It seems that every day brings new rules and guidelines for the CARES Act. On this episode of AACS Today, Jamison and Matt discuss some encouraging updates to the Paycheck Protection Program, including the safe harbor guidance as it relates to the good faith certification required on the PPP application.  

Matt and Jamison also discuss a letter from the school choice community that was sent to Congressional leaders imploring them to remember private schools and equitable services as they develop plans for future funding.

Finally, Jamison shares an update on some key pieces of religious liberty guidance coming from the Department of Labor.

When it comes to the plan for your team's professional development this summer, what questions are you asking?  On top of the questions we usually ask about PD and how we can improve our craft, with all the COVID craziness surrounding the last quarter of this school year, you might be tempted to forego any plans that you had for professional development for your team this summer. But is that a good idea? 

On this episode of AACS Today, our panel of educators pulls back the curtain on the workshops that they are leading this summer. Also, AACS Executive Director, Dr. Jeff Walton, challenges us to ask the right questions about PD. Our panel includes Bryan Osborne from Answers In Genesis, Dana Davis from Maranatha Baptist University, and Heidi Braughler from Maranatha Baptist Academy.

During a typical school year, the spring is filled with special end-of-year traditions and capstone events for the graduating class including banquets, trips and of course, graduation. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic many of these events have been postponed, tweaked, or even canceled.

On this episode, four educators from four schools from across the country share how their schools are working hard to make the end of the year a special time for the class of 2020.  Our panelists share how they are honoring their graduates, how they have tweaked their special events to make them memorable, and they pull back the curtain to share their plans for their school's upcoming graduation ceremony. 

Our Panelists

• Pastor Dave Nichols, Land O' Lakes Christian Academy, FL
• Mr. Andrew Fry, Colonial Hills Christian School, IN
• Mr. Jeff Smith, Trinity Christian Academy, AL
• Mr. James Mendoza, Macedonian Christian Academy, TX

AACS Legislative Director, Jamison Coppola, and AACS Legislative Assistant, Hannah DeBruler, join Matt to provide our listeners with additional details about the CARES Act, the AACS Youth Legislative Training Conference, and a look at what's coming next politically in Washington, D.C.

Resources mentioned on the podcast

• AACS podcast page
• Small Business Administration Covid-19 resources
• AACS Legislative and Legal Information

Christian school leaders must begin planning NOW for possible changes they may need to make as they open their doors this fall. In part 2 of Planning for Reopening in the Fall of 2020, Dr. Jeff Walton, AACS Executive Director, and Ed Francis, AACS Education Director, join Matt to provide perspective on questions raised in "An Open Letter to Independent School Leaders" from Kennesaw State University and "Reopening 2020" from Dr. Mark Beadle.

Resources mentioned on the podcast

• Kennesaw State Letter
• Dr. Mark Beadle Letter
• Past AACS webinars with Dr. David Warren

Christian school leaders must begin planning NOW for possible changes they may need to make as they open their doors this fall. In part 1 of Planning for Reopening in the Fall of 2020, Dr. Jeff Walton, AACS Executive Director, and Ed Francis, AACS Education Director, join Matt to provide perspective on questions raised in "An Open Letter to Independent School Leaders" from Kennesaw State University and "Reopening 2020" from Dr. Mark Beadle.

Resources mentioned on the podcast

• Kennesaw State Letter
• Dr. Mark Beadle Letter
• "Planning for Quality" from Evergreen Education
• Past AACS webinars with Dr. David Warren

Middle school, high school and even upper elementary students seem to have an easier time adapting to learning online during the Coronavirus pandemic.  But, how can our teachers be most effective in delivering content online to our lower elementary students? In this episode, Matt interviews an experienced panel of educators who provide tips and ideas for teachers who have the challenging task of educating students in kindergarten through third grade via distance learning. Be sure not to miss the fun idea near the beginning of the podcast (it includes ice cream)!

Scott Barron, Founder and Chief Reinvention Officer at School Growth, joins Matt to help schools begin to think through their planning for the next few months.  Scott identifies 3 key questions school leaders must ask in order to develop an effective 90-day plan.  School leaders who are interested in diving deeper into this process are welcome to access a free one-hour webinar here. School Growth is also offering AACS schools a discounted rate of $149 on a three-hour workshop where school leaders will be able to develop their 90-day plan (live class or recording available). The code for the discounted rate is revealed near the end of the podcast.

The link mentioned in the podcast is https://www.schoolgrowth.com/90-days.

AACS Legislative Director, Jamison Coppola, joins Matt to recap the piece of legislation that most Christian schools are wrestling with: the Cares Act.  Jamison also provides deeper insight into the work that his team is doing in Washington.

Click here to read the article written by Jamison and Hannah that was recently published in the Daily Signal.

If you're looking for some practical tips and ideas on what's working for other schools right now, don't miss this episode! Matt is joined by 3 educational leaders, Dr. Esther Baker, Assistant Administrator at Bob Jones Academy (Greenville, SC); Dr. Sam Dalton, Administrator at Temple Baptist School (Herndon, VA); and Dr. Dan Brokke, Administrator at Grace Christian School (Huntington, WV) and Executive Director of the West Virginia Christian Education Association. Together, the panel discusses grading and appropriate workload, strengthening relationships with parents and students, helping teachers care for themselves and their families, surveying families and responding to the data, and much more!
Resource from the show:

• Survey (with results) used by Grace Christian School