AACS Today

Have you considered what it will look like for your students and teachers to return to campus in the fall?  Have you considered communicating this plan to your constituents in writing?  In this episode of AACS Today, we dive into the Re-entry Plan from Victory Baptist Academy in Weatherford, TX. Resources mentioned on the show email podcast feedback to info@aacs.org Sample Christian Academy Re-ent...

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 Con...

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...

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 har...

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 Le...

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...

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...

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 e...

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...

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 (Huntingt...

Jamison Coppola, AACS Legislative Director, joins Matt to provide us with a deeper look at the CARES Act including why (if you are participating) you should use 100% of the funds for payroll. Jamison also shares some details about two other relief funds from the CARES Act that have been designated for schools. Listeners will also learn what Jamison and his team are hearing in D.C. about the upcomi...

Maureen Van Den Berg and Matt discuss 7 tips for parents who now find themselves balancing working from home along with tracking the progress of their students through their daily school lessons and work.  While there are some obvious challenges, Maureen provides practical insight on how parents can keep their sanity and actually enjoy this season.  Maureen serves in the AACS Legislative Office as...

AACS Legislative Director, Jamison Coppola, joins Matt to help school leaders think through the religious liberty implications of participating in the program. Some of the topics discussed include: Since specific religious liberty language was not in the bill, what can we expect from the regulations that have already been released as well as the ones that are yet to be released? What are some simi...

How will your school be impacted by the CARES Act?  AACS Legislative Director, Jamison Coppola, joins Matt on the podcast to share 4 initial takeaways from the CARES Act, which President Trump signed into law on March 27, 2020.  While regulations are still being written for the law (at the time of publishing), these initial considerations should help schools decide on their next steps relating to...

Christian schools across the country have been wrestling with how to serve pre-K students and their families effectively during the Coronavirus outbreak. In episode #3, our panel deals with the following questions: 1. Should our pre-K program remain open or should we close? What are programs doing around the country? 2. If we close our pre-K program, what do we do about tuition? 3. What are some p...

AACS Legislative Director, Jamison Coppola, joins Matt Ticzkus to discuss how the three Coronavirus relief bills will impact Christian schools.  Before providing an overview of the bills themselves, Jamison provides insight into the work that his team is doing on behalf of Christian schools in Washington, D.C. Resources mentioned in the show: White paper on paid leave for COVID-19. (Families First...

One of the top questions we are currently receiving in our office is, "should we continue to collect tuition during a Coronavirus school closure?"  AACS Executive Director, Dr. Jeff Walton and AACS Regional Director, Matt Ticzkus answer this questions in episode 1 of AACS Today. The short answer is, "yes," but, as AACS Executive Director Jeff Walton points out, you must continu...