November 2020 Vol. 46, No. 5
The
Administrator Newsletter
The monthly publication of the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators Viewpoint: Page 1
President’s Perspective: Page 2
It’s All About Relationships
Spotlight Spotlight: Page 5
Dr. Dana Brown Federal Coordinators Director Mountain Home School District
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Adequacy Report Thank Your Legislators In
This
Issue
Executive Viewpoint - Dr. Richard Abernathy
1
President’s Perspective - Debbie Atkinson
2
Compliance Connection
3
Professional Development Opportunities
4
Administrator Spotlight - Dr. Dana Brown
5
Benefits Corner
7
Asked and Answered
8
CoSN Update
8
Administrator Job Openings
10
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
Sherry Stewart, AASEA President Director of Special Services, Rogers
Aaron Randolph, AAGEA President Director of Gifted Programs/ Federal Programs, Cabot
Charles Warren, AASBO Past President Director of Federal Programs, Osceola School District
Bill Tietz, ASPMA President Aliza Jones, ASPMA (until October) President (begin October) Assistant Superintendent, Facilities Consortium Watson Chapel Coordinator, Lavaca
Dr. Richard Abernathy, AAEA Executive Director
AAEA Staff Dr. Richard Abernathy, Executive Director r.abernathy@theaaea.org
Robyn Keene, Director of Financial Services r.keene@theaaea.org
Dr. Mike Hernandez, Executive Director - Elect m.hernandez@theaaea.org
Marty Smith, Member Relations Manager m.smith@theaaea.org
Mike Mertens, Assistant Executive Director m.mertens@theaaea.org
Karen Dean, Business Manager k.dean@theaaea.org
Michelle Briggs, Director of Events & Operations m.briggs@theaaea.org
Christy Dodds, Business Development Manager c.dodds@theaaea.org
Lenett Thrasher, Director of Learning Services & Operations l.thrasher@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 i
2020-2021 AAEA Corporate Sponsors Prestigious
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American Fidelity Assurance Co. Curriculum Associates, LLC. Educational Benefits, Inc. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Lifetouch, Inc. Pro Benefits Group, Inc. Renaissance Learning, Inc. Scholastic Education Solution Tree
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.
Distinguished 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. French Architects, PA Got Zoom Hight-Jackson Associates, PA SEAS Virco, Inc.
Carryovers, grace periods, and runoff periods - what are the differences?
Benefits Corner: Page 7
Another Cyber-Security Update
Compliance Connection: Page 3
ii
Executive
Dr. Richard Abernathy AAEA Executive Director
School leaders can be proud of the work our legislative leaders have done with the Adequacy Report. As you know, this report comes out every two years right before the legislative session. It is worked on by the Senate and House Education Committees and then voted on and published by November 1.
Why am I happy with the recommendations in the report? Several reasons. For starters, the cost of living adjustment has been recommended at 2.33% each of the next two years. This is the largest increase in foundation dollars since 2007. School funding in Arkansas has been lagging behind as we move further away from the Lake View lawsuit. Our COLA has ranged from a high of 2.42% in 2007 to a low of .94% in 2017. Schools have been struggling trying to meet the demands of educating our kids and raising salaries to the point that something was about to break. Small school districts have really struggled with the funding as the minimum salaries have continued to climb. Adequacy recommendations should really help schools in the upcoming years. Categorical funding has also increased with ALE, ESA and ELL funding levels. This was the first time ESA funding levels have been increased in several years. Of course, many of you have personnel who are paid using ESA dollars and as those funds have remained stagnant, decisions were having to be made due to the lack of funds.
Viewpoint
The Adequacy Committee recommended a new pot of money for schools to help with salaries. Fifteen million dollars has been recommended to distribute towards teacher salaries for every school district and this is above the 2.33% foundation increase. Legislators will decide during the legislative session on how those dollars will be distributed, but it is designed to be distributed based on school size, value of a mill, and household income. In other words, the small poor schools will receive the bulk of the funding. The recommendations are great, and much appreciated. But I will also say the policy makers and community patrons have come to realize exactly what the public schools mean to their community and economy. There is nothing like a pandemic to drive that point home. If you want to shut down the economy, then just shut down the schools. The old attitude of schools not being a major economic driver is over….as it should be! There are many legislators who deserve recognition for their work on Adequacy, and I will not try to name all of them. But just a few would include the chairs Representative Cozart and Senator English and the leadership with Speaker Shepard and Senator Hendren. The Governor’s office was also supportive of funding schools even after cutting the state budget last spring. And of course, there are many other legislators working hard behind the scenes such as Representatives Eubanks, Evans, and Vaught, and Senators Elliott, Sturch, Cheatham and many others. So, just because I didn’t name someone doesn’t mean they were not working on this. Be sure to thank your legislator for recognizing the needs of schools and trying to fund them appropriately.
1
President’s
Perspective
Educators have long known that the relationship with a teacher can be critically important to student success. Students spend more than 1,000 hours with their teacher(s) in any given school year. That is certainly enough time for those relationships to have a long lasting impact. Effective, quality teachers are those who develop and maintain positive relationships with their students. They share stories about their lives with their classes, and they pay attention when their students share information about themselves. These positive relationships have implications for both students’ academic and social development. An article, “Why Strong Teacher Relationships Lead to Student Engagement and a Better School Environment”, by Waterford, suggests teacher-student relationships can promote school success in the following ways: strengthen academic achievement, reduce chronic absenteeism, promote self-motivation, strengthen self-regulation, and improve goal-making skills. As teachers and then administrators, we have all seen students approach situations more confidently when backed by the safety, security, and support of their teachers. They step out to “do it afraid”, believing they will be guided in the right direction should their efforts fail. They believe their teacher cares and will support them throughout the process, which motivates them and builds confidence to solve problems and stretch their creativity. Students who have positive relationships with their teachers have greater engagement, better attitudes, improved confidence, and ultimately stronger successes.
Debbie Atkinson AAEA Board President Elementary Principal Bergman School District
Waterford also offers five tips worth sharing with our teachers on how to build trust and connect with students to create an ideal classroom environment: • Remember to put your heart into your lesson plans. Try to focus just as much on getting to know and guiding your students as you do on teaching academic concepts. • At the beginning of the year or semester, discuss your and your students’ expectations as a class. You can also hold individual meetings to help struggling students reach their goals. • Storytelling can help build teacher-student relationships. Try telling personal anecdotes during class or making story-time a regular activity to connect with students. • Learn how to construct positive comments by giving specific compliments and avoiding back-handed compliments. • Make sure you keep healthy boundaries with your students. If a student upsets or frustrates you, don’t take it personally or bring it home with you. Learning happens best when interacting with people. Students need to be participants rather than recipients. Therefore, a critical component in promoting student success is developing and promoting relationships throughout our campuses. This year with the challenges presented by COVID-19, the systems and routines of education have drastically changed for everyone. Educators across our state have risen to the challenge beautifully, learning new tools and methods of education. Navigating learning management systems, online resources, and educating remotely have become the new normal. Teachers have studied, researched, collaborated, and learned tremendous amounts of new information in order to provide instruction for students in new and different ways. As the new tools of delivery are becoming more familiar, the next step may be to elevate the educational approach. Specifically, how do we build and maintain those valuable relationships with students sitting in our classrooms and those learning from home?
2
Compliance
Connection
Carryovers, grace periods, and runoff periods - what are the differences?
When it comes to Section 125 Plans, the term “use or lose” may come to mind. But, what does that term really mean? In short, if participants do not use their full election amount during the plan year, any remaining funds will be forfeited. This is an Internal Revenue Code limitation, and something employees may not fully understand. To help your employees avoid forfeited funds, it’s important to provide education about terms that may affect their plan—like carryover, grace period, and runoff period.
Carryover Provision A carryover provision allows participants to carry over up to $500 of unused Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) contributions to the next plan year. The money may be used to reimburse eligible medical expenses incurred throughout the following plan year.
Grace Period A grace period allows participants an additional two-and-a-half months following the end of the plan year to incur HCFSA claims and still receive reimbursements from the plan year that just ended. It is important to note that a plan may not offer both a grace period and a carryover provision.
Runoff Period The runoff period is the amount of time determined by plan design that a participant can submit claims and documentation for expenses incurred during the plan year that just ended. If applicable, claims incurred during the grace period may also be submitted during the runoff period. The runoff period applies to both HCFSAs and Dependent Care Accounts (DCAs). Column Provided by: Tom Sledge, Arkansas State Manager, American Fidelity Assurance Co.
Happy Thanksgiving from AAEA Closed
November 25-27, 2020 3
2020-2021
Calendar
2020 November CASBO Classes — November 16-18, 2020
Professional Development Events
2021 January AASA Superintendent Symposium — January 13-14, 2021, DoubleTree Hotel, Little Rock
To see a schedule of more AAEA events, go to theaaea.org and click on “Events.”
AACIA Conference — January 27, 2021, TBD
February ArkASPA Drive-In Conference — Virtual, February 23rd
April AACTEA Conference — TBD CASBO Classes — April 6-9, 2021, Benton Event Center ASPMA Certification Classes — TBD
May AAFC Spring Conference — May 5-7, 2021, Hot Springs Convention Center ASBA/AAEA Joint Conference — TBD 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. 4
Spotlight
Dr. Dana Brown, Federal Programs Director, Mountain Home School District says “I am blessed to have a regional Federal Programs group that is always there when I need advice. This group - their friendship and support - is by far a favorite part of my job.”
As most of you know, being able to balance your professional life and personal life can be difficult at times. During the time Dr. Brown was a high school principal at Mountain Home School District, she not only succeeded in balancing work and home life but also completed her Doctorate. Dr. Brown says, “I could not have done it without the support of my family and my Doctoral Advisor, Dr. Michael Brooks at Harding University.” Without their patience and encouragement she would not have been able to achieve this accomplishment. Dr. Brown’s career in education started as a paraprofessional at Amanda Gist Elementary, in the Cotter School District. After one year at Cotter a position at Mountain Home School District became available. In Mountain Home, she was a business teacher at Pinkston Middle School for six years. From her position as a business teacher, she was able to grow professionally into administration. She was one of two assistant principals at Mountain Home High School for two years; then moved into the building principal position at Mountain Home High School where she served for 15 years. She is now Mountain Home School District’s Federal Programs Director. During her time as Mountain Home High School Principal, she and her staff redesigned their traditional high school into a wall-to-wall career academy model which was featured on CNBC Education Nation as one of the Top 10 Schools in the Nation with Solutions in Education. They became affiliated with the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC) and the National Center for College and Career Transitions (NC3T). Dr. Brown’s experience in this capacity opened doors for her to serve on the Operating Board for NCAC, as well as serve as an Academy Reviewer. She also serves as an educational consultant with NC3T. Becoming a Federal Programs Director was not Dr. Brown’s goal initially, but she has always felt she had a good grasp on the budgeting process. It is safe to say she had no idea what this role had in store for her. What she has learned about herself over the years is that she loves a challenge. When the Federal Programs Director position opened up, she looked at it as an opportunity to grow professionally - to learn a different aspect of education than she had previously experienced. Dr. Brown says, “Learning new things is definitely one thing I love about my job. When I thought of the role of a Federal Programs Director, I really didn’t know what I didn’t know - if that makes sense.” What she has learned is there are quite a few moving parts in this piece of the education world. She says, “You definitely need to stay on top of guidance, and it is also important to have a support system. I am blessed to have a regional Federal Programs group that is always there when I need advice. This group - their friendship and support - is by far a favorite part of my job.” We asked Dr. Brown where she sees herself in five years, she said, “I see myself in this position. What I have found is I am enjoying learning new things that pertain to this position.” Not only is she the Federal Programs Director, she is also the McKinney Vento Homeless Liaison, CTE Coordinator, 504 District Coordinator, Compliance Coordinator, District School Level Improvement Coordinator, District Family and Community Engagement Coordinator, and District Wellness Coordinator. The additional “crowns” she wears allow her to continue to grow professionally. As she continues her career at Mountain Home School District as the Director of Federal Programs, she hopes people remember that she was someone that they could depend on, whether it was someone to listen to them, help complete a task, or to just support them when they needed someone. She wants them to remember that whenever she was with them, she was truly present. Continued on next page
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What Are Your Goals? “The goal I am currently working toward is to learn as much as possible about my current position. I am in year three as a Federal Programs Director, and I find that there is always room for growth in knowledge in the federal world.”
Dr. Dana Brown How would your coworkers describe you? I have to admit when I saw this question I had no idea how to answer. With that being said, I asked a couple of co-workers how they would describe me. Here were some of their comments: “You are loyal and will go to bat for your colleagues; you are an incredible - dare I say the best I've known - multi-tasker; you make people feel like they matter and that they're valued; you can read a room very well and usually pick up on unspoken tension or questions; you are organized and you have an impeccable memory for human details, which makes people feel special and noticed.” When I read this, I had no words. I can only hope every day I can continue to be this person who shows up.
What is something that amazes you? My son. In 2018, my husband and son were in a plane crash. Before the doctor at UAMS performed the seven hour surgery on his back, he told me James Daniel would never walk again. When he came out of surgery, we were told there was a chance he would walk but only with a walker. James Daniel told me “I will walk out of here.” And he did! He reminds me of one of my favorite sayings “He believed he could, so he did.” Every day since, his determination and persistence amaze me. What is the most daring thing you’ve done? I would say the most daring thing I have done was not telling my mama that I had eloped. If anyone knows anything about my mama, you do not keep things from her. Needless to say, not telling her and keeping that secret for several months after we eloped was a very daring feat. What do you enjoy doing during your time off? I enjoy any activity that I can do outdoors during my time off. Also, we love to travel. Anytime we can get away for a weekend trip, we do, especially if it is near the ocean. What is one of the things on your “Bucket List?” My “Bucket List” is pretty focused on travel. We love traveling anywhere that has sunshine and sand. However, if I had to pick a non-Carribean place to hopefully visit, it would be Ireland. I find the lush green countryside and culture intriguing.
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Corner Another Cyber-Security Update For several reasons, I’ve chosen to provide another Cyber-Security Update. First, It’s Cyber Security Awareness Month. In addition to that, we are learning about more and more attacks on school districts, school district employees and a number of other high-profile cases. Here are some of those updates. • School District Attack: Earlier this month another Louisiana school system was attacked. It was a ransomware attack where the perpetrators held the school’s data ransom for a payment in Bitcoin. Details on how the data was accessed has not been released. Past attacks have been in the form of phishing emails where school employees are duped into providing information that provides a doorway into the school districts system. This case is being referred to as a “scorched earth” scenario. Since they cannot trust that the system is not compromised, they will have to rebuild the entire network. • Unemployment Fraud: We hear, on a daily basis, that many Arkansas school district employees have fallen victim to identity theft associated to unemployment fraud. Unemployment has become a big target due to the high number of Americans who have filed claims due to Covid-19. As a reminder, The AAEA has partnered with Educational Benefits (EBi) to offer a robust identity theft product (ProtectEd) that will take on pre-existing cases. We’ve set up a new enrollment system that doesn’t require your district to utilize a payroll slot for deductions. Contact EBi today to learn more: 844-559-3521 • Zoom Hack: For most of the school districts across Arkansas, Zoom has become the new norm for communication. Cybersecurity agency Cyble has recently discovered cybercriminals selling over 500,000 stolen Zoom credentials in hacker forums. Stolen information included: Zoom user passwords, personal meeting room URLs, and meeting host ID numbers. Make sure your employees are creating new, unique passwords for each online account. For more tips on protecting your Zoom account, go to https://blog.infoarmor.com/individuals-and-families/tips-protecting-zoombombingcovid-meetings to learn more about “Zoombombing.”
Stay vigilant. Educate your employees and get in touch with EBi 844-559-3521 to learn more about the AAEA/EBi “ProtectED” Identity theft protection offer. Column Provided by: Shane Pennington, Regional Sales Executive, Educational Benefits, Inc.
The
AAEA Team We are here to assist you! 7
The recent question goes like this, "Our school election is next May. What do I need to take care of prior to the election?" Good timing since the first election deadline happens to fall in November. Districts are required to officially notify county officials by sending a copy of the school board policy regarding when the annual school election will be held.
Asked ACA 6-14-102 states that at least one hundred (100) days before the first day of the respective candidate filing period, a school district shall provide a copy of the policy to: A. The county board of election commissioners of the county in which the school district is domiciled for administrative purposes; and B. The county clerk of each county within the school district's boundaries.
&
Answered
Mike Mertens AAEA Assistant Executive Director If you have questions for Mike, email them to m.mertens@theaaea.org
For the May 2021 school elections, this notification has to be made by November 14, 2020. Here's the (link) to the Commissioner's Memo that includes all of the school election requirements and timelines.
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: Effective Technology Professional Learning For All Educators: Effective Technology Professional Learning: Leading and Collaborating to Assure Success and the Secret Sauce for Successful Classroom Transformation.
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DIGITAL Fall CASBO Classes November 16-18, 2020 REGISTRATION OPEN! The Arkansas Association of School Business Officials (AASBO) has scheduled nine CASBO certification classes for November 16-18 via live streaming only. These classes will be live streamed from Arkansas PBS Studio in Conway, Arkansas. Plan on participating and learn valuable information and updates in public school finance. The nine classes scheduled for November 16-18 will include six “Required” classes and three “Elective” classes that may count toward CASBO certification and/or General Business Manager (GBM) requirements. If you need more details about the CASBO certification program, click here. CPE Credit for CPAs NOW AVAILABLE for four of the CASBO classes! Eligible CASBO Classes for CPE Credit for CPAs denoted by **. Monday, November 16 • 8:00 - 10:00 MO101 Introduction to Plant Operations (CASBO Required Class) • 10:15 - 12:15 HR208 Employee COVID-19 Emergency Leave, FFCRA AND FMLA (CASBO Elective Class) • 12:15 - 1:00 Lunch Break • 1:00 - 3:00 **SF104 Basic Account Procedures (CASBO Required Class) Tuesday, November 17 • 8:00 - 10:00 **HR101 Introduction to Human Resources (CASBO Required Class) • 10:15 - 12:15 **HR102 Employee Compensation (CASBO Required Class) • 12:15 - 1:00 Lunch Break • 1:00 - 3:00 **HR103 Human Resources Compliance Issues (CASBO Required Class) Wednesday, November 18 • 8:00 - 10:00 FS/TR101 Intro to Food Services & Transportation (CASBO Required Class) • 10:15 - 12:15 SM211 Communicating Your Budget (CASBO Elective Class) • 12:15 - 1:00 Lunch Break • 1:00 - 3:00 SF225 Medicaid Operations in Schools (CASBO Elective Class)
Registration Fee AAEA/AASBO Member - $30 per class Non-Member - $45 per class
You are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Online registration will close on Thursday, November 5.
Click here for more details and to register now. 9
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 Woodlawn School District
Superintendent
Bismarck School District
Business Manager
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Vilonia School District
Superintendent
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Wynne School District
Superintendent
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Atkins School District
Superintendent
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Marion School District
Director of Communications
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Pulaski Count Special School District
Coordinator of Special Education
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Mayflower School District
Superintendent
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Conway School District
Superintendent
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219 South Victory, Little Rock, AR 72201 501.372.1691 www.theaaea.org