Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association Arkansas Speaks Newsletter

New Account Receivable Policy.

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:36:29 GMT

When reviewing finances at the Fall Conference in August, the Board of Directors received a report highlighting a growing concern regarding several members and programs not meeting their financial obligations to the organization. In particular, the Board noted an emerging pattern of some programs carrying balances over 200 days past due. In response, the Board of Directors discussed the need for stronger financial accountability measures and the establishment of clear expectations for timely payment.

At its October 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors adopted the following Accounts Receivable Policy:

Due Dates and Late Fees

All invoices for conferences, membership, tournaments, and other hosted events are due at the commencement of the event. Acceptable proof of payment may include a verified purchase order (PO) issued by an authorized school district, agency, or organization. Any balance not paid or supported by an approved purchase order at the start of an event shall be subject to a late payment fee of ten percent (10%) of the outstanding balance. An additional ten percent (10%) late fee will be assessed every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter on any unpaid balance until the account is satisfied in full.

Notice of Excessive Balances

Accounts remaining unpaid beyond thirty (30) days shall be considered delinquent, and the ACTAA member will be notified of the fee. For accounts with unpaid balances exceeding sixty (60) days, account statements will be distributed to the respective district Accounts Payable office and the designated building administrator or program director. Programs or organizations with delinquent accounts will be prohibited from registering for or participating in future events until all outstanding obligations, including late fees, have been remitted in full or a payment resolution has been established in writing with the organization’s Treasurer.

The new policies can be found in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook under Financial Policies > Account Receivables.

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October 2025 Board Meeting Update

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:02:08 GMT

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 fall conference and Arkansas Student Congress, the following outlines updates from the Board’s October 19th meeting.

New Account Receivable Policy.

When reviewing finances at the Fall Conference in August, the Board of Directors received a report highlighting a growing concern regarding several members and programs not meeting their financial obligations to the organization. In particular, the Board noted an emerging pattern of some programs carrying balances over 200 days past due. In response, the Board of Directors discussed the need for stronger financial accountability measures and the establishment of clear expectations for timely payment.

At its October 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors adopted the following Accounts Receivable Policy:

Due Dates and Late Fees

All invoices for conferences, membership, tournaments, and other hosted events are due at the commencement of the event. Acceptable proof of payment may include a verified purchase order (PO) issued by an authorized school district, agency, or organization. Any balance not paid or supported by an approved purchase order at the start of an event shall be subject to a late payment fee of ten percent (10%) of the outstanding balance. An additional ten percent (10%) late fee will be assessed every thirty (30) calendar days thereafter on any unpaid balance until the account is satisfied in full.

Notice of Excessive Balances

Accounts remaining unpaid beyond thirty (30) days shall be considered delinquent, and the ACTAA member will be notified of the fee. For accounts with unpaid balances exceeding sixty (60) days, account statements will be distributed to the respective district Accounts Payable office and the designated building administrator or program director. Programs or organizations with delinquent accounts will be prohibited from registering for or participating in future events until all outstanding obligations, including late fees, have been remitted in full or a payment resolution has been established in writing with the organization’s Treasurer.

The new policies can be found in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook under Financial Policies > Account Receivables.

Annual Strategic Priorities.

Two years ago, ACTAA adopted our current core values under the banner Think. Speak. Act. Arkansas. Last fall, we took the next step by launching the ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan — our shared roadmap to ensure those values come alive in meaningful ways.

The plan is built around four action themes:

Reflect on our purpose
Increase our impact
Expand our voice
Increase our ability to adapt

At Summer Workshop, President Zackery Tucker announced four clear priorities for the 2025–2026 academic year to help align ACTAA’s focus with its strategic plan:

New Member Support – Ensuring every educator who joins ACTAA feels welcomed, resourced, and connected.
Building Strategic Partners – Expanding our network of allies and supporters to amplify the reach and sustainability of our work.
Advocacy & Public Engagement – Raising awareness with state leaders, parents, and communities about the transformative power of communication and theatre education.
The Future of the Curriculum – Safeguarding and advancing communication studies so they are not seen as “nice-to-have electives,” but as core necessities for every Arkansas student.

At the Fall Conference in August, the Board of Directors continued discussions on identifying specific initiatives to prioritize the association’s work. At its October 2025 meeting, the Board finalized this conversation and identified the following strategic priorities and related actions:

New Member Support

Review the membership application and information collected to ensure we can better support new members.
Automatically connect new members to key resources, including resource guides, mentors, and professional development opportunities.
Send a personalized welcome email from ACTAA leadership connecting each new member to their discipline representative.
Host new member meetings and roundtables outside of Summer Workshop and Fall Conference.

Building Strategic Partners

Challenge each Board member to solicit at least one sponsorship for a major ACTAA event.
Develop an individual supporter recognition program to encourage alumni, lifetime members, and private donors to contribute to ACTAA’s mission.

Advocacy & Public Engagement

Develop plans for Arkansas Speech & Debate Month (November) and Theatre in Our Schools Month (March), through a collaboration between the Advocacy & Public Engagement and Publicity & Promotions Committees.
Establish regular communication with DESE to build collaborative relationships regarding communication and theatre standards and requirements.
Launch a “Stay Active with ACTAA” campaign for lifetime members to support ongoing advocacy for communication and theatre education.

The Future of the Curriculum

Create a dedicated committee to provide space for the community to explore what the future of the communication and theatre curriculum should look like.
Advocate with DESE for the revision and modernization of the 2016 Communication Standards.
Develop a statewide commitment to integrating AI literacy and workforce readiness skills into communication education.

Board Attendance.

At its October 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors discussed the lack of participation by several board members and requested that the president hold a conversation regarding commitment with any member found to be in noncompliance with the Board Policy on Attendance. If no effort is made by the respective members by the January board meeting, the Board of Directors will consider a vote on formally request their resignation, as procedure outlined in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook.

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ACTAA to Participate in Giving Tuesday Campaign.

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 02:24:42 GMT

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 2, 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 2.

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.

Leadership opportunities in ACTAA.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:24:03 GMT

Not only can a positive volunteer experience be educational and fulfilling, it can also be a great way to connect with colleagues across the state who share your passions and are committed to advancing speech, debate, & theatre as a profession, life skill, & art form through service.

No matter your current skill level, years of experience in the classroom, or available time, you can tap into long-term career success through the many pathways into ACTAA leadership. Now is the time to communicate your interest in many of the leadership positions across the association, as well as dozens of committee and work team opportunities that will begin service in 2025-2026.

ACTAA Leadership Opportunities

Executive Secretary

Belonging & Inclusion Advocacy (BIA) Committee

Ethical Practices Committee

Lifetime Member Committee

Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee

Publicity and Promotions Committee

New Member Support Committee

Share your interest in serving.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:55:57 GMT

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.

FHS Theater Teacher

Fayetteville Public Schools is urgently seeking a FHS Theater Teacher for Fayetteville High School. Apply at: https://district.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5331275.

Board Meeting Updates from Fall Conference

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:38:48 GMT

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 board member accountability, and past due membership balances to the association, the following outlines updates from the Board’s August 28 & 30 meeting.

Resignation. The Board accepted the resignation of the Dustin Jackson as Executive Secretary, pending the appointment of a replacement for the remainder of Jackson's term.

Appointments. Following Fall Conference, President Zackery Tucker appointed and the board confirmed the following appointments:

Martene Campbell as NSDA Liaison as incoming Arkansas District Chair
Eric Weed as Member 4 on the Student Congress Committee (2025-2028)
Ta-Neisha Marshall as Member 1 on the Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee (2025-2027)
Dylan Erwin as Member 3 on the Advocacy & Public Engagement Committee (2025-2029)

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Updates from TAC Forum at Fall Conference.

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:31:08 GMT

At the 2025 Fall Conference, ACTAA Leadership hosted a Tournament Advisory (TAC) Forum on 08/29/2025. The following are the summations of discussions from the TAC Forum to inform and guide participates for the 2025-2026 competitive season.

Reminder from President Zackery Tucker about the structure of the TAC Committee and the leadership that was changed last year following Board recommendations and votes by the body.

Recap of Summer Workshop TAC discussions:

Inconsistencies between ballots and what was written in the qualifying document in terms of practices/rules (e.g.--in the qualifying document, Words and Music saying that costumes were not allowed to be used, which is incorrect)
- Ballots were updated and republished
- Lead to updates in the qualifying document
Security at tournaments
- Interested in further discussion post Fall Conference when TAC might issue guidance/suggestions on tournament security.
Calendar/timing of submitting tournaments

Current Discussion:

DSL ballot– really want it to be SLI instead, but it is named DSL in the qualifying document. Per the governing document rules, we have to wait to change the name. Discussed correct ballot options.
Concern over too many events being offered at tournaments creates complications at tournaments
- Concerns about Jr. High being treated differently
- Concerns over lack of judges, lack of entries in events, kids entered in too many events, etc
- Could there be an online group/way to communicate with alums, people in areas to recruit judges?
- Suggestion to track numbers for state and see where we are and reevaluate

Business, Governing & Rule Updates from Fall Conference.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 01:24:36 GMT

Aug. 28-30, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) hosted its annual Fall Conference which included the organization’s annual General Business Meeting and regular meeting of the Board of Directors. The following outlines approved proposals of policies and programs that hope to advance the association's ability to better serve its membership and ensure continuity.

Membership Action:

The ASC Qualifying Tournament Document was amended to clarify incorrect language, update practices, require open invitationals, and establish a Junior High Conference Championship tournament and related administration.

Support document(s): Updated ASC Qualifying Tournament Document

The ACTAA Constitution & Bylaws were amending the Constitution and Bylaws to create flexibility in Student Congress Dates

Support document(s): Updated ACTAA Constitution & Bylaws

The Student Congress Bylaws were amended to add NSDA rules for use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other minor edits for clarification.

Support document(s): Updated Student Congress Bylaws

The Arkansas Tournament Tabroom Shell was approved by the membership and is now required to be used for all ASC-qualifying tournaments. Rules about the use and disclosure about making alterations to the shell for individuals tournaments are found in the ASC Qualifying Tournament Document, as approved by the membership at the 2024 Fall Conference.

Support document(s): Updated ASC Qualifying Tournament Document

A Second Vice President was elected for a 2026-2028 term, Antha Johnson of Fayetteville. Johnson will assume the role of Second Vice President after the Arkansas State Championship in April 2026. She will serve an successive term as the First Vice President position (April 2028-April 2030), then President position (April 2030-April 2032) and finally the Past President role (April 2033-April 2034).

ACTAA President: Reaffirming our Priorities - What you do Matters to Students.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:39:57 GMT

As the summer draws to a close, we start to look toward a new school year, and before the worry and dread about not being prepared for parents, enduring a week of administrator planned-PD, and the return of email demands without boundaries start to creep in our minds, I wanted to take a few moments to remind you that despite the initial worry, dread, and anxiety, you are about to walk into a classroom ready to inspire the next generation of change makers and leaders of our state.

I know this because, that is what we do in our disciplines of communication and theatre arts. I know that without you in your school, the students in your community wouldn’t have opportunities to learn how to express themselves, communicate effectively and engage in their communities.

You don’t have to think for long to recall a moment when a student delivered their first speech or performance, when you coached an anxious student through an introduction, or watched a naturally gifted performer command the stage during their first audition. In every case, you are not just teaching a skill—you are encouraging the next generation to discover their voice.

And, you are not alone in this work!

Since 1936, when our association was reorganized as a speech and drama teachers’ organization, ACTAA and our members have been dedicated to advancing Arkansas through communication, debate, and theatre arts—not only as an academic discipline, but as a vital life skill and a transformative art form.

This work continues today through every classroom lesson, every stage performance, and every competition hosted by our members across the state. Whether it’s debate, forensics, acting, or public speaking—our mission remains clear: to provide students with a platform to positively and professionally formulate their independent ideas, and to communicate those ideas respectfully and effectively.

And, you have a critical role in this work.

Two years ago, ACTAA adopted our current core values under the banner Think. Speak. Act. Arkansas. Last fall, we took the next step by launching the ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan—our shared roadmap to ensure those values come alive in meaningful ways. The plan is built around four action themes:

Reflect on our purpose
Increase our impact
Expand our voice
Increase our ability to adapt

Over the past year, we have seen real progress in each of these areas.

We reflected on our purpose by strengthening new member support, developing intentional mentorship pathways, and recommitting ourselves to the mission first laid out in 1936: to unite schools, raise standards, and ensure speech and drama thrive across Arkansas.

We increased our impact through the development of a sponsorship packet, using it not just as a fundraising tool but as a storytelling piece to engage new partners and secure resources for our mission.

We expanded our voice with the launch of Arkansas Speech and Debate Month this past March, celebrating our state’s rich tradition of communication education and amplifying the stories of our students, alumni, and educators.

And we began the work to increase our ability to adapt, collaborating as a statewide professional learning community to ensure our communication studies curriculum remains relevant and responsive to the rapidly changing needs of Arkansas students and the workforce.

But our work is not finished. Looking forward to 2025–2026, our association has set four clear priorities:

New Member Support – ensuring every educator who joins ACTAA feels welcomed, resourced, and connected.
Building Strategic Partners – expanding our network of allies and supporters to amplify the reach and sustainability of our work.
Advocacy & Public Engagement – raising awareness with state leaders, parents, and communities about the transformative power of communication and theatre education.
The Future of the Curriculum – safeguarding and advancing communication studies so it is not seen as a “nice-to-have elective,” but as a core necessity for every Arkansas student.

Colleagues, the truth is clear: communication education cannot be treated as a secondary subject. The Arkansas Department of Commerce Workforce Report reminds us that seven of the top ten employability gaps are directly related to the skills we teach—interpersonal communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and active listening. If we want Arkansas graduates to be prepared to lead, to contribute, and to thrive, then communication and theatre education must be front and center in our schools.

This is not just about preserving our programs. It is about preparing a generation to be successful and to lead in a future fully ingulfed in the communication economy. Our work and curriculum will prepare them to be leaders and practitioners of ethical communication in a world of misinformation and AI.

Friends, as graduation requirements shift, as the demand for concurrent and career-tech pathways grows, and as pressures mount to reduce classroom hours, we must ensure communication education is not crowded out. Our students deserve more than a “fluff” elective. They deserve the tools to think critically, to speak confidently, and to act with integrity.

The future of ACTAA—and of Arkansas—depends on us answering that call.

So before to return to the classroom, I ask you to join me in recommitting to our mission:

Let us reflect on our purpose.
Let us increase our impact.
Let us expand our voice.
And let us strengthen our ability to adapt.

Together, we will continue to inspire Arkansas to Think. Speak. Act. for a brighter tomorrow.

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July 2025 Board Meeting Update from Summer Workshop

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 03:54:22 GMT

Following the Summer Workshop, July 20-22, the Board of Directors convened and approved several proposed policies and proposals aimed at advancing the association's ability to serve its membership better and ensure continuity.

2025-2026 Priorities

At the Summer Workshop, President Zackery Tucker presented on progress made on the association's strategic plan - ACTAA in Action. The document was adopted by the Board of Directors at the 2024 Fall Conference in September after six months of feedback from the membership. The document outlines potential initiatives of the association guiding our work with 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” in four themed areas: (1) REFLECT on our purpose; (2) increase our IMPACT; (3) EXPAND our voice; and increase our ability to ADAPT.

At the Summer Workshop, the Board approved the President's recommendation for the 2025-2026 priorities for each area to be: (1) New Member Support; (2) Building Strategic Partners; (3) Advocacy & Public Engagement; and (3) The Future of the Curriculum.

2025-2026 Strategic Priorities Presentation

Committee Assignments

Arkansas State Championship (ASC) Committee - Jenny Moses requested permission to forgo serving as Chair of the ASC this academic year and solely support the ASC as Treasurer, as filling both roles would be difficult. The Board accepted Moses's resignation as ASC Chair and approved the appointment of Tiffany Tucker (Member 1) to Chair and the appointment of Jessica Skordal (outgoing chair) to the Member 1 position. Additionally, the Board accepted the ASC Committee's recommendation to appoint Casey Griffith of Conway High School in the Member 3 position.

Advocacy & Public Engagement (APE) Committee - The Board accepted Leigh Walters' resignation as APE Chair due to her leaving the classroom to serve the Little Rock School District as an ESL administrator. The Board accepted the President's recommendation to appoint Beck Greenway of Bentonville High School as APE Chair.

Belonging & Inclusion Advocacy (BIA) Committee - The BIA Committee was new established in March 2025. The Board accepted the President's recommendation to appoint Dariane Mull of Pinnacle View Middle School as BIA Chair, and Jas Dysmas of Cabot Junior High South in the Member 1 position.

Arkansas Student Congress

Last year, with a change in the administrative leadership of the Arkansas House of Representatives, ACTAA was informed that the Arkansas State Capitol Building would no longer be available to host the Arkansas Student Congress over the Veterans’ Day Holiday. The Board of Directors proposes that the language in the ACTAA Constitution outlining the ACTAA Calendar, specifically regarding the timing of the Arkansas Student Congress, be amended to create more flexibility in scheduling. Replacing “in November on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday over the officially scheduled Veterans Day Holiday” with “over three days in November.”

Additionally, the Board of Directors has amended the ACTAA Bylaws to remove language regarding the timing of the Arkansas Student Congress and the Arkansas State Championship from the committees’ descriptions, leaving these references to appear only in the ACTAA Calendar section of the ACTAA Constitution, as referenced above. The Board of Directors is seeking endorsement of this change from the membership.

Proposed Constitutional and Bylaws Amendments to create flexibility in Student Congress Dates.

Nominating Committee Handbook Updates

The Board of Directors approved language to insert in the ACTAA Organizational Handbook outlining the work and responsibilities of the Nominating Committee.

Proposed Nominating Committee Handbook Updates

Organizational Finances

At each Summer Workshop, the Board of Directors must adopt an annual budget for the upcoming academic year and consider changes to the membership dues structure. The Board approved the Treasurer's proposed annual operating budget of the association, consisting of approximately $26,500 in operating expenses, with no recommended change to the membership dues structure.

Proposed 2025-2026 Operating Budget

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Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 03:11:21 GMT

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.

Secondary Drama Teacher - Part-time

Pulaski County Special School District is seeking a Part-time Secondary Drama Teacher for Maumelle High School. Apply at: https://pcssd.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5304609.

Audio/Video Technology and Communications Teacher

Magnolia School District is seeking a Secondary Audio/Video Technology and Communications Teacher for Magnolia High School. Apply at: https://magnolia.schoolspring.com/?jobid=3907806.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:08:42 GMT

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.

Oral Communication/JAG Teacher

Osceola School District is seeking a Oral Communication/JAG Teacher for High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/OSD1/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=High+School+Teaching.

Communications Teacher

Little Rock School District is seeking a Communications Teacher for Southwest High School. Apply at: https://lrsd.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5243307.

Oral Communication Teacher

Warren School District is seeking a Oral Communication Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://warrensd.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5240770.

Teacher and Theater Director

Ozark Public Schools is seeking a Teacher and Theater Director for the High School. Apply at: https://ozarkhillbillies.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5242696.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Sun, 18 May 2025 23:30:46 GMT

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.

Oral Communication/JAG Teacher

Osceola School District is seeking a Oral Communication/JAG Teacher for High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/OSD1/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=High+School+Teaching.

Drama/Technical Theatre Teacher

Pulaski County Special School District is seeking a Drama/Technical Theatre Teacher for Sylvan Hills High School. Apply at: https://pcssd.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5103377.

High School Teacher - Theatre

Bentonville Public Schools is seeking a High School Theatre Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/bentonville/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=High+School+Licensed&subcategory=Theatre.

Theater and Oral Communications Teacher

White Hall School District is seeking a Theater and Oral Communications Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/whitehallsd/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=High+School+Teaching&AppliTrackJobId=1344&AppliTrackLayoutMode=detail&AppliTrackViewPosting=1.

Secondary Drama Teacher

SHERIDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a Secondary Drama Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://ssdar.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5143397.

Submit your school's 2025-2026 dates

Zackery Tucker — Sun, 18 May 2025 23:24:32 GMT

As we look ahead to another exciting season for Arkansas high school forensics and theatre, it’s time to start thinking about the 2025–2026 tournament and performance calendar. The Arkansas Communication and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) has released key scheduling guidelines and submission dates for the upcoming academic year.

The official ACTAA calendar, maintained by the Executive Secretary, will continue to serve as the centralized schedule for all sanctioned speech and debate tournaments and theatre performances across the state.

Here are a few important details and deadlines to keep in mind:

Starting February 16, 2025, tournament directors may begin submitting their preferred dates for inclusion on the 2025–2026 ACTAA calendar.
These dates will be formally presented to the ACTAA membership at Fall Conference, where traditional tournament dates will be carried forward into the upcoming year’s calendar unless changes are requested.
No tournaments may be scheduled prior to Fall Conference, and official ACTAA events must be confirmed on the calendar before any local or regional tournaments can be approved.
To ensure focus and participation at the Arkansas State Championship (ASC), no tournaments will be permitted during the two weeks leading up to ASC.

We encourage all directors and program coordinators to begin planning now to secure their traditional dates and ensure a well-organized, conflict-free schedule for all participating schools.

ACTAA Calendar Request Form

Seeking feedback for 2025 Arkansas State Championship

Zackery Tucker — Sun, 18 May 2025 23:13:27 GMT

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship Tournament, held May 2–3 at Fayetteville High School! Your dedication and talent made this year's event a memorable one.

As we reflect on the tournament, we're committed to making future championships even better — and we need your help. Whether you were a student, coach, judge, volunteer, or guest, we value your input.

Please take a few minutes to complete our feedback form:

ASC Feedback Form

Your feedback helps us:

Improve event logistics and scheduling

Enhance judging quality and fairness

Ensure a positive experience for all attendees

Thank you for being part of the Arkansas forensics and debate community. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you next season!

Step Into Service: ACTAA Leadership Opportunities

Zackery Tucker — Fri, 16 May 2025 11:42:22 GMT

Each year, ACTAA thrives because of members like you—dedicated educators, artists, and advocates who believe in the power of communication and theatre to transform lives. Now, we invite you to take the next step in your professional journey by serving our community through leadership on the ACTAA Board or one of our committees.

Why Serve?
Service is at the heart of who we are. It’s how we lift each other up, share the load, and build a stronger future for our students, our colleagues, and our disciplines. Whether you’ve been involved for years or are just finding your place in ACTAA, there is a space for your voice, your ideas, and your leadership.

By stepping into service, you can:

Make a meaningful impact on our profession and organization
Help shape the direction of ACTAA programs and initiatives
Grow your network and learn alongside passionate, like-minded peers
Inspire others through your example of service and commitment

Opportunities Available:

Board of Directors – Help guide ACTAA's mission and vision through strategic leadership and collaboration.
Committee Membership – Contribute your skills and energy to essential efforts such as conference planning, advocacy, equity initiatives, student programs, and more.

We Need You.
ACTAA is strongest when its leadership reflects the diversity and dedication of its membership. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or an emerging professional, your perspective matters. Don’t wait to be asked—this is your invitation.

Ready to Serve?
Please complete the Leadership Interest Form by June 30 to express your interest or nominate a colleague. We can’t wait to see how you’ll help lead ACTAA into the future.

Questions? Reach out to Zackery Tucker (zatucker@asub.edu)—we’d love to talk with you about where your strengths might shine.

Let’s lead together.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:35:19 GMT

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.

March 2025 Board Meeting Updates

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:27:56 GMT

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.

Deadline Extended for Academic All-State Registration in Speech & Debate and Theatre

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:05:00 GMT

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.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:32:38 GMT

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.

ACTAA Launches Advocacy Resource Page

Zackery Tucker — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 21:42:48 GMT

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).

ACTAA to Restructure Committees to Align with Strategic Initiatives.

Zackery Tucker — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:49:11 GMT

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.

January 2025 Board Meeting Update

Zackery Tucker — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:45:56 GMT

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:

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:47:25 GMT

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.

Drama Teacher

Rogers Public Schools is seeking a Drama teacher for the Rogers High School. Apply at: https://rogersschools.schoolspring.com/

Middle School Drama Teacher

The Texarkana Arkansas School District is seeking a Middle School Drama Teacher for the Arkansas Middle School. Apply at: https://tasd7.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1397

ACTAA President: A Holiday Reflection

Zackery Tucker — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 13:36:00 GMT

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 to Participate in Giving Tuesday Campaign.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:57:59 GMT

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 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.

September & October 2024 Tournament Advisories

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:26:18 GMT

The following advisory statements are shared to the Arkansas speech & debate community based on complaints and inquiries that were submitted to the Tournament Advisory Committee (TAC) Chair in the the months of September & October 2024.

Clipping Cards

“Clipping” occurs when the debater claims to have read the complete text of highlighted and/or underlined evidence when, in fact, the contestant skips or omits portions of evidence.

Complaints about "clipping" should be made in round to the judge, not held to addressed to the tournament director after the round. The current, NSDA High School Unified Manual (adopted by ACTAA membership for event rules on September 2014) states, "Judges are responsible for resolving disputes between debaters regarding oral citations (7.1.B.); written source citations (7.1.C.); distinguishing between what parts of each piece of evidence are and are not read in a particular round (7.1.G.). When the judge(s) have such a dispute in the round, they must make a written note on the ballot or inform the tabulation committee of the dispute. They must do so particularly if it impacts the decision in the debate. These decisions may not be appealed."

Novice Eligibility

Although coaches have discretion in what level of debate competition to enter their students in at an tournament (e.g., novice, junior varsity, varsity, etc.), coaches should evaluate the skill level and successful experience of a student and enter the student in the appropriate level competition.

The current Arkansas State Championship (ASC) Qualifying Tournament Guidelines (adopted by ACTAA membership for event rules in September 2024) states. “a “novice” debater is one who is in their first year of competition…who compete in one debate event for more than one year and then compete in a different debate event in the same or subsequent years should enter the APPROPRIATE level of competition for their experience level, competitiveness, and skill. It is the affirmative responsibility of coaches to make ethically sound decisions about competitor placement." (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 81)

Successful participation in multiple tournaments or advancing to out rounds in highly competitive fields (i.e., larger competition field, State Tournament, etc.), generally should be considered as appropriate experience, competitiveness, and skill level to be considered for varsity competition. As shared in the ASC Qualifying Tournament Guidelines, if coaches have questions about how to enter their students “coaches may seek guidance about how to place students from TAC, ASC Committee, or Qualifying Tournament Directors.” (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 82)

Finally, member are reminded that “coaches who wish to challenge a competitor’s placement should do so respectfully and discretely before competition begins to the tournament director and the chair of the TAC committee.” (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 82)

Communication during Tournament

With often 100+ student entries in 20+ events and 30+ judges & coaches at a given tournament, changes in schedules, room assignments, judge assignments, break thresholds are inevitable. Participants, judges, and coaches should proactively recognize changes will happen, and be understanding of tournament administration when they do occur.

In turn, tournament directors and tabroom staff, should ensure changes of expectations (i.e., postings, invitation, previous communication, etc.) are clearly communicated in a medium that can be equitably received by all parties impacted by the change.

Sending a person to a room to communicate the same message to all parties and/or a group text message directly to the coaches of the students/ judges impacted, are best practices to ensure the change is communicated quickly and equitably to all parties.

With this in light, it is recommended tournament directors collect coaches' cell phone numbers and ensure said numbers are added to the phones of all tabulation staff ahead of the tournament. Having number pre-programed in phone before the tournament, would allow for ease of messaging updates during the busyness of a tournament.

Tournament Decorum & Student Behavior

As coaches, your leadership plays a vital role in setting the tone for students' behavior and decorum at tournaments. Encourage your students to exemplify professionalism, respect, and sportsmanship, both during and outside their rounds. Remind students that tournaments are not only a platform for intellectual growth but also an opportunity to build positive relationships with peers and adjudicators. Behavior such as interrupting, disparaging remarks, disrespecting adult-tournament staff, or any form of misconduct reflects poorly on both the individual and their team, and should be actively discouraged.

Additionally, ensure students are aware of tournament rules and expectations, emphasizing punctuality, preparedness, and adherence to guidelines. All participants of speech & debate tournaments in Arkansas, should be reminded frequently of ACTAA's Professional & Ethical Standards of Conduct and the collective expectation of civility, ethical behavior, inclusion, and respect. (ACTAA Handbook, pg. 68)

Addressing any concerns or issues with feudality, reinforcing the importance of accountability and mutual respect, should foster a culture of integrity and decorum. As adult-educators we should collectively uphold and actively coach these high standards that make speech & debate a meaningful and enriching experience for all participants.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:41:03 GMT

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 Drama Teacher

The Texarkana Arkansas School District is seeking a Middle School Drama Teacher for the Arkansas Middle School. Apply at: https://tasd7.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1397

National Speech, Debate, and Theatre Teacher Survey

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:09:14 GMT

The National Federation of State High School Associations' (NFHS) Performing Arts Division is seeking to survey all K-12 Speech, Debate, and Theatre coaches and educators in an effort to develop resources to recruit the next generation of teachers in our fields.

Please take time to complete the appropriate surveys provided to ACTAA Leadership by the NFHS Performing Arts Directors.

Membership Comment Period Opens for Committee Restructure Changes to By-laws

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:46:56 GMT

At its November 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 Fall Conference.

Amendment Details.

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

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.

Membership Comment Period.

In compliance with ACTAA By-laws, Article VII, section 2, before the amendment can be ratified and engrossed, the Board approved amendment will be published via email to the membership for a thirty (30) day period for members to submit comments on the amendment.

Members can submit comments using the following form: https://forms.gle/PwSf6oukTBMeCCGu9

If the amendment receives no comments from the membership after the thirty (30) day comment period, the amendment will be ratified effective December 18. If the amendment receives any comments for 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 two-thirds vote."

NFHS 2024-25 Speech, Debate, and Theatre Points of Emphasis

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:29:02 GMT

At its October 21 meeting, the National Federation of State High School Associations' (NFHS) Speech, Debate & Theatre Advisory Committee adopted the following items as Points of Emphasis for the 2024-25 academic year.

Implicit Bias

Every person is influenced by implicit biases, which can affect our interactions with others. It is the right of every student to compete free from discrimination. It is, therefore, also the responsibility of every coach, judge and peer to acknowledge and resist their own biases. Participating in pre-tournament training can help everyone consider their own assumptions about others and make the choice to abandon them prior to competition. Students should be judged solely on their competitive merit. https://nfhslearn.com/courses/implicit-bias

Artificial Intelligence

AI has become an invaluable tool in professional and educational spaces to make certain tasks more efficient. At their best, these tools should be used to grow student skillsets (i.e., research, brainstorming and practice). The expectation is that AI may assist in, but not replace, a student’s work. It can help students learn and understand information and apply that knowledge to their original work.

Access

Speech, debate and theatre are powerful activities that have the potential to impact and transform lives. Every student has the right to access these programs, and a lack of resources should never be a hindrance to participation. Coaches and directors should work to provide equal access to electronic resources, supplies, attire, etc. and reasonably provide accommodation for those members of our community who lack access. The focus of the performing arts competition should be on commending and improving the student’s content instead of shutting down points of view or being critical of that which is outside of the student’s control.

Support

Speech, debate and theatre are a community. Though students may perform on the stage alone, they do so with a team cheering them on, coaches guiding them, and parents encouraging them all the way through. That community is our most vital resource and should be available for individual members to lean on. Coaches are encouraged to aid their colleagues and competitors; students are encouraged to build personal connections beyond the boundaries of their team; and parents shall remember that every child deserves the dignity of a respectful community.

ACTAA President: The "State of ACTAA" Address from Fall Conference.

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 12:54:55 GMT

As an association, I truly believe ACTAA is poised for a bright future.

Since accepting the nomination for second vice president four years ago, we have made so much progress in how we provide communication instruction to students, what competition looks like, and what theatre production means in a post pandemic world. As the world continues to evolve, we have learned to be better educators, servants, mentors, and leaders for each other and our students. We have restructured the Board of Directors, invested in advocacy, and modernized our association’s process in many areas.

State of ACTAA Address - Video

As our journey together continues, I see so many other opportunities for growth in our near future. Just this weekend, we engaged in meaningful discussions about refocusing our work on promoting and advancing communication studies in the curriculum, expanding opportunities for our students, and better supporting educators at the local level with modern resources.

But just as we see opportunities, there are challenges ahead as well. We face a massive teacher shortage, and smaller membership roster in the wake of the Great Resignation. Competition for students have spurred districts to offer more extracurricular activities, creating competition for our students. Parental initiated drive for student achievement has pushed districts to offer more CTE, AP, and concurrent courses that have replaced time on schedules for electives. The growth of our sister organizations (i.e., ABA Mock Trail, Arkansas Thespians, etc.).that used to need ACTAA to operate, are now fully independent operations. All of these items influence the world which our association exists, and we must confront their impacts on our activity and seek to find new ways of advancing our work.

As I look at the horizon, I see the work we have to do that is both technical and adaptive, as the challenges before us are both technical and adaptive.

The work is the responsibility of not just the association, but you as a member as well. It will take everyone of us working together at a local and state level to realize our vision of a “future where every student in Arkansas has the opportunity to be transformed through participation in communication, debate, and theatre arts." I see this work in three categories: service, leadership, & outreach.

Services

For several years, I believe our association has been at a inflection point. Needing to answer the question, “what service do we want to provide our members?” I believe we have done good work through the DEI Taskforce, Theatre Ad Hoc, and strategic planning process to answer this question. As we look to the year ahead, we need to commit to providing more regular virtual professional development opportunities outside of conference. PD opportunities that capture the attention of our theatre colleagues, and support the hundreds of communication only teachers out there. We have to invest in our new member on-boarding process. Asking ourselves how to automate, engage and support new members that join outside of conference. And, what valuable resources can we provided educators. We annually talk about slapping conference presentation slides on the website, but how can we truly provide quality useful resources to everyday teachers to improve their classroom?

Some work has already been done to address ACTAA services to members. Since accepting the presidential gavel, we have completely restructured the website to better support members. We are investing in our Student Advisory Board; committing to provide leadership opportunities and training for the students to grow as captains and leaders in their communities. And, the Board adopted new opportunities for ACTAA to help you advocate for your students and tell the story of your program through additional student recognition. At Fall Conference, the Board approve to offer All-State and Academic All-State designations this year and developed an award system for a student to receive national recognition through the NFHS Heart of the Arts award program.

Leadership

Realizing this and our larger vision of speech, debate, & theatre in every school, will take leadership. Leadership from the Board, leadership from our officers, but also leadership from you – our members. Like I have mentioned, it will take every one of us working together at a local and state level. I know we are all busy and its not easy managing 4-7 preps plus a team or production on your own. But, if this business is important and critical for our students and the state, as we like to say it is, we each have to make a commitment to attend committee meetings regularly, keep each other accountable in our volunteer roles, and show up when input and feedback is solicited.

I don’t ask the membership anything more than I have asked of myself or the Board. This summer, the Board agreed to new rules to hold itself accountable. And, this weekend we committed to meeting bi-monthly as opposed to traditionally 2-3 times a year. We understand that our vision takes work, and we have to become accountable to the work in real time. Additionally, this weekend the Board adopted the new "ACTAA in Action” Strategic Plan. The plan outlines a series of initiatives and action items that prioritize and guide work of the membership on how each discipline, each community, and each member can contribute to achieving our vision.

Outreach

Although, I believe we must commit ourselves to the work, we can’t engage in the business of transforming the lives of every student in Arkansas through communication education alone. We have to reach outside of our current membership to attract new members and partners to help us advance the work. I challenge us to commit real time into exploring how can we reach new teachers entering our fields? How to connect with existing teachers in our disciplines that feel alone in their building an content area? How can we better support teachers in the school we already have members, but perhaps don’t serve every teacher in our subjects as well?

As we work on answering these questions, the Board has made real investments in seeking strategic partners to help empower, equip, and champion our mission & vision with us. This summer, the Board approved a sponsorship program that will allow us to fundraise to better support our activities and have a purse that will allow us to expand our work. We have reorganized how we communicate with members and outside audiences with streaming our newsletter and media releases. We hope these efforts better gain traction with media outlets. And, we have invested in a plan for social media so our work is not just promoted two times a year with student congress and state, but year around.

As we live out the next year, I challenge every member to ask how you can do a little more advance how ACTAA serves, leads, & outreaches.

I know there is a lot of work ahead, but if we continue to commit to work for “future where every student in Arkansas has the opportunity to be transformed through participation in communication, debate, and theatre arts," than the future of ACTAA is bright as we equip the next generation of leaders to think, speak, and act for a brighter future.

Yours for better discourse,

Zackery Tucker, ACTAA President

Board Adopts “ACTAA in Action” Strategic Plan

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:43:13 GMT

During the organization’s annual conference, the Board of Directors approved a strategic plan that which outlines a series of initiatives and action items that prioritize and guide 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."

A draft of the “ACTAA in Action” plan was shared with the membership ahead of Summer Workshop, July 21-23. Following the Summer Workshop, I incorporated the outstanding initiatives of our DEI Taskforce in the action plan.

“Two years ago, we adopted our core values and the Think, Speak, Act Arkansas branding,” shared ACTAA President Zackery Tucker at the announcement of the plan. “This summer, I challenged us to work to develop an action plan to strategically and intentionally live out our values, expand opportunities and prepare Arkansas’ students to be leaders in their communities and workforce. This plan does just that. It challenges us as educators to think, speak, and act in four core areas, or goals:

Reflect on our purpose.
Increase our impact.
Expand our voice.
Increase our ability to adapt.”

The plan include new priorities for ACTAA like, develop new communication course for CTE pathways, develop a strategic partner program to encourage support form outside of the organization, expand Arkansas Speech and Debate Month to a day at the Arkansas Capitol, and modernizing board and committee operations.

A full copy of the ACTAA in Action is accessible on website, actaa.org/vision.

2024 ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan

Conference Needs Assessment Survey

Zackery Tucker — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:18:58 GMT

Following Fall Conference ACTAA Leadership would like to survey the member to assess community needs for future conferences. Based on feedback provided by members on Saturday, Sep 21, the following survey was developed to collect information that will be used to plan future conference.

Conference Needs Assessment Survey

Updates from TAC Forum at Fall Conference.

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 18:38:30 GMT

The ACTAA TAC Committee met at the 2024 Fall Conference on 09/20/2024 and Sean Petersen, TAC Chair, hereby puts out the following notes and summations of discussions from the TAC Forum Meeting to inform and guide Tournament Directors and competitive coaches for the 24’-25’ competitive season.

Tournament Directors are encouraged to clarify LD topics that are used by early tournaments for Jr. High division and perhaps think twice before using the Novice topic as these students will have the opportunity to debate that topic their Novice year of high school.

Tournament Directors are encouraged to recognize that if junior high students are going to be charged the same as high school students, there should be parity in judging, awards, and experience if entry costs are comparable.

Tournament Directors are encouraged to provide quality judges who can give high level quality and adjudication in Jr. High rounds and that student judges should only judge Jr. High students if they have 250 NSDA points.

Tournament Directors are encouraged to, in the current economy, to be mindful of raising costs at tournaments be those entry fees, judging fees, school fees, and concessions prices. Costs continue to escalate while students and family costs can stifle competitive entries. We were reminded that entry fees can not turn a profit for a tournament per AAA policy and instruction and must be kept low for all students are able to attend.

Coaches and Tournament Directors are encouraged to reexamine their culture of entering students in more that one draw events. Additionally the collected members wanted to stress that double entry in draw events harms tournaments and causes rounds and tournaments as a whole to run late. Please refrain from entering students into two different draw events at tournament (Ex: Extemp and IPDA)

There was a discussion of a return to Individual Events and Acting events returning to Saturday only competition. We agreed that this choice is best left with individual tournaments and directors as the size of tournaments varies and there should be no “one size fits all” rule.
Tournament Directors are encouraged to take great care in drafting tournament invites to include all details on event times, judge requirements and other important information of note. It is incumbent on attending coaches to make sure to fully read each tournament’s invitation to know any changes from year to year before registering for all tournaments held in our state. When in doubt, coaches should reach out to Tournament Directors for clarification well in advance of any contest.

Coaches and Tournament Directors are encouraged to include and be explicit in their arrival details for the tournament and try as best they can to respect these instructions or contact tournament directors in advance if a team may be arriving earlier than the start time established in the invite.

Coaches and Tournament Directors are encouraged to clarify IPDA rules for prep, computer usage, times, weighing and other procedures of the event. If coaches and Tournament Directors need clarification of the rules of the IPDA format, please contact the IPDA High School Committee (Daniel Caudle offered to be the point person, his email address is daniel.caudle@sdale.org) or consult the IPDA established rules at the IPDA website at http://www.ipdadebate.info/constitution--bylaws.html.

Coaches and Tournament Directors are encouraged to highlight what Tournament Etiquette is and to stress to their teams that students should be professional in their interactions with adults at tournaments, watch their language, not run, etc. The committee briefly discussed that perhaps drafting a ACTAA Etiquette Guide as a base level of team expectation may be helpful, but no actions were taken towards that end.

The TAC Committee assembled encourages all coaches to note that if you have a Missing Judge Fee or Nuisance Fee for not having judges for your entries at tournaments that requesting that additional members of that school’s adult chaperone (be it parent of Coach)to judge, as it is not a standard for our tournament circuit. If the school paid the Missing Judge or Nuisance Fee then they should be free of judging requirements and those fees should go to help recruiting or hiring judges for the tournament. We also discussed the difference between a Missing Judge and Nuisance Fee and when it is acceptable to include tournament fees and that they should be kept reasonable and not excessive as it limits those in our community who can compete.

Tournament Directors are encouraged to take note of judge overuse and to diversify the judging pool in all events. Additionally, Tournament Directors are encouraged to not overuse Coach judges so that we can be helpful to our teams at competitions. Often parent judges brought by teams report not getting judging rounds, Tournament Directors should make an effort to utilize all judges in the pool for preliminary rounds to allow for more qualified/ coach judge availability in elimination rounds.

The TAC Committee assembled encourages all coaches to utilize the Neutrality notation in Tabroom.com to allow for judges to show their judging strikes or openness. Judges and Coaches need to make sure these settings are done before arriving at tournaments, but the fix is fairly easy and most Tabroom directors and assistants can help with these settings before rounds get underway if need be. Additionally, please have Judges use the notes feature in Tabroom to help better direct them if they have specific aspects that the tournament may need to know prior to judge pairing.

The TAC Committee assembled encourages all coaches to maintain professional conduct when interacting with their teams both at their school and at tournaments. Teenagers talk and information and negative opinions often get back to teams that can cause animosity and upset. If we can’t stop focusing on our negative opinions our students will pick up on that and carry those negative associations to competitions. We should endeavor to be professional and positive whenever possible as Coaches and leaders of our teams.

The TAC Committee assembled encourages all coaches that the Grievance procedures of individual tournaments and of ACTAA as an organization should be reviewed and utilized as needed. Please keep in mind that these may differ, individual grievance complaints for individual tournaments should be outlined and highlighted in tournament instructions in the tournament invitation, and ACTAA’s Grievance Procedure per its Ethic Committee can be found on the ACTAA website, actaa.org/Governing-Documents.

Business, Governing & Rule Updates from Fall Conference.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 01:51:17 GMT

Sep. 19-21, the Arkansas Communication & Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) hosted its annual Fall Conference which included the organization’s annual General Business Meeting and regular meeting of the Board of Directors. The following outlines approved proposals of policies and programs that hope to advance the association's ability to better serve its membership and ensure continuity.

Membership Action:

The ASC Qualifying Tournament Document was amended to add back five theatre events (dramatic song lyric interpretation, solo acting, duet acting, solo musical acting, & duet musical acting) and the development of a Tabroom.com tournament shell for use on the Arkansas circuit. Ballots for these new theatre events have been added to the Membership Library on the website, actaa.org/ballots.

Support document(s): Updated ASC Qualifying Tournament Document

The ACTAA Bylaws are amended to allow the Board of Directors to initiate changes outside of the annual general membership business following a thirty (30) day comment period before ratification.

Support document(s): Updated ACTAA Bylaws

The Student Congress Bylaws were amended to add a late drop fee, limit use of fall competition topics for bills, require use of committee provided placards and other minor edits for clarification.

Support document(s): Updated Student Congress Bylaws

A Nomination Committee was elected for the 2024-2026 term, namely Brittney McGloflin of Fayetteville (chair), Beck Greenway of Bentonville, & Breanne Selah of Cabot.

Board Action:

The ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board and announced to membership. The outstanding goals of the 2021 DEI Working Plan adopted by the DEI Taskforce was added to the draft strategic plan document that shared with the membership at Summer Workshop.

Support document(s): Finalized ACTAA in Action Strategic Plan

The scholarship program named after Jennifer Akers, the individual Akers Scholarship established in 2021 was eliminated, the college scholarship amount was lowered from $1,000 to $500, and the forensics & theater scholarship was separated into two scholarships.

Support document(s): Approved scholarship proposal

The Student Advisory Board was more formalized with meeting schedule, participation requirements, and leadership training. Brittney McGloflin has agreed to serve as SAB Advisor. McGloflin and Tucker will work together to build out more resources over the next year to further structure of the program.

Support document(s): Student Advisory Board Policy

The awards & recognition process and timelines were formalized for the organization’s five existing awards (e.g., Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Spirit of ACTAA, Lifetime Member recognition, and NFHS Outstanding Educator recognition), and the board approved the creation of five additional new awards:

NFHS Heart of the Arts. The Board has approved to nominate a candidate for the NFHS Heart of the Arts. The award is presented to an individual/ organization (e.g., student, adult, or group) associated with a high school speech & debate or theatre program that exemplifies the ideals of the positive “heart of the arts” that represent the core mission of education-based activities.

Heart of ACTAA Award. The Board approved the creation of a state-level award presented by ACTAA that would lead to the nomination of the NFHS Heart of the Arts award, similar to how the ACTAA Teacher of the Year is nominated for the NFHS Outstanding Speech, Debate, & Theatre Educator award.

All-State Speech & Debate designation. The Board approved the designation of "All-State Speech & Debate." Any student that qualifies for the Arkansas State Championship (ASC) tournament, shall earn the recognition of “All-State Speech & Debate” for that academic year. Additionally, students will be recognized with numbered diamonds to accompany the all-state title for the number of qualifiers earned to the ASC. (Example. A student who qualifies for the ASC in three events would be recognized as “Three Diamond All-State Speech & Debate.”) Although ASC allows for substitutes for student qualifiers unable to attend the tournament, all-state recognition will be limited to the students who qualified to the ASC without substitution.

Academic All-State designation. The Board approved the designation of "Academic All-State Speech & Debate" and "Academic All-State Theatre." The top 10% of students in speech & debate and theatre of all the students reported will be recognized in each category. ACTAA members sponsoring the program will submit a roster of the names and cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale of students active in their program. Rosters are due March 15 each year and must be signed by the coach and appropriate principal.

Academic State Champion award. The Board approved the creation of the Academic State Champion award. 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 Arkansas State Championship (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.

Support document(s): Awards & Recognition Policy

Appointments. Following Fall Conference, President Zackery Tucker appointed and the board confirmed the following appointments:

Anthony McMullen, ABA Mock Trial 2024-2027
Dustin Jackson, ASC Committee 2024-2028
Brittney McGloflin, SAB Advisor
Rosie Valdez Block, Past President 2024-2026

Spring Workshop 2025 was approved by the Board to be held July 20-22 in Little Rock. The facility will be announced before the Board's Winter Meeting on January 5, 2025.

Fall Conference 2025 was approved by the Board to be held at the Hotel Hot Springs August 28-30, 2025.

A new Board Meeting Schedule was approved for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Board agreed to start meeting bi-monthly on the first Sunday of scheduled month at 1:30 p.m. All meetings will be virtual, outside of the three in-person meeting we historically have (Summer Workshop, Fall Conference, & Winter Meeting).

2024-2025:

July (during Summer Workshop, as required by the Constitution)

September (during Fall Conference, as required by the Constitution)

November 3, 2024 (virtually)

January 5, 2025 (Winter Meeting, required by the Constitution)

March 2, 2025 (virtually)

May 4, 2025 (virtually)

ACTAA President: Back to the classroom, back to work for Arkansas.

Zackery Tucker — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 03:58:37 GMT

As we return to the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year, I want to take this opportunity to remind our members and Arkansas’ communication and theatre teachers how important your work is to the students you serve and the future of the state of Arkansas.

Without your hard work and commitment to communication and theatre education, the students of Arkansas wouldn’t have opportunities to think critically, interpret their feelings and opinions healthily, express themselves, communicate effectively and engage in their communities. The unique opportunities our profession is afforded through hours of extra contact with your students open the door for students to grow and learn from each other and for them to have a trusted mentor in you.

As we look at the world around us, it is easy to see that our communities need communication and theatre education now more than ever. Our students face mounting generational and societal pressure locally in their communities and globally through technology. Whether the activity is debate, forensics, acting or public speaking, whether it’s hosting a competition or supporting local educators in a communication and theater classroom, whether it's constructing an argument or discovering a piece of literature, you are providing your community’s students a platform to learn how to positively and professionally formulate their independent feelings and thoughts and how to communicate or express said thoughts to others respectfully. Equipping your students to be confident, independent, intentional communicators is one of the more powerful gifts they will receive in their lifetime. Research shows Arkansas students who have mastered your curriculum’s communication skills (e.g., interpersonal communication, active listening, critical thinking, verbal communication, collaboration, teamwork, etc.) are more employable right out of high school, more successful in college and more likely to advance out of poverty. You positively change lives.

The next time the bell rings, and you are tired or discouraged, remember Arkansas needs you in the classroom, and our students need opportunities to be transformed through participation in your communication, debate, and/or theatre arts classroom.

Thank you again for your work with students and for helping teach the next generation of Arkansas leaders in your classroom and ACTAA. Together, we are working to inspire Arkansas to think, speak and act for a brighter future.

Yours for better discourse,

Zackery A. Tucker, ACTAA President

Leadership opportunities in ACTAA.

Zackery Tucker — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 03:01:24 GMT

ACTAA Leadership Opportunities:

·        Arkansas State Championship Committee

·        Arkansas Student Congress Committee

·        Ethical Practices Committee

Newsletter Coordinator

·        Professional Standards Committee

·        Publicity & Promotion Committee

·        Recruitment & Mentoring Committee

·        Scholarship Committee

·        Student Advisory Board Sponsor(s)

Share your interest in serving.

Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 01:48:25 GMT

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.

Spanish/Oral Communications Teacher

The Palestine-Wheatley School District is seeking a Spanish/Oral Communications Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://www.pwsd.k12.ar.us/page/employment-palestine

July 2024 Board Meeting Update

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 22:00:00 GMT

Following the Summer Workshop, July 21-23, the Board of Directors convened and approved several proposed policies and programs that hope to advance the association's ability to better serve its membership and ensure continuity.

Board & Committee Reform

To better lead the organization and be more responsive to the membership needs, the board approved increasing its regular meeting schedule from three times a year to bi-monthly. Additional action included adopting a board attendance policy, a requirement to publish board agendas three days before the meeting, standardizing board reports, procedures for asynchronous board votes via email.

Board Document(s): Proposed Board of Directors Reform.

Fundraising Initiative

In December 2023, the association was granted its 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. As ACTAA enters its new fiscal year on August 1, the board adopted a Strategic/ Corporate Partners Program. The initiative provides a structured program for soliciting financial donations through sponsorships for ACTAA core activities (e.g., Arkansas Forensics and Debate State Championship Tournament (ASC), Arkansas Student Congress (STUCO), Annual Fall Conference, Annual Summer Workshop, Scholarships). With the program, ACTAA Leadership will develop partnerships with external individuals and businesses to financially support the growth of the association’s programs. In addition to a three-level recognition program (e.g., Partner ($500.00-$999.99), Advocate ($1,000.00-$2,999.99), & Champion ($3,000 <), the initiative allows for naming rights to sessions, events, and meetings based on a financial contribution.

Board Document(s): Proposed Strategic/ Corporate Partners Program.

Website Policies

In February, Wild Apricot, Inc., our association’s website and membership management platform provider, advised its customers on new features to ensure compliance with recent data privacy laws adopted in areas of the United States. Although Arkansas does not currently require websites of businesses based in the state that collect user data and financial transitions to have a published privacy policy, cookie policy, and terms of services, state-wide media suggest that legislation proposed by the State Cybersecurity Office may be introduced this spring. Additionally, since Wild Apricot currently provides an affordable partnership with its preferred provider of non-profit web-based legal policies, Termly, Inc., the board approved several website policies.

Board Document(s): Website Privacy Policies, Website Cookie Policies, Website Terms of Service, & Website Design Guide.

Call for applications for the Student Advisory Board

Zackery Tucker — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:07:05 GMT

ACTAA is seeking applications for the Student Advisory Board for the Arkansas speech & debate. Each year, ACTAA Leadership appoints eight students who have exhibited outstanding leadership skills, achievements in academics and activities, and a commitment to making a positive impact in their communities.

The Student Advisory Board is a team of high school students from diverse backgrounds who come together virtually to grow their leadership skills, bring youth perspectives to speech & debate, and support inter-program comradery and community within the Arkansas speech & debate circuit and the Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship.

Student Advisory Board Application Timeline:

Aug 1: Applications open for the 2024–2025 Student Advisory Board cohort.
Aug 30: Applications close for the 2024–2025 Student Advisory Board cohort.
Sep 13: 2024–2025 Student Advisory Board announcement.
October (TBA): Orientation and first meeting

Student Advisory Board Member Commitment:

Attend five 60-minute meetings between September and June.
Attend the Arkansas Forensics & Debate State Championship in April (TBA)

Ready to apply to be a Student Advisory Board member?

Apply today

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Website undergoes new look and functionality.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:13:42 GMT

June 10, ACTAA's website began a transition to a new look and organization that better supports the association's new branding and membership needs.

The site is undergoing a restructure in phases. In June, the design was updated and priority pages were reformatted and republished. As we approach Fall Conference, Sep. 19-21, at Petit Jean Mountain, additional pages will be republished to the site as they are reformatted in sections.

Members are encouraged to visit our site, actaa.org, over the summer to check out updates and the addition of several new functionally components of the site.

A few key items currently, available are:

Welcome (landing) page with live feeds of upcoming events, organizational news and donation (income) goals.

Updated Membership Application

Membership Directory (Members Only)

Governing Documents page

Dynamic ACTAA Calendar

Organizational News feed

Over the next month, there will be links to forms and content blocks that might not be complete at the time of publishing, as pages are updated and tandem items (i.e., digital forms, documents, etc.) are developed during this process.

One item we ask members to help verify is the ACTAA Calendar. We have transitioned the tournament calendar to the tool fully integrated in our website platform. Members are asked to help check the dates of events to verify the accuracy of the tournament schedule. The tournament schedule can be reviewed on the ACTAA Calendar or Tournament Calendar pages of the website.

Thank you for your input and collaboration during this process.

Fall Conference: Captivating Community

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 14:58:57 GMT

Captivating Community. As an organization, we must continue to grow by adapting to changing needs and environments. The focus of Fall Conference 2024 is to better engage as a community while learning in the rustic, natural surroundings of Petit Jean State Park. We will gather in different locations within a mile or two of one another. From Mather Lodge to the Visitor’s Center and finally to the Winthrop Rockefeller Center for our business meeting and luncheon. Fall Conference 2024 will be a rustic experience where we will rely on one another to know where we are going, literally and metaphorically.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

As with any event, there are multiple costs related. These fees cover facility rentals, meals, and other related costs to provide an enriching event. Register early to avoid fee increases. These must be passed along as vendors will charge us for late ordering.

College Student: $90.00
Early Registration (before 8/5/24): $195.00
Full Registration (8/6/24-9/2/24): $235.00
Late Registration (9/3/24): $300.00

LODGING AND RATES

Mather Lodge has reserved several cabins and rooms for us at reasonable rates. NOTE: the rooms at Mather Lodge are very ‘cozy’. Cabin rooms are more spacious and comfortable. This will encourage us to gather in the many scenic and social spaces at the lodge or one another’s cabins.

Lodge Rooms- $97.50
Lodge Small Cabin (has refrigerator)- $110
Lodge Cabin w/kitchen- $145.20

If staying at Mather Lodge, you must reserve by August 20th. Otherwise, a room cannot be guaranteed. They cannot book Group Reservations online. Group #833387 should be used to make confirmation with our Lodge at 501-727-5431 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week)

Learn more about Fall Conference.

Other lodging options near the conference.

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Communication, Debate, Forensics & Theater Teaching Postings.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 14:33:11 GMT

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

The Fayetteville Public Schools is seeking a Theater Teacher for the John L Colbert Middle School. Apply at: https://district.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=2800

Technical Facilities Manager (non-teaching)

The Cabot Public Schools is seeking a (non-teaching) Technical Facilities Manager for the High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/.../JobPostings/view.asp...

Teacher/Technical Theatre Teacher

The Cabot Public Schools is seeking a Teacher/Technical Theatre Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/.../JobPostings/view.asp...

Spanish/Oral Communications Teacher

The Palestine-Wheatley School District is seeking a Spanish/Oral Communications Teacher for the High School. Apply at: https://www.pwsd.k12.ar.us/page/employment-palestine

Professional Communication Teacher

The Cabot Public Schools is seeking a Professional Communication Teacher for the Freshman Academy & High School. Apply at: https://shorturl.at/RoR2h

Oral Communications/Drama Teacher

The Vilonia School District is seeking an Oral Communications/Drama Teacher for the Vilonia High School. Apply at: https://vilonia.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=633

Draft strategic plan document released, “ACTAA in Action.”

Zackery Tucker — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 12:42:22 GMT

At Summer Workshop President Tucker released the draft "ACTAA in Action Planning Document;" which outlines a series of initiatives and action items to the Board of Directors to 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."

The document is organized into four themes, or goals, of our action planning:

Reflect on our purpose.
Increase our impact.
Expand our voice.
Increase our ability to adapt.

Please take time to review the "ACTAA in Action Planning Document" linked below to learn more about the action plan's themes and the type of strategies we can develop together. The action plan is designed to be a living document that is updated as members achieve strategies and needs shift. Members current and past have the opportunity through surveys, committee work, and forums to recommend strategies for each of the action plan’s four themes.

ACTAA in Action Planning Document

Submit an idea to the document.

McCall and 14 other Arkansans advance at NSDA nationals.

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:10:12 GMT

15 Arkansas students advanced elimination rounds at the National Speech & Debate Tournament hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, June 16–21, 2024.

Rachael McCall from Cabot Junior High North won first place in the Original Spoken Word Poetry in the middle school, becoming the first student from Arkansas to earn a national championship title at a National Speech & Debate Association national tournament (middle or high school) in state history

More than 6,700 students from 1,500 schools competed in the tournament, which is the largest speech & debate competition in the nation.

In addition to McCall, the following students advanced to elimination rounds at the tournament:

Nora Shitandi from Har-Ber High School advanced to semifinals in Original Oratory.
Emma Durham & Logan Hale James from Cabot High School advanced to the top 30 competitors in Duo Interpretation.
Nyasa Lovely from Russellville High School advanced to partial triple octofinals in Big Questions Debate.
Allison Frazier from Russellville High School advanced to octofinals in Extemporaneous Commentary.
Andrew Taylor from Don Tyson School of Innovation to quarterfinals in Extemporaneous Commentary.
Joie Willoughby from Little Rock Central High School to octofinals in Poetry.
Bryce Veasman from Cabot High School advanced to to quarterfinals in Original Spoken Word Poetry
Hayden Xavier Mittlestat from Cabot High School advanced to Extemporaneous Debate to round seven.
Sophie Moody from Fayetteville High School advanced to octofinals in Prose.
Grace Haverstick from Cabot Junior High North advanced to semifinals in Poetry.
Logan Campos from Cabot Junior High South advanced to semifinals in Humorous Interpretation.
Raygan Grindley from Cabot Junior High North advanced to quarterfinals in Dramatic Interpretation.
Kaden Buckner from Cabot Junior High South advanced to octofinals in and named tenth place speaker in Lincoln Douglas Debate.

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How to Write an Outstanding Nomination

Zackery Tucker — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:15:11 GMT

Why should you submit a nomination?

Recognize outstanding contributions of ACTAA members who are transforming speech, debate & theatre through:

Exceptional leadership
Innovative ideas
Effective administration of events and services on campus
Leverage the work of speech, debate & theatre at an institutional level

How to submit a nomination?

Online nominations via Google Forms
Nomination Committee reviews

The How To on How To Write a Nomination:

The key to a well-written nomination is providing evaluators with specific information illustrating how the individual’s or group’s achievements have made a positive impact on. The number of examples is not as important as ensuring that the nominee’s (or nominees’) contributions match the specific award criteria, and that there are measurable results.

The selection committee relies on your words and examples to “see” your nominee’s attributes and contributions. They may not know anything about your nominee’s job, so detailed information is essential.

Before you write your nomination, carefully review the award nomination criteria to determine the most appropriate individual(s) or group’s you would like to nominate. Ensure the individual or group meets the nomination criteria before you begin. The best nomination are those that provide concrete details of the work of the individual or group.

Answer the “What” and “How”

What did the nominee do?
- Projects and/or activities they did above and beyond normal expectations
- specific examples
How did they do it?
- Initiative and/or leadership
- Teamwork
- Behaviors and/or attitudes
What were the results and/or impacts?
- What did the nominee accomplish
- Are there specific benefits because of their work

Show the “Above and Beyond”

It’s one thing to report what a person did, but the committee would like to know if those accomplishments were the normal part of the person’s responsibilities or something more.

Don’t just say your nominee is outstanding – prove it!

It’s important to use specific and concrete examples to illustrate how your nominee meets each of the eligibility and award criteria. Provide examples of how your nominee has demonstrated outstanding character and is a deserving candidate. Avoid generalities and provide details wherever possible.

Closing Statement

Describe how others regard the nominee (e.g., recognized expert, progressive leader, or exceptionally innovative program). Consider mentioning major non-ACTAA awards and/or the nominee’s other education, community efforts, etc.

Gather input from others

Gather input from other colleagues or peers on your nominee’s achievements before you write the nomination. Have other colleagues or peers review the nomination for thoroughness and accuracy prior to submitting it.