2026 AAEA Summer Conference

2026 AAEA Summer Conference

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7:30am CDT

Breakfast Available Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC) Visit Exhibits Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC) Registration Open Caddo & Osage (SCC)

8:30am CDT

General Session: Admin of the Year and DESE Updates Wally Allen Ballroom (SCC)Secretary Jacob Oliva

10:15am CDT

From Creating Opportunity to Creating Coherence: The Work in Front of Rural Education Yell I-II (SCC)Justin Neel • Dr. Austin D. Eubanks

From Data to Impact: Strengthening Instruction for Student Success Ouachita (MCC)Gina Richard • Thea Capps • Heather Gonzalez • Jan Hill • Whitney Dutton • Britnee Wright

Going Global with Cambridge International: A Practical Guide for Arkansas's Next Chapter in Advanced Education & Accelerated Learning Grampas (MCC)Charles Lee • Dr. Kristy Brown • Dustin Seaton • Tina McClure

Leading with Purpose: Teacher Growth & Professional Learning Salon C (M)Dr. Adam Eckard • Mandy Zipfel • Angela Murphy • Harry Dickens • Alice Shirey

Reclaiming the Math Classroom: A Framework for Sustainable Differentiation White Oak (MCC)Veronica Hebard • Sophia Kor

What Do We Mean by “Growth”? Rethinking Progress in the Arkansas VAM Model Salon A (M)Hope Worsham

Building It Right: Legal Requirements, Partnership Funding, and Public Bidding Chicot (MCC)Cedric Hawkins • Travis Spence

From Compliance to Confidence: Implementing Behavioral Threat Assessments with Clarity and Protection Pope (SCC)Bekah Coursey • Becca Sparks

Accelerate School Procurement: How TIPS Delivers Faster, Compliant, Cost‑Effective Contracts Salon B (M)Stacey McPherson

Ethics Disclosures Miller (SCC)Charles Warren

Federal Updates Izard (SCC)Kimberly Glass • Lea Metcalf-McDonald • Amanda Bittle

High Leverage Human Capital Strategies Conway (MCC)Melissa Tucker • Greg Mones

Mastering the Maze: Navigating FOIA and Legal Requests, Technical Strategy Meets Legal Compliance Drew (SCC)Paul Miller • Kendra Clay

A Principal & Counselor’s Journey to School Improvement Manning (M)David Yates • Jessica Ashcraft • Dr. Heather Williams

Building a Leadership Pipeline: Growing District Leaders from Within Harris Brake (MCC)Mathew Thornton • Blake Campbell

Crisis Communications when Minutes Matter Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Jared Cleveland • Trent Jones

Dodging the Docket: Smart Moves Before and After a Due Process Filing Fulton (SCC)Shasta Wagner • Leila Seigrist • Claire Wilkinson

From Minor League to Major Leagues: Systems that Will Help You "Go Yard" with Feedback and Growth Caraway I-III (SCC)Kelley Krogman • Josh Lyra • Ashley Hammett

Mic Drop Session: Effective Leadership Strategies Riverview (MCC)Justin Swope

SHIFTing from Surviving to Thriving Neosho (MCC)Dr. Brandy Howell • Jennifer Spriggs

11:30am CDT

Own It! Accountability in Instruction Caraway I-III (SCC)Dr. Dondre Harris

Right-Sizing Assessment: From Scores to Strategy Salon B (M)Chrissy McNabb • Hope Worsham

Beyond Compliance: Measuring the Impact of Federal Dollars Izard (SCC)Christine Harrell • Amy Robson

Transparency vs. Confidentiality: Navigating Executive Sessions and Personnel Records in Arkansas Schools Conway (MCC)Shasta Wagner

What’s Keeping Your School Staff Up at Night? Salon C (M)Educational Benefits, Inc. • John Starling

Be the Change! Offer a K-12 virtual option. Ouachita (MCC)Tammy Manning • Brandi Williams • Krystle Summers

Farmland & Forest as an Immersive Learning Environment Grampas (MCC)Meredith Hendricks • Dr. Julie Williams

From Vision to Impact: How a Rural School Built a Life-Ready Ecosystem Pope (SCC)Justin Neel

Generations at Work: Strategies for Recruiting, Retaining, and Uniting Your School Team Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Mark Gotcher

Military Career Awareness: Access for Students Hoffman (M)John Ashworth

Strength in Schools. Success in Children. Salon A (M)Shane Patrick • Amy Carter • Joe McClung

The Kindergarten Readiness Crisis: What School Leaders Can Do Before Children Arrive Riverview (MCC)Mark Lewis • Kristen Weatherall • Dr. Dayna Lewis

Tunnel Vision: Changing Education One Child at a Time!! Neosho (MCC)Alex Peterson • Brooklyn Graves

Enhancing Communication Through Improv Miller (SCC)Charles Warren

From Surviving to Thriving: Reimagining School Culture with the DILTS Nested Levels of Learning White Oak (MCC)Christie Cremo

Future-Proofing Your Pipeline: The Paid Residency Blueprint Harris Brake (MCC)Dr Jeremy Owoh • Dr. Jermall Wright • Dr. Rachel Eells

Operationalizing RTI: Aligning PLCs, Scheduling, and Student Needs Fulton (SCC)Callie Sanchez • Danielle Renfroe • Joe Herrington

School Based Intervention Team (SBIT) Come To The Table! Chicot (MCC)Barbara Kirkpatrick • Philip Alderman • Tabitha Turner • Londria King

Turning Leadership Vision into Measurable School Impact Manning (M)Dr. Bethanie Hale

Lunch Available Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC)

12:20pm CDT

DESE Educator Effectiveness & Licensure Updates Salon A (M)Brandie Benton

Is Your System Making an Impact? Manning (M)Dr. Julie Workman • Jacob Sisson

Scaling the Seal of Biliteracy: A Step-by-Step Guide to the State and Global Application Process Neosho (MCC)Chip Greenwell • Adrienne Cooke

Building Safer Schools Together Chicot (MCC)Eric King

Creating the Digital Ghost Salon C (M)Johnny Ramsey

Hiring Is Only the Beginning: Retaining Educators in Arkansas Public Schools Conway (MCC)Dr. Amy Manley

Raising the Rigor: How Sheridan School District Uses CFAs Salon B (M)Dr. Dave Maddock • Dr. Missy Walley

Building Success Beyond the School Day: How Searcy School District Designed and Implemented High-Impact After-School Tutoring White Oak (MCC)Heather Franks • Dr. Bobby Hart • Bethany Philpot • Dr. Rich O'Connell

Digital Citizenship Playbook: Helping Students Make Tech Work for Them Drew (SCC)Adam Brooks • Matthew Cyr

Unlocking Learning: An Introduction to the Science of Learning Ouachita (MCC)Jill Heard • Rebecca Mills • Justin Howell • Brooke Suyal

Best Year Yet- Leading Successfully Through Change Riverview (MCC)Dr. Dawn Childress

Built of T.H.A.T. Fulton (SCC)Dr. Micheal Stone

Energy, Identity, and Change: Leading Adults to Transform Student Outcomes Caraway I-III (SCC)Chrissy McNabb • Dr. Kelly Hankins

Enhancing Communication Through Improv Miller (SCC)Charles Warren

Every Problem is a Leadership Problem: Own the Solution or Own the Failure Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Doug Adams

Fiscal Leadership: Mastering the "Buckets" of School and District Finance Izard (SCC)Dr. Mickey McFetridge

From Absent to Present: Building a Collaborative Culture using Technology to Combat Chronic Absenteeism and Increase Student Achievement Harris Brake (MCC)Dr. Roger C. Guevara • Dr. James Gibbens

Helena-West Helena: From Failing to Successful Hoffman (M)Dr. Xavier M. Hodo, Sr. • Dr. John M. West, Jr.

Teacher-Centered Leadership: Practical Strategies for Culture Building Pope (SCC)Dr. Michelle Miller

We Know the Why and What of a PLC, But the Difference Is in the How Grampas (MCC)Justin Rasnick

1:20pm CDT

Durable Skills for CTE Pathways - What Does This Mean For My District? Yell I-II (SCC)Shantelle Raper • Ross White

Lighting the Way: Renaissance Intelligence for Unified Curriculum, Instruction, and Data Salon B (M)Dr. Dave Maddock

Rigor on Demand: Micro-Challenges That Make Kids Think Neosho (MCC)Adam Robison

When "Meaningful Access" Isn't Actually Meaningful: Leadership Moves to Make Co-Teaching Work for Multilingual Learners Manning (M)JD Coursey • Dr. Shawna Shields

Partnering for Success: State Classroom Inspections & Support Chicot (MCC)Raymond Reynolds • Travis Spence

Critical Conversations Conway (MCC)Tanya Sharp

Newcomers: A Year in the Life of a Federal Coordinator and Getting the Best ROI of Your Funding Dollars Izard (SCC)Susan Gilley • Christine Harrell • Marcy Dugger

The Invisible Decisions: How School Business Choices Quietly Shape Student Outcomes During Declining Enrollment Miller (SCC)Ashten Black • Pam McCammon

Keeping Kids Safe in Our AI World Pope (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley

Adding It All Up: The Administrator’s Guide to Accelerated Math Grampas (MCC)Charles Lee • Dustin Seaton • Erin McCain

"D4" Ways To Deescalate Conflict Harris Brake (MCC)Mr. Stacy DeFoor • Stephanie DeFoor

Merit Pay in Mena: Development of an In-District System Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Lee Smith • Bridget Buckley

Own Your Growth. Fuel Student Success: Creating Meaningful Access in High School Hoffman (M)Sarah Merayo • Lisa Overstreet

The Leadership Balancing Act: Where Hard Work Meets Heart Work Riverview (MCC)Shavon Jackson • Nancy Madison

Thriving in Tough Moments: Tools for Navigating Conflict Salon C (M)Dana Lamb

Vision to Impact: Igniting Leadership from Within Caraway I-III (SCC)Dr. Marcia Smith • Dr. Christy Smith

What Every District Leader Should Ask Their Technology Director to Protect Students and District Assets Drew (SCC)Ray Girdler

When School Boards Disagree: Arkansas Data and Practical Strategies for District Leaders Ouachita (MCC)Matthew White • Dr. Rick Gales

You Need to Calm Down: Staying Professional When Advocates & Attorneys Enter the Room (Repeat) Fulton (SCC)Natalie Gosdin • Haley Hatch

2:50pm CDT

Durable Skills for CTE Pathways - What Does This Mean For My District? (Repeat) Yell I-II (SCC)Shantelle Raper • Ross White

Unlock the Full Potential of Your School Facilities Chicot (MCC)Raymond Reynolds • Mike Mertens

HR Basics for Principals & Supervisors Conway (MCC)Chris Davis

Mastering the Maze: Navigating FOIA and Legal Requests, Technical Strategy Meets Legal Compliance (Repeat) Drew (SCC)Paul Miller • Kendra Clay

Newcomers: A Year in the Life of a Federal Coordinator and Getting the Best ROI of Your Funding Dollars (Repeat) Izard (SCC)Susan Gilley • Christine Harrell • Marcy Dugger

The Invisible Decisions: How School Business Choices Quietly Shape Student Outcomes During Declining Enrollment (Repeat) Miller (SCC)Ashten Black • Pam McCammon

AI Showcase: Highlighting Different AI Platforms Pope (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley

Adding It All Up: The Administrator’s Guide to Accelerated Math (Repeat) Grampas (MCC)Charles Lee • Dustin Seaton • Erin McCain

Building Instructional Systems That Drive Student Growth Hoffman (M)DarShauna Shepherd

Leading District Improvement Salon B (M)Hope Worsham • Brooke McCain

Let 'Em Know: Old School Skills for New School Challenges Manning (M)Dr. Dondre Harris • Preston Echols

Merit Pay in Mena: Development of an In-District System (Repeat) Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Lee Smith • Bridget Buckley

Read the Room, Lead the Room: Unlocking the Hidden Language of Communication Neosho (MCC)Judy Pennington • Sarah Monfee

Signaling Change: AI and School Communication Salon C (M)Greg Turchetta

The Leadership Balancing Act: Where Hard Work Meets Heart Work (Repeat) Riverview (MCC)Shavon Jackson • Nancy Madison

Tiers to Distinction: Building Support for All Teachers Ouachita (MCC)Mr. John Unger • Andrea Ward

Vision to Impact: Igniting Leadership from Within (Repeat) Caraway I-III (SCC)Dr. Marcia Smith • Dr. Christy Smith

Waiting on Info Salon A (M)

Wired for Success: Building Executive Function Skills to Boost Learning and Belonging Harris Brake (MCC)Megan Strain • Courtney Gunter

You Need to Calm Down: Staying Professional When Advocates & Attorneys Enter the Room (Repeat) Fulton (SCC)Natalie Gosdin • Haley Hatch