The following postings have been shared with ACTAA or recommended by Google Alerts. Please check the referenced school district's website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Middle School Theater Teacher

Fayetteville Public Schools is seeking a Theater Teacher for John L Colbert Middle School. Apply at: https://district.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5025884.

Secondary Oral Communications and Drama Teacher

The Harrison School District is seeking a  Oral Communications and Drama Teacher for Harrison High School. Apply at: https://hps.applicantstack.com/x/detail/a2061eciie3e.

Jr. High Drama Teacher

Jonesboro Public School is seeking a Jr. High Drama Teacher for Annie Camp Junior High. Apply at: https://www.jonesboroschools.net/Page/514.

Middle School Drama Teacher

The Fouke School District is seeking a Middle School Drama Teacher for Paulette Smith Middle School. Apply at: https://www.foukepanthers.org/118032_2.

The Board of Directors meets every two months to receive updates from committees/ officers and discuss association matters. In addition to the discussion on updates on summer workshop, fall conference, the virtual summer camp, and background checks for ACTAA events, the following outlines updates from the Board’s March 30th meeting.

Print Ballots & Event Rules Update.

Over the last several month the Arkansas State Championship Committee has reviewed the print ballots, and prepared several corrections to inconsistencies between he print ballots event rules and practice in the state and NSDA Unified Manual. However, some determinations will need to be voted on by the member at Fall Conference as practice in state might be better suited to the event than NSDA or ballot wording. (e.g., storytelling, impromptu speaking, prose, reader’s theatre, words and music, song lyric interpretation, and duo improvisation). Board members will review the proposed ballots ahead of the May Board meeting, and time will be set aside at Summer Workshop for membership feedback on ballots/ event rules, and final language will be proposed for membership approval at Fall Conference.

ACTAA College Intern.

At the January Board Meeting, Martene Campbell presented the concept of ACTAA having a volunteer non-paid intern to assist with social media and fundraising. The board ask Campbell to develop a proposal and present the idea at its March meeting. At the March 30th meeting, the Board approved the creation of  college intern positions to assist ACTAA Leadership with social media, particular at ACTAA sponsored events. The Board approved to offer the internship to Lesleigh Sullivan of Arkansas State University in the immediate to support social media for the   Arkansas State Championship, May 2-3. ACTAA Leadership will develop an application process for consideration by the Board at Summer Workshop, and to solicit interest for applicants for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Tournament Advisory Committee.

In January, the association ratified changed to the ACTAA By-laws which included restricting the Tournament Advisory Committee (TAC). As a result, the ACTAA President Zackery Tucker needed to appoint new at-large members to TAC, with confirmation by the Board. The Board approved Casey Griffith of Conway High School, Chris Flowers of Little Rock West-Hall School of innovation, Antha Johnson of Fayetteville High School and Daniel Caudle of Har-Ber High School to serve on TAC in a rotating cycle to be determined by drawing lots at Summer Workshop. In addition to the four appointed at-large positions, the ACTAA President, ASC Director (Rosie Valdez-Block, and Student Congress Director (Martene Campbell) serve on the committee ex officio. 

The deadline for Academic All-State & Academic State Champion rosters for both Speech & Debate and Theatre programs is extended to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18.

This extension provides additional time for schools to complete their academic rosters and ensure eligible students are recognized for their outstanding academic achievements.

In response to recent questions, ACTAA would like to clarify the GPA requirements:

• The cumulative GPA should reflect the student’s entire high school transcript,

• It must include grades through the end of the fall semester,

• It may include grades through the 3rd nine weeks if your school officially updates cumulative GPA at 3rd nine weeks.

• Roster should include all students in the program that meet the participation definition (e.g., theatre students must have had a role in at least one production during the academic year (i.e., acting, tech, props, scene design, etc.) and speech & debate students must have completed in at least two tournaments during the academic year.)

ACTAA-member sponsored Theatre programs are strongly encouraged to participate, as a separate category for Theatre Academic All-State and Academic State Champion has been established to celebrate excellence in the performing arts.

Educators are encouraged to take advantage of the extended deadline and ensure all deserving students are recognized. For more information or to submit rosters, please visit the ACTAA website or contact the organization directly.

ACTAA Academic Roster Reporting Form

Academic All-State

Academic All-State recognition is awarded to student speech & debate competitors and theatre production members who have achieved academically in addition to co-curricular activities in communication & theatre arts. ACTAA members sponsoring the program must submit a roster of the names and compatible GPA on a 4.0 scale of students active in their program. (e.g., theatre students must have had a role in at least one production during the academic year (i.e., acting, tech, props, scene design, etc.) and speech & debate students must have completed in at least two tournaments during the academic year.) Rosters are due April 15 and must be signed by the coach and appropriate principal. The top 10% of students in speech & debate and theatre of all the students reported will be recognized in each category.

Sponsors with students that meet the requirements will be provided a certificate at registration of the ASC tournament, along with All-State Speech & Debate certificates. If no representative is present at ASC, certificates will be mailed to the school.

Academic State Champion

The school with the highest average cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale in speech & debate and theatre will be recognized at the ASC tournament as the Academic State Champions for their category (i.e., speech & debate or theatre).The second and third-highest average GPAs in speech & debate and theatre will be recognized as finalists for the award.

The Academic State Champions are presented a plaque similar to competition state champion recognition awarded by ACTAA at the ASC, May 2-3.

Bentonville High School is seeking a long-term substitute teacher for a Theatre & Forensics position, starting February 10 and needed until March 14 (and possibly the following week March 17-21). Dates are tentative and may be subject to change. For more information, contact Assistant Principal Greg Puckett at gpuckett@bentonvillek12.org or (479) 254-5100.

With the start of the legislative session this spring, the Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee, working with the president, has developed a new webpage to update members on ACTAA's work, legislation, and regulations that affect matters related to our mission. 

The online ACTAA Advocacy Center will include posts highlighting updates on the committee’s work, announcements from the Department of Education and the state legislature, and links to legislation and issues the committee has determined might affect our association or be of interest to members.

Members log into the ACTAA website and access the ACTAA Advocacy Center, https://actaa.org/AdvocacyUpdates/.  

The Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee  (formerly the Professional Standards Committee) works with state agencies and other professional organizations to promote ACTAA's mission and vision of "a future where every student In Arkansas can be transformed through participation in communication, debate, and theatre arts."

Updates on speech, debate, or theatre education advocacy can be emailed to Leigh Walters (committee chair) and Zackery Tucker (president) at  (actaa.ar@gmail.com).

At its January 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors reviewed public comments submitted on Nov. 3, 2024, Committee Restructure Amendment to the Bylaws and approved ratifying the amendment as adopted in November without changes.

Background.

At its Nov.3 meeting, the Board of Directors approved to amend Articles I and II of the ACTAA Bylaws to modernize committee structure as a strategy of the ACTAA in Action strategic plan approved at the Fall Conference.

In compliance with ACTAA By-laws, Article VII, section 2, before the amendment can be ratified and engrossed, the Board-approved amendment was published via email to the membership for thirty (30) days for members to submit comments on the amendment in the November 18 Newsletter.

If the amendment receives no comments from the membership after the thirty (30) day comment period, the amendment would have been ratified effective December 18. Since the amendment received at least one comment on the proposed changes during the thirty (30) day comment period, the Board of Directors shall review the comments at its January 5 meeting, where the Board will: "(1) approve the amendment with recommended changes; or (2) approve the amendment “as is,” with no changes, by a two-thirds vote."

Amendment Details.

This amendment removes the unnecessary references of “permanent” in committee name types (AI §1), adds language to clarify better the difference between standing and special committees (AI §7(1)), reorganizes committees in the document to better align with their appropriate committee type (AI §6(2a-j) & §7(2a-f)), moves liaison positions from Article I, [Committees] §7(2) to Article II, [Officers] (AII §7-10), and other non-substantive changes for clarification (AI §2, §5, §6(2), §6(2c), §7(2), & §7(2E).

Additionally, the amendment renames the Professional Standards Committee to the Advocacy and Public Engagement Committee (AI §6(2a)), the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to the Belonging and Inclusion Advocacy (BIA) Committee (AI §6(2d)), and the Recruitment and Mentoring Committee to the New Member Support Committee (AI §6(2g)). The purpose and function of these committees will not change.

The amendment adds a reference to the ACTAA Professional & Ethical Standards of Conduct in the purpose of the Ethical Practices Committee. (AI §6(2e))

Finally, the amendment restructures the Tournament Advisory Committee (TAC) to be a defined seven members, including the President, the ASC Permanent Director, and the Student Congress Permanent Director serving ex-officio and four general members appointed by the President. The amendment also establishes clearer committee expectations, including who TAC complaints should be reported, who should be included in conferring, and examples of potential outcomes. (AI §6(2j)).

Amendment Language.

The following document outlines the amendment in two versions.

·        The first version (pages 2-12) is in markup⎼⎼showing the changes highlighted in red text, with stricken language being removed and underlined language being added to the document.

·        The second version (pages 13-20) is a “clean” version⎼⎼showing the document as amended with the changes incorporated in the document.

Public Comment Summary.

The commenters oppose the proposed restructuring of the Tournament Advisory Committee (TAC), citing concerns about consolidating power within the Board of Directors, limiting diverse viewpoints, and creating a perception of exclusivity that may discourage broader participation. They recommend expanding TAC roles to include individuals not already in leadership positions, retaining the requirement for members to host tournaments, and ensuring leaders have substantial hands-on experience in tournament management. They propose allowing the general membership to nominate and vote for TAC members to enhance transparency and inclusivity. Additionally, they call for more straightforward guidelines on sanctions, illustrative examples for policy clarity, and the inclusion of an option to reject amendments outright, ensuring balanced and comprehensive decision-making.

Additionally, the commenters criticized the by-laws amendment process adopted by the membership at Fall Conference and the timeline and medium of the membership notice for comments.

Neither commenter referenced other structural or committee changes in the amendment.

Full comments can be reviewed here: Responses to the ACTAA Member Comment Form for Nov. 3, 2024, Committee Restructure Changes to By-laws.

Board Decision.

After reviewing the comments submitted, the Board discussed the items, including those related to the appearance of power consolidation, the roles of the proposed ex-officio members (president, ASC director, and Student Congress director), qualifications to serve on TAC and the pragmatic role of TAC over the last several years. After much discussion, the Board approved 11-1 to ratify the amendment.

The amendment has been engrossed and published in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook, effective Jan. 5.

The Board of Directors meets every two months to receive updates from committees/ officers and discuss association matters. In addition to the discussion on committee restructure, a Lifetime member community, and a virtual summer camp, the following outlines updates from the Board’s January 5th Winter Meeting.

Print Ballots & Event Rules

The Board discussed the recent reports of inconsistencies in NSDA event rules and community practice with the event descriptions on the print ballots published on the website. Since the pandemic, transitioning away from paper ballots, and the 2022 restructure of the website, the paper ballots have not been updated or monitored. Inconsistencies include variations in time limits, use of chairs/ costumes, etc. Jessica Skordal, as chair of the Arkansas State Championship committee, volunteered the committee to review the ballots and recommend updates for Board approval at the March board meeting.

2025 Recommended Legislation

With the start of the legislative session this spring, the Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee (formerly Professional Standards Committee), working with the president, presented to the Board several draft resolutions to recommend for members of the 95th Arkansas General Assembly, 2025 Regular Session, to promote the association's strategic goals. The three documents included a resolution recognizing March as Arkansas Theatre Education Month, November as Arkansas Speech & Debate Month, and granting Arkansas Student Congress use of the housing chambers for the upcoming competition November 9-11, 2025. The Board approved the following draft legislation, and Zackery Tucker agreed to share the documents with Representative Brian S. Evans of Cabot, who recently was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

College Intern

Executive Director Martene Campbell presented the idea of creating a college intern position to the Board. The concept would include providing experiential learning to a college student in a potential task like social media, soliciting donations, event support, etc. Although the Board did not vote to approve the concept, the discussion ended with a consensus for Campbell to draft a written proposal for the Board to consider at its next meeting or via email if ready beforehand.

Fall Conference

First Vice President Laure Harrison reported on progress for the Fall Conference 2025, which will be held August 28-30 at The Hotel Hot Springs. The theme was presented as: “Branching Out: Cultivating Voice, Stories, Connections.” Harrison presented a draft budget and schedule for review by members post-meeting for final discussion and approval at its March meeting.

Other items

In addition to the above, the Board discussed the committee restructuring amendment, the creation of a Lifetime member community, and endorsing a virtual summer camp proposal from the Student Advisory Board. More information about each item can be reviewed in the following links:

As we approach the close of another remarkable year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your dedication, creativity, and passion, which make our organization truly special. Your unwavering commitment to advancing communication and theatre arts across Arkansas inspires and uplifts our students and the communities we serve.

The holidays mark a midway point in the academic year and a preferential time to reflect on our progress together. At the Summer Workshop in July, ACTAA Leadership released a draft strategic plan - "ACTAA in Action Planning Document" - designed to outline a series of initiatives and action items that prioritize and guide with work of the membership on how each discipline, each community and each member can contribute to achieving our vision of a “future where every student in Arkansas has the opportunity to be transformed through participation in communication, debate, and theatre arts." At the Fall Conference, the finalized draft was adopted. Since then, you and your fellow members have been hard at work. Making progress on living out the ACTAA in Action plan.

We have worked to increase our impact. The board approved a first of its kind sponsorship program, for members to help bring private support to the table and help fund ideas and initiative that you hope ACTAA to endeavor in that will invest in our members and student programs across the state. We have developed a launched the All-state Speech & Debate program which hopes to help members highlight the success of their individual students and programs with state-wide recognition that is relatable to other activities.  The board approved a process for Arkansas to nominate educators and students for the NFHS Heart of the Arts award, through creating our own Heart of ACTAA award. This award focusing on service and "sportsmanship" in the arts, is another great opportunity to highlight the commitment of individual students and programs with state - and potential national - recognition that is relatable to other activities.  Our Lifetime Members have been reengaged and are endeavoring to host social events to support each other with our community, with the potential for supporting some key initiatives in the future. We have invested in the leadership of our students through the Student Advisory Board, and I am excited to announce next month many of the initiatives they recommend we consider as a community.

We have expanded our voice and footprint of representation across the state. We have significantly increased our social media presence in ways that highlight the students at the focus of our work and serve. We launched Arkansas Speech & Debate Month, and continue to develop engagement to grow this opportunity to promote our disciplines and activities.

We have committed to the work of increasing our ability to adapt. The board has agreed to meet more regularly to be more responsive to the needs of our members, The membership has held the board accountable to this commitment through separating the Bylaws and Constitutions, hold the board responsible for its modernization. We created a new process for membership input on Bylaws changes that allows for more time for consideration and accountability of the board. We have continued to document practices in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook, to ensure continuity between leadership and volunteers. The membership demanded the creation of standardized tournament-shell, which the ASC committee has been working on - with plan for release for comments in January.

And, there is much more work to be done, together!

This holiday season, we have much to celebrate in ACTAA, as we accomplished a lot, and continue to collaborate on areas of growth to expand communication and theatre arts in our state. May your days be filled with warmth, laughter, and the company of loved ones, and may the new year ahead bring exciting opportunities for growth and success.

Thank you for being an essential part of our association. Together, we make a difference. Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

ACTAA is excited to announce its participation in Giving Tuesday, a global movement uniting over 35 million nonprofits to inspire generosity and drive positive change. Taking place on the Tuesday, December 3, following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to support meaningful causes that strengthen communities.

ACTAA invites individuals and organizations to join this worldwide effort by contributing to our mission and helping us make a lasting impact. Contributions will help fund scholarships for students, professional development for teachers, and provide opportunities for Arkansas to highlight the talent of our students on stage and in the classroom.

ACTAA Leadership asks members to help amplify our Giving Tuesday campaign by sharing the campaign's social media posts throughout the next few weeks, leading up-to Giving Tuesday, December 3.

If you know of  individuals or organizations that would be interested in supporting communication and theatre education state-wide, please direct them to donate at: actaa.org/donate.

Organizations interested in making larger donations or underwriting ACTAA's activities, can review our sponsorship packet at: actaa.org/support.