January 7, 2021
A Reminder . . . voting in the AESA Executive Council Election ends on Monday, January 11, 2021 at 11:59 pm EST.

Member CEOs who hadn't yet voted received an email reminder with a link to vote via Constant Contact on Monday, January 4th. (Check your spam or junk folder if you don't see it in your inbox.)

Contact Ann Fiene if you have questions about accessing the ballot.
New Year's Resolution: Ideas to Curb Zoom Fatigue
A message from Joan Wade, AESA Executive Director

I've been thinking about my New Year's resolutions. One of them will be to help reduce "Zoom Fatigue" (my own and the fatigue I may be inflicting on others!). 

Yep, it's a thing. While Zoom and similar technologies are proving to be helpful during these times, these same technologies also are wearing people out. Plus, according to recent headlines, the use of video chatting is prompting more people to see plastic surgeons because they don't like their looks on video!

So, what is Zoom Fatigue? 
  • You have a feeling of low-level dread when you log into yet another Zoom meeting. 
  • You worry about your appearance. Hey, maybe lower watt lighting would hide some of my wrinkles.
  • You fret wondering if you wore the same outfit for the same audience last week? Did I wear a red sweater or a blue one?
  • You wonder if you have the right background. What will others think about my books and photos? Do my plants look healthy? Did I pick up the dirty socks?
  • You hope others won't see you catching up on email or texting. Can I type without making it obvious that I'm doing so?
  • You hope no one notices that you turned off video so you can scoot away for a minute to toss in another load of laundry. Did they hear the buzzer on my dryer?
  • And on and on.

It's enough to wear a person out, not to mention what happens in the meeting itself!

So what can be done to reduce Zoom Fatigue for you and others? Google it and you'll get lots of suggestions. As I approach 2021, here are some strategies I'll be considering.

As a meeting organizer:
  • Is Zoom essential? Can we use conference calls instead?
  • Schedule meetings within traditional business hours.
  • Build in a few minutes of social time at the start to help people remain connected.
  • Avoid scheduling marathon meetings. 
  • Have an agenda and build in meaningful breaks.
  • Have a firm end time at, say,10 minutes before the hour to provide time for transitions for oneself and others.

As a meeting participant:
  • If you're on a Zoom call and need a break, turn off your camera and microphone, stand up, do some stretches, walk around the room.

  • Add a virtual background. No one can scrutinize the books on your shelves or see the dirty socks on the floor.

  • Hide by toggling the settings. That way, you can see others but you won't have to see yourself!

  • Switch to speaker view rather than gallery view to reduce visual overload.

One thing I WON'T be doing in 2021 is calling a plastic surgeon. But I may use lower-watt lighting to hide a few of my wrinkles! As 2021 unfolds, I hope we'll have more opportunities to be with one another in person. In the meantime, see you on Zoom!

Joan
Join Us for a LIVE Legislative Update for Members
January 27, 2021
2 pm Eastern
(1 pm Central; 12 noon Mountain; 11 am Pacific; 10 am Alaska)

It’s a New Year and a New Congress

Join Noelle Ellerson Ng, AESA Associate Executive Director of Advocacy and Governance, for a walk through what to expect for education priorities with the new administration and Congress. Hear about what continued COVID response could mean in terms of additional relief and supports for ESAs and the schools you serve.
Federal Advocacy Committee Now Forming
If you are already the state representative, please be sure to reserve your seat at the virtual table today!
For more information on how to represent your state, please contact Joan Wade, AESA Executive Director.
Each year, members of the AESA Federal Advocacy Committee work together to formalize AESA's federal legislative agenda. The AESA priority agenda represents the federal advocacy work that focuses on ESAs specifically.

This year's meeting of the Federal Advocacy Committee is virtual on February 11-12, 2021. This is the meeting where AESA members set the legislative agenda for 2021. The meeting is free for any AESA member to attend, however, if a vote is needed on any issue, there is only one vote per state cast.

Membership of AESA's Federal Advocacy Committee is comprised of one representative from each state that has an ESA as a member of AESA. The representatives to the committee are selected by the ESAs of that state. It is important that every state is represented!
AESA Executive Searches
AESA's Executive Search Service is designed especially for educational service agencies (ESAs). Selecting the right CEO for your agency is the board’s most important role. Finding a CEO who will achieve the vision and mission of your ESA and serve the school districts in your region is an important decision that will impact school districts’ effectiveness, efficiency, and improve student achievement. 

The AESA Executive Search Service is designed to make hiring a CEO a positive experience. We offer a highly-customized service with maximum flexibility in the decision-making process. Contact John Bass, AESA Chief Operating Officer at jbass@aesa.us.
Professional Learning Opportunities from AESA
If you are a small ESA, please join us for customized professional dialogue and learning about issues you care most about!
A Community of Practice for Small ESAs
Begins January 19, 2021
Are you a small ESA? Would you like to learn from and with other small ESAs?
Join our 2021 Small ESA Community of Practice. You will learn:
  • ESA structure and funding sources
  • Building relationships with member districts
  • How to generate revenue to expand your services
  • Steps to grow small staff efficiency
  • Open discussion – learning from each other

Dates: (All sessions will be held 2 – 3:30 pm EST)
  • January 19
  • March 16
  • May 18
  • July 13
  • September 21
  • November 16
Special Events from AESA Business Partners!
FREE Webinar:
What's Ahead in U.S. Education?
Monday, January 11, 2021 - 3:30 pm PT

Please join us for a discussion on the future of U.S. Education under the Biden Administration. Peter DeWitt, author, blogger, and host of the EdWeek Show “A Seat at the Table,” will facilitate the discussion with international and U.S. policy experts, Drs. Michael Fullan (OISE, U of Toronto), Andrew Hargreaves (Boston College), Pedro Noguera (USC), and Patricia Gandara (UCLA). 

Seats will fill up fast! Reserve yours today!
45-minute webinar: Learn More About ClassLink's AESA Ambassador Program

January 19, 2021
2 pm Eastern
(1 pm Central; 12 noon Mountain; 11 am Pacific; 10 am Alaska)
 
For over 22 years, ESAs have been partnering with ClassLink through shared advocacy, training, and support. Now, we’re growing that partnership with our new AESA Ambassador Program. By joining, you can save money for your schools with volume discounts and earn rebates for your ESA.
  • School districts identified by the ambassador get a 10% purchase discount on ClassLink licenses.
  • Earn a 4% rebate on annual license fees for the schools you serve.

Hear from ESAs who have partnered with ClassLink and register to join our new Ambassador Program at www.classlink.com/ambassador.
Virtual: January 11-13, 2021
Looking for a convenient, safe way to provide an exceptional professional learning opportunity for your ESA or districts? The Impact Education Conference features more than 70 breakout sessions and exceptional keynotes from Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alberto Carvalho and Educational Strategist Ken Shelton.

All registered attendees will have on-demand access to the content for one year!

New this year . . . group bundled pricing options. Leverage professional learning for PLCs, grade levels, and curriculum teams when you send a group to Impact Education. The more people you send, the more your district saves.

Now more than ever, we know educators are looking for a safe, convenient, and inexpensive way to access knowledge and engage with their peers.

The Impact Education Conference team is excited to deliver this experience to you in January 2021!
Reading Leaders Book Club
‌
January's Book Choice:

The Girl with the Louding Voice: A Novel, by Abi Darè

Next Meeting: January 21, 2021
7 pm Eastern; 6 pm Central; 5 pm Mountain; 4 pm Pacific; 3 pm Alaska
AESA Business Partners are always updating their resources. Check the AESA website for information about new webinars planned or to view the archive of many webinars already presented!