Executive
Viewpoint
The 93rd General Assembly has taken its recess. School administrators across Arkansas are now left to review bills that will or have become law. Upon review, school administrators will begin to reconcile how these various new policies will be put into practice because that is what good administrators should and must do. The Association has successfully worked with legislators to amend bills or stop legislation that would be very dif cult to implement. We were successful in doing this work through our great members, who provided feedback on how each bill would impact schools at the local level. We did not amend or stop every piece of legislation identi ed as problematic, but we did work with legislators respectfully Dr. Mike Hernandez AAEA Executive Director
and thoughtfully. We have to remember that these folks are elected to represent the people of their communities and that we will not always agree with them. Still, we must respect their opinions and build a relationship based on that mutual
respect. A glance at social media gives one a perspective that we have an environment of disrespect for the political process and its major players. Administrators must rise above the fray and show what authentic leadership looks like. Sometimes, you win, and you lose sometimes, but we don't just pick up our ball and go home when we are losing ground. Administrators must prepare and plan to make an impact, even if it is down the road. So what do we need to do next? We have to maintain focus on the students in our buildings and ensure a safe learning environment.
Covid-19 has taught us to be
exible and patient as new obstacles to learning begin to present
themselves. Administrators must continue to stay engaged with the rule-making and implementation of the new laws, ESSER funding allowable expenditures, and healthcare guidance as we plan for the future. Every district and school is different, and we must engage the local voices to avoid the one-size- ts-all approach to supporting student learning. I read an article the other day that talked about administrators and their role in learning recovery from the pandemic. There were several highlights that I wanted to share with you as you nish this school year and plan for the next. First, districts must identify and empower their instructional leaders to create avenues to support student learning recovery through any means necessary. This could be summer enrichment, additional tutoring, or any other proven, high-impact strategy with staff and community buy-in. Second, administrators are going to have to be mindful of the implications of the pandemic on mental health. Some students have been off campus for many months and others are dealing with a variety of pandemic-related traumas. Leaders should explore uses of state or federal funding to fortify a multi-tiered system of support for students. Lastly, district leaders must help building leaders to maximize their relationships with parents and communities. Stakeholder relationships have and will pay big dividends as schools navigate through continued operations of schools. Preserving the trust of patrons in their local school systems amid ever-changing state and federal mandates will be essential for the building-level leaders from now on. As if you did not have enough to think about! I am proud of all of the effort Arkansas educators have put forth during the session and school year. Let's get out there and do the best we can for kids. They need con dent and unrelenting great leaders like you.
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