Administrative Newsletter December/January 2020-2021 Edition

December/January 2020-2021 Vol. 46, No. 6

The

Administrator Newsletter

The monthly publication of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators Executive Viewpoint: Page 1

Ready.

Set. RETIRE!

Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude

Executive Viewpoint: Page 2

Moving Forward Together

President’s Perspective: Page 2

Spotlight

This

In

Page 5

Issue

Executive Viewpoint - Dr. Richard Abernathy

1

Executive Viewpoint - Dr. Mike Hernandez

2

President’s Perspective - Debbie Atkinson

3

Compliance Connection

4

Professional Development Opportunities

5

Administrator Spotlight - David Maxwell, Ed. S. 6 Benefits Corner

8

David Maxwell, Ed.S.

Asked and Answered

9

High School Principal Mena School District

CoSN Update

9

2020 Salary Survey

13

Follow us on:

Page 5

219 South Victory, Little Rock, AR 72201 501.372.1691 www.theaaea.org

2020-2021 AAEA Board of Directors Debbie Atkinson, AAEA President Principal, Bergman

Dr. Stephanie Nehus, President-Elect Superintendent, Hot Springs

Brian Kirkendoll, AAEA Secretary/Treasurer Principal, Alma

Scott Spainhour, AAEA Past President Superintendent, Greenbrier

Robert Poole, AASA President Superintendent, Prescott

Jon Collins, AASA President-Elect Superintendent, West Memphis

Stacy DeFoor, AAESP President Principal, Conway

Mark Lewis, AAESP President-Elect Principal, Conway

David Maxwell, AASSP President Principal, Mena

Scott Smith, AASSP President-Elect Principal, Western Yell County

Chad Jordan, AASSP Past President Principal, Greene County Tech

Fred Lilly, ArkASPA President Superintendent, Camden Fairview

Dr. Lee Smith, AACTEA President Assistant Superintendent of Development, Mena

Shantele Raper, AAFC Cristy Dunnahoe, AASBO President President Director of Federal Programs, Business Manager, Star City Osceola

Charles Warren, AASBO Past President Director of Federal Programs, Osceola School District

Sherry Stewart, AASEA President Director of Special Services, Rogers

Aaron Randolph, AAGEA President Director of Gifted Programs/ Federal Programs, Cabot

Aliza Jones, ASPMA President (begin October) Facilities Consortium Coordinator, Lavaca

Bill Tietz, ASPMA President (until October) Assistant Superintendent, Watson Chapel

Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

AAEA Sta Dr. Mike Hernandez, Executive Director m.hernandez@theaaea.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christy Dodds, Business Development Manager c.dodds@theaaea.org Madison Greene, Administrative Specialist m.greene@theaaea.org

Please contact us if we may provide assistance to you in any way.

The AAEA Administrator is a monthly publication of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA) for members of the AAEA. Editor-in-Chief Lenett Thrasher

Managing Editor Christy Dodds

2020-2021 AAEA Corporate Sponsors Prestigious

Platinum

American Fidelity Assurance Co.

AAMSCO C.R. Crawford Construction, LLC Entegrity Energy Partners, LLC Legacy Construction Management Lexia Learning Nabholz Northwest Evaluation Association - NWEA Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects Schneider Electric Silverback Learning TRANE US, Inc.

Curriculum Associates, LLC. Educational Benefits, Inc. Lifetouch, Inc. NIET Pro Benefits Group, Inc. Renaissance Learning, Inc. Scholastic Education Solution Tree

Distinguished Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Imagine Learning

Diamond Apple Apptegy ClassWallet Edgenuity Energy Systems Group ESS First Security Beardsley Forecast5 Analytics PowerSchool Stephens, Inc. Strategos

Gold Crow Construction Kinco Constructors, LLC TIPS

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

Holiday Stress and How You Can Cope Compliance Connection: Page 3

Common Questions about Heath Savings Accounts (HSAs) Benefits Corner: Page 7

ii

Executive If someone told me back in high school that I was going to have a career in Arkansas as a teacher, administrator and as an Executive Director of the Administrators’ Association, I would have laughed at them and wondered what they were smoking!

Dr. Richard Abernathy The truth of the matter AAEA Executive Director is that I had no idea of what I wanted to do when I grew up and I am still not sure what I want to do when I grow up! But, my career path has certainly been one that I am proud to have walked through over the years.

My career has been influenced by many people but none more so than my dad. I don’t think we realize as parents how much influence we have over our children. They are always watching what we do, what we say, and how we treat others as they grow up. I certainly watched Dad over the years and admired how he treated people.

There were many others who influenced me over the years, as well – in fact, too many to name. I have worked with great support staff, teachers, and administrators who were always willing to share their professional knowledge and experience with me as I continued to grow. This was very beneficial in advancing my career.

All of those influencers have played an important role in my career, but probably the least recognized, but most important, is the support of my family during my career.

I will be the first to say, that my family sacrificed a lot over the years as I spent too many hours working trying to advance a district or job. I now try to share that experience with beginning administrators and encourage them to balance career and family. I think I would be much better at striking a balance at this point in my life, but I wasn’t very good at it when I first started!

Viewpoint

continue to move forward providing educational opportunities for our students.

It has been an honor to serve administrators in Arkansas over the past decade. I realize that I have been blessed being able to lead such an organization as AAEA. I actually was part of the first AAEA summer conference meeting back in the 70’s. Now, I was just a kid running in the halls and swimming in the pool at the Camelot Hotel (DoubleTree). But, I do remember that school administrators met and networked together for a couple of days every summer. That networking continues even today. Unfortunately, the last few months the networking has not been able to take place in person, but I am thankful we have still been able to connect through Zoom.

I talk about networking a lot when it comes to building your professional career, but actually networking is a way to build relationships, both professionally and personally. Our work comes down to having positive relationships with students, staff, other administrators, and the community. You have to learn who you can trust and who will be with you when the bullets start flying.

Those are the relationships that will carry with you throughout your career and your life. I have people who I have not talked to in months but I could pick up the phone and they would be there if I needed them. Those are the relationships you can count on.

My career in education is now ending with my retirement this month. It has truly been my honor to work with you and for you. I pray that God blesses you with a career as rewarding as what He has given me. If I can ever help you, please give me a call.

As you are all aware, education is changing and we as educators will need to change with the demands. But, knowing it and doing it are two different things. It is easy to go out there and say that we need to change. But what does it look like and how will the “change” be better for kids? Those are the questions to ask as you 1

Executive

Viewpoint continued

…

Change is always something that gets a mixed reaction. Some reluctantly accept change while others are excited about new opportunities. The transition of leadership that has occurred at the AAEA this past six months has been a wonderful experience Dr. Mike Hernandez for me. Dr. Abernathy AAEA Executive Director has modeled great leadership and has served as a strong support to me during this time. In fact, it has been less like “change” and more like “evolution.” Our organization has had to evolve to meet the needs of our members during this time and the evolution has moved us in a positive direction. There is much energy and excitement about where AAEA is currently and where we can be in the future. I look forward to being a part of it. The conversations about our organization have been supportive in helping to move us forward. My current focus is on building relationships, getting to know our current members and non-members, and learning ways to increase the support we provide. My goal is to make sure that I connect with administrators in such a way that I know what they want and need. From my standpoint, this time has been purely about listening and hearing from members and non-members on their view of the world and AAEA, and so far the conversations have been impressive because they maintained a focus on students while dealing with the pandemic.

When I look at strategic planning within AAEA, it’s really a question of listening to what the members want, listening to the different parts of the association, and working with the board and the leadership of the organization. AAEA is on solid footing and has a great group of constituent organizations that really make all the support possible. We are truly a shining example in the country of what administrator collaboration should look like. I have always seen myself as an “idea guy.” It is my hope to bring new ideas that best support the administrators in our state to really make changes that result in positive student outcomes and strengthen our voice on policy decisions. As an executive director, I will focus on helping to make sure that the AAEA staff and board know what is possible in terms of administrator support and service. I want to study other associations in Arkansas and at the national level to see

what they are doing that leads to success. This will help guide our organization in delivering outstanding benefits to members. We also need to look at the analytics that are available to us through our membership systems and other data sources to inform our decisions for member support. We need to make sure that our changes complement the traditional operations of AAEA. Since I am new to this role, I want to provide a little information about my personal and professional background. My family moved to Arkansas from Texas when I was in the sixth grade and I attended school in the Paris School District. From there we moved to Fountain Lake where I graduated. I received a B.S. in Biology and a M.A. in Mathematics Education from the University of Central Arkansas and completed my Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Harding University. I have been a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent in various districts in Arkansas and Louisiana and have also served in ADE leadership and as the Arkansas State Superintendent. I am married to the love of my life, Susan, who is a cardiology nurse practitioner with the Arkansas Heart Hospital. We have three beautiful daughters named Sophie, Olivia and Josie that attend the Hot Springs School District.

I will close by telling you how excited I am about this opportunity to lead your administrator’s association. We have an excellent team assembled to help serve you and we will continuously be looking for ways to improve.

We have some rough waters ahead as we continue to deal with the pandemic, but I have never been prouder of all of the boards, administrators, teachers and staff members that have answered the call to serve students.

Your hard work does not go unnoticed and I give you a very heartfelt “Thank You!” Let me know how I can help.

2

President’s

Perspective

During the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there seems to be an abundance of gratitude and giving. Even in the midst of our Covid crisis and political unrest, I am relieved to be seeing the shift towards these positive attributes of thankfulness and generosity. Gratitude is the attitude of being thankful and showing appreciation for what we have. At a time when so many are struggling, practicing gratitude is more important than ever.

It is no secret that there is a strong correlation between expressing gratitude and mental health. In a blog “Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude” by Allie DePoy, behavioral health expert, she explains four benefits of showing gratitude: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Expressing gratitude can improve your mood.

People who regularly express gratitude for the positive things in their life are shown to be happier overall, leading to lower rates of stress and depression.

Showing gratitude can make you more optimistic.

Studies show that those who express gratitude regularly appear to have a more positive outlook on life.

Sharing gratitude can improve social bonds.

People have reported feeling more loved and more connected to others in their lives when they routinely practice gratitude or those around them practice gratitude.

Practicing gratitude can improve your physical health. People who actively express gratitude tend to be more engaged in activities to take care of their physical health, like eating well and exercising.

This leads to higher energy levels, better sleep, and a stronger immune system, or the ability to fight off illness or infection.

Debbie Atkinson AAEA Board President Elementary Principal Bergman School District Guess what? Giving can also boost your mental and physical health. Health benefits associated with giving can include lower blood pressure, increased selfesteem, less depression, lower stress levels, longer life and greater happiness and satisfaction. (Health Essentials, Oct 28, 2020, “Why Giving is Good for Your Health”) Giving can be done through a variety of means from giving encouraging words, extending grace when needed, giving your time, and giving your resources. True giving doesn’t expect something in return.

I believe that educators, by nature, tend to be grateful and giving. I have been a witness to this for all of my 33 years in education. I have an especially good bird’s eye view of this as an administrator. I could take up several pages to reflect the giving spirit of my school, but I will keep it brief. My staff gives money to buy Christmas gifts for students in need, they purchase gift cards and provide meals when one of our own is sick or has a death in the family, and they lift each other up with encouraging words.

Recently we had to switch to off-site learning. This information wasn’t given to us until late in the evening.

Those that were able showed up the next day, rallied together, and made the transition as smooth as possible.

During this year with stress levels elevated, intentionality is the key. Gratitude can easily be pushed aside. Find ways to cultivate thankfulness and a giving heart by practicing mindfulness. Don’t be picky, appreciate everything. Find gratitude in your challenges. Look for daily opportunities to give. Make a plan to provide opportunities for your staff to have the chance to be grateful and giving. Don’t forget to acknowledge those great acts of kindness from your staff.

As we consider the blessings of the season, my final challenge for you is to purposefully keep the spirit of the season throughout the rest of the year as well. May your holiday season be blessed with family, friendship, safety, and great health.

3

Compliance

Connection

Common Questions about Heath Savings Accounts (HSAs)

Medical costs can be overwhelming, but if you have a qualified High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), setting up a Health Savings Accounts (HSA) may be a great way to offset that financial uncertainty. HSAs can help you pay for eligible medical expenses while providing many financial benefits.

Considering setting one up? Or have questions regarding your existing account? Below are answers to common HSA questions.

Is the money “use or lose”?

Money deposited into your HSA will be there whenever you need it. Unused funds will roll over to the next year, so you won’t lose your contributions.

Can I invest my HSA funds?

Yes! HSAs provide an opportunity to invest in mutual funds and help you save for retirement.

Do I need to keep my receipts?

Yes, you are responsible in case of questions or audit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prove distributions for eligible medical expenses. Because money taken out of your HSA tax free may only go towards eligible medical expenses, it’s best to keep documentation in case of potential audit. While you will not need to submit receipts with your income tax returns, you should hold on to them!

Column Provided by: Tom Sledge, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from AAEA

Closed

December 21, 2020 to January 1, 2021

4

2020-2021

Calendar

2020 N/A

Professional Development Events

2021 January AASA Superintendent Symposium — January 13-14, 2021, DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock AACIA Digital Conference — January 27, 2021

To see a schedule of more AAEA events, go to theaaea.org and click on “Events.”

February ArkASPA Digital Drive-In Conference — February 23, 2021

March AASBO Digital Conference — March 4, 2021

April AACTEA Digital Conference — April 16, 2021 CASBO Classes — TBD ASPMA Certification Classes — TBD

May AAFC Spring Conference — May 5-7, 2021, Hot Springs Convention Center ASBA/AAEA Joint Conference — May 4, 2021 Click here to take a tour of the AAEA App!

June AASEA Special Education Conference — June 7-8, 2021, Embassy Suites, Rogers

To see conference details for upcoming events go to page 9.

5

Spotlight

David Maxwell, Mena School District, High School Principal says, “I want to be remembered as honest, hard working and cheerful.

How someone remembers us has a lot to do with how impactful we were on their lives. I hope that I’ve had that impact on the students and faculty that I’ve had the privilege of working with.”

David’s education career path began his junior year in high school when his agriculture instructor encouraged him to pursue a teaching degree in vocational agriculture. Of course, in the mid-1980’s he had no idea what this meant, other than he would have to go to college. Unfortunately, he was unprepared for the rigor of an agriculture science degree and needed to change his major at the end of his sophomore year. He chose a new direction guided by his interests in coaching and history. Something that has always been in the back of Mr. Maxwell’s mind is his failure as a high school student. He said, “This failure has driven me for my entire career, and helped me encourage the students under my care to work harder, smarter and prepare for their NEXT.” The ever changing NEXT drives him to continue to read and research careers of the future and offer good advice and encouragement for his students. David said “I see so much of me in so many of them, that I cannot help myself in trying to make sure they prepare for their NEXT as well as they can.”

He works as closely as he can with the students, encouraging them in their efforts, and helping them make the connections between academic achievement and career readiness. He sometimes feels the career readiness aspect of secondary education is under appreciated. He said, “The careers of tomorrow are changing at a rate unheard of in past decades. We, as high schools, can no longer just get by and let the kids worry about careers after they leave us. We have to put the effort into each student to allow them to learn how to be a learner first. This translates to them having the ability to be a hirable, promotable product once they enter the career workforce.”

There are always going to be challenges and obstacles to overcome in this career field. He said, “One challenge is always going to be the clash of cultures in each school and community. There is so much disinformation out there working against us, that trying to change a culture can be frustrating and downright impossible. Principals have to be stubborn and very thick skinned to survive in our current climate.” This challenge drives him to really appreciate any successes he has in his personal, professional and campus life, and celebrate the successes of his faculty and students.

As he continues his role in leadership he hopes that his faculty knows he holds the same expectations for them that he holds for the students. He said, “As our industry changes, and our approach to education changes, we as a faculty must change as well.” If he is going to learn new things in order to help his students, he also expects the faculty to learn new things as well. However, he does not think anyone that has ever worked with him could say that he did not support them in new learning and trying to reach students.

He began his leadership career by accident in high school. Every step of his career ladder has involved some form of leadership regardless of the organization. He has been privileged to be an officer and eventually a president of his high school FFA chapter, his fraternity in college, multiple community little league organizations, and Chamber of Commerce/ Economic Development groups in the communities of southwest Arkansas. The opportunity to be selected to a statewide board of directors for the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals and membership on the Arkansas Association of Education Administrators Board has really opened his eyes further to the greater reach of our organizations. He has brought those lessons back home to his campuses to improve their approach in mentoring those young adults. He feels this is his contribution to education leadership in our state.

Continued on next page

6

What Are Your Goals? “I’ve had the same goal for fifteen years, create an educated workforce for the community I serve. I do not think we'll ever be able to quit this goal because it is so important to the community.”

David Maxwell, Ed.S. What is the best advice you have ever received?

“Never accept criticism from someone you would not ask advice from.” In a leadership position, we will constantly be criticized for decisions we make. Most critics do not have access to the rules, regulations, data, and day-to-day challenges we face to make our environment as conducive to learning as we can make it. But, on the other hand, if someone you trust gives you advice, even if that advice hurts your pride and changes your direction, listen! We all have people in our lives that see things differently than we do, and we as leaders sometimes operate with “blinders on.” Being flexible enough to differentiate between good advice and bad takes a lot of time, and I still get it wrong from time to time.

What is something that amazes you?

The ability of our students to do whatever they set their minds too.

They are truly amazing. The secret is to get them to buckle down and set their minds to a task. When we are successful in doing this, we create some of the best work and projects from the minds of these young adults. This amazes me every day.

What is something you are most proud of?

Being an advocate for our students. Being trustworthy enough for them to take the time to ask my opinion on whatever topic is puzzling them. Some of the most intelligent conversations I have ever had were with students trying to work out their plan for their NEXT. It makes me so proud to see them follow their plan as far as it will lead them.

What do you enjoy doing during your time off?

I enjoy the family farm. After 25 years of being away, I am finally back home and it is amazing. I enjoy working outside with animals and equipment. I take special pride in the harvest and sending our animals to market. Knowing that I have done everything possible to ensure a healthy, profitable animal for the market is something I cannot explain in words, but it is a great battery charge for me.

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

Jokingly, I have told people for years that I wanted to retire and “duck hunt the world.” In all reality I would like to travel with my wife to all those destinations I taught about in history class but have never taken the time to visit.

7

Corner Holiday Stress and How You Can Cope 2020…Will it ever end? It’s here. The holiday season is upon us and on top of all the other issues we are dealing with, now we must consider the stress of how we celebrate our biggest annual holidays.

As educators, you put your students first. Pandemic? No problem…You continue to figure it out. Are your kids learning? Will they be prepared to advance their education? No doubt, these are stressors and they’ve put a lot of pressure on each of you.

In the past, the holiday season may have marked a “break”. It could have been viewed as a time where you could take a deep breath, focus on your family, hit reset, and re-energize for the new year. This year is different. With another wave of what seems to be a never-ending pandemic, you have decisions to make as it relates to your “break” …the holiday season. Do you invite extended family into your home? Do you travel? Do you attend the annual holiday party? Do you shop online?

Stress, anxiety, and depression are all real and have likely impacted us in some way over the past several months. Did you know that there is a diagnosis for Seasonal Affective Disorder? How do you know if you are experiencing it? Symptoms include: sadness, loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite or eating habits, changes in sleep, loss of energy and, in severe cases thoughts, of suicide. Paired with the ambiguity related to Covid-19, we…or someone around us, is at risk.

So, how can you begin to cope with the probability of facing further isolation? How can you help someone near you cope?

Here are a few things to consider: 1. You must maintain contact with your support group. We’ve all used video chat and more phone calls over the past several months to do our jobs. Don’t lose sight of their value when maintaining social contact.

2. Stay active…Exercise. Don’t wait to make a New Years Resolution this year. Start now and start moving.

3. Continue exercising your mind. Try to keep building upon your skills or learning and participating in new hobbies. Find a sense of accomplishment.

4. Whether it’s cold or not, get into the sunlight. Get a breath of fresh air. Do it daily during your “break.”

Lastly, be willing to seek help if you notice that the symptoms you or someone near you are experiencing are having a negative impact on your day-to-day functioning. Keep an eye on relationships, work habits, etc. Ask your district employee benefits contact about access to your Employee Assistance Program. It is designed to offer many services, one of which is mental health services.

Column Provided by: Shane Pennington, Regional Sales Executive, Educational Benefits, Inc.

The

AAEA Team We are here to assist you!

8

A common question this time of the year deals with staff bonuses. This is a perfect example of needing to know the regulations before implementing a transaction that, on the surface, appears to be fairly straightforward. ACA 6-20-412 is the section of the law that deals with bonuses, otherwise known as "nonrecurring salary payments.”

A. A school district in this state may pay licensed personnel a nonrecurring salary payment from revenues not considered to be recurring sources of revenue.

Asked B. A nonrecurring salary payment under this section shall not increase the base salary of the recipient for purposes of calculation of future salary requirements.

C. A nonrecurring salary payment under the provisions of this section shall be divided equally among licensed personnel employed by the school district Mike Mertens at the time approved by the board of directors of the school district unless AAEA Assistant Executive Director the board of directors and a majority of the licensed personnel agree to a different distribution.

D. A payment to a targeted educator made in the form of a supplement as an If you have questions for Mike, email addendum to a contract in fulfilling this section, and § 6-5-307(a) shall not them to m.mertens@theaaea.org be considered a nonrecurring salary payment under this section.

&

Answered

It is important to be able to answer, if your auditor asks, what fund these bonuses will be paid from. Notice in (A) above that a nonrecurring salary payment (bonus) is to be made from revenues not considered to be recurring sources of revenue. Assuming you had a comfortable net legal balance at the end of the 2019-20 school year, this could be a fund balance to use for bonuses. Other potential fund balances could be excess debt service funds above your yearly debt service payment (if you track your excess debt service revenue) and balances in student growth funds or declining enrollment funds if you receive one of these and have not already allocated those funds.

In addition, it is important to know that "equally" means an equal dollar amount, not an equal percentage, not prorated based on the days contracted or worked, and not prorated based on full-time or part-time status. Lastly, these regulations apply to certified staff. Bonuses for classified employees are at the discretion of the district.

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 this month’s topics: Achieving Digital Equity: Innovative Leadership Strategies for Today’s School Leaders; Creating Equitable Opportunities for All Learners: Digital Equity Strategies for Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom; CoSN Digital Equity Initiative.

9

Don't miss this opportunity to attend in person! Due to social distancing guidelines, 125 is the limit for onsite participants. We will be unable to accept onsite registration the day of the symposium.

For those who can't attend in person, you have the option to attend virtually.

Wednesday, January 13 • • • • • • • •

8:15 - 11:15 Implementing the Concepts and Practices of a Professional Learning Community - Starting From the Top - Ms. Janel Keating, Solution Tree 11:45 Opening Lunch Session 12:30 - 1:30 Keynote - Dr. Charles L. Welch, President of Arkansas State University System 1:30 - 1:45 Break 1:45 - 2:45 DESE Update - Secretary Johnny Key - Invited 2:45 - 3:00 Break 3:00 - 4:00 AAEA Legislative Committee Updates - Superintendent Panel 4:00 Adjourn

Thursday, January 14 • • • • • • • •

7:45 8:15 - 9:15 9:15 - 9:30 9:30 - 10:30 10:30 - 10:45 10:45 - 11:45 11:45 12:00

Breakfast Session - Sponsored by Stephens, Inc. Governor Asa Hutchinson - Invited Break Legislative Panel - House Ed Break - Sponsored by Economics Arkansas Legislative Panel - Senate Ed Closing Remarks/Adjourn AASA Board Meeting - DoubleTree Restaurant

Registration Fee Onsite AAEA Member is $170 Onsite Non-Member is $215 Virtual AAEA Member is $150 Virtual Non-Member is $170

Click here for more details and to register now.

10

Academic learning may be the explicit focus of schooling, but what teachers say, the values we express, the materials and activities we chose, and the skills we prioritize all influence how our students think, see themselves, interact with content and with others, and assert themselves in the world. While social and emotional learning (SEL) is most familiar as compartmentalized programs or specific interventions, the truth is, all learning is social and emotional. This session makes the case for taking a deliberate approach to the “hidden curriculum” already being taught, presenting a five-part model of SEL that’s easy to integrate into everyday content instruction. You’ll learn the whys and hows of the following: • Building students’ sense of identity and their belief in their ability to learn, overcome challenge, and influence the world around them.

• Helping students identify, describe, and regulate their emotional responses.

• Promoting the skills of cognitive regulation critical to decision making and problem solving.

• Fostering students’ social skills—including teamwork and sharing—and their ability to establish and repair relationships.

• Equipping students to becoming active and involved citizens.

Our children’s emotional development is too important to be an add-on or an afterthought, too important to be left to chance.

This integrated approach to SEL empowers every teacher to help students develop skills that will serve them in the classroom and throughout their lives.

Douglas Fisher, PhD, is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College in California. He teaches courses on instructional improvement, lesson design and delivery, policy, research, and literacy. He has served on the boards of directors for the California Reading Association, International Reading Association, and Literacy Research Association.

Dr. Fisher has written numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design. His books include Checking for Understanding, Better Learning Through Structured Teaching, and Rigorous Reading.

Each participant will receive Dr. Fisher's book, All Learning is Social and Emotions: Helping Students Develop Essential Skills for the Classroom and Beyond.

Click here for more details and to register now.

11

Save the date!

Registration Opening Soon!

National Association of Elementary School Principals Serving all elementary and middle-level principals

Click here for more details and to register now.

12

Average Salaries of Arkansas School Administrators

2020 School Year

Superintendent

High School Principal

Elementary Principal

1994-95

55,626

44,755

43,131

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

A total of 219 school districts participated in the annual AAEA survey of salaries for school administrators and classroom teachers for the 2020-21 school year. The survey was conducted September through December. Data from 2019-20 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 table on page 14. National salary data comes from two sources: AASA (the School Superintendents Association) and NEA (National Education Association). AASA’s data on superintendent and principal salaries represent a small sample of school districts nationwide.

Continued on next page

13

2020 Results Superintendents • •

Increased from $119,041 in 2019-20 to $121,888 this year.

National median for districts less than 1000 ADM - $117,000, districts 1000-3000 ADM - $137,475 and for districts 30005000 ADM $167,500. Source: AASA Partial Survey of Districts Nationwide

High School Principals • •

2020-21 $85,705, up from $84,238 a year ago.

National median for districts less than 1000 ADM - $87,000, districts 1000-3000 ADM - $99,000, and for districts 3000-5000 ADM - $115,000. Source: AASA Partial Survey of Districts Nationwide

• •

2020-21 $83,495 compared to 2019-20 $82,542.

National median for districts less than 1000 ADM - $82,000, districts 1000-3000 ADM - $89,200, and for districts 3000-5000 ADM - $99,750. Source: AASA Partial Survey of Districts Nationwide

Classroom Teachers •

2020-21 $50,935 an increase over 2019-20 $50,163.

•

National Average for 2018-19 $62,304.

Estimated National average for 2019-20 $63,645. (Source: NEA)

Elementary Principals

Additional Information for 2020-2021 AAEA has expanded the survey over the past several years to include additional categories. Here is the additional information gathered representing statewide averages.

•

Bus Driver — Daily beginning rate of pay: $53.72

•

Technology Coordinators — Average salary: $56,988

•

Federal Coordinators — Average salary: $79,643

•

Substitute Teachers — Beginning daily rate of pay: $84.30

•

80% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced substitute teacher services.

•

28% of districts responding to the survey reported they outsourced cafeteria services.

•

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

•

66 districts responding to the survey reported they provided some kind of incentive for good perfect attendance.

Continued on next page 14

2020 Results Enrollment

Superintendent

Deputy/Asst.

Superintendent

Business Manager

High School Principal

Above 4,000 3,000-3,999 2,000-2,999 1,000-1,999 500-999 Below 500 State Average

203,025 164,743 139,967 118,170 105,205 95,273 121,888

127,654 112,907 99,917 90,051 78,102 -0110,633

110,309 78,798 69,207 54,354 48,379 42,895 58,524

111,793 99,086 89,575 81,589 77,467 74,233 85,705

Elementary

Asst. Elem.

Special Ed.

Principal

Principal

Supervisor

92,359 85,308 80,822 76,922 74,283 72,449 83,495

76,631 72,077 67,986 65,114 65,124 NA* 72,806

97,400 84,740 80,267 74,237 68,033 61,240 77,687

Enrollment

Above 4,000 3,000-3,999 2,000-2,999 1,000-1,999 500-999 Below 500 State Average

Jr. HIgh/ MIddle Principal 99,826 88,411 85,146 80,232 74,985 66,896 88,537

Asst. HS Principal 86,837 81,399 75,200 69,037 65,218 54,307 80,135

Classroom Teacher

56,993 50,060 48,928 45,792 44,726 43,500 50,935

* Limited Data State Salaries compiled by AAEA Research - December 2020 NOTE: Districts with a large number of NBC teachers saw their average teacher salaries increase substantially this year.

15

Job Site Subscription Service

Tools to Help You Hire the Best!

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-ofstate, 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. Subscription renewals will be sent to superintendents this fall regarding 2020 renewal.

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 Conway School District

Director of Special Education

More Information

East End School District

Superintendent

More Information

Atkins School District

High School Principal

More Information

Woodland School District

Superintendent

More Information

Vilonia School District

Superintendent

More Information

Wynne School District

Superintendent

More Information

Visit Our Job Site For More

https://arkansas.schoolspring.com/ 16

Be a Part of Something…

Bigger Than an Individual …

The

Training

Follow us on:

Voice Networking

for

School Administrators

Mentoring

Legal Services

Advocacy

219 South Victory, Little Rock, AR 72201 501.372.1691 www.theaaea.org