Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast - Week 29: Spring Break and the Road Ahead

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

Happy Spring Break Friday!As we close out the final week before Spring Break, I want to thank you for the energy, attention, and care you have given during these past few moths. It is not lost on me how fast and full the calendar has been—academically, athletically, and emotionally. You have shown up for students, for your colleagues, and for this community with consistency, grace, and a deep commitment to our mission.Next week, I hope you will allow yourself some time to rest. Not just physical recovery, but the kind of rest that allows you to return with clarity and purpose. Take the walk, read the book, sleep in, laugh with your family, sit in the quiet—whatever it is that fills your cup, I hope you find it because the weeks after Spring Break are also fast and full and much is at stake.When we return, we begin the final stretch. The state testing window opens on April 14 and continues through May 16. That stretch will require the best version of us—not perfection, but presence. Not urgency, but intentionality. Our students will look to us for confidence and calm, and we must be ready to offer it.Remember, this is not about one test or one week. This is about everything you have built day by day—skills, relationships, routines, and expectations that make real learning possible. You have already done the hard work. The next step is to help students walk into the room believing that they have too and they are ready to demonstrate it.Enjoy your break. Protect your peace. And come back ready to finish the year with strength, unity, and purpose.Calendar BillThis week, House Bill 1864 was introduced in the Arkansas General Assembly and has been referred to the House Education Committee for review. The bill proposes a standardized yet flexible school calendar model for all public schools beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. It outlines requirements for a minimum of 178 student attendance days, 1,068 instructional hours, and 190 teacher contract days, along with 30 make-up hours for emergency closures. It also maintains flexibility for districts by setting a school start date no earlier than July 1 and the end of the school year no later than June 30. Interestingly, some of our calendar options that were voted on for next year already reflect the intent and structure of this bill, showing that what we were thinking might happen was correct. We will continue to follow the bill's progress and communicate any updates that may impact future planning.ClosingCongratulations to our Mena High School students and computer science teachers for advancing to the ninth annual All-State Coding Competition in April 2025! Out of 146 teams that participated in the regional event, only 25 were selected to move on, and our team earned a spot among them. This accomplishment reflects both the talent of our students and the quality of instruction in our computer science program. We are proud of their hard work and look forward to cheering them on at the state competition!Our outstanding chess players made a clean sweep at the Cossatot River Chess Tournament this week! Mena claimed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, showcasing not only individual talent but also the depth of skill in our program. Their strategic thinking, focus, and composure at the board are a reflection of hard work and dedication. We are proud of their performance and how well they represented our school.Throughout this week—and really, throughout the year—our students have continued to model what it means to serve others. From picking up trash along our roadsides, to volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce banquet, to painting faces and bringing joy to our youngest learners, their acts of volunteerism reflect the kind of character we hope to develop in every graduate. These moments are more than just good deeds—they are experiences that plant seeds of empathy, leadership, and even career direction. When students give of themselves, they begin to discover what truly gives them purpose. That is education in its highest form. I also want to thank the teachers and sponsors who facilitate these opportunities and make service a visible part of our school culture. Your example is shaping lives in ways that will echo long after the school year ends.It was a good week at Mena Public Schools.At Mena Public Schools our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident.Enjoy Spring Break! 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

Good afternoon and welcome to the week 29 wrap up entitled Spring Break and the Road Ahead. Spring Break offers time to refocus, renew your sense of purpose, and return ready to guide students with confidence and care. Happy Spring Break Friday. As we close out the final week before Spring Break, I want to thank you for the energy, attention, and care you've given during these past few months. It is not lost on me how fast and full the calendar has been academically, athletically,

and emotionally. You have shown up for your students, for your colleagues, and for this community with consistency, grace, and a deep commitment to our vision and mission. Next week, I hope you will allow yourself some time to rest, not just physical recovery, but the kind of rest that allows you to return with clarity and purpose. Take the walk, read the book, sleep in, laugh with your family, sit in the quad, whatever it takes to fill your cup. I hope you find it because the weeks after spring break are also fast and full and much is at stake. When we return we begin the final stretch. The state testing window opens on April 14 and continues

through May 16. That stretch will require the best version of us. Not perfection but presence. Not urgency, but intentionality. Our students will look to us for confidence and calm, and we must be ready to offer it. Remember, this is not about one test or one week. It's about everything you have built day by day. Skills, relationships, routines, and expectations that make real learning possible. You've already done the hard work. The next

step is to help students walk into the room believing that they have to and that they are ready to demonstrate it. Enjoy your break, protect your peace, and come back ready to finish the year with strength, unity, and purpose. Calendar Bill This week, House Bill 1864 was introduced in the Arkansas General Assembly and has been referred to the House Education Committee for review. The bill proposes a standardized yet flexible school calendar model for all public schools

beginning with the 26-27 school year. It outlines requirements for a minimum of 178 student attendance days, 1,068 instructional hours, and 190 teacher contract days, along with 30 make-up hours for emergency closures. It also maintains flexibility for districts by setting a school start date no earlier than July 1 and the end of the school year no later than June 30. Interestingly, some of our calendar options that were voted on for next year

already reflect the intent and structure of this bill, showing that what we were thinking might happen was correct. We will continue to follow the bill's progress and communicate any updates that may impact future planning. Closing, congratulations to our MENA high school students and computer science teachers for advancing to the ninth annual all-state coding competition in April of 2025. Out of the 146 teams that participated in the regional event, only 25 were selected to move on and our team earned a spot among them. This accomplishment reflects both the talent of our students and the quality of instruction in our computer science program.

We are proud of their hard work and look forward to cheering them on at the state competition. Our outstanding chess players made a clean sweep at the Costot River Chess Tournament this week. Mena claimed first, second, and third place showcasing not only individual talent but also the depth of skill in our program. Their strategic thinking, focus, and composure at the board are a reflection of hard work and dedication. We are proud of their performance and how well they represented our school. Throughout this week and really throughout the year, our students have continued to model what it means to serve others. From picking up trash along our roadsides to volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce banquet to painting faces and bringing joy to our youngest learners, their acts of volunteerism reflect the kind of

character we hope to develop in every graduate. These moments are more than just good deeds. They are experiences that plant seeds of empathy, leadership, and even career direction. When students give of themselves, they begin to discover what truly gives them purpose. That is education in its highest form. Also want to thank the teachers and sponsors who facilitate these opportunities and make service

a visible part of our school culture. Your example is shaping the lives and ways that will echo long after the school year ends. It was a good week at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Enjoy Spring Break!