The Administrator Newsletter - November 2023

VOLUME 49 • ISSUE 5 NOVEMBER 2023

THE

ADMINISTRATOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY MUST BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL GRATITUDE MONTH

Dr. Hernandez describes the impact of a recent visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.

President’s Perspective • P. 5

Dr. Neathery reflects on the power of gratitude.

Compliance Connection • P. 5

Executive Viewpoint

President’s Perspective

Page 3

Page 5

Executive Viewpoint • P. 3

Asked & Answered • P. 6 Awards • P. 6

ADMINISTRATOR SPOTLIGHT: JEREMY LASITER In the Spotlight this month is Jeremy Lasiter, Director of Legal Affairs for the Bryant School District.

Page 7

Administrator Spotlight • P. 7 AAEA: On a Role! • P. 9 Upcoming Events • P. 10 CoSN Update • P. 10 Publication Sneak Peek • P. 11 Job Openings • P. 12

AAEA Staff

2023-2024 Calendar of Events

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

November

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

Sarah Shamburger Business Manager s.shamburger@theaaea.org Alyse Mattox Communications & Technology Specialist a.mattox@theaaea.org Melanie Thrasher Business Analyst m.thrasher@theaaea.org

Lana Webb Administrative Specialist l.webb@theaaea.org

Rachel Blocker Administrative Assistant r.blocker@theaaea.org

1

AACTEA Conference, November 9, 2023 Delta Marriott, Little Rock

January AASA Superintendent Symposium, January 10-11, 2024 DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock AACIA Conference, January 23, 2024 Benton Event Center TEL-AR Conference, January 31 - February 1, 2024 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock

February AASBO Conference, February 7-8, 2024 Hot Springs Convention Center ArkASPA Spring Conference, February 22, 2024 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock

April Women in Leadership Conference, April 3-4, 2024 Robinson Center & Doubletree Hotel, Little Rock CASBO Certification Classes, April 23-24, 2024 DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock

May AAFC Spring Conference, May 1-3, 2024 Hot Springs Convention Center AAEA/ASBA Joint Conference, May 7, 2024 Wyndham Riverfront, North Little Rock

June AASEA Conference, June 10-11, 2024 Benton Event Center

For more information, visit theaaea.org/events.

2023-2024 AAEA Board of Directors Dr. Karla Neathery AAEA President Superintendent, Sheridan

Stacy DeFoor AAEA President-Elect Assistant Superintendent, Benton

Charles Warren AAEA Board Secretary Chief Financial Officer, Fort Smith

Brian Kirkendoll AAEA Past President Principal, Alma

Dr. Andrea Martin AASA President Superintendent, Greenland

Kelvin Gragg AASA President-Elect Assistant Superintendent, Pine Bluff

Dr. Debbie Bruick-Jones AASA Secretary Superintendent, Bentonville

Shawn Rose AAESP President Principal, Hillcrest

Steven Helmick AAESP President-Elect Principal, Little Rock

Carol Skiba AAESP Past President Principal, Cabot

Amy Marek AASSP President Principal, Hazen

Dr. Jason Reeves AASSP President-Elect Assistant Principal, Alma

Matt Ziegler AASSP Past President Principal, Riverside

Rebecca Rosburg ArkASPA President Assistant Superintendent for HR/Federal Programs, Hot Springs

Lisa Hotsenpiller AACTEA President Director of Career & Technical Education, Fayetteville

Dr. Dana Brown AAFC President Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, Mountain Home

Kelsey Bailey AASBO President Chief Financial Officer, Little Rock

Melody Crane AASBO Past President Business Manager/District Treasurer, Hector

Valerie King AAGEA President Director of Gifted Programs, Siloam Springs

Natalie Gosdin Ellen Phipps AASEA President AACIA President Director of Special Education, Curriculum Director, Ouachita Searcy

Craig Dupuy Greg Collins Jason Brunner ASPMA President (until Oct) ASPMA President (begin Oct) AAMLA President Assistant Superintendent, Maintenance/Facilities Assistant Principal, Bentonville Benton Supervisor, Dover Jarod Morrison TEL-AR President Director of Maintenance/ Technology, Farmington

Dr. Mike Hernandez AAEA Executive Director

2023 AAEA Corporate Sponsors Prestigious

American Fidelity Assurance Co. Cognia Coryell Roofing and Construction, Inc. Curriculum Associates Educational Benefits, Inc. GoSchoolBox Lifetouch National School Studios, Inc. NIET - National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Performance Services Pro Benefits Group, Inc. Renaissance Learning, Inc. School Responder Solution Tree, Inc.

Distinguished

Apptegy Capturing Kids’ Hearts Lexia Learning Pearson Virtual Schools

Diamond

Allovue Arkansas Public Safety Solutions Baldwin & Shell ClassWallet

Diamond (Continued)

Defined Learning Edmentum Education Elements Energy Systems Group ESS First Security Beardsley Imagine Learning Just Right Reader Middleton, Inc. OnToCollege SmartData Dashboard Stephens, Inc. Tanium White River Services and Solutions Winsor Learning

Platinum

AAMSCO Architecture Plus, Inc. C.R. Crawford Construction, LLC Cromwell Architects Engineers DotCom Therapy, Inc. Entegrity Energy Partners, LLC Legacy Construction Management Nabholz Construction Corp.

Platinum (Continued)

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

Gold

CDI Contractors Cynergy Rehab Group Goalbook Houghton Mifflin Harcourt IXL Learning Kinco Constructors, LLC Phoenix Contractors, LLC Red Comet TIPS - The Interlocal Purchasing System Zaner-Bloser

Silver Adleta American Bus Sales, Inc. Correll, Inc. French Architects, PA Hight-Jackson Associates, PA SEAS 2

Executive Viewpoint Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

SAFETY MUST BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY The story below may be harrowing, and most of you may remember the incident. I apologize for the details, but I promise there is an important point.

On Valentine's Day in 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, witnessed the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history, killing fourteen students and three staff members. The murderer, a former student, gained access to the school through an unlocked and unstaffed gate. Once inside building 1200, he unleashed a hail of bullets down hallways and into classrooms through classroom door windows, resulting in the deaths of eleven individuals and injuring thirteen within the first 2 minutes and 8 seconds on the first floor. Moving to the second floor, he fired shots but did not hit anyone before proceeding to the third floor, where he claimed six more lives and injured four more individuals in the final 1 minute and 12 seconds of the attack.

Before leaving the building, the murderer shot through the faculty lounge window and reached in to open the door. He then set up a bipod to stabilize his weapon, reloaded, and began shooting at fleeing students outside, adopting a sniper-like approach. Fortunately, hurricane impact-resistant glass in the windows prevented the death toll from escalating.

Just six minutes after entering the building at 2:27 pm, the murderer abandoned his rifle in another stairwell and exited the school, attempting to blend in with the students evacuating due to the fire alarm initiated by the gunfire. He successfully left the campus and went to a Subway restaurant to get an ICEE before eventually heading to a McDonald's.

Below is a chronological timeline of the methodically planned massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School: • 2:19 pm - An Uber dropped off the murderer at the front of MSD with his AR-15 concealed in a guitar case.

• 2:21 pm - The murderer entered building 12. The murderer NEVER entered any of the classrooms. He shot people in the hallways and through the classroom door windows.

• 2:23 pm - A school resource officer arrived at the front of the building. He never entered the building on the day of the massacre and remained outside for the next 48 minutes.

• 2:27 pm - The murderer escaped the building.

•

2:32 pm - Law enforcement entered the building.

•

3:37 pm - The murderer was apprehended.

You may now be asking why I am rehashing all this. Recently, at the request of one of the victim's parents, I had the honor of attending an event along with approximately 200 other school administrators and law enforcement officers from all over the country. This event was organized by one of the victim's parents, Max Schachter. Honestly, when I received the invitation, I was not thrilled about going at all. The invitation included a verbal description of what the event would entail. The part that gave me a queasy feeling was that we would walk through building 1200. This is where the horrific event occurred. The building has been sealed since that day. Only the jury and parents have been through the facility since Valentine's Day 2018. All of the carnage and DNA were still in place, just like the day it happened. However, after a late-night phone call from Max, I was convinced that I wanted to support the parents and school personnel who dealt with the trauma and were trying to ensure that this did not happen to others.

3

Several people out there will tell you we need more mental health resources in the school or gun control. This article is not about those things, but everything should be reviewed and considered. This article concerns awareness and ensuring school leaders and staff do everything possible to ensure safety. In Arkansas, we have some great things in place. Most of these are devised from lessons learned from school shootings like Parkland and Uvalde.

We started with a gathering in the school gymnasium. Our group consisted of approximately 25-30 people from all over the U.S. The day was set up for groups to enter the area during specific scheduled times. We received a briefing from several individuals that included Max Schachter and staff from the Broward County State Attorneys' office. The briefing described what we were about to do, which was to walk through building 1200. The route would mirror the killer's path as he traveled through the building. I realized why we had the water and mints given as we entered the gym. The campus was like any typical campus, with water fountains, big courtyards, and championship banners hung all over the gym. The only thing unusual was a large fence around a three-story building and a memorial in one of the courtyards. Other than that, it was a Saturday on any campus in America.

We entered the building on the first floor. You could still see the police tape that sealed the door many years ago. As we entered the hallway, the glass from multiple shattered windows crunched under our feet. I heard one of our guides start talking, but I was fixated on a box of donuts on the floor with holes shot in it and a stepped-on Valentine's Day card. I had to lean against the wall for a second to get my bearings before I could focus on what was being said. Most of the glass on the floor was not shot out but broken out by the law enforcement people who went from room to room trying to clear the building after the shooting. The shooter never opened a classroom door but shot through the vision panel that was in each door. We walked into the first classroom where students lost their lives. I could see February 14, 2018, marked on the board and an English class bell ringer. The class was left the same as it was that day. The significant difference was overturned desks, bullet holes, and dried DNA from where the individuals were shot. We were told that many did not know to go to a "hard corner" where it was harder to be shot by someone outside the door.

The group continued down the first-floor hallway, seeing much of the same terrible sights we saw in room 1214. I saw a quote on the wall that said, "For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness."

I thought about how angry someone would be to do this much damage. The next stop was on the second floor of building 1200. Amazingly, there was no one injured on this floor. The theory is that the students heard the gunshots and had more time to take cover. There was a quote on the wall, too, that said, "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." The third floor was not so fortunate due to many believing that there was a fire drill. Many evacuated, but some students saw the first-floor massacre and ran back up to the third floor, where the shooter was heading. Our group was told that the shooter fired 139 rounds, killing 17 people and injuring another 17. We then went back to the first floor and exited the building. I finally felt like I could breathe again.

After the walkthrough, we went back to the gym to have a debrief. The debrief involved a few parents and spouses, including School Board Member Debra Hixson. Mrs. Hixon is the widow of Chris Hixon, the Athletic Director at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who tragically lost his life on February 14, 2018, while trying to disarm the shooter. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri was also there to answer questions.

Following the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSDHS) in February 2018, Governor Rick Scott appointed Sheriff Gualtieri to serve as the chair of the MSDHS Public Safety Commission. The commission issued a 500-page report in January 2019 that resulted in significant improvements to school safety across Florida. I was still shocked because I had never experienced anything like this, but I could tell those in law enforcement were more at ease due to their past experiences. I had two main questions. What has changed in practice and policy? What change has had the most significant impact? The main ideas expressed were using threat assessment teams, mental health coordinators, single point of entry, and locked doors at all times.

In Arkansas, we have almost everything in place to prevent or mitigate a tragic event like this. That is the good news. The bad news is that it is tough to measure the fidelity of implementation. Many of us can quickly become overwhelmed with all the new items listed in the latest Arkansas School Safety Commission Report. After a while, you can become complacent with the work. Many of us know what we are being asked to do but may need to understand WHY we do it. I am now CRYSTAL CLEAR on why we must make school safety a number one priority. Please join me in remembering the victims and pledge to do what needs to be done to make certain our students and staff are safe at school.

4

President’s Perspective Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Board President

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL GRATITUDE MONTH November is National Gratitude Month, a time to celebrate and give thanks for all the good things in our lives. Thanksgiving causes us to reflect on what's really important. November is a great month to count our blessings and express our appreciation to the people who have made a difference in our lives.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can have a positive impact on our well-being. Studies show that gratitude can boost our mood, reduce stress, and improve our overall health. Being grateful is a choice.

So, today I chose to make a gratitude list to remind myself of the many reasons I have to be thankful. My challenge to you is to take some time today to come up with a gratitude list. Here are some of my reasons to give thanks today: •

I am thankful to God for the many blessings He has given me.

•

I am thankful for my family, who are my support system by whom I am abundantly blessed.

•

I am thankful for my health that carries me through this life.

•

I am thankful for my home, which is a refuge and a safe place for my family.

•

I am thankful for the gift of educational work that is extremely rewarding to serve others.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a blessed holiday with family and friends.

Compliance Connection Four Signs That It May Be Time To Bring In A Benefits Administrator Submitted by Ginger Huff, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co. Let's be honest - benefits administration isn't simple. Offering benefits to your employees is no small feat. You need to choose plans that make sense for you and your employees, figure out how to make sure you can afford it and determine how to administer these benefits, so that you don't spend all your time on it.

If you're wondering whether your organization could benefit from the help of a partner, here are 4 signs that will tell you when to bring in a pro to help: 1. You've been finding it confusing or difficult to navigate the complexities of employee benefits management.

2. You want to offer more comprehensive benefits to your employees, but you're not sure what your options are.

5

3. You want to help make sure your organization remains compliant with regulatory requirements related to employee benefits.

4. Your employees have been asking about specific benefits that you don't currently offer, and you don't know where to start.

If any of this sounds familiar, it may be time for a benefits review from an expert. They can help you determine whether the problems you've encountered are isolated or if your current model requires a more thorough overhaul of how you approach employee benefits management. The good news is, that no matter what your situation looks like today, there's likely a solution that will work for both you and your employees!

Learn more about benefits administration with these strategy tips

Asked & Answered Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director

The question was regarding a millage rollback when a district's boundaries extend across one or more county lines, and some counties rollback and others do not. How does this scenario play out? Does the district have a different millage rate in different counties? The issue gets even more complicated if a district's boundaries extend across multiple county lines.

Some guidance is provided in Arkansas Code 26-26-408 - Implementation of Millage Rollback in Fringe School Districts. “Fringe school districts” is the term used for those school districts whose boundaries extend across one or more county lines.

In general, when there is a countywide reappraisal of property for ad valorem tax purposes, and a rollback occurs, the millage rollback for fringe school districts will be implemented as follows: That part of the school district in a county reappraised first will be rolled back in accordance with procedures prescribed in law and taxes will be levied at that millage rate until such time as a similar reappraisal is completed in the other counties in which the school district lies. At this point, the rolled back millage for the first part of the school district that has been reappraised and the millages for each succeeding part of the school district that has been reappraised shall be averaged, weighted by the percentage of the total assessment of the school district that each part consists of in order to create a weighted average millage, and thereafter the weighted average millage for the school district will be the millage rate levied in the whole school district.

Sounds complicated right? Districts faced with this issue should consult with their financial advisor for advice on how to proceed in their particular situation.

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

Awards Stephen Bitely Receives ASPMA Blue Ribbon Award Stephen Bitely was presented the Blue Ribbon Award at the ASPMA annual conference at the Hot Springs Convention Center on October 3. This annual award is given to Arkansas School Plant Management Association members who have demonstrated quality leadership and have contributed their talents, efforts, and abilities for the betterment of Arkansas school facilities. Stephen, regional Vice-President of Inspections for VSC Fire and Security, has served as an exhibitor representative on the ASPMA board of directors for a number of years. He serves as a valued advisor to the board and has been instrumental in assisting the association in enhancing member and vendor benefits in recent years.

Congratulations to Stephen on a recognition well deserved!

6

Administrator Spotlight:

Jeremy Lasiter

Director of Legal Affairs, Bryant School District "I have the best job of any attorney in Arkansas," proclaims Jeremy Lasiter, Director of Legal Affairs for the Bryant School District. "I always wanted to use my legal training to serve the public, and education turned out to be the best way to do that." Jeremy previously worked for the United States Air Force and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office but jumped at the opportunity to use his legal training to work in education. In 2008, he became the General Counsel for the Arkansas Department of Education, serving as chief legal advisor to the Commissioner of Education and the Arkansas State Board of Education. In 2015, he left the ADE to join the administration team at Bryant Public Schools, where he has remained since.

Mr. Lasiter says his favorite part of his job is the people he works with. "I am privileged to work with around 1,000 truly dedicated professionals." He says that no day is ever the same - each day brings a new set of issues to address, an aspect of the job that he finds exciting, but also challenging. However, he says if anyone is interested in a similar career, then he wholeheartedly recommends it. "No other field serves the public more effectively and extensively than the field of education. It is truly an honor."

His mother once told him, “You can always get there from here,” meaning that "regardless of where you are at the present time, you can always get to where you want to be. There are many routes to your desired destination. Be persistent, never give up and never lose faith even if you feel lost." It is advice he finds has helped him throughout his career, especially considering that he finds education is in a constant state of change. "There’s always a new program, test or approach. It seems the new laws impacting education have increased exponentially over the past few years," he states. "I am troubled by the unwarranted attacks on public education and educators, but I am heartened by the fact that most Arkansans, including those in my school district, are pleased with the quality of their community’s public school system."

Mr. Lasiter says he has several personal goals he is still working toward - "Those will always be a work in progress. Professionally, I just try to be better at my job and a better colleague each day, through constant learning, reflection and development." His efforts to that end were recently recognized, and he was named the ArkASPA Administrator of the Year for 2023. "I was extremely honored. I have the privilege of being a part of a network of amazing professionals. For them to choose me for that award was humbling, but much appreciated," he says. For his future plans, he simply hopes his school board allows him to continue to be to be Director of Legal Affairs for Bryant Public Schools, albeit, he says, "a much better, wiser and more experienced one."

7

with What is the most daring thing you’ve done?

Bungee jumping. Once was enough. Daring and dumb.

What have you done that you are most proud of?

Becoming a dad. Nothing else comes close.

What do you enjoy doing during your time off?

Spending time with family and the ones I love, hopefully outdoors.

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

I would like to travel around the world, visiting each continent at least once.

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

I would like to be a teacher, sports broadcaster, owner of a professional sports franchise, or professional wrestling manager. Hard choices.

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

I want to be remembered as a good father and person who loved God and was kind to everyone.

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

There are several benefits to AAEA membership and I am not sure I could pick just one. The mentoring and training through the AAEA are top notch. Being able to network with administrators from around the state might be the best benefit of all.

8

AAEA

On a Role!

Dr. Mike Hernandez

Executive Director

Learn more about AAEA Staff and the roles they serve!

Dr. Mike Hernandez came to AAEA in July of 2020 as the Executive Director-Elect. He says, "I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Richard Abernathy for six months before his retirement. On January 1, 2021, I became the Executive Director just in time for the 2021 Legislative Session." As Director, Dr. Hernandez oversees the implementation of the AAEA mission, which is to be a united alliance of diverse school leaders and an effective force for the highest quality public education for all children. "Our mission is to ensure high standards of leadership by providing quality professional development, influencing education legislation and policy, stimulating and fostering support and building successful coalitions," he states. "I help assist 13 different constituent groups and boards with their operations while serving as the executive for AAEA and ASA Educational Foundation.

The main constituent groups I support more closely are ArkASPA, AASA, AASSP, and AAGEA. Lastly, I help support the AAEA Legislative Committee as they develop a philosophy and plan of action during a legislative session or other policy matter."

Dr. Hernandez previously served at the Arkansas Department of Education in various positions, including State Superintendent for the Office of Coordinated Support and Service and Deputy Commissioner. He also served as Assistant Commissioner over Fiscal Services and Superintendent of the Hot Springs and Danville School Districts. He began his administrative career as principal of the Western Yell County High School.

Dr. Hernandez says he enjoys all aspects of his job, stating, "Supporting people is my passion. I thoroughly enjoy receiving calls and questions about various situations and tracking down the answers. The school business is unique to every school and complicated. The answer always depends on the given set of facts. The legislative and policy aspects can be challenging at times, but we will win some and lose some. We always have to remember to stick together and support each other, no matter the size, resources, or zip code."

When not in the office, Dr. Hernandez enjoys spending time with his family. His wife Susan is a nurse practitioner for the Arkansas Heart Hospital. Their three daughters Sophie, Olivia, and Josie - play volleyball, basketball, and softball, and keep the family busy attending their sporting events. "Basically, I am an ATM, chauffeur, cheering section, and chief consoler when we lose. I used to have some hobbies back in my younger single days, but right now, it is family and work, with one exception: I LOVE the Dallas Cowboys. I would not trade it for one second."

9

UPCOMING EVENTS

Registration is now open for the 2023 AACTEA Conference to be held on November 9, 2023, at the Delta Hotel in Little Rock.

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 • EmpowerED Superintendent edLeader Panel Broadcast Series: • Leveraging Technology Tools to Provide Equitable Learning for ALL • Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI: Empowering Deeper Conversation • CoSN Resources: • Defining Digital Equity • Digital Equity Toolkit • CoSN One-Pager on Digital Equity • CoSN Digital Equity Dashboard • CoSN One-Pager on Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI • Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Primer • CoSN 2024 Annual Conference, "Leading for Innovation: At Warp Speed " • CoSN Membership 10

Publication Sneak Peek: School Law Review This segment features content from other AAEA publications. School Law Review is a quarterly publication available to subscribing districts. The following excerpt comes from the September 2023 issue.

RECENT COURT DECISIONS: STUDENTS California District Settles OCR Sexual Harassment Claim (June 8, 2023) The U.S. Office for Civil Rights alleged that the district violated federal law nine times in failing to protect against sexual harassment and discrimination.

Investigators reviewed and documented 41 reports of sexually explicit comments, name-calling and unwanted sexual touching among students, which included rape, sexual harassment, sexual cyber-bullying, obscene sexual gestures, and the exposure of private parts. Three allegations involving teachers were documented, including two in which teachers made inappropriate comments and touched students.

Doe v. North Penn. Sch. Dist., U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Oct. 19, 2022) A student claimed the District violated Title IX due to its deliberate indifference to the risk of sexual assault posed by a classmate. In sixth grade, a student sexually assaulted one of her classmates. A teacher witnessed the incident and did not report the incident because she assumed the touching was consensual. Six months later, another teacher reported the same student had sexually assaulted someone else, and the student’s teacher then shared the previous incident with the principal. The student then allegedly committed other sexual assaults at the middle school on other students. Years later, the classmate from sixth grade found herself seated next to the perpetrator in their

tenth-grade class, and he allegedly began assaulting her again.

The district sought dismissal of the case, arguing that it was not deliberately indifferent to the reports of sexual assault.

The court denied the district’s motion to dismiss, holding that the case would have to be decided by a jury. While the district did not have actual notice of the alleged assaults on other students, it placed this student in the same class as her assailant and merely suspended him for three days, downplaying his acts as less serious misconduct.

Myers v. Boardman Sch. Dist., U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (July 11, 2022) The parent of a child with autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and dyslexia sued the district alleging it violated the child’s constitutional rights when a classroom aide stapled a note to the child’s head because the district approved of and condoned the aide’s actions. The district requested dismissal based on its lack of knowledge about the alleged abuse until the parent informed a school official and its discipline of the aide when it learned of the misconduct.

The court dismissed the case reasoning that the parent failed to establish that the district failed to train or supervise the aide or that the district had a custom, practice, or policy of abuse or was deliberately indifferent to or tolerant of misconduct.

Interested in more from School Law Review? Contact our office at 501-372-1691.

11

Visit arjobsined.schoolspring.com The AAEA Job Board is a calendar-year subscription that assists districts with the everincreasing 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 Lana Webb, Administrative Specialist, at l.webb@theaaea.org or at 501-372-1691.

Job Openings District Name

Position

Palestine-Wheatley School District

High School Principal

Paris School District

Superintendent

Fountain Lake School District

Superintendent

Berryville Public School District

Bookkeeper II

Southeast AR Ed Service Center

Assistant Cooperative Director

Southeast AR Ed Service Center

Cooperative Director

Northwest AR Ed Service Coop

Director

12

The AAEA Team

We are here to assist you!

Be a part of something BIGGER than an individual.

Voice

The The for School School Administrators Administrators for Training Training

Networking Networking

Mentoring Mentoring

Legal Services Services

Follow us on social media: 219 South Victory, Little Rock, AR 72201 13

Advocacy Advocacy

Iiiiiiiiii Iiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiii

| 501.372.1691 | www.theaaea.org