The Administrator Newsletter - August 2022

VOLUME 48 • ISSUE 2 AUGUST 2022

THE

ADMINISTRATOR

NEW SCHOOL YEAR INSIGHTS

A HEALTHY AND VIBRANT AAEA

Dr. Hernandez shares upcoming legislative topics of interest to educators in the coming school year.

Brian Kirkendoll discusses his recent trip to the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Education Summit.

Executive Viewpoint

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President’s Perspective

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Viewpoint • P. 3 President’s Perspective • P. 5 Over the Top • P. 6 Administrator Spotlight • P. 7 Asked and Answered • P. 9 A Breath of Fresh Air • P. 9

ADMINISTRATOR SPOTLIGHT: DR. KAREN LASKER In the Spotlight this month is Dr. Karen Lasker, Director of Recruitment and Student Services at Conway School District.

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Compliance Connection • P. 10 CoSN Update • P. 10 Awards • P. 11 Benefits Corner • P. 13 Publication Sneak Peek • P. 14 Job Openings • P. 15

AAEA Staff Dr. Mike Hernandez Executive Director m.hernandez@theaaea.org

Mike Mertens Assistant Executive Director m.mertens@theaaea.org

Lenett Thrasher Director of Learning Services & Operations l.thrasher@theaaea.org

Sharon Chuculate Fiscal Services Coordinator s.chuculate@theaaea.org

Kelli Golden Chief Financial Officer k.golden@theaaea.org

Marty Smith Member Relations Manager m.smith@theaaea.org

Karen Dean Certification Program Manager k.dean@theaaea.org

Alyse Mattox Communications & Technology Specialist a.mattox@theaaea.org

Melanie Thrasher Business Analyst m.thrasher@theaaea.org

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2022-2023 Calendar of Events September AAFC Fall Conference, September 21-23, 2022 Hot Springs Convention Center ArkASPA New Personnel Administrator Workshop (HR Boot Camp), September 27, 2022 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock

October ASPMA Conference & CFD Classes, October 3-5, 2022 Hot Springs Convention Center AAGEA New Coordinator Workshop, October 5, 2022 Benton Event Center, Benton AAGEA Conference, October 6, 2022 Benton Event Center, Benton AAEA Fall Conference, October 18, 2022 Benton Event Center, Benton CASBO Certification Classes, October 26-27, 2022 Benton Event Center, Benton

January AASA Superintendent Symposium, January 10-11, 2023 DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock AACIA Conference, January 24, 2023 Benton Event Center, Benton

February Tel-AR Conference, February 6-7, 2023 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock AASBO Conference, February 9-10, 2023 Hot Springs Convention Center ArkASPA Conference, February 23, 2023 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock

April AACTEA Conference, April 10-11, 2023 DoubleTree Hotel, Hot Springs CASBO Certification Classes, April 11-12, 2023 Benton Event Center, Benton ASPMA Certification Classes, TBD

May ASBA/AAEA Joint Conference, May 2, 2023 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock AAFC Spring Conference, May 3-5, 2023 Hot Springs Convention Center

June AASEA Summer Conference, June 5-6, 2023 Venue TBD AAEA School Law Conference, TBD For more information, visit theaaea.org/events or see Page 9.

2022-2023 AAEA Board of Directors Brian Kirkendoll AAEA President Principal, Alma

Dr. Karla Neathery AAEA President-Elect Superintendent, Sheridan

Stacy DeFoor AAEA Board Secretary Assistant Superintendent, Benton

Dr. Stephanie Nehus AAEA Past President Superintendent, Hot Springs

Skipper Ward AASA President Superintendent, Magnolia

Dr. Andrea Martin AASA President-Elect Superintendent, Greenland

Kelvin Gragg AASA Secretary Assistant Superintendent, Pine Bluff

Carol Skiba AAESP President Principal, Cabot

Shawn Rose AAESP President-Elect Principal, Hillcrest

Mark Lewis AAESP Past President Principal, Conway

Matt Ziegler AASSP President Principal, Riverside

Dr. Karla Tarkington AASSP President-Elect Principal, Beebe

Lisa Hotsenpiller AACTEA President Career & Technical Administrator/Supervisor, Fayetteville

Julie Adams AAFC President Federal Programs Coordinator, DeWitt

Carla Curtis AASEA President Director of Special Services, Fayetteville

Dr. Steven Weber AACIA President Assistant Superintendent, Fayetteville

Scott Smith Dr. Karen Lasker AASSP Past President ArkASPA President Principal, Western Yell County Director of Personnel, Conway Melody Crane AASBO President Business Manager/District Treasurer, Hector

Kevin Luck AASBO Past President Business Manager, Vilonia

Monica Springfield AAGEA President Gifted and Talented Specialist, Ozark Unlimited Resource ESC

J.D. Keeling AAMLA President Principal, Dardanelle

Jarod Morrison Tel-AR President Director of Maintenance/ Technology, Farmington

Dr. Mike Hernandez AAEA Executive Director

Aliza Jones Craig Dupuy ASPMA President (until Oct) ASPMA President (begin Oct) Facilities Consortium Superintendent, Cleveland Coordinator, Lavaca County

2022-2023 AAEA Corporate Sponsors Prestigious

Diamond (Continued)

Platinum (Continued)

American Fidelity Assurance Co. Coryell Roofing and Construction, Inc. Curriculum Associates Educational Benefits, Inc. Imagine Learning Lifetouch National School Studios, Inc. NIET - National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Pearson Virtual Schools Pro Benefits Group, Inc. Protect Ed Renaissance Learning, Inc. Solution Tree, Inc.

Energy Systems Group ESS First Security Beardsley Middleton, Inc. OnToCollege Rave Mobile Safety SmartData Dashboard Stephens, Inc. Tanium Winsor Learning

Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects Progressive Technologies TRANE US, Inc.

Diamond Apptegy ClassLink ClassWallet Cognia Edmentum

Platinum AAMSCO Architecture Plus, Inc. C.R. Crawford Construction, LLC DotCom Therapy, Inc. Entegrity Energy Partners, LLC Legacy Construction Management Lexia Learning Nabholz Construction Corp.

Gold Cynergy Rehab Group Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Kinco Constructors, LLC Phoenix Contractors, LLC Red Comet TIPS - The Interlocal Purchasing System

Silver American Bus Sales, Inc. Correll, Inc. French Architects, PA Hight-Jackson Associates, PA SEAS

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Executive Viewpoint Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

New School Year Insights Well, that was quick! Summer is just about over, and we now have the promise of a new school year. Hopefully, you were able to attend the AAEA conference this summer. It was one of the largest groups ever, with many participants and vendors. That is a credit to you for wanting to get quality learning and networking and to our constituent boards and staff for putting together a conference full of great information. Many things compete for your attention, and I hope our summer conference is viewed as a great option that serves your needs. The message of our theme this year was purposeful to help you begin or continue to change the narrative about public education in your communities. There are so many wonderful things going on in your schools, and we must let that light shine. AAEA is already planning for the 2023 conference.

There will be many opportunities to shine this year. Surely, we will begin this year without the threats of major Covid outbreaks that will disrupt how we do school. This reprieve will allow us to get back to consistency with our schedules and plans to educate our students. The 94th General Assembly will convene this year, beginning on January 9th, 2023. This session will bring many challenges, I am sure, but also opportunities to improve the educational process in our state. We must continue to work with our community and locally elected officials to express the needs we have and the challenges we face due to policy restrictions and funding. The AAEA Legislative committees will continue to meet along with some other ad hoc groups to determine what policy changes might be needed to better educate students who are products of our ever-changing society. I know you all welcome these students with open arms. Some early focus areas discussed are reading, career and technical education, fiscal responsibility, family and community engagement, and school safety.

School safety has been a massive topic of discussion in our state due to the recent events in Uvalde, Texas. The Arkansas School Safety Commission will submit its initial report to the Governor this month, and a final report will be finished by October. The initial discussion has been around ascertaining how schools have been able to institute the previous 2018 recommendations and develop new possible recommendations based on further information from Uvalde. You should expect to see new survey questions asking you to respond. There is hope that new money will be made available to schools through the adequacy study and the special session on August 9th. The two main ideas I have gleaned from all this discussion are that districts should have safety procedures that

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ensure that doors are locked as much as possible and that districts practice and inspect these procedures regularly. Many layers can be added to this, but it starts with communication of procedures and training with staff. I know many of you are being asked questions by your community about school safety and how your district will address these questions and concerns. The best way is to establish or continue a school safety committee that includes parents and community members to discuss these matters and educate them on what you're doing to keep your students and staff safe.

Speaking of the special session, we understand that teacher salaries have little chance of being on the call. It is excellent that we have had such a widespread discussion about teacher salaries. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that the debate has turned into such a public fight, but that is where we are in this climate. On the positive side, we seem to have widespread agreement that salaries must be addressed. I believe the adequacy committee will address this in the coming months as we approach the next legislative session in January. This month's main order of business for the special session will be to accelerate tax cuts that were voted on in December of 2021. I know there is some concern about how the federal government will view this as it relates to the American Rescue Plan, but that is yet to be determined. We hope these tax cuts will not jeopardize the future funding needed for schools and teacher raises. School safety funding is the only other item that may be on the call that has to do with education at this point.

Finally, as you know, we are awaiting guidance on how the new Arkansas Legislative Council's bonus recommendation will shake out. Many of you are scrambling to figure out what your next step is. This is an excellent opportunity to educate your staff and community about the history of all the relief funding provided and how you have worked with your community to make plans for spending this based on needs. I was interviewed on Arkansas Week about this topic, which may help with some of the language in your communications. The recording is linked here. The bottom line is that it should remain a local decision on how you spend these funds to help your students, staff, and district.

Hopefully, relief funds will begin flowing soon for reimbursement, and we can move forward from this recent development.

The 2022-2023 school year is upon us. Let's make a difference and improve the lives of our students. Thank you all for your hard work this summer!

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President’s Perspective Brian Kirkendoll, AAEA Board President

A Healthy and Vibrant AAEA

On July 11th, I was fortunate to attend a national conference in Louisville, KY. I, along with three other AASSP board members, represented Arkansas at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Education Summit. Over two and a half days we shared experiences and insights, collaborated with other school leaders to generate solutions to the most pressing issues affecting our schools, and created actionable strategies to transform education for students. In addition, as we were finishing our time in Louisville, the National Association of Elementary Administrators convened with a similar group of educators from around the country.

I am grateful to AAEA for allowing administrators to be present and part of national conversations through conventions and summits. I have never attended an advocacy or leadership conference where something beneficial wasn’t gained. One area always seems crystal clear: our state association is one of the most organized, well-led, and well-rounded organizations in the United States. AAEA is a flourishing association which is held in high regard. Our summer conference is better attended than that of California, New York, and many other states. Furthermore, our problems appear minor and our educational forecast is much brighter than a large majority of the rest of the nation.

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Over the Top Unusual Rooftop Finds: Harmless, Humorous — Or Not Submitted by Deveny Cay Wells, Editor, Coryell Roofing & Construction Roofers find some pretty unusual things on top of buildings. Some are harmless and rather humorous.

Others are not.

Jeremy Hey, commercial sales manager for Coryell Roofing, has come across cell phones, weapons, bottles of liquor, windshield wipers, and wasps (an unpleasant incident, he said). His most unusual find, however, was a live fox on a roof in Abilene, Texas!

While it is unusual to find a fox on a roof, it is not unusual to find vegetation (trees and plants) growing, according to Jeremy. Vegetation grows in the leaves and dirt that accumulate when rooftops are not properly cleaned and maintained. The debris forms a compost mat on which wind, birds, other critters, and trees deposit nuts and seeds.

What happens next, if left unchecked, is damage to your roof: • With moisture, the nuts and seeds sprout and grow into trees and vegetation.

• The root systems penetrate and damage roof membranes and insulation and make a pathway for water to enter your building.

• Trees and vegetation also grow into and clog gutters and drains, causing water to pond and find a way into your building.

Dr. Richard Abernathy, Arkansas education consultant for Coryell Roofing, says that when it comes to all an administrator has to deal with, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and unless a roof is

leaking, it isn't squeaking!" Don’t allow that roof of yours to be the “squeaky wheel that [needs] the grease.”

Have your roof inspected: √ Find out what has accumulated or grown on your roof that will, left unattended, damage it.

Practice preventative maintenance: √ Have your roof cleaned by a professional twice a year. Ballasted roofs need extra attention since the debris trapped by the rocks is a great garden for vegetation. √ Keep nearby tree branches trimmed to reduce the number of leaves that can blow onto the roof.

This also minimizes opportunities for nuts and seeds--or a fox--to drop onto your roof!

That little fox Jeremy saw on the Abilene, TX roof-well, it probably dropped onto that roof from the same low-lying branch Jeremy watched it jump onto before it scaled down the tree and ran into a nearby field!

On another note . . .

As you prepare for the 2022-2023 school year, we at Coryell Roofing want to convey our support for you and your staff as you diligently work to prepare students academically, socially, and emotionally to be contributing members of the community.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The 2022 ArkASPA Boot Camp will be held on September 27 at the Wyndham Riverfront.

Registration will open soon!

The 2022 Fall ASPMA Conference and CFD Classes will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center October 3-5. Registration will open soon!

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Administrator Spotlight:

Dr. Karen Lasker

Director of Recruitment and Student Services, Conway School District Dr. Karen Lasker comes from a long line of educators. Her paternal grandmother and both parents are retired educators along with many other relatives. Dr. Lasker became and educator because of her love for helping others. She states, “It was very comfortable and easy for me. I love kids and my mom advised me in college to ‘do what makes you happy and fulfilled.’ In other words don’t go into any career because of what you think others want you to do or what they may think you're good at doing.”

Dr. Lasker chose the area of special education because of curiosity. “A certain group of children were in the hall by themselves, at lunch alone and rode different buses. I was curious what they did all day long so I started volunteering to walk them to class and eat with them at lunch. I also invited them to all of my games and track events. I was in love! I changed my major in college to physical education and minored in special education.

The rest is history.”

Dr. Lasker started her career as a long-term substitute in a second grade classroom in Helena-West Helena. She gained many valuable experiences that first semester. The previous two teachers left midyear and the class of 25 nine year olds informed her of that immediately! She said she is very grateful for those experiences and the relationships that were developed with the students and their parents.

Over her 34-year career, Dr. Lasker has worked in districts of all sizes. She has been a teacher in special education and CCE, and a coach for volleyball, basketball, soccer and track in Helena-West Helena, Mount Holly, and Fort Smith. She then moved into administration and served as an assistant principal in Carrollton, TX, and as principal, Director of Personnel, and now Director of Recruitment and Student Services in the Conway School District.

Dr. Lasker says her favorite thing about her job is the people, and knowing that each day she is going to help someone solve their problems or issues. “Simon Sinek says what is your ‘Why.’ We are basically all here for the same goal…the students! During my career I have strived to impact young people’s lives athletically or professionally in their education process. What you do may change. I may change roles, but the ‘Why’ is still intact. The better teachers I recruit, the better impact it will have on the process of educating.”

When asked what she would tell someone who was considering a career in education, Dr. Lasker says, “I get really excited when I talk to others about a career in education. I will always say go for it…if you don’t try you will never know. If you have a passion for people and love kids, this is for you, but understand what teaching and learning is all about and how it will evolve. Yes, it's hard work, but it is so rewarding.”

Dr. Lasker has enjoyed 33 years of marriage to her husband, Nick. She has one son, Al, and one grandson, Knox, who is two. She states that her grandson is “the love of her life!” During her time off, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling with her mom, and watching her grandson play.

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with What is one of the things on your “Bucket List?”

Traveling abroad… Basically wherever the Viking, Oceania, Regent or Seven Seas Cruise Line will take me.

How would your co-workers describe you?

I would hope they would say that I am a professional who has high standards and expectations for myself and everyone else. I see people’s strengths and then encourage them to continue to develop those strengths. I am a good listener who is present for the celebrations as well as the tough times.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Sometimes your presence is enough” Being a minority in a leadership position sometimes you can feel like the weight of representing a group is on your shoulders. Sometimes it is not necessary to say something. A look, a smile, a wink or just your presence can make all the difference.

What major changes have you seen in education during your career?

Shifting to remote learning during Covid was the greatest change.

If you weren’t in your current position, what would you be doing?

I would probably be working for a non-profit helping the underrepresented groups.

What are the goals you are still working toward?

When I graduated in College I wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to me. I did that for two years. Now, I would like to one day work with investors to become a private business owner and also work with investors to help develop financial resources for my hometown.

What do you see as the biggest benefit of AAEA membership?

Being able to network with former colleagues across the state.

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Asked & Answered Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director A recent question was, "We want to do business with a local company that employs the spouse of a school board member. Do we have to get DESE approval?" This is another of those questions in which more information is needed before an answer can be given. Even though the laws on ethical guidelines and prohibitions for administrators, employees, and board members have been around for over a decade, they still generate questions on a regular basis. The requirements for disclosure, board approval, and DESE approval are different depending on the details of the transaction.

So, back to the original question. The answer would depend upon several factors.

• Does the spouse have a financial interest in the local company? “Financial interest” is defined as (a) ownership or more that 5%, (b) holding a position as officer, director, trustee, partner, or other top-level management, or (c) the spouse’s compensation is based in whole or in part on transactions with the school district. Financial interest does NOT include ownership of stock in any publicly held company or hourly compensated employees.

• If there is a financial interest, what’s the anticipated amount of the business transaction(s) during the fiscal year?

• Are there any unusual and limited circumstances regarding the business transaction?

In general, if the spouse does have a financial interest and the transaction exceeds $10,000 then, yes, ADE approval would be required.

If you have questions for Mike, email him at m.mertens@theaaea.org.

A Breath of Fresh Air Consider School Air Quality in Absentee Rates

By Virginia Mott, Education Week, Submitted by Ashley Creviston, Protect Ed The Environmental Protection Agency states: "Studies show that one-half of our nation's 115,000 schools have problems linked to indoor air quality. Students are at greater risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants." A 2002 review of studies related to school facility condition, commissioned by the 21st Century School Fund, found links to student absenteeism, achievement, and behavior. School buildings can affect student health in many ways.

A Government Accountability Office report from 1995 lists irritated eye, nose, and throat; upper respiratory infections; nausea; dizziness; headaches; and fatigue or sleepiness as some of the impacts of poor indoor environmental quality.

The health problems resulting from unhealthy school conditions impact students' educations in a variety of ways: absenteeism due to building-related health problems; "presenteeism," when children are present, 9

but not able to do their best because they don't feel well; and use of substitute teachers because classroom teachers are absent for the same reasons as their students.

As the EPA notes in "Tools for Schools": "The price for neglect is high, but the investment in maintenance need not be." Although some indoor-environmental-quality issues may stem from problems requiring costly repairs, others can be resolved with cost-neutral measures, such as switching to environmentally preferable cleaning products and practices.

Our investment in our children's health and academic performance is essential. There is ample evidence that buildings affect people. We need to ensure that school facilities -- our children's compulsory workplaces-are safe, healthful places. Until all schools are safe and healthful, we should include the impact school facilities are having on students in our discussions about absenteeism.

Compliance Connection PCORI Fee Increase Submitted by Ginger Huff, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has increased the amount of the annual Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee you may be required to pay as part of your ACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) compliance. This fee is due Aug. 1, 2022. For plan years that ended on or after Oct. 1, 2021, and before Oct. 1, 2022 (including calendar year plans), the fee is $2.79 per person covered by the plan.

For plan years that ended on or after Oct. 1, 2020, and before Oct. 1, 2021, the fee is $2.66 per person.

The fee generally applies to specified health insurance policies such as major medical plans, but it does not apply to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 excepted benefits. If you sponsor a self-funded health plan, you or your administrator are required to file Tax Form 720 (available at www.IRS.gov) and make any payment due directly to the IRS. If you offer fully insured plans, your insurer will complete the filing but may bill you the annual fee.

We have received many questions in the past about PCORI fees as they relate to Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). If the account qualifies as a HIPAA excepted benefit, then no PCORI fee is due for that account.

How do I know if a Healthcare FSA is HIPAA excepted?

The FSA must meet all the following to qualify as an excepted benefit: • Employees offered the Healthcare FSA are also eligible to participate in major medical coverage • Employer contributions to the employee’s Healthcare FSA may not exceed $500 or must be structured as a compliant dollar-for-dollar employer matching contribution.

When employers offer flex credits under a Section 125 plan, things become more complicated. As a rule of thumb, the Healthcare FSA will remain HIPAA excepted so long as 50% or more of the flex credit amount is available as a cash out option, or non-cashable flex credits are limited to $500 per plan year.

What about HRAs? An HRA that may be used to pay deductibles and copays under the applicable self-insured health plan is not subject to a separate fee (and the fee will apply only to the applicable self-insured health plan) if both the HRA and the applicable self-insured health plan have the same plan sponsor and the same plan year.

If funds from the HRA can be used to pay other medical related fees and/or premiums not associated with the self-insured plan, then the HRA itself is generally subject to the PCORI fee.

CoSN: Support for Technology Administrators CoSN is a great resource for school technology administrators. Check this page monthly for links to articles to assist technology leaders as they navigate through digital learning transformations.

Click Here to Read About This Month’s Topics • Premier of Season 5, EmpowerED Superintendent Series • CoSN 2022 Student Home Internet Connectivity Study • CoSN Membership

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Awards AASEA Administrator of the Year: Rhonda Daniel

Rhonda Daniel, LEA Supervisor at the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, was recognized at this year’s summer conference as the 2022 AASEA Administrator of the Year.

AAGEA Administrator of the Year: Tim Smithey

Tim Smithey, Director of Gifted Program at the Rogers School District, was recognized at this year’s summer conference as the 2022 AAGEA Administrator of the Year.

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Congratulations!

ArkASPA Administrator of the Year: Barbara Garner

Barbara Garner, Assistant Superintendent at the Crossett School District, was recognized at this year’s summer conference as the 2022 ArkASPA Administrator of the Year.

AACIA Administrator of the Year: Stephanie Worthey

Stephanie Worthey, Assistant Superintendent at the Greenbrier School District, was recognized at this year’s summer conference as the 2022 AACIA Administrator of the Year.

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Benefits Corner Employee Benefits: The Only Guide You Need - Part Three Submitted by Kylie Freyaldenhoven, Sales Operations Analyst, Educational Benefits, Inc. Written by Kellie Wong Employee Assistance Programs The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a safety net for employees who must cope with stressful personal or work issues that create stress or anxiety. The work-based intervention program helps employees resolve stressinducing problems. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that 72 percent of people who have daily stress say it interferes with their lives at least moderately, and 40 percent experience persistent stress in their daily lives.

People don’t leave their personal selves at the door when they show up for work. At the same time, work-related stress can cause problems in the personal lives of employees. The EAP offers employees resources that help them navigate life issues that may impact their ability to remain productive, like counselors specializing in mental health, substance abuse, financial difficulties, managing work changes, and family conflicts.

Career Development Opportunities Deloitte does an annual millennial survey, and the last one found that millennials and Gen Z are concerned about their lack of readiness for industry 4.0. Only 36 percent of millennials and 29 percent of Gen X believe their employers do enough to help them develop the skills and knowledge to thrive in industry 4.0, build interpersonal skills, and develop confidence and ethical behaviors.

The global consulting firm Mercer surveyed large employers in 2018 to investigate voluntary turnover. Millennials accounted for half of the separations at 51 percent, and Gen X accounted for 25 percent. The Mercer study found the two top reasons people left was for promotion opportunities and career changes. Another way to say it is that the top reasons talent leave an organization is because they feel stale in their jobs, have no upward

mobility, or are not gaining new skills or developing their strengths.

Transparency and Feedback Organizations need to encourage transparency in the workplace and implementing an employee feedback system is a key strategy. Employees who believe their voice is heard in the workplace are 4.6 time more likely to feel empowered and to perform their best work. A formal feedback process gives everyone an equal voice and an equal opportunity to express that voice, reducing the biases found in one-on-one annual performance reviews.

Ongoing feedback builds trust between employees and between employees and their managers. Gathering feedback in real-time goes beyond just an annual performance review and holds value for any organization looking to improve. The most effective feedback tools enable managers to continually listen to employees, take action, and impact engagement right away.

To meet the needs of today’s employees, the feedback process should be fluid and personal. Fortunately, technology makes this easy through tools like chatbots, pulse surveys, and check-ins. State-of-the-art programs, like Achievers Listen, are designed to always be on and open, capturing what’s important to employees.

Employee benefits are engagement tools So after all this, what are employee benefits? There is no doubt at all that benefits have taken on new importance as employee engagement tools. The needs and expectations of the modern workforce have changed considerably with the appearance of millennials, and now Gen Z, in the workforce.

Employees want to be recognized, rewarded, appreciated, continuously in-touch with managers and peers, and engaged.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Registration will open soon for the AAFC Fall Conference which will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center September 21-23, 2022. Mark your calendar!

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The 2022 AAGEA Fall Conference will be held at the Benton Event Center October 6. New Coordinator's Workshop will be the afternoon of October 5. Registration will open soon!

Publication Sneak Peek: The Cutting Edge This segment features content from other AAEA publications. The Cutting Edge is a monthly publication available to AACTEA members. The following excerpt comes from the June 2022 issue.

AACTEA and AAEA Tour Saline County CTC Educators representing AACTEA and AAEA recently toured the Saline County Career Technical Campus. The Center, which opened in August 2021, is located along the I-30 frontage road in Benton and serves the six (6) Saline County school districts and beyond. The facility offers opportunities for students to learn a variety of specialized trades. Areas of study include automotive technology, welding, construction technology, manufacturing, HVAC, cybersecurity, health sciences, information technology, and more.

Upon graduation, students receive the certification needed to begin a promising new career. Students will not only earn technical certifications and hands-on experience, but also college hours through educational partner Arkansas State University Three Rivers. The Center served 400+ students in their first year of operation and is looking to increase this number in the coming years.

Carroll County Connect 4 Program Receives Grant for CNC Expansion Students interested in machining and computer numeric control fields at Connect Four in Berryville will have a shot at getting a boost as they start their careers thanks to a $12,000 grant the program received last month from the Gene Haas Foundation. The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999 by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation Inc., to support the needs of the local community through grants that support manufacturing training programs like Connect 4. The grant money can be used by C4 in a variety of ways as long as that use pertains to the CNC/machining field. C4 students are already getting basic training in CNC operation, but the grant will enable the program to greatly expand on the training components.

The four-year-old Connect Four program — or C4 — offers junior and senior students from the Berryville, Eureka Springs and Green Forest school districts the opportunity to pursue a technical education during the school day. The program is housed in the Carroll County Career Center, formerly the Berryville Readiness Center, and offers instruction in a number of disciplines with an eye toward industrial maintenance, machining, welding, robotics and electrical work, providing students with a cross-curricular background in different trades.

Interested in more from The Cutting Edge? Contact our office at 501-372-1691.

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Introducing the New Job Board!

The AAEA Job Board can now be found at arjobsined.schoolspring.com

The AAEA Job Board is a calendar-year subscription that assists districts with the ever-increasing challenge of recruiting quality staff. It is a significant resource for educators, both in-state and out-of-state, seeking employment in Arkansas schools.

Over 165 school districts are participating in the program, which has been extremely helpful to schools and educators over the years. The site is used year-round and is accessed extensively during the second semester.

It is not unusual to see over 400 jobs posted on the Job Board at one time. With an account, school districts may post unlimited job vacancies throughout the year.

To subscribe (by district) or to post job openings, contact Marty Smith, Member Relations Manager, at m.smith@theaaea.org or at 501-372-1691.

Openings

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District Name

Position

Paris School District

Curriculum Directory/Federal Programs Coordinator

Fort Smith School District

Elementary Principal

Magnet Cove School District

Business Manager

Magnolia School District

Technology Director

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