The Iowa Department of Education has just released its plan for Iowa's Race to the Top application.
Click here for a flyer detailing the plan proposal and the meeting schedule for regional school administrators. The meetings will be an opportunity for school district leadership (superintendents, school board presidents and teacher association presidents) to review exactly what will be required of them if they sign on to Iowa’s Race to the Top application. This will help inform your decision about participating in Race to the Top.
As was mentioned yesterday in an e-mail from Sheila King to area superintendents, the regional meeting for Heartland area school administrators will be on January 6, 2010. Technical assistance meetings for superintendents will be from 4:30-5:45 p.m., and a joint meeting for superintendents, school board presidents and teacher association presidents will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
The meetings will take place at Iowa Public Television, 6450 Corporate Drive, Johnston, in the McElroy Room. Ames High School and the Carroll and Newton DMACC campuses will serve as satellite sites. District teams who cannot travel to the sites may take part over the ICN.
Information about Race to the Top is now posted on the Iowa Department of Education Web site at http://www.iowa.gov/educate/
- Race to the Top Fact Sheet
- Race to the Top Webinars: The overview webinar from December 7 and the specific criteria webinar from December 15
- Rosters for the Race to the Top Advisory Group and all of the work groups
- Timeline of events
- FAQ, which will be posted very soon
- Survey for people to submit questions is still available on the site
Parents, teachers, principals, school board members and the associations that represent them are coming together as work teams and advisory groups to provide input on Iowa's Race to the Top application. Each working group has now met and the Race to the Top Advisory Group and most of the work groups will meet again on either December 21 or 22 to continue to provide input and guide planning of the application content. The first draft of the comprehensive proposal is expected to be submitted to the work groups and advisory group the week of December 28 and revisions will take place throughout that week.
On behalf of our Board of Directors and 700 staff members, I'd like to extend our best wishes to you for a very joyful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year.
We have chosen to send an e-card this year, as we stay focused on containing our costs and providing important programs and services to our stakeholders. This is also a green alternative to traditional printing. Please click here to view our card. Happy Holidays!
Sheila King
Interim Chief Administrator
Click here for a word document or here for a pdf download of the agenda for the Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting which will be held on January 5 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.
As has been communicated several times this week, the second quarterly reporting for Part B ARRA funds is due next Monday, December 21. The Heartland ARRA Reporting Work Team is still planning to be stationed in the computer lab of the main Johnston office all day on Monday for any district staff wishing to come in for support in finishing the reporting. If you do not wish to travel to Johnston but still need assistance, you can reach members of the team via phone at (515) 270-0405 at extensions 12721 and 12722 or their emails listed below.
David King, Director of Finance – dking@aea11.k12.ia.us
Rebecca McCreary, Business Manager - rmccreary@aea11.k12.ia.us
David Tilly, Director of Innovation and Accountability - dtilly@aea11.k12.ia.us
Kristi Upah, Assistant Director of Innovation and Accountability - kupah@aea11.k12.ia.us
Diane Schnelker, Assessment Consultant - dschnelker@aea11.k12.ia.us
Jennifer Swanson, Assessment Consultant - jswanson@aea11.k12.ia.us
There is a wonderful opportunity for educators in your building/district to participate in ICN sessions focused on supporting military youth and teens. Due to the projected deployment that the Iowa National Guard could face in the next year, increased support for those in the military community has never been greater. Many families and communities throughout our state have been, or will be, directly impacted by the deployment of a Service Member. Those working in schools play a vital role in the success and resiliency of a child who's loved one may be deployed.
Below is a listing of sessions being made available through a partnership between Iowa Public Television and the Iowa National Guard Youth and Teen Program. All of the sessions are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. and will not last more than one hour. These are great opportunities for those in the classroom to gain valuable information and resources for use in future planning.
To register or find more detailed descriptions of each session, click on the following links:
January 19, 2010 - Supporting Children in Military Familieshttp://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10234
January 26, 2010 - The Impact of Deployment on Youth and Teens http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10171
February 16, 2010 - Supporting Military Youth Through Literature http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10173March 9, 2010 - Classroom Activities with a Military Connectionhttp://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10175
April 20, 2010 - Supporting Military Parents During Deploymenthttp://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10177
May 18, 2010 - The 7 Cs of Resiliencyhttp://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=10179
All questions can be directed to Jeremy Van Wyk, State Youth and Teen Coordinator for the Iowa National Guard, at (515) 252-4040 or jeremy.vanwyk@us.army.mil.
January is a busy month for ESL activities! Please let your ESL educators know about the following training opportunities. Interested persons can register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development catalog located on the left panel of our home page or at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH. Enter the activity number listed with the sessions into the correct field.
Introduction to Sheltered Instruction for Teachers of ELLs
The targeted audience is all educators who work with K-12 English language learners including content and grade level teachers who have NOT taken Sheltered Instruction previously. This 2-day course will provide participants with a research-based framework to guide differentiated lesson planning, delivery and assessment that meet the needs of ELLs and other diverse learners in the mainstream or sheltered classroom. Teaching strategies and demonstrations specifically designed to facilitate simultaneous learning of language and content will be presented and demonstrated. A stipend of $200 will be provided to participants who complete all course requirements. Details on how to receive the stipend and submit the assignment will be given at class.
NOTE: Priority will be given to partner institutions within the Heartland AEA area. Des Moines Public School participants must register with the permission of Vinh Nguyen. Dates: January 9 & 16, 2010 (100% attendance is required for credit.)Times: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Location: Stoney Creek Inn, 5291 NW 84th St., Johnston
Instructors: Shelley Fairbairn and Stephaney Jones-VoActivity number: ES004299991001
Enhancing Inter-Rater Reliability in the Scoring of Writing
The second training opportunity is the I-ELDA training. Please send at least one person from your district to receive this training. The training will provide an overview of this year’s form, how to order it and other technical points. Most importantly, training will also focus on scoring the speaking and writing sections of the test. Participants must register by January 15, 2010.Dates: January 20, 2010
Times: 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Lunch will be on your own)Location: Stoney Creek Inn, 5291 NW 84th St., Johnston
Instructor: Stephaney Jones-Vo
Activity number: ES005799991001
Reminder: Please take note of when our offices will be closed and when van mail will not be delivered due to the holidays.
Offices ClosedDecember 24-25, 2009
December 31, 2009-January 1, 2010
Van Mail Schedule
Regular Van Delivery: December 21-22, 2009
No Van Delivery: December 23-31 2009 & January 1, 2010
Regular Van Delivery Resumes: January 4, 2010
The budget allocation for the Microsoft Cy Pres Settlement program for the eligible schools is posted on the front page of the Iowa DE Web site or here.
The following is a quick review of the program and some reminders:
- This is a 4 year program that ends in August 2013.
- The per pupil allocation is based on the 2007 certified student count.
- The money is split into general purpose and software vouchers. The eligible products list shows which type of voucher can be used.
- If a school’s claim is denied, the district is stuck with the expenditure. The DE has no power to appeal a denied claim.
- Once an ineligible product is listed, it is never eligible.
- If a school wants to purchase a product not on the list, they must contact Rust Consulting for approval. If approved, they will give the school a confirmation number. The Web site with all eligible products is updated about every two weeks.
Application
· Most schools requested a 360-day extension and have until May 11, 2010, to complete the application. Starting dates for each school can be staggered. Schools can start any time.
· The application is at www.edinfo.state.ia.us -- superintendents have a userID/password.
· Approval means application is approved. It does not mean that the listed products are approved (check the eligible products list at www.iowaschoolmicrosoftsettlement.com).
Guiding Principles
· The application must be linked to implementation of the ICC in one of the five focus areas. Be careful if choosing 21st century skills as one of the areas because those assessments are expensive. 21st century skills are still important/viable area, and the assessment would be in a subject/grade. For example, the school focuses on problem solving and purchases an interactive whiteboard to build 21st century skills. The school expects to see an increase in achievement reflected in 6th grade math.
· Exceptions are that buildings receiving more than $50,000 may choose additional focus areas in increments of $50,000.
· The online application has three basic questions with a limit of 2,000 characters including spaces for each.
Click here for the minutes from the December Heartland Administrators Association meeting. The next meeting will be January 5 at the West Des Moines Learning Center.
Highly-experienced national public speaker, discussion leader, trainer and author, Donna M. Beegle, Ed.D., will present a poverty workshop in Altoona on January 20, 2010, for AEA and school personnel interested in learning more about understanding those who live in poverty. Click here for more information and to register.
Get quick and current updates on education issues and policies. Make sure to follow Iowa's AEAs on Twitter at http://twitter.com/iowa_aea.
Iowa's AEAs, in concert with Larry Sigel of Iowa School Financial Information Services, have developed a communications toolkit to help school administrators respond and guide community conversations about what implications the governor's budget cut has for local districts across the state and for education as a whole.To access the Iowa Schools Budget Communications Toolkit, visit the Iowa AEA Web site at www.iowaaea.org.
Heartland AEA and Southeast Polk are partnering to offer a two-day session to help participants learn how difficult budget decisions can be improved by putting the focus upon clear, weighted criteria which are used to rationally prioritize difficult budget choices. Participants will learn how to use the Tregoe Analytical tools to make these decisions. Read below for more information and please reply by emailing adavids@aea11.k12.ia.us to indicate if your district has an interest in participating and how many people you anticipate will attend. Also, let us know if you have a preference of the following dates, January 11 & 12, January 26 & 27 or February 8 & 9. The cost will be based on the number of people participating. (The more participating, the lower the cost. The fee may range from $50 to $100 per person.)Facing Budget Reductions with Confidence: Getting It Right the First TimeBy developing objective criteria before the debate about “what to cut?”, it helps remove the emotion that often accompanies budget reduction discussions. Using an analytic approach which will be understood by all will not only improve results but also minimize misunderstandings and conflict. This two-day session will:- Address the importance of a leadership team using a common framework of analytic processes for making difficult decisions and solving complex problems.
- Utilize a case study which will involve the participants in making some budget decisions.
- Provide a sample “resolution” to the case study which uses the Tregoe Education Forum’s Decision-Analysis process.
- Learn how to use Decision-Analysis to develop clear, weighted criteria for budget reduction, evaluate a list of potential budget actions, identify high-impact risks associated with proposed reductions, develop preventative actions to address risks and develop an implementation and communication plan for rolling out budget actions.
IDEA 2004 requires states to provide timely access to required books and textbooks in accessible formats. The Iowa DE is encouraging districts to sign up qualified students with Bookshare, http://www.bookshare.org. Bookshare is free and serves students with print disabilities such as blindness, low vision, a physical disability or reading disability that is based on an organic dysfunction. Qualified students will have access to tens of thousands of books including textbooks from the NIMAC, educational reading, reference materials, fiction, newspapers and magazines. In addition, Bookshare offers free software applications that read digital books.
Additional information on next steps, instructions on how to join Bookshare, descriptions of student qualifications (NIMAS) and training opportunities are on the Heartland Web site at http://aea11bookshare.pbworks.com/.
A mobile interface to the EBSCO databases is now available. Enter this URL on your Smartphone or iTouch and then bookmark it--http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=mobsmart. Use the school username/password to access the online databases.
The EBSCO mobile interface re-sizes the screen to give full access to features.- Resource library in the teachers (or students) pocket.
- Full searching capability--search by date, document type, publication title and/or other limiters.
- Full-text articles, documents and images can be e-mailed or viewed.
- PDFs (some of primary source documents) are available.
- Image Collection (especially news and current events) is available.
Note: Javascript must be enabled on the Smartphone or iTouch. BlackBerry users can refer to this link for information on enabling Javascript: http://www.ehow.com/how_4965723_enable-javascript-blackberry.html.
For a list of the 24 EBSCO databases and/or an 8.5x11 poster, ask your teacher librarian or contact Susan Schrader, Heartland AEA Resource and Publications Supervisor, at sschrader@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Heartland has officially posted the Agency's chief administrator vacancy with the Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates search firm and applicants are now encouraged to apply for the position. A description of the position and a link to apply for it are posted on the front page of Heartland’s Web site and will remain there until the end of December.
Screening of applications will begin in late December and/or early January, with the Board of Directors interviewing those candidates deemed most qualified in late January. The candidate chosen will be encouraged to begin employment as soon as possible and no later than July 1, 2010.
The Board of Directors is seeking an educational leader to be Heartland's next chief administrator who possesses these attributes and skills:
- Can articulate and rally support for the organization's mission, vision and values.
- Knows how to maintain positive relationships with the Board, staff and member districts.
- Can lead a large complex agency.
- Understands special education and the special needs of students.
- Understands the service role of intermediate agencies.
- Is an excellent communicator and an effective team leader.
- Is committed to high standards for leadership behavior, operations and student learning.
- Is open, honest, caring and collaborative.
Click here for the agenda of the Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting which will be held on Tuesday, December 1 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.
All Heartland AEA offices will be closed on November 26 and 27, December 24, 25 and 31 and January 1. Also, please take note of the following schedule as you plan to send and receive items through our van mail. - November 25-27 2009 No Van Delivery
- December 21-22, 2009 Regular Van Delivery
- December 23-31 2009 & January 1, 2010 No Van Delivery
- January 4, 2010 Regular Van Delivery Resumes
Registration information for January/February and for April Iowa Core Curriculum Leadership Training, Year Two, is available on the Heartland Iowa Core Curriculum link on the Heartland Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ICC. Registration is a must to ensure sufficient space and materials will be available.Below are responses to your most recently submitted questions.
Question: Implementation plan---How far out should districts project? 1 year? multiple years?
Answer: Every outcome, for every content area at each grade span, needs to be addressed in the implementation plan by the legislative deadlines. Districts/schools need to establish the timeline for implementing all the actions of their plans and that timeline will vary from one year to several years in the future, based on district/school priorities and needs.Question: How is the implementation plan going to affect teaching and learning?
Answer: It is the actions a district/school outlines in its implementation plan that will address the expectations of all six outcomes. If districts/schools develop an implementation plan based on the results of their self-studies, their work is likely to be connected to classroom practices through outcomes 4 and 6 in particular. These actions will impact teaching and learning.
Read more questions and answers at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ICC. Additional questions may be addressed to Linda S. Biermann Hoobin, Heartland AEA Teaching and Learning Consultant for the Iowa Core Curriculum,
at lhoobin@aea11.k12.ia.us
The 2009 Iowa School Climate Survey is now available. This biennial survey from the Iowa Pride Network measures the levels of racism, homophobia and sexism in Iowa schools. The 2009 survey is the first since the legislature passed the 2007 Iowa Safe Schools Law. Click here if you are interested in reading the results of the survey.
Please send the number of participants you will be registering for the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) and Pre-conference to Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us by Tuesday, November 30, 2009. For more information on the ICLC and on how to get reimbursement for attending, click here.
This year, American Education Week will be observed during the week of November 15-21. We at Heartland AEA are pleased to partner with you in providing excellent educational opportunities and services for children and youth, families, schools and communities in the area.
During American Education Week, we are able to reflect on our mission to strengthen student achievement for all students. We are proud of the successes that together we have achieved but are mindful of the work that still needs to be done. We look forward to working with each of you to make learning in Iowa even stronger in the coming years. Please feel encouraged to contact me, your Partnership Director or the Heartland Communications Department with any concerns or suggestions for service Heartland AEA might provide to your district.
Enjoy your coming week of recognition for the work you do in education and the contributions being made to improve student achievement.
Sheila King
Interim Chief Administrator
Click here to download the 2009-2010 Heartland AEA directory. It was indicated last year that the Agency would no longer print bound copies of the directory and that is the case this year.
The directory is also available as a PDF download from our Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us. The directory is currently available on the right hand side of the page under the “Featured Content” tab.
Also keep in mind that Heartland has an online staff directory for you to access at your convenience. This electronic directory contains the most up-to-date information about Heartland staff members. To access this directory, visit the Heartland Web site and click on the “Staff Directory” link on the left hand side of the page. You can search for Heartland staff members by last name, position or by the school districts they serve.
Thank you for your understanding as we try to be more environmentally friendly and budget conscious by not printing our directory.
Every year, River of Words® (ROW) conducts an international environmental poetry and art competition for youth aged 5 to 19 in grades K-12, in affiliation with The Library of Congress Center for the Book. This free contest is designed to help youth explore the natural environment and cultural history of the place they live, and to express what they discover through poetry and art. Iowa entries not chosen as finalists or grand prize winners in the international contest are returned to IOWATER, where they are judged in a statewide River of Words IOWA Environmental Poetry and Art competition.The IOWATER Volunteer Water Monitoring Program of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources coordinates the River of Words IOWA Environmental Poetry and Art competition. Over 530 students from Iowa entered the 2009 contest, either through their schools, community art centers, local libraries or on their own. Because of the large number of quality Iowa entries, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art generously offered to host a juried River of Words IOWA Environmental Poetry and Art Exhibit for the second year in a row. Thirty-seven works of poetry and art were selected to be included in this exhibit, held August 1-23, 2009. Following its run in Cedar Rapids, both the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque and the State Capitol Building in Des Moines signed on to host this traveling exhibit, which has been selected to be part of the Lt. Governor’s IOWA ARTIST SHOWCASE.
If your students would be interested in entering the contest for 2010, entries must be sent to the following by December 1:
River of Words, PO Box 4000-J
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
Phone: 510-548-POEM (7636)
Fax: 510-548-2095
ROW returns Iowa's entries to IOWATER in April for state competition and Iowa’s state winners are chosen in May.
For more information and entry forms, visit www.iowater.net and click on River of Words, or contact:
Pat Lohmann
IOWA River of Words Coordinator Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
109 Trowbridge Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242-1319
Phone: (319) 335-1593
FAX: (319) 335-2754
email: Pat.Lohmann@dnr.iowa.gov
Again, the deadline for entries for the 2010 academic year is Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Entries received after December 1 are entered into next year's contest.
As was mentioned in last week's Administrator Connection, the annual Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) will be held on February 9-10, 2010 (with Pre-conference on February 8) at the Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines, Iowa.
For budgeting purposes, please send the number of participants you will be registering for the ICLC and Pre-conference to Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us no later than November 30, 2009. Title III will only fund the Early Bird Rates to your district if done before December 11, 2009. You may register each participant through the Northwest AEA Web site at http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/. The following are conditions Title III will fund:
Pre-conference registration based on ELL enrollment - Schools without English language learners will receive reimbursement for one participant to attend a Pre-conference session (up to $100 registration fee, only).
- Schools with one or more English language learners receive reimbursement (up to $100 registration fee, only) for each of three participants to attend the Pre-conference sessions.
Iowa Culture and Language Conference Registration and Sub-pay based on ELL enrollment - Districts with 75 ELLs and up will be reimbursed for 10 participants.
- Districts with 15 to 74 ELLs will be reimbursed for 3 participants.
- Districts with 10 to 14 ELLs will be reimbursed for 2 participants.
- Districts with 9 and below ELLs will be reimbursed for 1 participant.
Participants must have full attendance at the Pre-conference or ICLC to qualify for Title III reimbursement and sign in at the Heartland AEA table which will be located by the registration booth, lower lobby of the Polk County Convention Center.
Signed hard copies of Title III claim forms for both the Pre-conference and ICLC (one form for the Pre-conference, another for ICLC) must be submitted no later than February 26, 2010 to Jeri Messenger at 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131.
Also mentioned in last week's Administrator Connection was an invitation to "Introduction To Sheltered Instruction for Teachers of ELLs”. To view that article, click here. Out of the 60 available openings for the class, 30 have already been filled! Make sure your educators who work with K-12 English language learners don't miss out on this opportunity!
Dates: January 9 & 16, 2010 (100% attendance is required for credit.)Times: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Location: Stoney Creek Inn
Address: 5291 NW 84th St., Johnston
Instructors: Shelley Fairbairn and Stephaney Jones-VoActivity number: ES004299991001
Participants can register through the Heartland Professional Development catalog at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH.
Registration information for Day Two and for Day Three Leadership Training is now posted on the Heartland AEA Web site. On the right side of the home page, click on Heartland’s Iowa Core link. Scroll to the bottom of that page and click on Year 2-Days 2 and 3 Registration Flyer. Registration is a must to ensure space and materials for each participant. Each session requires registration.
Other news: The PowerPoint presentation from October’s training is available on the Web site under Year Two Resources by Topic. The team has addressed over 100 questions in a question and answer document that is also found on the Heartland Web site.For questions or further information, contact Linda Biermann Hoobin, Teaching and Learning Consultant for the Iowa Core Curriculum, at lhoobin@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Heartland will be offering a poverty simulation session on November 13 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at New Hope Assembly of God Church. During the simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their children to senior citizens trying to maintain their self-sufficiency on Social Security. The task of each family is to provide food, shelter and other basic necessities during the simulation while interacting with various community resources. Although participants use “play” money and other props, fictional scenarios and time limits, the simulation is not a game. It is a tool that enables participants to view poverty from different angles in an experiential setting.
In order to ensure we can hold the simulation, we need to have 40 participants registered, otherwise it will be canceled. If you are interested, please register today! Go to Heartland's Professional Development Catalog to register. The Activity Number is HU016199991001.
Click here to find out more about participating in a professional development and research project to address "Literacy, Language and Communication for Children with Significant Disabilities." This project promotes the comprehensive literacy learning of Iowa students with significant developmental disabilities.Interested teams must submit a letter of intent along with their application (form can be downloaded here) by December 16, 2009 to Dr. Amy Peterson at (319) 273-7852 (fax) or Schindler Education Center 186, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0601.
“Introduction To Sheltered Instruction for Teachers of ELLs” is the hottest ticket in town and we are offering training in January! Check out Heartland AEA Professional Catalog for more information to share with your staff.
The targeted audience is all educators who work with K-12 English language learners including content and grade level teachers who have NOT taken Sheltered Instruction previously.This 2-day course will provide participants with a research-based framework to guide differentiated lesson planning, delivery and assessment that meet the needs of ELLs and other diverse learners in the mainstream or sheltered classroom. Teaching strategies and demonstrations specifically designed to facilitate simultaneous learning of language and content will be presented and demonstrated.
NOTE: Priority will be given to partner institutions within the Heartland AEA area. Des Moines Public School participants must register with the permission of Vinh Nguyen.
A stipend of $200 will be provided to participants who complete all course requirements. Details on how to receive the stipend and submit the assignment will be given at class.Dates: January 9 & 16, 2010 (100% attendance is required for credit.)Times: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Location: Stoney Creek Inn
Address: 5291 NW 84th St., Johnston
Instructors: Shelley Fairbairn and Stephaney Jones-VoActivity number: ES004299991001
The annual Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) will be held on February 9-10, 2010 at Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines, Iowa. A Pre-conference will take place on February 8. This year's theme is "Rooted to Grow: Diverse Learners in the 21st Century."
Eight speakers have been invited to speak at the conference. The mission of the annual event is to advocate for culturally and/or linguistically diverse students and their families, educators and service providers. Schools are encouraged to bring a team.
For budgeting purposes, please send the number of participants you will be registering for the ICLC and Pre-conference to Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us no later than November 30, 2009.
After sending your anticipated number of participants to Pat Latham, you may register each participant through the Northwest AEA Web site at http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/.
Make sure to register before December 11, 2009 to receive the Early Bird Rate. Title III will only fund the Early Bird Rates to your district. The following are conditions Title III will fund:
Pre-conference registration based on ELL enrollment - Schools without English language learners will receive reimbursement for one participant to attend a Pre-conference session (up to $100 registration fee, only).
- Schools with one or more English language learners receive reimbursement (up to $100 registration fee, only) for each of three participants to attend the Pre-conference sessions.
Iowa Culture and Language Conference Registration and Sub-pay based on ELL enrollment - Districts with 75 ELLs and up will be reimbursed for 10 participants.
- Districts with 15 to 74 ELLs will be reimbursed for 3 participants.
- Districts with 10 to 14 ELLs will be reimbursed for 2 participants.
- Districts with 9 and below ELLs will be reimbursed for 1 participant.
Participants must have full attendance at the Pre-conference or ICLC to qualify for Title III reimbursement. The Heartland AEA sign-in table will be located by the registration booth, lower lobby of the Polk County Convention Center.
Signed, hard copies of Title III claim forms for both the Pre-conference and ICLC (one form for the Pre-conference, another for ICLC) must be submitted no later than February 26, 2010 to Jeri Messenger at 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131.
Join us for our 2nd Annual Heartland AEA-sponsored Immigration Forum on February 9, 2010 from 2:45-5:00 p.m. The Immigration Forum is held in conjunction with the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) which is being held February 9-10 (with Pre-Conference on February 8) at the Polk County Convention Complex at 501 Grand in Downtown Des Moines.
The Immigration Forum will include a panel of national and local experts who will share facts about refugees and immigrants in Iowa and implications for educators. This rare opportunity to meet representatives knowledgeable on laws and issues related to immigration offers an excellent networking and learning experience for educators and partners in education.The the Immigration Forum is FREE! Consider bringing a team from your area and complete a registration for each participant. Registration can be done on the Northwest AEA Web site at http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/.
For more information, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14680 or Gilmara Mitchell at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14679
Heartland AEA in collaboration with Southeast Polk Schools (Central Place) will be bringing in Dr. Donna Beegle to conduct an all-day poverty workshop at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Altoona on January 20, 2010. Dr. Beegle is a highly experienced national public speaker, discussion leader and trainer and is the author of "See Poverty, Be The Difference", a resource book for professionals who work with people in poverty. Her book can be ordered by adding an additional $25 to the cost of registration. Early Bird registration (good from now until January 4) is $35 which includes lunch. Click here for the registration form. Send the completed form with applicable payments to Central Place/EPIA, 6540 NE 12th Avenue,
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327.
Click here for the agenda of the Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting which will be held on November 3 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.
The November Curriculum Network Meeting is scheduled for November 6, 2009 at the Johnston Regional Education Center on 6500 Corporate Drive. You can download the agenda here or from the Curriculum Network Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/curriculumnet/2009-10/nov09.html.
Heartland AEA in collaboration with Southeast Polk Schools (Central Place) will be bringing in Dr. Donna Beegle to conduct an all-day poverty workshop at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Altoona on January 20, 2010. Dr. Beegle is a highly experienced national public speaker, discussion leader and trainer and is the author of See Poverty, Be The Difference, a resource book for professionals who work with people in poverty. Her book can be ordered by adding an additional $25 to the cost of registration. Early bird registration (good from now until January 4) is $35 which includes lunch. Click here for the registration form. Send the completed form with applicable payments to the following:
Central Place / EPIA
6540 NE 12th Avenue
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327
The Teaching Diverse Students Initiative (TDSI) is a new resource for educators established by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This free resource is a great opportunity for anyone to explore and grow their cultural competence. Working through the assessments, articles and tools is a great professional growth opportunity. These resources can also help teachers, school leaders, school improvement teams or any group with an interest in maximizing students’ learning opportunities to identify needed policies and practices that support effective teaching and high levels of student learning. The resources available through TDSI are embedded in tools and cases and are the following: - The Understanding the Influence of Race tool helps educators learn more about the origins of "race" as we understand it, examine the continuing influence of race on their own beliefs and behavior and better comprehend how and why their students succeed or struggle.
- The Common Beliefs Survey identifies beliefs about instruction and learning that may have consequences for students of diverse races and ethnicities.
- Primer on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is an introduction to teaching that facilitates student learning by taking into account race and ethnicity related values, dispositions and experiences.
- Case-Based Course Modules engage the learner in interactive problem-solving related to teaching literacy; many of the lessons to be learned apply to all subjects.
- The School Survey identifies conditions in schools that support effective teaching and learning of racially and ethnically diverse students.
TDSI places primary emphasis on practices within teachers' immediate control — classroom strategies and pedagogical techniques. The research-based strategies promoted by TDSI, first and foremost, support students' academic learning. Within that focus, it also emphasizes strategies that have the potential to reduce teacher and student prejudice.
While TDSI focuses on improving instruction, it recognizes that teaching and the learning opportunities experienced by students are influenced by school structures, processes and cultures that vary in the extent to which they are responsive to student diversity. Thus, the TDSI helps teachers, administrators and families identify the characteristics of schools that are particularly important in maximizing the social and cognitive development of racially and ethnically diverse students.To access this free resource, go to http://tolerance.org/tdsi.
Join Rick Wormeli for a, “how-to” and “why-we-do-it” workshop for those just getting their feet wet with differentiated instruction or for those already swimming who want more ideas. This seminar will bust differentiation myths and provide dozens of practical, "use-the-next-day" tips for making differentiation work. Wormeli will provide sound instructional ideas on tiering, anchor activities, scaffolding, flexible grouping, attention moves, respectful tasks, compacting curriculum, practical cognitive science applications, classroom management, as well as suggestions for meeting the needs of all students. During the afternoon portion of the seminar, Wormeli will carefully move through each step in the process of creating a differentiated lesson from scratch.
About Rick Wormeli: One of the first Nationally Board Certified teachers in America, Rick brings innovation, energy, validity and high standards to both his presentations, and his instructional practice, which includes more than twenty-five years teaching math, science, English, physical education, health, history and coaching teachers. With his substantive presentations, sense of humor and unconventional approaches, he’s been asked to present to teachers and administrators in all 50 states, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Australia, the Middle East and even the White House.
You can register through the Heartland Professional Development catalog at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH.
Crafting the Art of Differentiation with Rick Wormeli
Date: January 7, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Location: Airport Holiday Inn
Cost: $60.00 (lunch will be provided)
Activity Number: AS004899991001
Join us for our 2nd Annual Heartland AEA-sponsored Immigration Forum on February 9, 2010 from 2:45-5:00 p.m. The Immigration Forum is held in conjunction with the Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) which is being held February 9-10 (with Pre-Conference on February 8) at the Polk County Convention Complex at 501 Grand in Downtown Des Moines.
The ICLC and Immigration Forum are great opportunities to expand cultural competence awareness and meet representatives knowledgeable on laws and issues related to ethnicity and immigration. More information on these events can be found on the Northwest AEA Web site at http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/.
Early bird registration for the ICLC is $120, and the Immigration Forum is FREE. Consider bringing a team from your area and complete a registration form for each participant. A direct link to the online registration form is at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dE9vWUJtQlVBR0tKU2hfNFo0eUVzaVE6MA..
For more information about the Heartland-sponsored Immigration Forum, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo, (515) 270-0405 ext. 14680 or Gilmara Mitchell, (515) 270-0405 ext. 14679.
For more information about the ICLC, contact Pat Latham at (515) 270 0405 ext. 14681.
Click here for the notes from the October Heartland Administrators Association. The presentations on immigration provided during that meeting are available on our Web site at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ldr/admin.html. The next meeting will be November 3 at the West Des Moines Learning Center.
The mission of the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. The AASA will host two learning support development opportunities that are described below.
For more information on becoming a member of AASA, go to http://www.aasa.org/join-additional-info.aspx?id=2154.
Webinar: Strengthening School Improvement by Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching
Date: October 29, 2009 Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT
Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor (educators, researchers and national leaders from UCLA) will talk about why a system of learning supports is imperative for schools to succeed and what forward-thinking states and districts are doing to implement such systems in order to do the following: - Reduce student dropout rates
- Reduce teacher dropout rates
- Narrow achievement gaps
- Re-engage students in classroom learning
- Eliminate the ““plateau effect”” related to student achievement
- Support schools in crisis
To register, go to http://scholastic.webex.com/scholastic/k2/j.php?ED=127595687&UID=127473567&FM=1 Session Number: 359 033 400. and click "Registration" by Session Status. Once approved by the host, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session.
Collaborative: School Improvement Opportunity to Develop Comprehensive Systems of Learning Supports
This collaborative is an effort aimed at expanding leaders’ knowledge, capacity and implementation of comprehensive systems of learning supports. This effort supports AASA’s flagship initiative, Educating the Total Child, which is aimed at advocating for an education approach designed to affect real change by addressing key factors that determine children’s academic achievement.
There will only be four districts selected throughout the nation to participate in the collaborative. They will be provided with valuable supports to help them move forward toward developing comprehensive systems of learning supports that are integrated into school improvement planning and implementation that involves the following: - Building understanding about comprehensive systems of learning supports and how such systems transform public education
- Creating policy and practice framework documents that can be shared among critical stakeholder groups
- Working to design and implement learning support system
Districts will be guided in their work by Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor. The application deadline is November 1, 2009. To register, go to: http://www.aasa.org/uploadedFiles/Resources/Leadership_Development/Professional_Development_Programs/AASAScholasticUCLARFAFinal.pdf.
For more information on the project, please feel free to contact Dr. MaryAnn Jobe at mjobe@aasa.org or Cyndy Erickson at Cyndy.Erickson@iowa.gov.
Kevin Fangman of the Iowa Department of Education recently sent a letter of guidance for 8th Grade Plans to all district superintendents and area education agencies. For a copy of his letter, click here.
The Administrator Networking Session scheduled for October 20th at Fuddruckers in West Des Moines has been canceled due to low number of registrations. The next networking opportunity is in Carroll on November 11 at the Carrollton Inn, Oakland Room from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. To register, go to the Heartland Professional Development catalog on the Web site and enter the item registration number, AD013099991001. Superintendent Rob Cordes and team will be sharing their story, "Applying Balanced Leadership".
It’s never too early for students to start planning for their future! The Parent & Educator Connection (PEC) will host a Transition Times Workshop on Tuesday, October 22. Families and educators of 7-12th grade students on IEP’s, students ages 14 and older and school district professionals are invited to attend. Click here for an informational flyer for the workshop.
To register, contact Maureen Schletzbaum at mschletzbaum@aea11.k12.ia.us or Susan Gill at susan.gill@dmps.k12.ia.us. Please leave your name, phone number, number attending and your school district. If accommodations are needed, please make request by October 9.
In an effort to improve our professional development services, two more course proposal forms are now on-line. Study Group and Collaborative Action Research proposals used to be paper forms that were completed and submitted for license renewal and graduate credit. Those forms have now been converted to on-line proposal forms.To submit a course proposal, authors should go to the "Classes, Workshops and Trainings" tab on the left side of Heartland's home page. Click on "Course Proposal Forms" then choose the appropriate format by clicking on the format type. To create a new proposal, click the box and hit "search". This will take you to the on-line form which follows a similar format to the current on-line proposal form for catalog or site-based courses.We are excited to offer this updated service to our internal and external clients - this will be a much more "user-friendly" application.For questions, contact Sue Schirmer, Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, at at (515) 270-0405 or (800) 255-0405 ext 14379 or sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us.
This October, Iowa ASCD’s fall conference features Jan Chappuis, who will speak on Formative Assessment. Jan works directly with Rick Stiggins and has a wealth of practical information to help educators. ETS recently published Jan’s book: “Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning”. The book is included with each participant’s registration. It is formatted in a way so that school teams can use it both as a learning tool and as an instructional tool, as it includes forms that are reproducible for use with students in the classroom. Jan was the speaker at last year’s workshop and she was very well received. This year, she will walk participants through her book and explain how school teams can use the assessment tools to further student learning. This workshop aligns very well with the Iowa CORE; there are already several Iowa schools using the book with district leadership teams and PLC’s as they study how to instruct and assess the Core.
The Iowa ASCD is encouraging school groups to send a team, as this is an area that will assist staff in their understanding of how to use formative assessment to inform instruction. Click here for a brochure of more information on the conference and how to register.You may direct questions to Pam Vogel at (641) 347-5215 or pvogel@east-union.k12.ia.us.
Click here for the agenda of the October 6th Heartland Administrators' Association (HAA) meeting which will be held at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.
Year Two, Day One Iowa Core Curriculum training is scheduled for October 5 and repeated on October 8. The sessions in Des Moines are closed but space is still available at the four other locations. Teams are reminded to bring their self-study materials for Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 5 to the training and any other materials needed for work during team planning time. One focus of the October training will be alignment, and participants will have an opportunity to preview the self-study for Outcome 4. Some curriculum terms will be briefly reviewed as a part of the alignment segment of the day. Curriculum can be divided into three categories: intended, enacted and assessed curricula.
Intended curriculum: the content target for the enacted curriculum, often captured in content standards or other similar documents.
Enacted curriculum: the content actually delivered during instruction in the classroom and other learning settings.
Assessed curriculum: the content that is assessed to determine achievement (Porter, 2004).
The following is the answer to a frequently asked question related to alignment.
Question: Are we aligning the Iowa Core Curriculum to our local standards and benchmarks? If not, why not?
Answer: The Iowa Core Curriculum is not about rewriting district standards and benchmarks. Rather, it focuses on providing a curriculum that includes the essential concepts and skills for all students. However, an even more important question is, do the local standards and benchmarks really represent what is going on in the classroom (enacted curriculum)? The goal is to align the content, instruction and assessment delivered to students with the Iowa Core Curriculum. (Taken from the Department of Education’s Iowa Core Curriculum Network Team work)
Questions about the Iowa Core Curriculum may be directed to Linda S. Biermann Hoobin, Teaching and Learning Consultant, who can be reached at lhoobin@aea11.k12.ia.us or 515-270-0405 extension 14327.
On September 24, an ICN was held for schools across Iowa to prepare for a K-12 School Counseling site visit. The document review checklist with suggested artifacts for these programs can be found at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/prodev/counseling/.
For questions concerning School Counseling, please contact Sue Schirmer at (515) 270-0405 or (800) 255-0405 extension 14379 or sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us.
Make sure to register for this year's Early Childhood Parent & Educator Connection Conference. The conference will be held November 8‐10, 2009 at the Scheman Building in Ames, Iowa and will highlight various topics and resources associated with special education needs. The conference is tailored for families, educators, community agency representatives and students. Please notify your staff and community of this valuable learning opportunity with the attached flyer and brochure.
Registration is $35 and must be submitted by October 22, 2009. Participants can register by going to www.aea11.k12.ia.us/pareduc/ then clicking on "workshops" or going directly to https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/DL001799991001inv*.
If you have questions regarding the conference or Parent & Educator Connection services, please contact Terry Mendell at (515) 270-0405 ext 17135 or tmendell@aea11.k12.ia.us.
The Iowa Staff Development Council (ISDC) is a state organization of the National Staff Development Council. ISDC seeks to:1) Advocate a common voice for quality professional development in the state of Iowa2) Build an understanding of how districts and other organizations involved with professional development can design and support high quality professional learning by applying the NSDC Standards and Iowa Standards
Membership in this organization is open to any individual interested in the continuous improvement of professional learning and runs from August 09-August 2010. To join, send your name, organization, address, email and phone along with a check or purchase order of $25 to the following:
Lou Howell, Treasurer 2555 Pine Circle Urbandale, IA 50322 Please contact Sue Schirmer, Board Member, at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us with questions or if you would like to be more involved with ISDC.
The University of Iowa’s Jacobson Institute has a stipend opportunity for Iowa High School teachers interested in piloting the YouthBizCentral Online Entrepreneurship Curriculum, which was developed through support from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust of Muscatine, Iowa.
Secondary educators participating in the pilot MUST be willing to implement the 8-unit curriculum, provide feedback via online surveys and have students take pre- and post- assessments measuring their attitudes about and knowledge of entrepreneurship. Each participating educator will receive a $250 stipend upon completion of the pilot project.
Curriculum features are the following:
· Online/Easily Accessible
· 8 Fully Customizable Core Units
· Lesson Plans
· PowerPoint Presentations
· Activities & Web Resources· Entrepreneurial Profiles· Student Business Planning Template· Equips Youth with the Skills to Succeed in Business and Entrepreneurship! T
Teachers will be selected on a first-come, first-serve basis and can apply online at http://www.jacobsoninstitute.org/youthbiz_app.cfm.
This afternoon you received your Part B award through the State of Iowa ARRA Website accessed via the State’s Enterprise A&A system. Please review all pre-populated data to ensure it is accurate.
Heartland AEA sent an email earlier this morning to all area superintendents and district special education contacts stating that the deadline for Part B ARRA reporting to Heartland AEA is Monday, September 28 at NOON. Please note, this is the ARRA Quarterly Reporting, not the ARRA application which is still due October 2.The Heartland ARRA Reporting Team will be located in the Johnston office Computer Lab from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Monday to assist any district on getting the reporting done. If you do not wish to travel to Johnston but still need assistance, you can reach members of the team via phone at (515) 270-9030 or (800) 362-2720 extension 14537. The team also will be available via their email addresses that are listed in the close of the email sent earlier today or by clicking here.
Training videos on ARRA quarterly reporting can be accessed under "Latest Update" on the DE's Web site for ARRA Stimulus Information. The link for the page is http://edtraining.iowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=2.
The October Curriculum Network meeting will be held on October 2, 2009 at the Heartland AEA office at 6500 Corporate Drive. Click here for the agenda.
Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Juvenile Court Services will be conducting Community Conversations regarding insight into the reform and restructure of the group care process in Iowa. For the conversations to be worthwhile, they are inviting individuals who have had direct experiences with group care. Such individuals would already have an understanding of group care process (what it is and what it does) and/or specific suggestions to improve the process. You may be interested in the Community Conversation if you had a child in group care or direct experiences with children who have been in group care and would like to share feedback about reforming the system.
Click here for an information letter from the DHS. If your district is in Story County, please click here instead.
Social Studies educators are invited to attend the annual conference hosted by the Iowa Council for the Social Studies (ICSS) on October 12, 2009 at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel in West Des Moines. This year’s theme is “Social Studies: The Core and So Much More.” To learn more and to register, go to http://www.uni.edu/icss/program2009.pdf
World Book encyclopedia online databases (for elementary, secondary and reluctant readers) now have both read-aloud and text translation features to make information more accessible to all students. The articles, primary sources and e-books are translated into 13 languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. More info is at http://store.worldbook.com/wb/Assets/CPC/email/adv_diff/advdiff_announce_s.html.
Access World Book from the Heartland Home page under Resources & Research Tools at http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us. You can share the school username/password with parents so they can use this resource with their children. Ask your teacher librarian for assistance.
The University of Iowa has an online Master of Arts in Special Education Instructional Strategist I Mild and Moderate (K-6) – Level 1 & 2 program available for licensed Iowa teachers.
Requirements: - Iowa Residency
- BA degree
- Elementary Certification in Iowa
Program:- Attend classes online
- Access to an on-site Mentor
- Job-embedded class assignments
For more information please visit www.hawkeyedegree.com and click on “Information Request,” or go to http://www.education.uiowa.edu/distance_ed/degree_programs.html.
You may have heard about Heartland’s plans for Regional Education Centers (RECs) and co-location opportunities from your Heartland partnership director, so we’d like to provide you with some updated information on these important facility plans.The Agency is in the process of implementing an REC model to improve service delivery to our school districts and to utilize our financial resources more effectively. RECs support the Agency’s transformation to provide services in the regions, close to those served by Heartland, as well as to increase the proportion of agency space dedicated to teaching and learning. Each regional center will reflect the unique needs and characteristics of the area served. In addition, the Agency is exploring co-location opportunities within schools to increase efficiencies relating to staff service delivery.Phase I
During the 2007-2008 school year, the Heartland Board of Directors approved the Agency’s plan for five RECs (Johnston, Adel, Newton, Ames and the West side of the Agency).The Phase I REC Planning Committee, which represented multiple stakeholders, developed a recommendation for the design and programming of all regional education centers. This effort was lead by Sheila King and Sharon Kurns. The work of the group considered current and future needs, the impact of agency initiatives, feedback from district staff, technology, options for partnerships, flexible spaces and file storage. It was noted that all RECs should have professional development classroom space, offices, storage space and professional resources/materials.Phase IIOn March 1, 2009, the REC committee (RECC) provided its Phase I report with recommendations to the Executive Council. The report cited data sources, general recommendations, location-specific recommendations and proposed timelines. Executive Council approved the Phase I report, which serves as the source document for Phase II.
From April-August 2009, various REC committees/subcommittees and co-location subcommittees were formed to assess and analyze opportunities in Newton, Adel, Knoxville and Ankeny. Based on feedback from these subcommittees, revision of the original Phase II REC commissioning document was necessary to provide further guidance, especially regarding co-location opportunities. Phase II (revised) encompasses FY 2009-2010 planning and implementation of REC and co-location opportunities.The revised REC and co-location timeline for FY 2009-2010 is the following:
· Newton REC – completion NLT (no later than) July 31, 2010
· Adel REC – prioritization moved to FY 2010-2011
· Johnston REC – completion NLT December 31, 2010
· Knoxville co-location – NLT June 30, 2010
· Ankeny co-location – NLT June 30, 2010
Implementation of the REC model and co-location concept is a complex task because of systemic ramifications. Facility re-location and/or reconfiguration impact financial and staffing resources, service delivery and distribution systems.
Co-location opportunities will be important as Heartland moves forward with its goal to provide services closer to our districts and schools. As we move forward with these opportunities, your assistance in identifying potential locations and your input and suggestions will be appreciated. Next steps will be to continue regular updates to stakeholders, implement the revised timeline and plan for Phase III.If you have any questions or comments about these plans, please contact Steve Prall, Heartland AEA Chief of Operations, at (800) 255-0405 ext. 14423 or at sprall@aea11.k12.ia.us.
We recently received information from Norma Lynch at the Department of Education that will be of interest to all schools, especially those anticipating site visits in the near future. Click here for a document that contains a description of inappropriate implementation of the collaborative and consultative teaching models for special education and general education teachers. These models will receive increased scrutiny during school improvement visits in 2009-10 in order to assess implementation of highly-qualified teacher legislation. The attached document provides a brief description of the models (with key characteristics), a list of inappropriate examples of implementation and some examples of answers to the focused school improvement questions that would be a signal to do more investigation. Please contact your Partnership Director if you have any further questions.
During Leadership Training last school year, district/school teams received the Iowa Core Curriculum self-studies for outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 5. Outcome 4 will be available at the upcoming October Leadership Training Sessions. Outcome 6 will be available at a later date.At Leadership Training, teams learned a process to complete the self-studies that allows for input from all involved. Each team determined their current status on each action for each of the outcomes. That information was transferred to a consensus rating form that will assist teams when it is time to write an implementation plan. A copy of each consensus rating form, when completed, should be sent to Linda Biermann Hoobin at the Johnston Office of Heartland or can be sent electronically to Linda at lhoobin@aea11.1k2.ia.us.Currently available self-studies can be found on the Heartland Iowa Core Curriculum Web page located under the heading “Iowa Core Curriculum Resources by Topic”, then self-study and implementation planning.There is still time to register for Iowa Core Curriculum Leadership Training Year Two, Day One. The October 5th session at Zion Lutheran Church is closed, but all others have space available. Find registration information on the Heartland Iowa Core Curriculum Web page.Questions can be directed to Linda Biermann Hoobin, Teaching and Learning Consultant for the Iowa Core Curriculum at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14327 or at the email mentioned above.
The state of Iowa has accepted an invitation to participate in the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. The program is designed to give young Americans a working knowledge of American political life.
Each year, two Iowa students have the opportunity to spend a week in Washington, D.C. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation pays all expenses. In addition, the two Iowa high school representatives each receive a $5,000 scholarship, subject to scholarship conditions and requirements. The selection of the two Iowa high school representatives is based solely on the outstanding ability and demonstrated leadership qualities of elected junior or senior high school student officers for the 2009-10 school year.
Each high school may nominate one student. Click here for the Iowa Department of Education's letter to Iowa's superintendents and principals about the USSYP Program. Student application materials are attached here or may be downloaded from the DE's Web site at http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=939&Itemid=1225.
The completed applications must be submitted to Kim Thuente at Heartland AEA 11 by September 25, 2009. Nominees selected from the applicants will be required to take a qualifying examination on October 7th at 1:30 p.m. in the Johnston AEA Computer Lab. The qualifying examination consists of a 45-minute multiple choice, matching and T/F test with questions about government and the U.S. Constitution. The top five scoring students will then complete a 45-minute essay exam.The essays and application materials from the top five scoring students will be submitted to the DE by October 30th for selection of the two Iowa delegates and alternates.
If you have questions please contact Kimberly (Kim) Thuente at (515) 270-0405 or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14372.
Utilize this site to share information with your counselors, keep updated on current issues, find professional development opportunities, obtain forms and guidelines for your counseling program, share curriculum resources and discover much more.
To register, go to: http://205.221.40.124:16080/moodle. Login or click login in the top right corner and follow the directions to create an account.
“Enroll” in the “course” called, School Counseling – Iowa School Counselors (there is no “course”, it is merely the Moodle language).For assistance or questions, please contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us
