2026 AAEA Summer Conference has ended

Create Your Own Event

2026 AAEA Summer Conference

SB

Shelby Burkheart

Corning School District

Principal

8:00am CDT

Registration Open Caddo & Osage (SCC)

11:00am CDT

Exhibit Hall Open Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC)

1:00pm CDT

Opening General Session Wally Allen Ballroom (SCC)Damon West

3:00pm CDT

Visit Exhibitors Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC)

7:30am CDT

Breakfast Available and Visit Exhibitors Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC) Exhibit Hall Open 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

9:45am CDT

Visit Exhibitors Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC)

10:15am CDT

What Do We Mean by “Growth”? Rethinking Progress in the Arkansas VAM Model Salon A (M)Hope Worsham Mic Drop Session: Effective Leadership Strategies Riverview (MCC)Jennifer Harper • Justin Swope SHIFTing from Surviving to Thriving Neosho (MCC)Dr. Brandy Howell • Jennifer Spriggs

11:30am CDT

Lunch Available and Visit Exhibitors Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC) The Kindergarten Readiness Crisis: What School Leaders Can Do Before Children Arrive Riverview (MCC)Mark Lewis • Kristen Weatherall • Dr. Dayna Lewis From Surviving to Thriving: Reimagining School Culture with the DILTS Nested Levels of Learning White Oak (MCC)Christie Cremo Turning Leadership Vision into Measurable School Impact Manning (M)Dr. Bethanie Hale

12:20pm CDT

Is Your System Making an Impact? Manning (M)Dr. Julie Workman • Jacob Sisson 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 Every Problem is a Leadership Problem: Own the Solution or Own the Failure Arkansas Ballroom (M)Dr. Doug Adams Teacher-Centered Leadership: Practical Strategies for Culture Building Pope (SCC)Dr. Michelle Miller

1:20pm CDT

Keeping Kids Safe in Our AI World Pope (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley "D4" Ways To Deescalate Conflict Harris Brake (MCC)Mr. Stacy DeFoor • Stephanie DeFoor The Leadership Balancing Act: Where Hard Work Meets Heart Work Riverview (MCC)Mark Lewis • Shavon Jackson • Nancy Madison

2:20pm CDT

Visit Exhibitors Governor's Halls I-IV (SCC) Table Talk: That's CAP! Building Consistency, Accountability, and Practice Governor's Hall I - Table 1Marcus Jones

2:50pm CDT

HR Basics for Principals & Supervisors Conway (MCC)Chris Davis AI Showcase: Highlighting Different AI Platforms Pope (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley Building Instructional Systems That Drive Student Growth Hoffman (M)DarShauna Shepherd Leading District Improvement Salon B (M)Hope Worsham • Brooke McCain Read the Room, Lead the Room: Unlocking the Hidden Language of Communication Neosho (MCC)Judy Pennington • Sarah Monfee The Leadership Balancing Act: Where Hard Work Meets Heart Work (Repeat) Riverview (MCC)Mark Lewis • Shavon Jackson • Nancy Madison Tiers to Distinction: Building Support for All Teachers Ouachita (MCC)Mr. John Unger • Andrea Ward

7:30am CDT

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

8:15am CDT

Systems That Stick: Engineering Sustainable School Improvement Salon A (M)Dr. Adam Eckard • Adriane Duke How Districts are Removing Communication Barriers to Transform Outcomes Salon C (M)Greg Turchetta Leading with AI Initiatives Drew (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley The Code of Ethics: How Administrators Can Support Educators in the Prevention of Ethics Violations Conway (MCC)Laura Shelton

9:30am CDT

Organizing Effective Communication and Planning Pope (SCC)Dr. Kate Worley • Brad Etters Social Media: What do educators need to know to protect themselves online and keep their license? Drew (SCC)Dr. Robin Finley The Code of Ethics: Updates on Processes and Procedures Conway (MCC)Laura Shelton Transformational Leadership Playbook: Doing What Works Salon A (M)Charles Blacknall • Hiram Sumlin

10:40am CDT

Closing General Session - Vision to Impact: Be the Change Wally Allen Ballroom (SCC)Rosalind Wiseman