Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast - Week 31: Progress, Not Panic

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

Happy Friday!As we close another full and fast-paced week, I want to thank each of you for your continued focus, effort, and resilience. This time of year requires much from all of us, and I am grateful for how you continue to show up for our students and one another. Our district vision—preparing students, supporting staff, and building community confidence—is not just words on a page. It is seen daily in classrooms, hallways, and offices throughout Mena Public Schools. This week, we also have reason to celebrate. The Arkansas Department of Education released our school grades, and I am proud to say that your hard work is creating academic growth, as indicated by our state’s measures. This recognition affirms what we already know: progress is being made. With that in mind, this week’s Wrap-up is titled Progress, Not Panic—a reminder that while the pace may be demanding, we must not let it diminish our purpose or our belief in what we are building together.A Reason to CelebrateWhile the Arkansas Department of Education will not issue official school letter grades for the 2023-2024 school year, we have received simulated outcomes aligned to the new statewide accountability model. These results are part of a transition period outlined in House Bill 1598, which pauses official grading to allow schools time to acclimate to changes in how performance is measured. The revised system focuses on three key priorities: Achievement, Growth, and Readiness, to ensure that every student is prepared for what comes next.Although these ratings are not final or official, we are encouraged by what they suggest about the direction of our schools. Louise Durham Elementary remains a B, Mena Middle School remains a C, and Mena High School remains a C. Most exciting, however, is that Holly Harshman Elementary has improved from a C to a B in this simulation. That upward movement is a testament to the focused efforts of staff, the hard work of students, and the intentional leadership within the building. It is also a reminder that growth takes time, and small steps forward often reflect major efforts behind the scenes.As we continue to align our work to this new accountability system, let us celebrate progress without confusion—this is not a final scorecard, but it is a strong signal that we are headed in the right direction.Progress, Not PanicSpring brings a new kind of pressure—one filled with final assessments, growing to-do lists, shifting roles, and the weight of what is next. It can feel like we are racing a clock that never quite slows down. However, I want to remind you: the presence of pressure does not mean the absence of progress. We are not behind—we are moving forward. The whirlwind of this season is not a sign of failure or disorganization; it is evidence that what we do matters deeply. When you feel the push, remember it is because you are carrying something valuable.We saw that value affirmed this week in the encouraging news from the state about Holly Harshman Elementary. While the ratings are not official, the improvement signals something important—our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Growth does not always come with fanfare or instant recognition, but it builds quietly, day by day, in classrooms, conversations, and careful choices. Let this be a reminder: do not let the pace of spring diminish your purpose. When one part of our district moves forward, it strengthens us all.This is the time of year when fatigue tempts us to retreat into survival mode. However, our influence is greatest when we push through with purpose. Instead of focusing on what is left to do, focus on what has already been done—how far your students have come, the culture you have helped shape, and the consistency you have brought day after day. Every hallway conversation, each classroom routine, and the steady presence you provide continue to shape lives. Stamina is not just about energy—it is about endurance of belief. Keep believing in the difference you make, even when the days blur together.As we cross into the final stretch, let us trade panic for perspective. Slow down enough to see the small victories and recognize that progress is happening, even in the mess. Hold onto your enthusiasm—it still fuels others. Protect your commitment—not because the work is easy, but because it is worth it. What we do now echoes into next year and beyond. Let us finish strong, not because we are not tired, but because we know why we started.ClosingMena Middle School and Mena High School FCCLA members represented our district with excellence at the State FCCLA Leadership Conference and Competitive Events this week. Students earned multiple bronze, silver, and gold medals across a variety of categories, showcasing their skills in areas such as interior design, hospitality, professional presentation, and more. Several teams and individuals have advanced to the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, where they will compete on a national stage. We are proud of their dedication, preparation, and the way they continue to demonstrate the strength of our Career and Technical Education programs.FBLA members from Mena Middle School and Mena High School have recently achieved outstanding results at both district and state competitions. Middle school students earned first-place finishes in timed events and recognition in career research, while high school students competed at the State Leadership Conference in Little Rock, showcasing months of preparation in presentations, speaking events, and testing. Several high school competitors placed in the top three in their events and have qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California this summer. Their performance reflects not only individual talent but also the strength and growth of our business education programs across campuses. Congratulations to all participants for representing Mena Public Schools with excellence!Mena FFA recently traveled to Fayetteville to compete in the State FFA Career Development Events, bringing seven qualified teams that had earned their spot through strong district performances. The teams represented a range of areas including Agriculture Mechanics, Horse and Livestock Evaluation, Food Science, Veterinary Science, Wildlife Management, and Nursery Landscape. Several teams placed in the top five at the state level, with individual members also earning high-ranking scores. Their hard work, preparation, and professionalism made a strong impression and reflected well on Bearcat Nation. A special thank you goes to all staff and administrators who continue to support these valuable opportunities for students to develop real-world skills and pursue future careers in agriculture.This week brought outstanding success across Mena Public Schools. Ladycat Softball earned two big conference wins, and Bearcat Baseball shut out Ozark. On the track, junior high and seventh-grade athletes brought home top finishes, with the Bearcats winning the 7th grade meet and both teams placing third in the junior high division. The Mena High School Band earned Sweepstakes honors with superior ratings in concert and sightreading, and the Spotlight Singers received a Division 1 rating at State Choral Performance Assessment. Our students continue to make us proud with their talent, determination, and Bearcat spirit.This week, we also proudly celebrated Assistant Principals Week and recognized the incredible leadership and dedication of our assistant principals at Mena Public Schools. Thank you to Celeste Ashcraft, Levi Norris, Rachel Carter, and Pete Rose for the vital role you play in supporting students, staff, and school success. Your commitment helps ensure that our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community remains confident.It was a good week of learning at Mena Public Schools.Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming and have a lovely weekend! 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 31 wrap up entitled Progress Not Panic. The final weeks of the school year can be exhausting because so many things are necessary to wrap up the school year, but we cannot lose our mission in the chaos. Happy Friday. As we close another full and fast paced week, I want to thank each of you for your continued focus, effort, and resilience. This time of year requires much from us all and I'm grateful for how you continue to show up for our students and one another. Our district vision, preparing students, supporting staff, and building community confidence is not just words on

a page. It is seen daily in classrooms, hallways and offices throughout municipal public schools. This week, we also have reason to celebrate. The Arkansas Department of Education released our school grades, and I'm proud to say that your hard work is creating academic growth, as indicated by our state's measures. This recognition affirms that we what we already know progress is being made. With that in mind, this week's wrap up is titled progress, not panic, a reminder that while the pace may be demanding, we must not let it

diminish our purpose or our belief in what we are building together. A reason to celebrate while the Arkansas Department of Education will not issue official school letter grades for the 23-24 school year, we have received simulated outcomes aligned to the new statewide accountability model. These results are part of a transition period outlined in House Bill 1598, which pauses official grading to allow schools time to acclimate to changes in how performance is measured.

The revised system focuses on three key priorities, achievement, growth, and readiness to ensure that every student is prepared for what comes next. Although these ratings are not final or official, we are encouraged by what they suggest about the direction of our schools. Louise Durham Elementary remains a B, Meena Middle School remains a C, and Meena High School remains a C. Most exciting, however, is that Holly Harshman Elementary has improved from a C to a B in this simulation. That upward movement is a testament to the focused efforts of staff, the hard work of students, and the intentional leadership within the building. It is also a reminder that growth takes time, and small steps forward often reflect major efforts behind the scenes.

As we continue to align our work to this new accountability system, let us celebrate progress without confusion. This is not a final scorecard, but it is a strong signal that we are headed in the right direction. Progress, not panic. Spring brings a new kind of pressure, one filled with final assessments, growing to-do lists, shifting roles, and the weight of what is next. It can feel like we are racing a clock that never quite slows down. However, I want to remind you the presence of pressure does not mean the absence of progress. We are not behind. We are moving forward. The

whirlwind of this season is not a sign of failure or disorganization. It is evidence that what we do deeply matters. When you feel the push, remember it is because you are carrying something valuable. We saw that value affirmed this week in the encouraging news from the state about Holly Harshman Elementary. While the ratings are not official, the improvement signals something important. Our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Growth does not always come with fanfare or instant recognition, but it builds quietly day by day

in classrooms, conversations, and careful choices. Let this be a reminder. Do not let the pace of spring diminish your purpose. When our part of the district moves, when one part of the district moves forward, it strengthens us all. This time of year is when fatigue tempts us to retreat into survival mode. However, our influence is greatest when we push through with purpose. Instead of focusing on what is left to do,

focus on what has already been done, how far your students have come, the culture you have helped shape, and the consistency you have brought day by day. Every hallway conversation, each classroom routine, and the steady presence of you provide continue, the presence you provide continue to shape lives. Stemina is not just about energy, it is about endurance of belief. Keep believing in the difference you make, even when the days blur together. As we cross into the final stretch, let us trade panic for perspective. Slow down enough to see the small victories and recognize that progress is happening, even in the mess. Hold on to your enthusiasm. It fuels others. Protect your commitment, not because the

work is easy, but because it's worth it. What we do now echoes into the next year and beyond. Let us finish strong, not because we are tired, but because we know why we started. In closing, Meadow Middle School and Meena High School FCCLA members represented our district with excellence at the state FCCLA leadership conference and competitive events this week. Students earned multiple bronze, silver, and gold medals across a variety of categories showcasing their skills in areas such as interior design, hospitality, professional presentation, and more. Several teams and individuals have advanced to the National Leadership Conference in Orlando,

where they will compete on the national stage. We are proud of their dedication, preparation, and the way they continue to demonstrate the strength of our career and technical education programs. FBLA members from Meena Middle School and Meadow High School have also recently achieved outstanding results at both district and state competitions. Middle school students earned first place finishes in time events and recognition in career research while high school students competed at the state leadership conference in Little Rock showcasing months of preparation and presentations, speaking events, and testing. Several high school competitors placed in the top three in their events and have qualified for the

FBLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, California this summer. Their performance reflects not only individual talent but also strength and growth of our business education programs across campuses. Congratulations to all participants for representing Meadow Public Schools with excellence. Also, Meadow FFA recently traveled to Fayetteville to the state FFA career development contests bringing seven qualified teams that had earned their spot through strong district performances. The teams represented a range including agriculture mechanics, horse and livestock evaluation, food science, veterinary science, wildlife management, and nursery landscape. Several teams placed in the top five at the state level

with individual members also earning high ranking scores. Their hard work preparation and professionalism made a strong impression and reflected well on Bearcat Nation. A special thank you goes to all staff and administrators who continue to support these valuable opportunities for students to develop real-world skills and pursue futures in agriculture and other career opportunities. This week brought outstanding success across Mena public schools and other ways. Lady Cat softball earned two big conference wins and Bearcat baseball

shut out Ozark. On the track, junior high and seventh grade athletes brought home top finishes with the Bearcats winning the seventh grade meet and both teams placing third in the junior high division. The Meant High School band earned sweepstakes honors with superior ratings in concert and sight reading and the Spotlight Singers received a Division I rating at the State Choral Performance Assessment. Our students continue to make us proud with their talent, determination, and bearcat spirit. This week we also proudly celebrated Assistant Principals Week and recognize the incredible leadership and dedication of our Assistant Principals at Union Public Schools. Thank you to Celeste Ashcraft, Levi Norris, Rachel Carter, and Pete Rose

for the vital role you play in supporting students, staff, and school success. Your commitment helps ensure that our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community remains confident. It was a good week of learning at Mena Public Schools. Keep the Mena