The Administrator Newsletter- September 2022

VOLUME 48 • ISSUE 3 SEPTEMBER 2022

THE

ADMINISTRATOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

WELCOME BACK!

Dr. Hernandez discusses the current reality when it comes to recruitment and retention of human capital in schools.

Brian Kirkendoll delivers a welcome to administrators as the school year kicks into gear.

Executive Viewpoint

President’s Perspective

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Executive Viewpoint • P. 3

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

ADMINISTRATOR SPOTLIGHT: KAREN GRADY In the Spotlight this month is Karen Grady, Gifted and Talented Specialist at the Guy Fenter Education Services Cooperative.

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Administrator Spotlight • P. 7 Over the Top • P. 9 Benefits Corner • P. 9 Upcoming Events • P. 10 Publication Sneak Peek • P. 13 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 12-13, 2023 Benton Event Center 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

Human Capital Management “Recruitment” and “Retention” are words that we hear very often. Act 646 of the 2021 regular session amended our state law to require all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to prepare and post a three (3) year Teacher and Administrator Recruitment and Retention Plan on their website. According to the dictionary, recruitment means the action of finding new people to join an organization or support a cause. Retention means the continued possession, use, or control of something. One thing we are struggling with in Arkansas is recruiting new, well-trained educators into the profession and keeping them. Why is that? Districts need to conceptualize a good plan and ensure that plan is effective in managing this most precious resource, Human Capital. We must also not forget the importance of the HUMAN component as we develop and carry out these plans.

It is time to be honest about our limitations in recruitment and retention of employees, which also should include how we deploy staff in the district. I know I sound clinical with these terms as if we were in a pristine lab setting. It is not my intention to be this way, but we must begin to think and speak in the terminology of the human resource world. School administrators were not trained to be high-functioning HR managers. Most of us had some hint of personnel training in classes like School Finance and Resource Management or maybe even a three-hour credit course in Human Resources Administration in Education. These courses were meant to equip us with the basic knowledge that worked in the old model of hiring school personnel. The old method went something like this: You have a vacancy, post the job, get applications, interview, and finally offer the job to the best candidate. This process worked pretty well when you had numerous applications from fully certified candidates who were trained and vetted by the various colleges of education. Life was much simpler for the people doing the hiring at the local school district.

Our current reality in the race to fill our classrooms and other critical job roles is drastically different from 10-15 years ago. The number of applicants has dwindled. Many classrooms are being served by uncertified teachers who come to the classroom with wonderful hearts for kids but limited backgrounds in teaching and learning. This lack of knowledge can be overcome through training and support, but too many of these employee types in one school can be very difficult to support in a meaningful way. Another issue is the retirement of veteran teachers in numbers that further tax the pipeline. Regardless of training background, numerous novice teachers can also be an issue. So our task is evident: we must equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to move personnel management from transactional practices to strategic-based management of resources. So how do we do this?

First, we need to be voracious consumers of data. In the same approach that we pore over student data, we should collect and analyze data related to our staffing. A district should look at data points such as staff turnover and mobility, unfilled vacancies, absenteeism rates, percentage of first-year teachers, principal experience, effectiveness ratings, and substitute fill rates. You must have this data to answer staffing quantity, quality, equity, and capacity questions. For example, a deeper understanding of data will allow districts to better understand the supply and demand of teachers in particular schools. This understanding can come from analyzing needs by subject and grade level for new teachers and supply from all pathways (graduates of teacher preparation 3

providers and incoming teachers from out-of-state). Once this information is clear, key stakeholders can address challenges with practical solutions.

Second, we must take whatever steps necessary to improve the supply to meet the needs of districts. Our goal is never to just have enough bodies to fill vacant positions. Instead, it should be that we have enough effective teachers in the subjects and locations that need them the most.

Leaders before the last decade or so have not spent much time considering sources of applicants unless they are in hard-to-staff areas. Sources of future talent need to be diverse. The sources may be high school programs, college and university programs, career changes, community members, or existing employees. All traditional and alternative pathways should be scoured for potential workers.

Districts should also measure the effectiveness of each pathway in providing prepared staff and give feedback to the provider just like one might to a vendor selling you a good or rendering a service. Multiple challenges will impact the future pipeline. From a demand perspective, we have increased attrition of veteran teachers, increased student enrollment with diverse needs, and potential competition for staff due to school choice policies. From a supply perspective, we have fewer students interested in teaching, declining enrollment in educator preparation programs, and increased competition with other higher-paying professions.

Lastly, as administrators, we must remove barriers to effective human capital practices that unnecessarily limit the current quality, quantity, and equity of available staff. Some of this can be done at the state level and some at the district level. I think we are blessed in our state to have a group of people at the state level that has promoted and passed policies that have attempted to remove barriers that affect the teacher pipeline. Strides have been made in several areas such as approving multiple pathways to provide teachers, working with colleges and universities to increase supply, expand diversity, and allow feedback to these providers. Some other areas of removing barriers are increasing reciprocity options from other states, allowing Arkansas districts to differentiate compensation through ESA funds, and providing incentives for high-needs schools. The latest program to be excited about is the Arkansas Teacher Residency Model, which will help with the supply aspect of staffing. Arkansas leaders have to become well versed in all their options to procure and deploy staff without fear or holding on to vestiges of past practices. Times are changing, the job is changing, the demands are growing, and we must be ready to provide what is needed for students.

The Arkansas Association of School Personnel Administrators (ArkASPA) has been working for many years to bring relevant training and support to districts in Human Capital Management. As stated before, school people were not trained for the demands of the current job that require you to find and keep great people. Recruitment and Retention planning is one of the most important things you will do for your district's immediate and future needs. ArkASPA has worked with ADE and the Urban School Human Capital Academy (USHCA) to develop a certification program for a Human Capital Leader. The program will start on September 27, 2022, as part of the HR Bootcamp. You can register for the conference here. I would encourage you to grow your knowledge in this area of school business as much as possible. Think outside the box, study the data, and make a strategic plan. Your current and future student success depends on it.

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President’s Perspective Brian Kirkendoll, AAEA Board President

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school! Hopefully, everyone has had a smooth and enjoyable start to school. We have many new superintendents and building administrators in Arkansas this year. Thankfully, we have an excellent beginning administrator system that is very supportive and helpful. I am very excited to be a mentor again this year for new assistant principals. This is the fourth year I have had the privilege to serve in this capacity. I hope you will reach out to new administrators in your district to check on their well-being and experiences with the BA program. The mentoring process has certainly been a blessing to me as I have established relationships with many administrators throughout the state. Additionally, please encourage new administrators to stay active in AAEA after their first year comes to and end. They are the future of our organization.

A big thank you to all you who attended our summer conference. It was great to see so many excellent leaders enjoying their time together. Enjoy your fresh start to this year and I hope you all have a year blessed beyond measure.

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 Series • CoSN Superintendent Advisory Panel Discussion on Successes and Challenges in Leading School Districts Today • CoSN Membership

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Asked & Answered Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director Act 3 of the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly appropriated $50 million to DESE for school safety grants. AAEA has fielded several questions regarding when the funds will be available and when the grant process will open. Our answer has been there are no rules or a grant program at this time and the process will take some time. A review of the rule-making process might provide some insight on how long this might take.

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Draft rules have to be approved by the assistant commissioner, deputy commissioner, and then education secretary The next step is approval by the State Board of Education for public comment release. Rules must be added to the agenda two weeks before the SBE meeting.

The Governor's Office then must approve the draft rules for public comment release.

The public comment period must be a minimum of 30 days.

After the public comment period ends, it may be necessary to make revisions to the draft rules. If changes are "substantive," rules must go back through the public comment process.

Final approval by the SBE is next.

At this point, the rules must go before the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) Rules Subcommittee and then before the full ALC. The final step is to file the rules, after ALC approval, with the Secretary of State. Rules are effective 10 days after filing.

As you can see, the current rules process can easily take months!

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

Compliance Connection 2023 HSA Limits Announced Submitted by Ginger Huff, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced annual inflation adjustments for High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). These increases are effective for 2023.

View the Full List of Adjustments

How to Increase HSA Participation

If you have any questions or need help communicating these changes to employees, please contact us.

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Administrator Spotlight:

Karen Grady

Gifted and Talented Specialist, Guy Fenter Education Services Coop Karen Grady, Gifted and Talented Specialist at Guy Fenter Education Services Cooperative, says others might be surprised to learn she has only been in the education field for 11 years. "I actually have a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science," she says.

When circumstances led to her needing a new career path, she decided education was a perfect fit for her life situation and interests. "I had always been involved in my sons’ school — 15 years as PTO President when I retired LOL — and I really enjoyed my oldest son’s friends who were just becoming teenagers." So, at age 40 and as a single parent of two boys, she found herself walking into a 7th grade science classroom for the first time, the same semester she started her MAT. "I started my teaching career at Lavaca Middle School. I taught 7th/8th-grade science for 3 years then moved to the GT Coordinator position for 3 years. I spent one year as the ERZ (Education Renewal Zone Director) at UAFS, and I am starting my 4th year as the GT specialist and CPI trainer at Guy Fenter." In that time, in addition to her MAT, she has also acquired an M.S.E. in Gifted and Talented and Creative.

Karen says one of her favorite things about her job is that she gets to be a resource to not only the GT educators in her school districts but also to administrators and classroom teachers in providing differentiated learning experiences for all their students. The most challenging part of her job is that she cannot always provide teachers with answers to make situations easier and help their students achieve maximum growth as a learner. "There are often times so many precipitating factors that have to be addressed that a solution is almost impossible, and the best we can do is make a positive impact in some way." She says working in education is not the easiest career choice, but there are days that the rewards of working with students will blow you away. "You need to understand that teachers aren’t kidding when they say they modify and adjust…it happens daily. You need to have a passion for kids and lifelong learning. As you are pursuing a career in education get involved in organizations, have experiences, learn to collaborate with others, understand your own learning style, and be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.

Practice self-reflection and change."

During her time off, Karen has an abundance of hobbies, including baking, reading, running, and raising cutting horses. She also says she is passionate about traveling and seeing the world's natural wonders, stating, " I have six states left I haven’t visited yet. I have been to Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, and 14 Caribbean islands. I have climbed Mt. Vesuvius, walked through Pompei, sailed on one of the ships used in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, walked 32,000 steps a day visiting New York City at Christmas time, been charged by a grizzly bear in East Glacier (twice in one day…they really are much more impressive in person than on TV), been within 10 feet of a pod of manatees as they swam by, had a private tour of the Audobon’s Center for Research of Endangered Species, climbed the 'rocky' stairs in Philadelphia with a broken ankle in a boot, and many other things." Still on her 'Bucket List' is to "visit New Zealand and hear a Red Stag roar in the wild."

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with What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Everyone you meet knows something you don’t and has the potential to be a valuable resource in the future.” Networking has been an invaluable part of my life, allowing me some amazing opportunities, and the ability to provide ideas and resources to fellow educators and students.

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

The understanding and implementation of differentiation in the regular classroom have grown immensely in recent years. This growth helps us meet students where they are and provide maximum growth for all.

Tell me about any awards or recognition you have received.

· My research article on “The Effects of Project Based Learning on Academic Achievement in the Seventh Grade Science Classroom” was published and I presented it at an international conference. · I was selected as a 2017 NOAA Teacher at Sea - at that time I was the 3rd ever in the state of Arkansas. I sailed for 16 days on a longline survey of sharks and reef fish with NOAA scientists. · I presented at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History on “Sharks in our Ocean” with NOAA scientists. · My GT program at Lavaca was selected as Honorable Mention for the ACT 56 award for schools with 1000 students or less.

What is the most daring thing you’ve done?

· Jumped out of an airplane · Sea Kayaked out of Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands to watch the sunset over Victoria, Canada, and then paddled back as the sun set….with the knowledge at any time a Killer Whale could appear as it was searching for food.

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

I want to be remembered as someone who puts my faith in God at the center of everything. I would want to be remembered as someone who offered encouragement and support to others. I would want to be remembered as someone who makes mistakes, faces challenges, and uses those experiences to be a better person going forward.

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

The steady stream of information that is provided to us that is both useful and relevant to my role as an educator and administrator.

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Over the Top A Note from CEO of Coryell Roofing, Chris Coryell Submitted by Deveny Cay Wells, Editor, Coryell Roofing & Construction Representatives from Coryell Roofing, including CEO, Chris Coryell, were privileged to attend the 2022 AAEA Summer Conference and "join administrators from across the state to learn, network, and celebrate your love for public education."

Chris had the following to say about experience: I am always impressed with the organizational and structural management of Arkansas schools. The state has done an impressive job of assisting all school districts with facility maintenance and improvements. AAEA and ASPMA bring all of that together by offering conferences that educate and empower the educators of the state.

We attend and display our resources in an effort to establish long lasting relationships with decision makers that will allow us to showcase our capabilities. The AAEA Summer Conference affords us that platform and partnership.

Our goal with this monthly segment is to continue the educational opportunity provided by the AAEA Summer Conference. So, keep checking in each month as we strive to ease the burden of managing your facilities' roofs by educating you about roofing maintenance, repairs, and replacement.

Benefits Corner 3 Things to Remember When Getting Your Employees Ready for Open Enrollment Submitted by Anna Roussel, Creative Writer, Educational Benefits Evaluate Your Plan Think about your current benefits; are there any products that would be beneficial to employees that are not currently offered? Your broker needs advance notice to quote new benefits. Also consider your carriers; are there any you have issues with? Some concerns can be fixed with a quick phone call, and others may require switching carriers. Consistently reassessing these things help provide your employees with the best benefits possible.

Know Your Effective Date and Schedule Accordingly Your effective date is the day your policy renews, and all enrollment needs to be completed before this deadline. Your open enrollment dates are informed by this, and choosing a smart time frame to enroll your employees is essential. Consider what weeks are popular travel dates, whether upcoming holidays mean less people in-office, and remember that later enrollments mean ID cards could potentially be delivered late. It is also crucial to inform employees of upcoming OE dates as soon as possible to avoid rushed decisions, not 9

including other household decision makers, and missed opportunities.

You Can Never Be Too Prepared Reminding employees to bring their SSN, information on their dependents, and to read their potential benefits packages ahead of time are all things that will help the open enrollment process run smoothly. It is also beneficial to have an updated internal census prepared 90 to 60 days in advance to allow for quoting. If you’re not sure what to include: • Adding a life or disability policy? Prepare an internal employee census with occupations and salaries, no dependent information needed.

• Just quoting medical? Prepare to have a census with dependent information.

• Quoting out a current product or doing a market check? Prepare to have a current bill for your current carrier in addition to an updated census with occupation and salary information.

Contact us if you need assistance.

"Community Voice Matters!”

The 2022 AAEA Fall Conference is scheduled for October 18 at the Benton Event Center. This year's conference will focus on family and community engagement and will feature two general sessions and several breakout sessions. Dr. Jeffrey Collier, Superintendent of the Saginaw Intermediate School District in Michigan, is the opening keynote speaker. His presentation, entitled "Harness the Power of your District's Collective Authorship!" will provide challenging, focused reflections for educators to realize that schools are storytelling content machines and encourage leaders to harness the power of their district’s collective authorship to propel a dynamic, protagonistic narrative throughout their communities. Sandy Shepard, DESE Lead Regional R.I.S.E. Specialist, will end the day by sharing ways districts can partner with parents as Arkansas continues to RISE and build communities of readers. Click here to view all keynote and breakout session titles and descriptions, and register to attend today!

UPCOMING EVENTS

2022 AAEA Fall Conference Scheduled for October 18 in Benton

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UPCOMING EVENTS

The AAFC Fall Conference will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center September 21-23, 2022. Register Here!

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

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. Register Here!

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“The Three R’s of School Plant Management Recovery, Rebounding, Resilience” The 50th annual conference of the Arkansas School Plant Management Association (ASPMA) is scheduled for October 3-5 at the Hot Springs Convention Center and Embassy Suites. The year’s conference theme is “The Three R’s of School Plant Management – Recovery, Rebounding, Resilience.” This year’s agenda is packed with keynote speakers, special guests, lots of breakout sessions, and a large trade show. This is an excellent opportunity for professional development, business contacts, and up-to-date information on a variety of topics and products relevant to school plant managers. ASPMA is very excited to have as keynote speaker, Walt Coleman, Retired NFL Referee. Walt officiated in the NFL from 1989-2018. Upon his retirement, Walt was the NFL’s longest tenured referee.

UPCOMING EVENTS

50th Annual ASPMA Conference Planned for October 3-5 in Hot Springs

This year’s conference also includes a day of classes for the Certified Facilities Director (CFD) program. The conference starts Monday, October 3 with these three certification classes: HR 101 – Introduction to Human Resources, PS101 – Introduction to Purchasing & Supply Management, and SI201A – Emergency Management. Other highlights of this year’s conference include a Vendor and Member Appreciation buffet and night of fun/activities on Monday night and an awards dinner on Tuesday night.

Registration is now open on the AAEA website.

For room reservations, visit the Embassy Suites webpage here, or call 1-800-HILTON. Be sure and ask for the ASPMA conference room rate of $145 Single/$155 Double. Room reservation may also be made at Hotel Hot Springs at the rate of $103 Single/Double.

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Publication Sneak Peek: Instructional Leader This segment features content from other AAEA publications. Instructional Leader is a quarterly publication available to subscribing districts. The following excerpt comes from the September 2022 issue.

THE NEED FOR MORE EFFECTIVE LEADERS Contributor: Dr. Jeremy Owoh, Superintendent, Jacksonville North Pulaski School District impact on student learning…please note that there is still a level of impact; the teacher and classroom instructional aides have a direct impact on student learning. The results from the research indicated that leaders had an indirect impact on student learning because they had a direct impact on teacher and staff efficacy. How a leader supports and grows a teacher will determine how that teacher grows the students. And, as a district leader, I still believe that effective teachers need effective school leaders; however, I have concluded that effective school leaders also need effective district leaders.

Over the past twenty years, I believed that teachers had the greatest impact on student learning and growth. Not only do I still believe this fact, there has been more evidence that has notably supported this notion; however, teachers cannot do the work by themselves. Effective teachers emphatically need effective leaders.

They must have the support and resources to be successful…and they also need the leaders who would build their capacity while holding them accountable. Leaders are more than managers in today’s educational environment; however, they do have to manage, in addition to other leadership roles.

During my doctoral studies, I decided to focus on educational leaders' impact on teacher efficacy and student learning. The research highlighted the importance of strong and effective leadership for all students and staff members. When the leader continues to grow professionally in his or her role, the leader is more informed and better equipped to support the teachers. The leader, both at the school level and the district level, has an indirect 13

Learning Together Last year in my District, we decided to adopt the mindset of Learning Is Required at all levels…not just for our scholars but for everyone, including staff and leaders. We started to examine how we can ensure this expectation throughout the District, so we, including our school board members, started our district-wide book study that focused on including all stakeholders on the educational journey when decisions are being made and not just at the middle juncture or end of the journey. If a decision is going to impact a particular group of individuals, then they need to be part of the discussion at the beginning. It is unrealistic to think that individuals will “buy in” or accept a decision if they were never part of the conversation.

Effective communication and authentic dialogue at every level are essential to ensuring that everyone is headed in the right direction. You have to be in the right seat, with the right people, the right driver, and on the right bus that is headed in the right direction, in order to ensure that you

have an effective educational system. Effective, meaningful, feedback is needed by all stakeholders.

Probably one of the most important processes in our educational system is the way leaders provide feedback to teachers and staff and then how teachers/ staff members provide feedback to our scholars.

Leadership Growth The moral imperative for all educators should be student learning/growth. In addition to student learning/ growth, it is imperative that our leaders are always professionally growing and that they ensure that all staff members are growing. We cannot expect our students to grow if we are not growing. As professionals, we need to always seek out opportunities for professional growth.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Bob Thompson’s Superintendent Academy. It was by far one of the best professional development experiences that I have had in my educational tenure. I really felt that I grew as a leader during that year-long experience. We discussed the board and superintendent relationship, finance/ budgeting, hiring/ terminating process, and much more.

Our scholars change every year and, unfortunately, our staff makeup changes often; therefore, it is imperative that we, as leaders, continue to seek opportunities to increase our leadership capacity. It is a powerful learning experience to be around other superintendents, even if their districts do not mirror my District’s makeup. Just as our students learn from each other, our teachers learn from each other, and our leaders learn from each other. We need to make time to collaborate and converse more with other leaders. We also need to ensure that our other leaders in our district have the same opportunities to learn and collaborate with role-like colleagues.

Learn by Listening Lastly, an area of my leadership capacity that I continue to develop is my listening skills. Many of us only take time to hear our team, staff, students, parents, etc…but we do not take time to listen to them. Hearing is the act of receiving sound, but listening takes the additional step of

understanding the sound that you have just heard.

Listening takes more of an active role rather than the acquiescent role of just hearing someone. As leaders, we have been accustomed to always having the answers and to produce the answers quickly, so we hear the problem and then respond quickly with the solution, sometimes without even processing the entire situation.

It has become a robotic process- staff comes to you with a question or problem and we quickly give a response without much thought. This type of reaction has many implications but the top two implications are: 1. Our quick response, at times, takes away the human factor. How does this decision, today, impact this teacher or student? Our teachers are different and our students are different, so the same response for similar situations is not always what’s best for them.

2. Secondly, it takes away their opportunity to enhance their problem-solving skills. Just like our scholars, our professional staff need the opportunity to work through situations, and if you are always providing the answers as soon as a situation arises, then you do not allow for capacity building. I have made a conscious effort to stop, listen, and then dialogue with my staff member. I usually end the conversation by stating: A. “Let me repeat what I have heard; is that correct?”; B. “What are your thoughts and feelings about the situation?”

C. “What are your possible solutions? What are the desired outcomes?”

D. And if I have any concerns, I may ask: “Have you thought about this possible outcome?”

We sometimes forget that as leaders, we should do more facilitating and guiding, then solving and directing. Our scholars and staff members have a lot to contribute to our educational system, so we need to listen to them and consider their feedback. It goes back to the journey process.

One of the most important parts of starting the journey in the right direction is to listen to all of the participants who are going to be impacted on the journey.

Interested in more from Instructional Leader? 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

Green Forest School District

IT Director

Fort Smith Public Schools

Director of Communications

Fort Smith Public Schools

Executive Director of Instructional Technology

Fort Smith Public Schools

6-12 Literacy/Social Studies Coordinator

Arkansas Arts Academy

Principal – Secondary (7th-12th)

The AAEA Team

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