2026 Southern Region Leadership Conference

As schools continue to face evolving safety challenges, strong School Resource Officer (SRO) programs are more important than ever. Join Lt. Jordan Kelley, NASRO Region 6 Director and instructor, as he shares best practices for developing and sustaining high-quality SRO units that protect, educate, and build positive relationships with students, staff, and the community.

In this session, the audience will receive a systematic approach to leadership and building culture district-wide. They will also see actual systems used in our district that are practical and easily used in any district. Those systems will include developing 30-60-90 day plans for each level of your district. We will have an exact blueprint of the expectations, areas for growth, additional goals, documents that demonstrate mastery, and completion of tasks. Every 30 days, we will meet review, revise, and continue to grow as an academic team. Clear roles and responsibilities are defined, expectations are set, and clarity is ensured before we move forward. This plan allows our schools to have a clear road map of how their school year will go and takes stress off building level admin, because it provides clarity to all teams and staff on what the expectations and targets are.

Between August 2025 and December 2025 (4 months), our kindergarten students demonstrated a 28% increase in reading proficiency! School systems will hear how we implemented the ONCE program from the ground up for all kindergarten students in our district, including how we recruited and celebrated our Once instructors to build buy-in.

This session is focused on collaborative change to meet the needs of a school district. Districts must constantly assess the needs of the district based on the current situation. When change is necessary, it is imperative to do it in a collaborative environment that includes all of your stakeholders. The Siloam Springs School District is undergoing a transition from grade specific schools to a neighborhood school model. Leaders will share the importance of being collaborative with parents, community and staff for a successful change process.

The First Amendment continues to shape some of the most challenging issues facing public schools today. From religious expression and the Ten Commandments litigation in Arkansas and Louisiana to employee speech and other emerging legal disputes, school boards are increasingly called upon to make decisions with significant constitutional implications. This session will examine recent court cases and national trends, explain what they mean for local school districts, and provide practical guidance to help board members and school leaders navigate these complex issues while fulfilling their governance responsibilities.