program spanning “from the food preparation through management,” Smith says. Alongside robust traditional CTE pathways, an innovative 80-acre outdoor classroom, developed with federal agencies, provides hands-on learning in conservation.“They donated the time and expertise. We provided the land,” adds Smith. The district also emphasizes technology, hosting a popular “no-code hackathon” with around 80 participants. “We are really getting deeper into internship and apprenticeship,” Smith explains,“and our high school principal works really hard to find placement for our high school students to try to get real world experience before they leave high school.” A prime partnership with NIDEC places students in business roles, gaining real office experience despite age restrictions on the factory floor. This ensures graduates are prepared for both established and emerging local careers. In addition, Clark Construction, which is constructing a new medical professions building at the college, is hiring high school students to apprentice the construction workers to learn a trade and earn credit for graduation. CAPITAL INVESTMENTS: BUILDING FOR BELONGING AND CAPABILITY Mena Public Schools treats its budget as a strategic tool for investing in belonging and capability.“We’re investing in the mission to have a place for every student so they have belonging,” says Smith, which extends beyond academics to activities they enjoy, exemplified by a new activity center used for sports, band, and eSports. The district’s most crucial investment is in its people. “We’ve increased salaries for teachers three times since I’ve been here,” Smith says, including a recent 3% raise and establishing “incentives for those high performing teachers and coaches.” Parallel to this is equipping students to “learn by doing,” through modern tools like new CNC machines acquired via grants for CTE programs. “We were also given Internet streaming equipment from our athletic booster club that was used to stream games online and turned that donation into another career pathway for our students, enhancing the broadcasting experience for viewers and building transferable skills,” he adds. A standout initiative is the REACH program, which turned paraprofessional roles from a “dead end job” into a teaching pathway. “We’re able to get the credentials and the skills that they need to go into the classroom,” says Smith. “So now they’re high earners and can contribute more to the community that way, both professionally and economically.” 249 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 10 MENA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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