The Administrator - December/January 2021/22

VOLUME 47 • ISSUE 6 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021/22

THE

ADMINISTRATOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LEGENDARY LEADERSHIP

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Dr. Mike Hernandez honors the lives of two inspirational Arkansas educational leaders gone too soon.

Dr. Stephanie Nehus reflects on what has been accomplished so far this school year.

Executive Viewpoint

Page 3

President’s Perspective

Executive Viewpoint • P. 3

Page 4

President’s Perspective • P. 4 Asked and Answered • P. 5 Compliance Connection • P. 6 CoSN Update • P. 6 Administrator Spotlight • P. 7

ADMINISTRATOR SPOTLIGHT: SCOTT SMITH In the Spotlight this month is Scott Smith, Principal at Western Yell County High School.

Page 7

Awards • P. 10 Benefits Corner • P. 11 Publication Sneak Peak • P. 12 Salary Survey • P. 15 Job Openings • P. 18

AAEA Staff

2022 Calendar of Events January

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

Aspiring Superintendents January 11, 2022, Arch Ford ESC, Plumerville Superintendent Symposium January 12-13, 2022, DoubleTree Little Rock

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

AACIA Conference January 25, 2022, Benton Event Center Arkansas Privacy & Security Forum January 27-28, 2022, Four Points by Sheraton, Little Rock

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

February

ArkASPA Spring Drive-In Conference February 24, 2022, Wyndham Riverfront, Little Rock

March

Robyn Keene Director of Financial Services r.keene@theaaea.org

CASBO Classes March 2-3, 2022, Benton Event Center AACTEA Spring Drive-In Conference March 31, 2022, Arkansas River ESC, Pine Bluff

April

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

AASBO/SASBO Joint Conference April 5-7, 2022, Hot Springs Convention Center ASPMA CFD Classes April 14, 2022, Conway School District Professional Development Annex

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

May

ASBA/AAEA Joint Leadership Conference May 3, 2022, Wyndham Riverfront, Little Rock AAFC Spring Conference May 4-6, 2022, Hot Springs Convention Center

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

June

AASEA Special Ed Conference June 6-7, 2022, DoubleTree Little Rock

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

July

ASPMA CFD Classes July 19, 2022, Conway School District Professional Development Annex AAEA Summer Conference July 25-26, 2022, Statehouse Convention Center and Marriott Hotel

Melanie Thrasher Business Analyst m.thrasher@theaaea.org

For more information, visit theaaea.org/events or see Page 9.

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2021-2022 AAEA Board of Directors Dr. Karla Neathery AAEA Board Secretary/ Treasurer Superintendent, Arkadelphia

Debbie Atkinson AAEA Past President Principal, Bergman

Dr. Andrea Martin AASA Secretary Superintendent, Greenland

Mark Lewis AAESP President Principal, Conway

Stacy DeFoor AAESP Past President Principal, Conway

Scott Smith AASSP President Principal, Western Yell County

Matt Ziegler AASSP President-Elect Principal, Riverside

Brandie Williams ArkASPA President Superintendent, Trumann

Dr. Lee Smith AACTEA President Superintendent, Mena

Susan Gilley AAFC President Executive Dir Fed Prog & Instructional Tech, Harrison

Cristy Dunnahoe AASBO Past President Business Manager, Star City

Carla Curtis AASEA President Director of Special Services, Fayetteville

Kim Fowler AACIA President Assistant Director/ Teacher Center Coordinator, Ozark Unlimited Resource ESC

Eric Hipp AAMLA President Principal, Bentonville

Aliza Jones ASPMA President Facilities Consortium Coordinator, Lavaca

Dr. Mike Hernandez AAEA Executive Director

Dr. Stephanie Nehus AAEA President Superintendent, Hot Springs

Brian Kirkendoll AAEA President-Elect Principal, Alma

Jon Collins AASA President Superintendent, West Memphis

Skipper Ward AASA President-Elect Superintendent, Magnolia

Carol Skiba AAESP President-Elect Principal, Cabot David Maxwell AASSP Past President Principal, Mena Kevin Luck AASBO President Business Manager, Vilonia Monica Springfield AAGEA President Ozark Unlimited Resource ESC

2021-2022 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 Online and Blended Learning Pro Benefits Group, Inc. Renaissance Learning, Inc. Scholastic Education Solution Tree, Inc.

Energy Systems Group ESS First Security Beardsley Forecast5 Analytics Middleton, Inc. PowerSchool Rave Mobile Safety Smart Data Dashboard Stephens, Inc. Strategos International, LLC Tanium Winsor Learning - Sonday Systems

Northwest Evaluation Association NWEA Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects TRANE US, Inc.

Gold Crow Group, Inc. Cynergy Rehab Group FIS Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Kinco Constructors, LLC Red Comet TIPS - The Interlocal Purchasing System

Platinum

Diamond

AAMSCO C.R. Crawford Construction, LLC Entegrity Energy Partners, LLC Legacy Construction Management Lexia Learning Nabholz Construction Corp.

Apptegy ClassWallet Edgenuity Edmentum

Silver Architecture Plus, Inc. Correll, Inc. French Architects, PA Hight-Jackson Associates, PA SEAS

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Executive Viewpoint Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

Legendary Leadership Losing colleagues is always a hard thing to deal with in life. We have lost two great educators recently. One I knew very well, and the other was mainly known to me as a legend in the education business. Henry Anderson Jr. was a good friend of mine and a young leader in our state. I had the opportunity to work closely with Henry when he was chosen to lead the Marvel-Elaine School District. The district had recently struggled with finances and changes in leadership. I must admit, I was a little nervous about a brand-new superintendent walking into this type of situation without some significant support to guide him. I was quickly comforted by Henry’s positive attitude and quick recognition that he needed help. Henry was constantly building his network of people that could support him to improve the environment academically and fiscally for students. He was not afraid to ask questions and do whatever it took because he knew he was put there to serve the kids. He is gone too soon, just as he began his superintendent career. I will undoubtedly miss visiting with him about the great things going on in his district.

The second educator we lost was Dr. Kellar Noggle. I feel inadequate to write anything about this man because it will not do him justice. I got into administration after he retired, so I never got to see him in action. However, I did hear many stories about his work for the students of Arkansas. When I first became executive director, I called Dr. Noggle to introduce myself and talk about the current events in education and the association. We were planning to meet face-to-face after Covid-19 settled down. Unfortunately, I did not get that opportunity. Dr. Noggle began the AAEA in 1976 as the first executive director. Over time, he built the organization member by member and service by service. His primary focus was to grow and support administrators to serve students at a high level. I did get the opportunity to attend his funeral service last week. The stories shared by his former pastors, son, and Dr. Jim Rollins made me appreciate Dr. Noggle even more. There were so many people in attendance that he mentored during his career. He loved the work we do daily as administrators to improve educational outcomes and was never ashamed to advocate for whatever was needed by districts. Dr. Noggle retired from AAEA in 2005, and our current office building is named after him.

One of Dr. Noggle’s former pastors used 2 Timothy 2:15 in describing the life of Dr. Noggle. The pastor said Dr. Noggle was always striving to please God through his work in the school business and as a Sunday school teacher.

The speakers said they always had to listen to Dr. Noggle intently because they knew he would ask them questions, and intelligent responses were expected. This mini-sermon stuck out to me because it made me reflect on current perceptions of the state of education. There are several challenges that we face as we work to educate kids. If you take a brief review of social media or news programs, you may get the impression that education is headed in the wrong direction. There are numerous negative stories about vaccines, masks, fights, illegal staff behaviors, shootings, divisive curriculum, poor academic performance, etc. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul urged Timothy to view himself as a worker seeking to please God. Not as serving to please other people. Paul knew well the many ways the world can distract a Christian’s focus. As administrators, our only purpose is that students receive an education to help lead to a fulfilling life. Understandably, you are tired of all the noise and detractors, both local and afar.

People like Mr. Anderson and Dr. Noggle have shown us we must be bold leaders with our time in these roles. We must measure our time in days. What will we do today to serve students better? Many things will distract and pull our focus and time away from our goals. We should be proud of the institution of public education, and we must be unapologetically focused on serving the kids that walk through our doors.

I am so proud to serve you all in this role, and I appreciate what you do for the students of this state. Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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President’s Perspective Dr. Stephanie Nehus, AAEA Board President

Happy Holidays As the first semester comes to a close, I reflect on what has been accomplished since August...

1. We have all survived a continued pandemic, focusing on interventions for our students who have suffered from the impact.

2. We have utilized this moment in time to rethink education. I would bet every one of us is now offering virtual learning in some way to our families with that desire.

3. We have overcome the (oftentimes political) battle between masks or no masks. We have respected one another and made decisions based on the needs of our communities, but most importantly the health and well being of our students.

4. We have supported our teachers and staff...we have encouraged and appreciated every action that went above and beyond to continue educating our students.

5. We have a new appreciation for social emotional learning. SEL has always been a focus area, but it is so much more critical now as the needs of our students have changed. Our students/our children are experiencing something that none of us have experienced in our many years of life.

Coping with these challenges is a skill to be learned for sure.

6. We have learned that NOTHING in our undergraduate or graduate education could have prepared us to lead through a pandemic and beyond. Theory is wonderful, but reality is something very different.

7. We have kept our school doors opened and we have taken care of the whole child.

8. We have assessed our students, disaggregated data, and monitored and adjusted as needed to provide Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support.

9. We have leaned on each other, lifted one another up, and grown together in our learning and leading.

10. We know it is time to move post pandemic. I pray the second semester allows us to return to a true new normal! One that involves an intentional laser focus on teaching and learning that includes collaboration and innovation. Our students deserve it!

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Asked & Answered Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director There have been several questions the past month regarding bidding thresholds. All of the various amounts that lead to certain legal requirements can be confusing. So here's a list of amounts in the law that trigger certain actions.

1.

Commodities (supplies, goods, materials, equipment, etc.): • Purchase price is less than $21,604 - open market purchase may be made, cannot split items with intent to avoid competitive bidding.

• Estimated cost equals or exceeds $21,604 - solicit at least three (3) bids, or document 3 attempts, and award to the responsible lowest bidder.

• Estimated cost exceeds $75,000 - competitive sealed bids, public notice of invitation to bid, public opening, award to responsible low bidder.

2. Capital Improvement Projects (improvement of buildings or grounds in which outside labor is involved): • Under $50,000 - get multiple bids. award to the appropriate contractor.

• Over $50,000 - advertise, accept sealed bids, bid bond, performance bond, contractor must be licensed.

• Over $75,000 - above listed requirements plus statements in bid documents regarding small, minority, and women business enterprises.

• Over $150,000 - above listed requirements plus a licensed architect must design the project.

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

2020 and 2021 Superintendent of the Year Recognized AASA, The School Superintendents Association hosted the 2020 & 2021 National Superintendent of the Year Gala on November 3, 2021. This event was designed to celebrate all state winners and recognize the National Superintendent of the Year from both 2020 and 2021. The gala was held in Washington D.C. at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel. Our very own Benny Weston (2020) and Mike Poore (2021) were recognized for their achievement.

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Submitted by Tom Sledge, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced annual inflation adjustments for many tax provisions. These increases are effective for plan years beginning 1/1/2022 and later.

Health Savings Account (HSA): As a reminder, below are the HSA contribution limits, along with the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) requirements announced earlier this year.

Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) and Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA): 2021: $2,750 2022: $2,850

HSA Contribution 2021 Self-Only: $3,600 2021 Family: $7,200

HCFSA Carryover: 2021: $550 2022: $570 Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), employers can allow participants to roll over all unused FSA and dependent care funds to plan years ending in 2022, but not beyond.

Dependent Care Account (DCA) annual limits will revert to $5,000 for single taxpayers and married couples filing jointly, or $2,500 for married people filing separately.

2022 Self-Only: $3,650 2022 Family: $7,300 2022 Qualified High Deductible Health Plan Minimum Deductible (Self-Only): $1,400 Minimum Deductible (Family): $2,800 Max Out-Of-Pocket (Self-Only): $7,050 Max Out-Of-Pocket (Family): $14,100 If you have any questions or need help communicating these changes to employees, we are here to help.

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 • The EmpowerED Superintendent edWebinar Series: Scaling, Sustaining, and Budgeting for Education Technology Innovations • Social-Emotional Learning: Leveraging Technology to Care for All • CoSN 2022 Annual Conference • CoSN Membership

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IRS Annual Inflation Adjustments

Compliance Connection

Administrator Spotlight:

Scott Smith

Principal, Western Yell County High School Scott Smith, Principal at Western Yell County High School, says his career in education began later than most. While he decided at 17 that he wanted to be a teacher and coach – inspired by his high school basketball coach, Buster Campell and his high school principal, Gale Yates – it wasn’t until later in life that he went back to get his bachelor’s degree. He says, “I was 31 when I started my first coaching and teaching job at Bruno Pyatt. My children were in 3rd grade and kindergarten my first year as a teacher.” He taught at Bruno Pyatt three years followed by one year of teaching social studies at Eureka Springs Middle School. The next leg of his journey took him to West Side Greers Ferry where he spent 9 great years, 7 of which were spent coaching boys’ basketball. "This is where my children graduated from as well," he says.

Next, he went on to Armorel where he served four years as the high school principal, his first administrative job in schools. He is currently at Western Yell County where he is in his 8th year as the high school principal.

Scott says when it comes to his favorite thing about being a principal, it's not even close: "It is coming in everyday and building relationships with the students and staff. I am in this just like all other educators are, for the kids.

It is amazing to watch them grow and mature." If he wasn't in his current role, he says he'd still be coaching basketball, and believes he will always be involved in education in some capacity. "I feel like I should be serving students. I started late but, man, I know I am in the right profession. I might venture into being a superintendent but I love being a principal." Of his professional accomplishments, he says he is most proud of going back to school and earning his Master’s Degree, allowing him to further his dream and become a principal. "I hope I have affected young people’s lives for the better," he says.

The most challenging part of the job for Scott is dealing with the administrative side of things. He says. ”I know the administrative things have to be done but I want to be out talking and interacting and building quality relationships, especially with students." He believes those considering a similar career must have a passion for helping young people. "It is not a profession that a person can just go through the motions. We are dealing with flesh and blood kids. Someone’s baby. I think it is important to know and respect that going in." Scott says with passion, the content mastery will come, and that education needs good, passionate people. "There are a lot of people leaving the profession and it needs to be replenished with good people. It is hard but to quote a line from A League of Their Own, 'The hard is what makes it great.'"

The biggest change Scott has seen over the course of his career is the growing importance of high stakes summative assessments. "While it has always been important, the stakes have really been amped up and I don’t think it is for the best. Schools have to be held accountable for student learning. However, I think the way they are held accountable at the state and national level should be reevaluated especially as it pertains to testing."

In his time off, Scott loves to spend time with his family, including his wife of 34 years, and especially his grandchildren. He says that like many Arkansans, he has a passion for watching Razorback sports, and that he also enjoys reading when he finds the time. As for his future goals, he says, "Even though I am in my fifties I would still like to write a book and do some educational consulting and presenting. They have both been goals for quite a while. I guess it is time I started making those things happen."

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!

Q&A ?

with

“Passionate, friendly, loyal, honest”

What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Be obedient to God because if you miss heaven, you’ve missed everything.”

What is the most daring thing you’ve done?

“When I was young I jumped off the back of a moving car. I know it wasn’t smart and you’re probably wondering what I was doing on the back of a moving car to begin with. That is a really good question.”

What’s something that amazes you?

“Two things, one good and one bad: I am amazed by my grandchildren and other children who seem to grow and mature everyday. I am also amazed how kids can bounce back sometimes better than adults in adverse situations that adults have unfortunately put them in. Kids are so resilient at all ages. I am also amazed at how harshly and badly people treat one another in this day and age. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of room for grace concerning mankind right now. I hope that changes.”

What might other administrators be surprised to know about you?

“I was a restaurant manager before I decided to go back to school and earn my bachelor’s degree.”

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

“Most of the things on my bucket list are sports related. One has already passed, which was to watch a basketball game in Barnhill Arena. Outside of seeing Arkansas win a national championship, I want to see a Duke-North Carolina basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium. I would also love to see a men’s basketball final four with Arkansas playing in it.”

When people look back at your life, how do you want to be remembered?

“I want to be remembered as a Christian that lived a godly life.

I hope that I portray that in my daily life.”

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

“The biggest benefit is the leadership qualities I have been able to develop while being a member and allowing me to become an AASSP board member. The benefits have been immeasurable.”

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2022 Superintendent Symposium January 12-13, 2022 Little Rock, AR & Virtual

UPC OMING EVENTS

The 2022 Superintendent Symposium will take place January 12-13, 2022 at the DoubleTree in Little Rock, and will feature guest speaker, Dr. Chris Weber. Register here!

2022 AACIA Conference January 25, 2022 Benton, AR & Virtual The 2022 AACIA Conference will take place January 25, 2022 at the Benton Event Center in Benton, and will feature guest speaker, Mike Mattos. Register here!

2022 Arkansas Privacy & Security Forum January 27-28, 2022 Little Rock, AR & Virtual AAEA is excited to partner with the Arkansas Department of Education this year to offer our first Arkansas Privacy & Security Forum, January 27-28, 2022 at the Four Points by Sheraton in Little Rock. Register here!

2022 ArkASPA Spring Drive-In Conference February 24, 2022 Little Rock, AR & Virtual The ArkASPA Spring Drive-In Conference will take place February 24, 2022 at the Wyndham Riverfront in Little Rock. Register here!

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Awards 2022 Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Assistant Principal of the Year: Lindsay Griffin Lindsay Griffin, Assistant Principal at Greenbrier High School, was recently named the 2022 Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) Assistant Principal of the Year. Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director, presented Mrs. Griffin with the award at her school on December 6.

This award is given each year to an Arkansas secondary level assistant principal who has succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students and has been acknowledged by peers for exemplary contribution to the profession.

Mrs. Griffin has six years of experience as an assistant principal, with four of them served at Greenbrier High School. Congratulations, Lindsay!

2022 Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators (AAMLA) Assistant Principal of the Year: Rachel Atkinson Rachel Atkinson, Assistant Principal at Greenbrier Middle School in the Greenbrier School District, was recently named the 2022 Arkansas Association of Middle Level Administrators (AAMLA) Assistant Principal of the Year. Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director, presented Mrs. Atkinson with the award at her school on December 13.

This award is given each year to an Arkansas middle level assistant principal who has succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students and has been acknowledged by peers for exemplary contribution to the profession.

Mrs. Atkinson has four years of experience as an assistant principal, all of them served at Greenbrier Middle School. Congratulations, Rachel!

2022 Arkansas Association of Elementary School Principals (AAESP) Assistant Principal of the Year: Carise Echols Carise Echols, Assistant Principal at Carolyn Lewis Elementary School in the Conway School District, was recently named the 2022 Arkansas Association of Elementary School Principals (AAESP) Assistant Principal of the Year. Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director, presented Mrs. Echols with the award at her school on December 13.

This award is given each year to an Arkansas elementary level assistant principal who has succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students and has been acknowledged by peers for exemplary contribution to the profession.

Mrs. Echols has three years of experience as an assistant principal, all of them served at Carolyn Lewis Elementary School. Congratulations, Carise!

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Benefits Corner How Open Enrollment Boosts Financial Health in Shaky Times Submitted by Shane Pennington, Regional Sales Executive, Educational Benefits, Inc. Pop quiz for U.S. open enrollment season: What percentage of your total compensation is due to employee benefits? Since most Americans are so focused on salary, you might not realize it is a whopping 31%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Indeed, the Covid-19 era seems to have forced us into considering our benefits more closely. Sixty percent of people say the pandemic has made them think more carefully about benefits, and 68% say benefits will play a bigger role in future job selection, according to a new survey by financial services company Voya Financial.

Just a few examples of benefits offerings that are at record highs, according to the 2020 Benefits Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): Critical illness insurance (48%), long-term care insurance (39%), in vitro fertilization (28%) and mental health services (85%).

“Employees tend to focus just on medical coverage, but there are a whole range of additional benefits which can really protect you – and which are not that expensive when purchased through your employer," says Mona Zielke, Voya’s senior vice president of enterprise client solutions.

This is especially important since the benefits landscape is shifting so rapidly in the era of the Great Resignation. With labor in short supply, many companies are revising the array of benefits they offer, both to hold onto their current employees and to entice new ones.

Scholarships Available!

AAEA and our Constituent Groups are proud every year to offer a number of scholarships to students in Arkansas. Applications are available online at theaaea.org/page/scholarships AAGEA SCHOLARSHIP AASBO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AAFC SCHOLARSHIP AAMLA SCHOLARSHIP AASEA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AASEA LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP AACTEA SCHOLARSHIP ASPMA SCHOLARSHIP C.B. GARRISON SCHOLARSHIP AACIA GRADUATING SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP AACIA GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

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By Chris Taylor (Rueters)

Publication Sneak Peek: Instructional Leader This segment features content from other AAEA publications. Instructional Leader is a quarterly publication available to districts on a subscription basis.

The following article can be found in the December 2021 edition.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL! Southwest Arkansas Collaborates for Nontraditional Career Exploration Contributor: Stacey Southerland, Career & Technical Education Coordinator, DeQueen-Mena ESC Occupations are considered nontraditional by the Department of Labor if its workforce comprises less than 25% of one gender, this means many employers are making a more concerted effort to hire equal numbers of women and men — particularly in jobs and industries that have been dominated by one gender in the past.

Nontraditional careers are a way for females to have an edge on the job market, with many of our skilled labor positions retiring, females with training and certainly credentialing, have a wide range of opportunities for lucrative careers that are not traditional.

those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. The entry level education is a high school diploma, most electricians learn through an apprenticeship, but some start out by attending a technical school. Most states require electricians to be licensed.

4.

Welder. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join, repair, or cut metal parts and products. A high school diploma or equivalent, combined with technical and on-the-job training, is typically required for anyone to become a welder, OOH reports that there were 418,200 jobs available as a welder in 2020.

5.

Firefighter. Whether they're on a volunteer basis or officially employed by the city, firefighters must respond and help deal with many scenarios, including fires, car accidents, and other emergency situations. NBC News reports, less than 5 percent of career firefighters across the country are women, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

6.

Engineer. This job can include anything from mechanical engineering to civil engineering. OOH reports that by 2030 there will be 146,000 new jobs projected. Most of the projected job growth in this group will be in the engineer occupations, those services will be in demand in areas such as rebuilding of infrastructure, renewable energy, oil and gas extraction, and robotics. The education required depends on the specific occupation, but ranges from an associates degree to a bachelors.

The average salary for an engineer was $83,160 in May 2020.

7.

Police officer. Police officers are important members of the community who patrol neighborhoods, respond to emergency calls, and work to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens.

Education requirements to enter the occupation

Examples of Nontraditional Careers for Women 1.

Heavy equipment operator. Heavy equipment operators use machines like bulldozers and backhoes to move materials and excavate sites for building. An increasing number of women are entering the construction industry by filling heavy equipment operator roles. Women comprise approximately 9% of the construction industry, according to BLS data, and most of them work in administrative roles.

2.

Automotive technician. Mechanics work on vehicles doing preventive maintenance, such as flushing fluids and replacing rotors, as well as repairing and replacing parts damaged from accidents or just regular wear and tear. As cars have gotten smarter, and automotive jobs have become more tech-based, more women have entered the field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of women in the automotive repair and maintenance industry is 9.9% as of 2019, which grew from 7.3% back in 2015, and 1.4% back in 1999.

3.

Electrician. Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), about 84,700 openings for electricians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of

continued

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ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree.

Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency’s training academy before completing on-the-job training. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually at least 21 years old, and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications. The annual wage for police and detectives was $67,290 in May 2020. (OOH) 8.

Computer technicians. Computer technicians can work as developers and programmers for small businesses or troubleshooters for internal and client-facing systems.

These occupations are projected to add about 667,600 new jobs by 2030. The median salary for computer and information technology occupations was $91,250 in May 2020. (OOH)

The Arkansas Division of Career & Technical Education (DCTE) identifies on the DCTE Nontraditional Crosswalk all of the above occupation areas a nontraditional focus for females in Arkansas. As the need for skilled workers rises it is essential for female students to become aware of nontraditional career opportunities available to them. To meet this growing need, three education cooperatives in Southwest Arkansas have partnered to provide hands-on experiences for the female students in their areas.

In August, 2021 DCTE offered an opportunity for Career & Technical Education Coordinators to submit an application for funding to explore nontraditional areas. Perkins V defines ‘Nontraditional Fields’ as, “ occupations or fields of work, such as careers in computer science, technology, and other current and emerging high-skill occupations, for which individuals from one gender comprised less than 25% of the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of work.” [Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 § 3 (33)] The CTE coordinators at DeQueen-Mena ESC (DMESC), SouthCentral ESC (SCSC), and Southwest ESC (SWAEC) took advantage of this opportunity with an application for 9th-12 grade females to attend events that featured hands on activities in various nontraditional areas. “Be the Model, Break the Mold” career exploration is the result of the approval for funding for the collaboration of five nontraditional career exploration events for the three Education Cooperatives.

To implement “Be the Model, Break the Mold” the Education Cooperatives partnered with five post-secondary institutions to host and deliver a full day of hands-on activities for female students to explore nontraditional areas. Each institution varied in the activities depending on resources available to them. Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia was the kick off event on Friday, November 5th with 80 students registered from Magnolia, Bearden, Emerson, Junction City, Smackover and Parkers Chapel Schools. Dr. Trent Wells and his group of future educators planned a full day putting toolboxes, torches and vehicles on site for the students to work through exercises and practice holding and manipulating equipment. Dr. Wells highlighted the female students in his Agriculture Education program as session instructors to emphasize female leaders on his campus.

The second event was held November 11th on the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain campus in Mena. Sixty students registered from Mena, Acorn, Oden, Caddo Hills, Mount Ida continued

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and Cossatot River School districts to participate in another day full of hands-on rotations. Students used HAAS equipment in Machine Tool Technology, built a web page in the IT lab, welded in the shop and heard from industry leaders with Nidec and Sterling Machinery to round out the experience. Again, students were chosen to lead some of the sessions, giving the opportunity for high schoolers to hear about “college life” experiences and to interact with students who were leaders in their chosen field of study.

The third “Be The Model” event was held at University of Cossatot’s Industrial Maintenance Institute campus, 40 students from Foreman, Ashdown, Horatio, DeQueen & Nashville Schools registered and participated in a day full of automotive maintenance, PLC coding, electrical wiring and plasma cutting in the weld shop.

The third week of November events moved to University of Arkansas Hope & Texarkana, 85 students registered from Blevins, Fouke, Mineral Springs, Genoa, Harmony Grove, Nevada, Hope & Spring Hill School Districts to participate in information technology, welding, machining and automotive maintenance sessions. Districts in each of the three cooperative areas had the opportunity to choose the location or date that was the best fit for them.

To conclude the “Be The Model, Break The Mold” career exploration project, students who participated will be surveyed to assess how the experience impacted their decisions on future classes and on career choices. At this date, the survey results are not available, but from the successful registration and the enthusiasm of the students and educators in attendance, the results will be positive.

The partnership between DMESC, SCSC and SWAEC has been beneficial for students whose districts are Perkins Consortia members of the education coops.

By combining resources and sharing partnerships,

opportunities for career exploration have become a tradition. The CTE Coordinators at the cooperatives have teamed with SADA (Southwest Arkansas Development Alliance) and UAHT/Hempstead Hall to host 8th grade students from those regions in an annual career exploration event. The partnership and first “Explore Success” student conference began in 2018 with an onsite event held October 16. Students in the 8th grade were targeted with motivational speakers and interactions with business and industry partners, the focus was on manufacturing at the request of those partners and interactions emphasized how crucial soft skills were to employers.

Each year this event has been held successfully in the fall, the past two years the restrictions for travel have not deterred the group from its mission. The 2020 and the 2021 events were held virtually, giving schools the opportunity to watch recorded sessions to better utilize the information to fit their schedules.

The 2021 event held on October 26, had over 1,440 students registered and was implemented through the Arkansas Ready for Life platform to encourage the knowledge and use of the site which houses vital career information for students in Arkansas. Students were able to interact with Arkansas’s motivational speaker Paul Vitale and sessions with employers such as Sevier Co. Hospital, Pilgrim’s, Mulekick Cafe and Hempstead County officials.

Economic and Educational leaders in Southwest Arkansas have agreed that we can accomplish more for students together than we can alone. DMESC, SCSC and SWAEC’s strong partnership between CTE Coordinators have proven to be a successful alliance as they continue to provide meaningful opportunities for the districts in their region and the students they serve.

Interested in more from Instructional Leader?

Contact our office at 501-372-1691.

14

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SALARY SURVEY School Year

Superintendent

High School Principal

Elementary Principal

1995-96

57,514

46,450

44,725

1996-97

60,438

48,402

46,654

1997-98

61,444

49,603

47,826

1998-99

63,523

51,136

49,353

1999-00

66,626

53,012

51,172

2000-01

69,827

55,248

53,567

2001-02

72,647

57,808

56,079

2002-03

75,067

59,525

57,817

2003-04

77,529

61,536

59,764

2004-05

87,180

67,869

65,407

2005-06

89,755

69,117

67,147

2006-07

94,514

70,622

65,095

2007-08

96,871

71,601

66,148

2008-09

98,794

74,178

72,187

2009-10

99,734

74,251

72,940

2010-11

102,783

75,120

73,904

2011-12

104,477

75,378

74,704

2012-13

106,502

76,205

75,940

2013-14

107,910

78,049

76,555

2014-15

109,499

78,087

76,370

2015-16

111,984

79,892

78,600

2016-17

113,712

81,303

80,122

2017-18

115,635

82,190

80,570

2018-19

116,668

83,463

81,146

2019-20

119,041

84,238

82542

2020-21

121,888

85,705

83,495

2021-22

124,603

86,924

84,494

2021

A total of 221 school districts and charter schools participated in the annual AAEA survey of salaries for school administrators and classroom teachers for the 2021-22 school year. The survey was conducted September through December.

Data from 2020-21 is used for those districts that did not respond to AAEA’s request for current year data.

The average salaries for various categories of state school administrators and classroom teachers, grouped by school district size, are shown in the tables on page 16. National salary data comes from two sources: AASA (the School Superintendents Association) and NEA (National Education Association). AASA’s data on superintendent salaries represent a small sample of school districts nationwide.

Note: Reliable data on national principal salaries was not available this year.

Continued on next page

15

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SALARY SURVEY

2021

Enrollment

Superintendent

Deputy/Asst.

Superintendent

Business Manager

High School Principal

Asst. HS Principal

Above 4,000

209,595

126,272

116,509

108,794

86,950

3,000-3,999

170,409

116,828

81,288

93,190

80,871

2,000-2,999

145,488

100,545

69,277

92,626

75,009

1,000-1,999

118,561

92,332

54,573

83,882

68,249

500-999

104,933

85,140

47,961

80,440

68,536

Below 500

97,128

-

44,450

76,546

63,061

State Average

124,603

111,455

59,969

86,924

79,938

Enrollment

Jr. High/ Middle Principal

Elementary Principal

Asst. Elem.

Principal

Special Ed. Supervisor

Classroom Teacher

Above 4,000

97,891

92,005

76,080

96,009

58,382

3,000-3,999

89,966

86,615

72,409

88,611

50,905

2,000-2,999

85,997

83,830

69,783

83,573

50,535

1,000-1,999

80,882

78,756

66,096

72,384

47,801

500-999

78,277

76,977

65,670

70,880

46,324

Below 500

73,208

73,541

62,979

64,198

45,021

State Average

88,471

84,494

72,863

79,253

52,454

State Salaries compiled by AAEA Research - December 2021 Continued on next page

16

SALARY SURVEY Superintendents Average salary increased from $121,888 in 2020-21 to $124,603 this year.

• National median for districts less than 1000 ADM - $127,460 • Districts 1000-3000 ADM - $143,000 • Districts 3000- 5000 ADM $165,500.

2021

Classroom Teachers Average salary increased from $50,935 in 2020-21 to $52,452 this year.

• National average for 2019-20 was $64,133.

• Estimated national average for 2020-21 is $65,090.

Source: NEA

Source: AASA Partial Survey of Districts Nationwide Additional Information for 2021-2022 •

Average beginning hourly rate of pay for bus drivers: $20.30

•

Average salary for technology coordinators: $59,326

•

Average salary for federal coordinators: $82,487

•

Average beginning daily rate of pay for substitute teachers: $85.96

•

83% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced substitute teacher services.

•

26.5% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced cafeteria services.

•

49 districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced at least a portion of custodial services.

•

33 districts responding to the survey reported offering financial incentives for recruitment/retention of hard-to-fill positions.

•

Regarding monthly health insurance premiums, the average district contribution is $174.13, with the lowest being $164.66 (the state minimum) and the highest being $320.00. Seventeen (17) districts contribute $200.00 or more towards monthly premiums.

•

Regarding health insurance, the average employee participation rate is 68.31%, with the highest being 100% participation and the lowest being 49%.

•

Regarding unfilled positions, districts reported the following (state totals): • Teachers - 169 • Custodians - 140 • Bus Drivers - 281 • Food Service - 149 • Paraprofessionals - 197

17

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Job Site Subscription Service 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 District Name

Position

Brookland School District

Superintendent

Yellville-Summit School District

Middle School Principal

Little Rock School District

Emergency Management Coordinator

White Hall School District

Superintendent

Academics Plus Charter School

2022-2023 Elementary Principal

Fountain Lake School District

2022-2023 Middle School Principal

Dardanelle School District

Superintendent

Russellville School District

Superintendent

Visit Our Job Site For More

https://arkansas.schoolspring.com/

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