Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast - Week 31: Verifying What Matters

Episode Date: April 10, 2026

Happy Friday!As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady, professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets in attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view, and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keep us moving toward those goals. This week’s Wrap-up focuses on a behind-the-scenes task that has real implications for how our work is measured and recognized, an update on summer professional learning from our Teacher Center Committee meeting, and several celebrations that show how our students are growing in academics, the arts, and athletics across the district.Getting Credit For Your WorkThe state Roster Verification System window is now open in LEA Insights, and this step is essential to ensuring Merit Teacher Incentive Fund rewards are based on accurate and fair data. Roster verification is how we confirm that every student is correctly linked to the teacher who actually provided instruction, so that growth scores and future merit pay decisions reflect your work with students.This year, roster verification includes both our traditional ATLAS-tested areas and our earliest grades. That means teachers who serve students in grades K through 2, as well as teachers in grades 3 through 10 English language arts, grades 3 through 8 mathematics, algebra, geometry, and tested science courses, will verify that their rosters are correct. For K through 2 teachers, this is a forward-looking step. The state is beginning to collect and link K through 2 scores now so that, after three years of data, those grade levels can also be included in merit pay calculations. Careful roster verification this spring is what will make it possible for early elementary growth to count in future years.Our local deadline for completing teacher-level roster verification will be ten days before the state final due date. We build in that time so principals and I can review and certify everything before it goes to the state. Please do not wait until the last week of the window to begin. The earlier you log in and review your rosters, the more time we have to correct any issues and ensure that you receive full credit for the students you serve.The state has provided a helpful set of slide decks and short videos to walk teachers and administrators through the Roster Verification System. These resources are available on the state department Roster Verification System page and are organized by role, including Primary and Secondary Teachers of Record, Potential Collaborators, Building Administrators, and District Administrators. I encourage you to use the slide deck and video that match your role as you complete your verification. If you need assistance after reviewing those materials, please reach out at the building level first so we can support you quickly.Our goal is simple and important. Every student correctly linked to the right teacher, every time. When the state calculates growth and merit incentives, we want those numbers to reflect the real work that you do with students each day.Teacher Center Committee Meeting at DMESCThis week, our spring Teacher Center Committee for the DeQueen-Mena Educational Service Cooperative (DMESC) met to complete one of our three required annual meetings and to provide feedback on school needs while previewing summer professional development. The Teacher Center Committee continues to play an important role for us by serving as a direct line between schools and the co op. Their input helps shape the kinds of support and training that are offered, and it keeps the focus on what our teachers and students actually need.The co op team shared a wide range of summer professional development offerings that touch nearly every content area. There will be math sessions focused on fluency and foundational number sense, literacy sessions from state specialists that support writing, comprehension, and planning an effective literacy block, and science sessions that use high-quality instructional materials and ATLAS data to guide instruction. In addition, there are opportunities in CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support. In short, there is something here for almost every teacher, and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available.One key update for us involves RISE training. The K–2 and 3–6 RISE Academies scheduled at our co-op will not make because they did not meet the state minimum of fifteen registered participants. Teachers who still need RISE proficiency will need to register at other co-ops, such as Dawson, Southwest, Guy Fenter, or Arch Ford. Those sessions are already filling, so if you still need this requirement, please register as soon as possible rather than waiting until later in the summer. Click here for a list of dates and locations.The meeting also highlighted several important opportunities connected to CTE and early career readiness. Pre-educator pathway trainings are scheduled for late July, and districts are encouraged to send their pre-educator teachers to both days so that these pathways remain strong options for students who are interested in the teaching profession. Schools that serve grades six through eight will also have a chance to send a team to an early career exploration training in September. Participation in that training will be tied to eligibility for Paxton Patterson Career Exploration Kit grants, which could provide additional hands-on experiences for our middle school students.Another theme of the meeting was targeted support in areas where we know there are gaps. A new Geometry Nexus collaborative will bring geometry teachers together across districts to align curriculum maps with standards, address the disconnect between current materials and the state assessment, and build a shared set of resources. Dyslexia support will expand through Level 2 screener training at Dawson Co-op and through on-site “What Every Educator Needs to Know About Dyslexia” sessions that districts can schedule. Coaching and mentoring opportunities will come through John Wink training for experienced teachers who support novices, and there will be additional literacy sessions, such as Strategic Reading Days for middle school teachers.Our next steps as a district are straightforward. We will identify staff who still need RISE or other required training and help them register at available sites. We will ensure that pre-educator pathway teachers are signed up for both summer sessions and that we have appropriate teams registered for early career exploration training so we remain eligible for grant opportunities. We will also continue to monitor the co-op professional development offerings, paying attention to both the updated and the canceled sessions, so that our staff receives accurate information as they make summer plans.Finally, please take a few minutes to complete the DMESC user satisfaction survey for this year if you have not already done so. Anyone in our district who uses the co-op in any capacity is invited to respond. Your feedback directly shapes the services and professional learning that DMESC provides in the future, and it is an important way to make sure that support remains aligned to the work you are doing every day.Looking Ahead As we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. Daily attendance, both for students and adults. A calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations. Strong Tier One instruction that uses the time we have with students very well. When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation.If you have not yet logged into LEA Insights to review your rosters, next week is a good week to begin. A few focused minutes now will save you stress later and will help us avoid last-minute corrections at the end of the window. If you are planning summer professional development, please carefully review the offerings that best match your role and your students' needs, and communicate any questions through your principal so we can support you in that planning. Thank you for treating these tasks as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another.Closing CelebrationsMena Soccer hosted Bauxite at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium this week, with the Ladycats battling in a close match and the Bearcats earning a solid 3–1 win. Both teams continue to gain valuable experience as they move through the season, and they will be back on the field this evening in Nashville as they keep representing our community well.Our student artists did great at the Mena Art Gallery youth show, bringing home multiple top awards across categories. It is encouraging to see our art students using their skills and creativity to such a high standard and to see their work recognized in a public setting.Mena Middle School theatre students recently brought “Julius Caesar” to life for AP Literature and Theatre classes, giving our high school students a live performance that connected classic text with real stage experience. Their work on this production reflects strong collaboration between our middle school and high school programs and gives students another powerful way to build confidence, communication, and a deeper understanding of literature.Mena baseball earned a strong win over Ozark this week at Union Bank Park. It is good to see our Bearcats and Ladycats staying competitive, learning from each contest, and supporting one another as they move through a busy spring schedule.The seventh-grade Bearcat track team turned in an impressive performance at the Waldron Bulldog Relays, finishing as runner-up in the meet. Their work on the track reflects a lot of effort in practice and shows how our younger athletes are learning to compete the right way.Our Senior Ladycat Track team turned in a very strong showing at Waldron yesterday, finishing second overall in a competitive field. Their relay work, individual events, and steady effort throughout the meet reflect a lot of time invested in practice and a commitment to representing Mena the right way. We are proud of the way they competed and encouraged one another from start to finish.Mena High School FBLA had an outstanding showing at the State Conference, with several competitors placing near the top and qualifying for nationals in multiple events. Their success highlights the strength of our business program and the real-world skills our students are building in areas such as finance, management, and accounting.Mena Middle School and High School FCCLA chapters had an outstanding day at State Star Events, with every student placing and multiple competitors qualifying for National contests in Washington, D.C. This level of success across so many different events reflects strong preparation, a wide range of career focused skills, and the steady support of our advisers as they help students grow in leadership, service, and real world readiness.The Mena High School Band earned first division superior ratings from all judges at the Region VIII Concert and Sightreading Assessment. This highest level recognition reflects consistent practice, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to excellence from every member of the Bearcat Band.It was a good week of bright spots 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 nice 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 Verifying What Matters. Being accurate about our performance depends on careful verification and purposeful professional learning. Happy Friday. As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets and attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keeps us. moving toward those goals. This week's wrap-up focuses on a behind-the-scenes task that has real implications for how our work is measured and recognized and update on summer professional learning from our teacher center committee meeting and several celebrations that show how our students

are growing in academics, the arts, and athletics across the district. Getting credit for your work. The state roster verification system window is open in LAA Insights, linked in the text. And this step is essential to ensuring merit teacher incentive fund rewards are based on accurate and fair data. Roster verification is how we confirm that every student is correctly linked to the teacher who actually provided instruction so that growth scores and future merit pay decisions reflect your work with students. This year, roster verification includes both our traditional Atlas tested areas and our earliest grades. That

That means teachers who serve students in grades K through 2 as well as teachers in grades 3 through 10 English language arts, grade 3 through 8 mathematics, algebra, geometry, and tested science courses will verify that their rosters are correct. For K2 teachers, this is a forward-looking step. The state is beginning to collect and link K through 2 scores now so that after three years of data, those grade levels can also be included in merit pay calculations. Careful roster verification this spring is what will make it possible for early elementary growth to count in future years. Our local deadline for completing teacher level roster verification will be 10 days before the final date, the state final due date. We build in that time so principals and I can review and certify everything before it goes to the state. Please do not wait until the last week of the window to begin.

begin. Earlier you log in and review your rosters, the more time we have to correct any issues and ensure that you receive full credit for the students you serve. The state has provided a helpful set of slide decks and short videos to walk teachers and administrators through the roster verification system. These resources are available on the State Department Roster Verification System page that's linked and are organized by role, including primary and secondary teachers of record, potential collaborators, building administrators, and district administrators. I encourage you to use the slide deck and video that match your role as you complete your

verification. If you need assistance after reviewing those materials, please reach out at the building level first so we can support you quickly. Our goal is simple and important. Every student correctly linked to the right teacher every time. When the state calculates growth and merit incentives, we want those. numbers to reflect the real with your students each day. Teacher Center Committee meeting at D-MESC.

This week our Spring Teacher Center Committee for the Dequeen MENA Educational Service Co-op met to complete one of their three required annual meetings and to provide feedback on school needs while previewing summer professional development. The Teacher Center Committee continues to play an important role for us by serving as a direct line between schools and the co-op. Their input helps shape the kind of support and training that are offered and it keeps the focus on what our teachers and students actually need.

The co-op team shared a wide range of summer professional development offerings that are linked in the text that touch nearly every content area. There will be math sessions focused on fluency and foundation number sense, literacy sessions from state specialists that support writing, comprehension and planning and effective literacy block and science sessions that use highly qualified high quality instructional materials and atlas data to guide instruction. In addition, there are opportunities in CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support.

In short, there's something for almost every teacher and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available. One key update for us involves RISE training. The K2 and 36 Rise Academies scheduled at our co-op will not make because they did not meet the state minimum of 15 registered participants. Teachers who still need RISE proficiency will need to register at other co-ops such as Dawson, Southwest, Guy Fener, or Arch Ford. Those sessions are already filling, so if you still need this requirement, please register as soon as soon. possible rather than waiting until later in the summer. You can click the link in the text for a list of dates and locations. The meeting also highlighted several important opportunities connected to CTE and early career readiness. Pre-educator pathway training trainings are scheduled

for late July and districts are encouraged to send their pre-educator teachers to both days so that these pathways remain a strong option for students who are interested in the teaching profession. Schools that serve grades 6 through 8 will also have a chance to send a team to early career exploration training in September. Participation in that training will be tied to eligibility for Paxton Patterson Career Exploration Kits grants, which could provide additional hands-on experiences for our middle school students. Another theme of the meeting was targeted support in areas where we know there are gaps. A new geometry nexus collaborative will bring geometry teachers together across

districts to align curriculum maps with standards, address the disconnect between current materials and the state assessment, build a shared set of resources. Dyslexia support will expand through level two screener training at Dawson co-op through on-site what every educator needs to know about dyslexia sessions that district's can schedule. Coaching and mentoring opportunities will come through John Wink training for experienced teachers who support novice and there will be additional literacy sessions such as strategic reading days for middle school teachers. Our next steps as a district are straightforward. We will identify staff who still

need rise or other required training and help them register at the available sites. We will ensure that pre-educator pathway teachers are signed up for both summer sessions and that we have appropriate teams registered for early career exploration training so we remain eligible for grant opportunities. We will also continue to monitor the co-op professional development offerings, paying attention to both the updated and the canceled sessions so that our staff receives accurate information as they make summer plans. Finally, please take a few minutes to complete the DMESC user satisfaction survey that's

linked in the text for this year. if you have not already done so. Anyone in our district who uses the co-op in any capacity is invited to respond. Your feedback directly shapes the services of professional learning that DMESC provides in the future, and it's an important way to make sure that support remains aligned to the work we're doing every day. Looking ahead, as we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. daily attendance, both for students and adults, a calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations, strong Tier 1 instruction that uses the time we have with students very well.

When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation. If you have not logged into LEA Insights to review your rosters, next week is a good week to begin. A few focused minutes now, we'll save you stress later and will help us avoid last-minute corrections at the end of the window. If you are planning summer professional development, please carefully review the offerings that best match your role and your students' needs and communicate any questions through your principals so we can support you in that planning. Thank you for treating these tasks as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another.

Closing celebrations. MENA Soccer hosted box site at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium this week, with the Ladycats battling in a close match, and the Bearcats earning a solid 3-1 win. Both teams continue to gain valuable experience as they move through the season, and it will be back on the field this evening in Nashville as they keep representing our community well. Our student artists did great at the Mina Art Gallery Youth Show, bringing home multiple top awards across categories. It is encouraging to see that our art students are using their skills and creativity to such a high standard and to see their work recognized in a public setting. Meena Middle School theater students recently brought Julius Caesar to life for AP literature and theater classes, giving our high school students a live performance that connected classic text,

with real stage experience. Their work on this production reflects strong collaboration between our middle school and high school programs and gives students another powerful way to build confidence, communication, and deeper understanding of literature. Being a baseball earned a strong win over Ozark this week at Union Bank Park.

It's good to see our Bearcats and Ladycats staying competitive, learning from each contest, and supporting one another as they move through a busy spring schedule. The 7th grade Bearcat track team turned in impressive performance at the Waldron Bulldog Relays, finishing as runner-up in the meet. The work on the track reflects a lot of effort and practice and shows how our younger athletes are learning to compete it the right way. Our senior Lady Cat track team turned in very strong showing at Waldron yesterday, finishing second overall in competitive field.

The relay work, individual events, and steady effort throughout the meet reflect a lot of time invested in practice and commitment to representing MENA the right way. We are proud of the way they competed and encouraged one another from start to finish. Mena High School FBLA had an outstanding showing at the State Conference with several competitors placing near the top and qualifying for nationals and multiple events. Their success highlights the strength of our business program and the real world skills our students are building in areas such as finance, management, and accounting. In the middle school and high school, FCCLA chapters had an outstanding day at state star

events with every student placing and multiple competitors qualifying for national contests in Washington, D.C. This level of success across so many different events reflects strong preparation, a wide range of career-focused skills, and the steady support of our advisors as they help students grow in leadership, service, and real-world readiness. The mean high school band earned first division superior ratings from all judges at the region eight concert and site reading assessment. This highest level recognition reflects consistent practice, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to excellence from every member of the bear cap band. It was a good week of bright spots at mean of public schools. At meena public schools, our students are prepared.

Our staff is supported and our community is confident. Keep the hashtag Mena Reads, hosts, and videos coming, and have a nice weekend.