engage. Confidence grows from connection and shared accountability.

Are We Modeling Accountability?

What are we doing to model accountability? We celebrate our achievements, but we also learn from our mistakes without losing sight of our purpose. Accountability is reflected in our willingness to a