In
2026 Calendar of Events AAEA Staff
Dr. Megan Duncan Executive Director m.duncan@theaaea.org
Dr. Karla Neathery Assistant Executive Director k.neathery@theaaea.org
Sarah Jerry K-12 Elevate Portal Supervisor s.jerry@theaaea.org
Sharon Chuculate Fiscal Services Coordinator s.chuculate@theaaea.org
Alyse Mattox Communications & Technology Specialist a.mattox@theaaea.org
Melanie Thrasher Business Analyst m.thrasher@theaaea.org
Lana Webb Membership & Certification Coordinator l.webb@theaaea.org
Molly Franxman Administrative Assistant m.franxman@theaaea.org
Mike Mertens Consultant m.mertens@theaaea.org
Lenett Thrasher Consultant l.thrasher@theaaea.org
April
AACTEA Tour - Caddo Academy, April 7, 2026 Caddo Hills Schools, Norman
Women in Leadership Conference, April 15-16, 2026 Robinson Center, Little Rock
Certified Facilities Director Classes, April 21, 2026 OUR Co-op, Harrison
CASBO Classes, April 22-23, 2026 UCA Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center
AACTEA/ACTE Region IV Joint Conference, April 29-May 1, 2026 Embassy Suites, Rogers
AAFC Spring Conference, April 29-May 1, 2026
Hot Springs Convention Center
May
ASBA/AAEA Joint Conference, May 5, 2026 Wyndham Riverfront Hotel, North Little Rock
June
School Law & Finance Conference, June 1, 2026 Veterans Park Community Center, Cabot
AASEA Conference, June 9-10, 2026 Benton Event Center
ASPMA Custodial Conference, June 11, 2026 Searcy High School
July
Certified Facilities Director Classes, Date TBD Location TBD
AAEA Summer Conference, July 27-29, 2026 Statehouse Convention Center/Marriott Hotel
For more information, visit theaaea.org/events.
2025-2026 AAEA Board of Directors
Charles Warren AAEA President Chief Financial Officer, Fort Smith
Dr. Debbie Bruick-Jones AASA President Superintendent, Bentonville
Shavon Jackson AAESP President-Elect Principal, Russellville
Melissa Powell ArkASPA President Assistant Superintendent & Director of HR, El Dorado
Justin Robertson AASBO Past President Chief Financial Officer, Russellville
Molly Davis AAMLA President Principal, Rogers
Dr. Megan Duncan AAEA Executive Director
Dr. Jason Reeves AAEA President-Elect and AASSP Past President Superintendent, Mountainburg
Dr. Jeremy Owoh AASA President-Elect Superintendent, Jacksonville/ North Pulaski
Steven Helmick AAESP Past President Principal, Little Rock
Shantele Raper AACTEA President Assistant Superintendent, Rivercrest
Domonique Alexander AASEA President Special Education Supervisor, Fort Smith
Randall Bolinger ASPMA President (until Oct) Maintenance/Facilities Supervisor, Siloam Springs
Dr. Jared Cleveland AAEA Secretary Superintendent, Springdale
Dr. Karen Walters AASA Secretary Superintendent, Bryant
Jason Selig AASSP President Director of Instruction, Lake Hamilton
Lea Metcalf-McDonald AAFC President Executive Director of Curriculum, Texarkana
Dr. Kelli Martin AACIA President DeputyGreenbrierSuperintendent,
Raymond Reynolds ASPMA President (begin Oct) Maintenance/Facilities Supervisor, Searcy
Stacy DeFoor
AAEA Past President Assistant Superintendent, Sheridan
Betsy Laughter AAESP President Principal, Marion
Charles Nelson AASSP President-Elect Principal, Greene County Tech
Pam McCammon AASBO President BusinessGreenbrierManager,
Valerie King AAGEA President Director of Gifted Programs, Siloam Springs
B.J. TEL-ARBurgessPresident Director of GreenbrierTechnology,
2026 AAEA Corporate Sponsors
Elite
American Fidelity Assurance Co.
Coryell Roofing and Construction
TIPS The Interlocal Purchasing System
Presidential Curriculum Associates
Educational Benefits
NIET - National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Solution Tree
Prestigious
Renaissance Learning
Stephens
Distinguished ABCover Apptegy
Bailey Education Group Bark
Capturing Kids’ Hearts
Colleges of Education & Health Professions - UofA
Lexia Learning
Distinguished (continued)
Lifetouch National School Studios
Modern Classrooms Project
Nabholz | Entegrity Energy Partners
Diamond
Baldwin & Shell
Conscious Discipline
First Security Beardsley
Imagine Learning
The Kirkland Group
Platinum
AAMSCO
Architecture Plus
C.R. Crawford Construction Goalbook
Hight Jackson Associates PA
HMH | NWEA
Just Right Reader
Legacy Construction Management
Phoenix Contractors
Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects
Powers of Arkansas
Platinum (continued)
Pro Service Builders
Progressive Technologies
SEAS Education
TRANE Gold
CDI Contractors
Cromwell Architects Engineers
Cynergy Rehab Group
ESS
Kinco Constructors
Middleton Heat and Air
Paragon Architecture
Reach University
Sibme
White River Services and Solutions
Silver
American Bus Sales
French Architects, PA
K12 Tutoring
Staying Home Corporation Strategos Group
Executive Viewpoint
Dr. Megan Duncan, AAEA Executive Director
PATHWAYS WITH PURPOSE: HELPING STUDENTS DISCOVER THEIR FUTURE
Many years ago, while serving as a superintendent, I asked a high school senior where they planned to graduate. After a brief pause, she smiled and said she was graduating in a month and laughed, reminding me that I would be there. I paused and asked the question again. It was then that she admitted she was unsure what I meant and did not have an answer. I explained that I was not asking about her high school graduation. I was asking about what comes next: a trade school, college, or providing military service. That moment stayed with me, not because of her uncertainty, it was because of the opportunity.
Our children have hopes, talents, and potential. What they need from us is the time, space, and support to explore what comes after high school. In Arkansas, children take many different paths toward their career. Some attend college, some enter the workforce, some pursue skilled trades, military service, or continue family businesses. Each path matters and success looks different for every child.
Helping children discover their direction requires more than schedules and requirements. It means creating learning experiences that connect school to real life and helping children understand how their interests and strengths can shape their future. When children feel seen and supported, planning becomes less stressful and more purposeful.
Strong pathways are built through relationships. When schools partner with families, local employers, colleges, and community organizations, children gain a clearer understanding of what is possible. These partnerships help children build confidence and see that their education has value beyond the classroom and beyond graduation. Our partners at ADHE and Career and Technical Education have made meaningful progress in connecting children to career pathways and scholarship opportunities that help turn their aspirations into reality.
As educational leaders, our role is to create the conditions that make these connections possible. When a child is unsure about what comes next, that moment should open the door to conversation, guidance, and encouragement. Our responsibility is to ensure every Arkansas child leaves high school with a diploma and a sense of direction, confidence, and hope for the future.
Asked & Answered
Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Assistant Executive Director
Does my district have to include exchange student scores on statemandated assessments?
Arkansas Code Sec. 6-18-235 states that a public school district shall have the option of whether to include test results achieved by an international foreign exchange student enrolled in the public school district in state-mandated assessments. Your school district shall include or exclude the test results achieved by each foreign international exchange student enrolled in the public school as a group. If your district chooses to exclude all international foreign exchange students, please alert the Office of Public School Accountability via this google form, otherwise all students will remain in your calculations for A-F. For additional information see COM-26-042.
If you have questions for Dr. Neathery, email her at k.neathery@theaaea.org .
Instructional Insights
“This
Work Is Too Important To Wait”: How One District Grows Teachers To Grow Students
Submitted by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
Strengthening observation and feedback skills at the administrative level is making a real difference in Dardanelle Public Schools, and Superintendent Dr. Jamie Burris believes districts across Arkansas can reap the same benefits.
“This work is too important to wait,” Superintendent Burris said about his team’s work after joining the Arkansas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (TESS) rubric training pilot led by NIET in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education. “If you can opt in, do it now.”
After 26 years in his district, Burris has worked at nearly every system level: from science teacher and instructional facilitator, to high school principal, and now district leader.
“When I became superintendent, I realized I had the opportunity to help grow four principals who impact 300 staff members and 2,000 students,” Superintendent Burris said. “If principals grow, teachers grow - and as teachers grow, kids grow.”
In his efforts to grow Dardanelle Public Schools at every level, Superintendent Burris recognized the need to strengthen observation and feedback practices, and they entered a pilot training. Through NIET training and collaborative observation, district and school leaders began focusing more on student evidence - what students say, do, and produce during lessons. As a result, Superintendent Burris said his team was “changed.”
“I’ve had our team say, ‘I saw the classes different today than I saw them before,’” Superintendent Burris said. “That was when I knew I needed to see and hear what they had experienced.”
Following the pilot, Dardanelle Public Schools is excited - not afraid - to ask, “What now?” Superintendent Burris plans to focus on building consistent and sustainable coaching practices across schools, ensuring that Dardanelle continues to grow teachers to grow students.
President’s Perspective
Charles Warren, AAEA Board President
FIRST IMPRESSIONS THAT LAST
This is my gift to you. Wednesday, April 22nd is Administrative Professional’s Day. Back when I was in school, these important people were called secretaries. I’m sure many of you have Administrative Professionals working in your office, some working under your supervision. They deserve a little attention or recognition on this made-up holiday, so I’m giving you a three-week head start to get it right. You’re welcome.
At Fort Smith, we use the term Office Administrative Assistant (OAA), so I’ll use that term generically for the rest of this article. I would bet that more than a few current Arkansas administrators could name at least one of the OAAs they knew when they were going to school as a kid. I grew up with Mrs. Dingledine, Mrs. Stokes, and Mrs. Harrison, respectively. Mrs. Dingledine worked with my dad, the Elkins Elementary Principal. While I don’t remember Mrs. Dingledine ever smoking, she had a smoker’s voice, much deeper and gruffer than her stature. She might have been only five feet, but for elementary students, she was a towering figure. She was firm when you were waiting by her desk for your turn to be paddled and then she was sympathetic when you came out of the office with red eyes and a sniffling nose. That was back in the day when you got swats from the principal at school and then you got swats at home for embarrassing your parents by going to the principal’s office. For the record, boys with the same last name as the principal were not exempt from school spankings.
Today’s OAA is a master of multi-tasking. They greet students and parents. At any given time of the day, they could be the registrar, the bookkeeper, the hall monitor, the nurse, the counselor, the social worker, the custodian, and then they break for lunch. By that, I mean they eat lunch at their desks because they are too busy to eat otherwise.
My wife, Missy, works for a few schools as a substitute OAA. The stories she shares at the end of a sub day are the main reason I’m a stronger advocate than most for more OAA positions at a school. She’s also a member of our improv team. I’m trying to talk her into a recurring character that’s a school OAA that I want her to name Ms. Dinglestokenson.
As Ms. Dinglestokenson, Missy could work into a skit an actual conversation she had when a parent had called in and her answer on the phone was “You’re right, it is darker outside today – much more than usual; but we don’t close the school for scary clouds.”
Miriah Grosshart worked heavily with OAAs when she first started as an accounting clerk at Rogers Public Schools in 2019. Even though she is now the Assistant Director of Finance, she still supports them every day. She’s the Member at Large on the AASBO Board. At Rogers, she preaches that her office is available to support the OAAs working the front lines in accounting (eFinance) and student software (eSchool).
It’s a great point she makes. This is so meta, but the role of a School Business Official role is to provide customer service to the ones providing great customer service to our actual clients – parents and students. School offices should not function as silos, isolated from the district. It should be a collaborative partnership.
Miriah also spoke about how that partnership benefits from OAA training and cross training. It’s so hard for an OAA to be away from the school, but the training is so much more valuable. A trend in OAA training is to focus on providing exceptional customer service. Miriah takes it a step further and matches new OAAs with OAA mentors, so they have an additional resource actually doing the work.
Not all OAAs work in a school setting. Some work in a district office, doing the same functions at a different scale for a department or the whole district. Many times, their customers are not just the parents and students, but the staff. All OAAs must be an expert in customer service.
I know, I know, I’m saying customer service a lot. I can’t help it – it’s that important. That’s especially true for the school OAA. A school OAA is the first impression of your school for most parents and many students. That’s a vital concept to embrace because today’s public schools are competing with private schools for students. When you are competing for customers (students), customer service can be the difference.
I’m fortunate to work with an amazing OAA, Phyllis Poole. Phyllis started training me to be her boss when I started in 2009. Our partnership works well because we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. To no one’s surprise, I can be reserved, unsympathetic, and short on social skills. Phyllis helps me do my job better by being outgoing, empathetic, and engaged. I bring the organization skills, and she brings the life skills. For the Star Trek fans, I’m Mr. Spock and she’s Dr. McCoy, except she doesn’t ever shout at me or the Superintendent (Captain Kirk).
I just hope I can follow my own advice and make sure she is properly honored on April 22nd.
Administrator Spotlight: Domonique Alexander-Martin
Director of Special Education, Fort Smith School District
Domonique Alexander-Martin, Director of Special Education at the Fort Smith Public School District, never planned to become an educator. She completed a degree in finance with dreams of becoming an auditor. However, as her husband's career saw her family relocating frequently, she began to desire a more meaningful career. "While visiting my best friend from college, she introduced me to the world of special education. She invited me to come into her classroom as a presenter, and that experience changed everything," she states. "From that moment, I fell in love with the work and the opportunity to support students in ways that truly make a difference." She began her journey in education in Byhalia, Mississippi, at Byhalia Middle School. "At the time, I was admittedly a bit clueless about the road ahead, but I knew one thing for certain. I wanted to make a difference." She started as a special education teacher before transitioning into a 7th grade English Language Arts position, where she also served as the 7th grade Department Chair. She says, "Initially, I dreaded taking on the leadership role; however, the support and encouragement of my colleagues made the experience incredibly rewarding. Over time, I found my way back to special education, where my passion truly resided." She later served as the Lead Special Education Teacher, supporting both the elementary and middle schools and gaining valuable leadership experience that would ultimately shape her path into special education administration.
Domonique says the best thing about her job is the meaningful impact she is able to have on children's lives. "I once worked with a student who used a hearing support device," she recalls. "Over time, the student began developing oral language. I will never forget the moment I heard the student speak aloud in class for the first time. It was an incredibly powerful moment, and I found myself in tears." However, she says she sometimes has to make difficult decisions, and that someone considering the profession should know that while it is one of the most challenging roles you will ever take on, it is also one of the most rewarding. "The work is not always easy, but the opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of students and families makes every challenge worthwhile."
with Domonique Alexander-Martin ? ! Q&A
What
is the best advice you have ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received came from a former superintendent, Reggie Barnes. He shared that as leaders we all need to believe in something. “If you don’t believe in a higher power, find something to believe in, you’ll need it when leadership becomes challenging.” That advice has stayed with me throughout my leadership journey and continues to remind me that purpose and belief help sustain us.
What major changes have you seen in education during your career?
One of the most significant changes I’ve seen in education is the continued movement toward inclusive practices and ensuring students with disabilities have greater access to learning opportunities alongside their peers.
What’s something that amazes you?
What amazes me the most is seeing women rise to CEO positions and lead organizations at the highest level. It’s inspiring to watch barriers continue to be broken and to see the influence of strong female leadership across industries.
What do you feel is your greatest professional accomplishment?
One of my greatest professional accomplishments was when Marshall County School District ranked third in the state of Mississippi for graduating students with disabilities. Additional milestones in my leadership journey include being inducted into the Southern Arkansas University Educational Leadership Hall of Fame and completing the AASA Aspiring Female Superintendent program.
What do you enjoy doing during your time off?
I enjoy spending time with my husband, Marlon, and our adult children (Khalil, Xavier, and Alexandria). In my downtime, I love watching classic episodes of Law & Order, Murder, She Wrote, and Columbo. If I come across a few episodes of Perry Mason, I’m definitely watching those too.
What
are the goals you are still working toward?
One of the goals I continue to work toward is increasing student achievement while ensuring greater access to high-quality educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
What do you see as the biggest benefit of AAEA membership?
The greatest benefit of AAEA membership is the opportunity to network with and learn from other educational leaders while remaining engaged in conversations that shape the future of education in our state. I am especially grateful for the friendships and professional relationships I have built through my involvement with AASEA.
Join us for the 2026 AAEA Summer Conference, Vision to Impact: Be the Change, on July 27-29, 2026, at the Statehouse Convention Center and Marriott Hotel in Little Rock, AR. The event will feature keynote speakers, over one hundred breakout sessions from inspiring educational leaders, an exhibit hall, and hospitality events. Join administrators from across the state to learn, network, and celebrate your love for public education!
Learning Lab
Gaining Insight into Standards Mastery with DnA
Submitted by Dr. Gene Kerns, Chief Academic Officer, Renaissance
Arkansas administrators, meet Renaissance’s DnA, your partner in turning standards-aligned assessments into clear, actionable insights. As part of Renaissance’s comprehensive assessment system, DnA helps Arkansas schools create, deliver, and analyze standards-based assessments in one intuitive platform.
With over 80,000 high-quality, standards- and DOK-aligned assessment items across core subjects, DnA offers both extensive choice and flexibility to educators. Whether you prefer to build your own or leverage reliable prebuilt tests, DnA streamlines the assessment creation process, saving valuable time and reducing complexity.
Why DnA Matters for Arkansas Classrooms
Accelerates Mastery: Built-in distractor rationales enable in-the-moment feedback, enabling teachers to identify and address misconceptions as they emerge.
Data-Informed Decisions: From classroom formative quizzes to district-level benchmark exams, DnA supports multi-tiered analysis.
Custom Reporting: Instantly access prebuilt or customizable reports that reveal who has mastered standards and who needs reteaching.
Seamless Integration: DnA plugs into your existing systems—SIS, LMS, state tests, and even SEL or screening tools—creating a unified data environment.
DnA isn’t just about numbers, it’s about driving equity and supporting every learner. Imagine pinpointing instructional gaps, differentiating support for small groups or individuals, and guiding curriculum decisions with confidence. That’s the power of Renaissance’s integrated approach.
Continue reading and see the impact DnA is making in nearly 12,000 U.S. schools.
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.
CoSN/AASA EmpowerED Superintendents Initiative: Free Leadership Resources
EmpowerED Superintendent edLeader Panel Broadcasts
CoSN 2026 Conference
CoSN Membership
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District: Building Futures From the Ground Up
Every public school district has a founding story, shaped by the needs, values, and community members. Jacksonville North Pulaski School District was established more recently than many Arkansas districts, emerging through a defined period of transition that required intentionality and shared responsibility from the very beginning. While its creation was authorized through a formal state process and community vote, the district’s identity has been shaped just as much by the collective effort of families, community partners, and educators who worked together to turn that decision into daily practice.
Jacksonville North Pulaski moved from authorization to daily operation through a compressed transition period, with children first entering classrooms in August 2016. As the district took shape, leaders were simultaneously building organizational structures, staffing schools, opening facilities, and preparing classrooms for children. That pace required collaboration and trust, qualities that continue to influence how decisions are made today. Rather than relying on long-standing routines, leaders and educators focused on establishing systems grounded in children’s needs, community expectations, and a clear vision for long-term success.
A Promise to the Community, Kept
One of the district’s earliest commitments to the community was clear: build new schools, remain competitive in staff compensation, and invest in innovative technology to support learning. Over time, that commitment became reality. In August 2024, Jacksonville North Pulaski completed its building project, giving children the opportunity to learn in new facilities from kindergarten through high school.
These buildings represent more than modern infrastructure. They were intentionally designed to support learning, safety, and movement throughout the day. Even in larger campuses, the thoughtful layout
creates a sense of belonging and ownership. Children take pride in their schools, care for their spaces, and experience environments built with their needs in mind.
Building Futures: Every Scholar, Every Day
From the earliest days, district leaders anchored their work in a clear commitment: building futures for every scholar, every day. That belief comes to life through Jacksonville North Pulaski’s College and Career Academies, which were intentionally embedded into the design elements of the high school. The leaders provide structured opportunities for exploration, reflection, and informed choice, ensuring children make postsecondary decisions with context and guidance.
All children begin in a ninth-grade Freshman Academy, where they are introduced to a wide range of career pathways through speakers, coursework, and real-world learning experiences. By the end of ninth grade, children are prepared to select an academy pathway and pursue it with purpose from tenth through twelfth grade. This approach helps children connect their strengths and goals to the opportunities available beyond graduation.
Real-World Partnerships, Real Opportunities
A defining strength of Jacksonville North Pulaski’s academy model is its connection to industry partners. Local businesses, healthcare providers, and community organizations collaborate with educators to ensure pathways remain relevant and responsive to workforce needs. These partnerships shape coursework, inform credential offerings, and provide children with mentorship, internships, and exposure to professional environments they may not otherwise encounter.
As workforce demands evolve, the district adapts. Pathways and credentials are adjusted so children graduate with skills that carry real value. Many leave with industry-recognized credentials and concurrent college credit, allowing them to begin postsecondary education or enter the workforce with confidence. District leaders continue to explore opportunities for children to graduate with a diploma, credentials, and meaningful progress toward an associate degree, expanding options without limiting choice.
District leaders emphasize that people are the foundation of success. Jacksonville North Pulaski has prioritized competitive compensation and staff retention, recognizing that stability, relationships, and institutional knowledge matter. By investing in educators and support staff, the district ensures children learn from professionals who know the community, understand its needs, and are committed to staying.
Jacksonville North Pulaski is intentional about honoring its history. The Jacksonville Legacy Walk and Legacy Wall recognize community leaders and educators who helped shape the district’s beginnings. As the district marks its ten-year milestone, leaders are planning future celebrations to honor the inaugural graduating class and the collective effort that made the district possible.
Looking Ahead with Purpose
Looking ahead, Jacksonville North Pulaski continues to evolve. Early investments in technology laid an important foundation, and district leaders recognize that readiness requires more than devices alone. Ongoing professional learning, the thoughtful integration of innovation, and an emphasis on creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving guide the district’s approach to preparing children for a rapidly changing world.
Jacksonville North Pulaski School District stands as a strong example of what is possible when a community, its educators, and its leaders work together with intention. From new facilities and strong staffing commitments to innovative academies shaped by real-world partnerships, the district is not simply responding to today’s needs. It is shaping what comes next. At its core, the work remains centered on children and guided by a clear purpose: building futures for every scholar, every day.
Awards
AAESP Principal of the Year: Dr. Stephanie Summerford
Dr. Stephanie Summerford, Principal at Sugar Creek Arts Academy in Bentonville School District, was recently named the 2026 Arkansas Association of Elementary School Principals (AAESP) Principal of the Year. This award is sponsored by Solution Tree. Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Assistant Executive Director; Susan McNully, State Office Executive Director of Solution Tree; Dr. Debbie Jones, Superintendent of Bentonville Public Schools and other administrators presented Dr. Summerford with the award at her school on March 19.
NAFEPA State Leadership Awards
The National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) announced its 2026 State Leadership Recipients at this week’s NAFEPA Conference. These awards are in recognition of service for outstanding dedication and commitment to serving NAFEPA, federal educational programs, and the students they support. Several Arkansas administrators were honored this year, including Lea Metcalf-McDonald, Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development for the Texarkana Arkansas School District; Kristopher Williams, Assistant Superintendent of Federal Programs for the Jonesboro School District; and Sharon Chuculate, Financial Services Coordinator for AAEA.
Publication Sneak Peek: The Cutting Edge
This segment features content from other AAEA publications. The Cutting Edge is a monthly publication available to AACTEA members. The following excerpt comes from the March 2026 issue.
2026-2027 CTE High-Demand and High-Wage (H2) Pathways
ACT 237 of 2023 requires that public school districts offer at least one career and technical education (CTE) pathway that meets the state definition of High Demand and High Wage (H2). For the 2026-2027 school year there are 29 CTE pathways that meet the state definition of High Demand and High Wage. See Commissioner’s Memo CTE-26-004 for more information.
University of Central Arkansas (UCA) Announces Innovation Campus
The UCA Board of Trustees recently voted to move forward with the development of a new Innovation Campus, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to strengthen workforce readiness, expand applied research and support economic growth across Central Arkansas and throughout the state. The Innovation Campus will bring students closer to the industries they are preparing to enter while giving employers a direct role in shaping talent development.
This initiative is a collaborative effort among UCA, Conway Development Corporation, and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) and will feature both academic and workforce training spaces, including engineering faculty offices and laboratories, open project areas for student-led engineering work, and administrative and instructional space for the Arkansas Coding Academy. The project is designed to support workforce needs in engineering, technology, health informatics and skilled trades, while providing flexible space for research, innovation and reskilling initiatives. With the completion of the limited renovations and improvements in spring and summer of 2026, classes and lab activities will begin in August 2026.
Interested in more from The Cutting Edge? Contact our office at 501-372-1691.
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 Lana Webb, Administrative Specialist, at l.webb@theaaea.org or at 501-372-1691.
Job Openings
District
Drew Central School District
Vilonia School District
Lavaca School District
Position
Elementary Assistant Principal
K-3 Assistant Principal
Superintendent
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators Professional Development Coordinator
Lake Hamilton School District
Little Rock School District
Fountain Lake School District
Searcy School District
Paris School District
Arkansas Arts Academy
Lead Hill School District
Lead Hill School District
Director of Counseling and Testing
Director of Finance & Accounting
Secondary Assistant Principal 2026-2027 School Year
Assistant Superintendent - Curriculum and Instruction
Middle School Principal
High School Principal
K-12 Dean of Students/Interventionist
K-12 Principal
Job Openings, Continued
District
Cedar Ridge School District
Prairie Grove School District
Hope School District
Prairie Grove School District
Perryville School District
Benton School District
Fort Smith Public Schools
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
Magazine School District
Scranton School District
DeWitt School District
Russellville School District
Junction City School District
Manila School District
Manila School District
Gravette School District
Emerson-Taylor-Bradley School District
Position
High School Assistant Principal
Student Services Coordinator
Technology Technician
Principal High School
District Treasurer - In House
Benton Junior High Assistant Principal SY 26/27
Secondary Principal (26-27 School Year)
AAEA Member Services & Mentorship Supervisor
District Treasurer
HS Principal 7-12
Dewitt High School Counselor 9-12
Elementary Principal
Technology Director and Security Information Officer
High School Dean Of Students and Athletic Director
Assistant Principal High School
Special Education Director
K-12 Principal
Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators Bookkeeper
Osceola School District Director of Technology