Superintendents: November HAA Meeting

The agenda for the November Heartland Administrators Association meeting is still being finalized. We apologize for the inconvenience. The agenda will be sent to superintendents via email on Monday, November 1. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, November 2 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:30 a.m.

Curriculum Network: November Meeting

The November Curriculum Network meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 5, 2010. The meeting will go from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and will be held at St. Mary's Church (4600 Meredith Drive, Des Moines, IA). The agenda and a map for the church are available at http://curriculumnet.pbworks.com/w/page/November-2010-Agenda

Nutrition Education for Educators offered at ISU

The College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University is offering a Nutrition Education for Educators online course in Spring 2011 that is available for either ISU graduate credit or licensure renewal credits for teachers or nurses (pending approval). Click here to download an informational flyer.

Resource to Establish a Stop Bullying Campaign

Earlier this week, the Department of Education urged the nation’s educators to ensure that they are complying with their responsibilities to prevent bullying and harassment, as laid out in federal laws. Districts are encouraged to visit a practical website offered by the federal government's U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Located at http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/, the website contains ready-to-use materials for administrators at all levels and will even give you a wonderful jump on establishing a Stop Bullying Now Campaign for your schools. Check it out and use the materials to win approval of the campaign with your leadership team by going to Starting a Campaign at http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/start-a-campaign.aspx. Hundreds of pages of downloadable materials and advice are available on the website.

DE News: Iowa Evaluator Approval Update

During the past two years, the Evaluator Advisory Committee represented by schools, area education agencies (AEAs), colleges/universities, School Administrators of Iowa (SAI), Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), Board of Educational Examiners (BoEE) and the Department of Education (DE) have been meeting to analyze data regarding evaluation, reading and reflecting on research, seeking best practices in evaluation that improve teaching and learning and designing Evaluator Approval Level III. As the new calendar year approaches, the DE will be unveiling Evaluator Approval Level III for those professionals who will need to renew their administrator/evaluator license and have successfully completed Evaluator Approval Level I and II prior to January 2011. At the same time, the DE will be combining Levels I and II into an online course, iEvaluate.

Evaluator Approval Level III
The training for Evaluator Approval Level III will look somewhat different than the previous training for Evaluator Approval Levels I and II. Beginning January 2012, the four credits required to renew an administrator/evaluator’s license will be completed by selecting from a menu of required modules that will enhance the skills necessary to be an effective instructional leader and evaluator. Each administrator/evaluator will successfully complete one common learning module - Assessing Academic Rigor – for two required renewal credits. The additional two credits required to renew an administrative/evaluator license will be earned by selecting from any one of the additional modules:

• Fierce Conversations (available in all AEAs)
• Increasing the Effectiveness of Leadership Teams (release date Spring 2011)
• Employee Discipline/Intensive Assistance Plans
• Developing Professional Development Plans that Impact Teaching and Learning
• Leadership Skills for Beating the Odds

Not all modules are fully developed at this time, so it is suggested that individuals watch the DE, SAI, BoEE and their respective AEA websites for more information.

NOTE: The DE does understand that some professionals have already completed two hours of credit toward this renewal and are awaiting information from the DE about future evaluator training to complete the four required renewal credits. To accommodate those individuals, the DE will allow a professional to use hours accumulated prior to December 31, 2011, plus the Assessing Academic Rigor module to meet requirements for renewal of administrator/evaluator licensure. Any hours completed after December 31, 2011, other than the required modules may not be used toward renewal.

For further information, you may download the following resources in the Administrator Connection blog:

• Evaluator Approval Level III FAQ
• Evaluator Approval Scenario Matrix
• Evaluator Approval Process

Google Apps Webinars Available for You!

Yesterday, participants logged in the AEA-sponsored live webinar covering GoogleDocs. As communicated in a past Administrator Connection, these Google App webinars are free and open to all educators in Iowa. If you were unable to attend yesterdays webinar, make sure to sign up for one of the below listservs that pertains to you. Signing up for the listserv will allow you to watch the recorded webinar.

Iowa Google Apps Group Listserv
The Iowa Google Apps Group is for tech directors, network administrators and other individuals that are deploying or managing Google Apps in their schools. Visit http://groups.google.com/group/iowa-google-apps-group

Iowa Teachers Google Apps User Group Listserv
The Iowa Teachers Google Apps User Group is designed for teachers and administrators using Google Apps everyday with students and staff. Visit http://groups.google.com/group/IA-Teach-GApps-UserGroup

Be sure to mark your calendars for the next two scheduled webinars. All live webinars will be accessible at http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/googleapps and do not require a pre-registration. Each webinar will begin at 3:30 p.m. on the dates below.

November 11, 2010 - Using Gmail
December 16, 2010 - Using Google Groups
(More webinars will be scheduled in 2011.)

For more information about the Google Apps webinars, contact Andy Crozier at acrozier@gwaea.org or (319) 399-6866.

SchoolDude Survivor Tour Comes to Iowa

SchoolDude is coming to Iowa on their 25-city tour, bringing you a free one day seminar focused on best practices for achieving success in educational facility and business operations. The state budget crisis continues to have a tremendous impact on your job. This may be the only opportunity you have to sharpen your survival skills for succeeding in a difficult economic environment. Due to the need, SchoolDude is bringing the tour to Iowa!

SchoolDude Survivor Tour
November 9, 2010 at Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames, Iowa
Register at http://discover.schooldude.com/forms/SurvivorTourAmesIA

This no-cost, Iowa event will feature:
• Survival Skills sessions
• Insight from peer networking and panel discussions
• Best practices and proven methods for success in tough times
• Strategies and tactics that are achieving results for your colleagues
• Expert advice in the SchoolDude Consulting Center

Early Childhood Professional Learning Sessions: Creative Curriculum and Gold Assessment

The Introduction to Creative Curriculum has been scheduled. This two-day course will explore the philosophy of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, the theory and research supporting it and an overview of the Creative Curriculum Framework. Early childhood educators, special education teachers and preschool teachers serving children on IEPs who are new to Cretive Curriculum are encouraged to attend. Interested school personnel should register through the Heartland Professional Development Catalog and enter the activity number listed in the appropriate field.

Introduction to Creative Curriculum for Preschool
Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston) in Rooms 3, 4 & ICN
November 10 & 11 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Activity Number: EC007092111101

Save the date for an additional Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment that will be offered February 1 & 2, 2011. The location is to be determined.

Heartland AEA and Iowa’s AEAs on Facebook and Twittter

We realize that many of you are on Facebook and Twitter, and we thought it would be great to join you! Heartland AEA will be using Facebook and Twitter to post information about resources, classes, good news stories and other fantastic reads.

Follow Heartland AEA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HeartlandAEA

Like Heartland AEA on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnston-IA/Heartland-Area-Education-Agency/159484134081654

Iowa's Area Education Agencies (our statewide AEA system) also has social media accounts. Get quick and current updates on education issues, policies and professional learning opportunities available around the state.

Follow Iowa's Area Education Agencies on Twitter at http://twitter.com/iowa_aea

Like Iowa's Area Education Agencies on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/iowaaea

Winter is Approaching…Be Ready for Inclement Weather

As winter approaches, we’re all reminded that inclement weather is around the corner. Check out the notification systems available through the Iowa Educators Consortium at http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/School%20Administration

IEC purchases allow schools to take advantage of aggressive pricing based on the purchasing volume of many Iowa schools. Always remember to check in on the IEC website at http://www.iec-ia.org/ to take advantage of the newest available cost-saving services!

UNI College of Education Professional Development Webinars

The University of Northern Iowa College of Education is launching a new 2010-2011 professional webinar series for educators, Hot Topics in Education: Professional Development Webinars. These free one-hour webinars taught by faculty and staff will be offered once a month, September through May. The webinars allow educators an opportunity to learn from UNI experts in the comfort of their classroom, office or home. This year's webinars will feature popular topics such as classroom management, core standards, achievement gap, technology in the classroom, STEM education and more. Participants can choose the topics of their interest.

Do you want to learn classroom management strategies? Join the next free Hot Topics webinar, Classroom Management for the First-Year Teacher, at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010.

For more information about these free webinars and to register for this presentation, visit www.uni.edu/coe/professional-development-webinars

IAHPERD Convention, November 19-21

The IAHPERD Convention (Iowa Association For Health, Physical Education, Recreation And Dance) will be held from November 19-21 at the Davenport West High/YMCA complex. A pre-conference workshop will take place on Friday, November 19. For more information on the convention, visit http://www.iowaahperd.org/.

Reminder: Title III Reimbursement and the ICLC

The Iowa Culture and Language Conference (ICLC) will be held in Coralville, Iowa at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Pre-conference sessions will be on November 1, 2010, with conference sessions on November 2-3, 2010. All the information you need to register can be found on the Northwest AEA website, http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/upcoming_events/iowa_culture_language_conference/

The early bird registration rate has expired, however, Title III will pay the full $140 fee for the next 50 participants who register. If you have already registered at the $140 rate, Title III will cover your registration.

If you have already registered a team from your district and would like to register additional people, please contact Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-0405 ext. 14861. There is a possibility that Title III funds can help.
Title III will pay for the registration, sub pay for the conference, and offer a small mini-grant to help defray travel costs. There are a few guidelines, however.

• Districts with 75 ESL students or more may send 10 participants under Title III funding.

• Districts with fewer than 75 may send 5 participants. Of course, your district may send as many participants as wanted, however, Title III won’t be able to cover funding for more than the allotted slots.

• Title III will provide a mini-grant to help pay for travel expenses. Districts with 75 ESL students or more qualify for a $200 mini-grant. Districts with fewer than 75 ESL students qualify for a min-grant of $100. Districts do not need to apply for this mini-grant, it will automatically be noted on the reimbursement claim form.

• Claim forms for district reimbursement will be sent to one district administrator after the conference. Reimbursement will be made only to the district, not to individual participants.

• Participants will not need to sign in at the conference, however, administrators will need to list all participants from their district on the reimbursement claim form. For the district to receive reimbursement, participants must attend the entire pre-conference day and/or both conference days they are registered for. Please note the beginning and ending times. If you cannot stay until the last session is over each day, you do not qualify for Title III support.

Iowa one of 31-State Consortium Awarded RTTT Assessment Grant

At the October 5 HAA meeting, Kevin Fangman, Interim Director of the Iowa Department of Education, shared that the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) was awarded a $160 million Race To the Top assessment grant. Iowa is one of the states associated with the 31-state SBAC. Click here to download the press release of the announcement and an explanation of how the federal funds will be used.

E-Rate Revision Supports Cell Phone Use in Schools

The E-Rate program will now allow schools to create and fund mobile pilot programs—dedicating federal dollars to devices such as smartphones, iPads, and netbooks that can be used in school, and at home, to access school materials. Read more at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/newsletters/newsletterbucketextrahelping/887213-443/e-rate_revision_supports_cell_phone.html.csp

Iowa’s Mosaic Diversity Conference, October 18

Iowa’s Mosaic Diversity Conference
The Changing Diversity Footprint: From Reflex to Inclusion www.iowamosaic.org
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sheraton Hotel, 1800 50th Street, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266

Iowa's Mosaic Diversity Conference is the premier statewide training and networking opportunity for those interested in human diversity. It is sponsored by Friends of Iowa Civil Rights, Inc., an independent non-profit corporation. The 2010 theme is The Changing Diversity Footprint: Moving From Reflex to Inclusion. Iowa’s footprint has changed. Our population is now a rich variety of cultures and backgrounds; people with talents and visions of opportunity and success for themselves and their families. This year’s conference will focus on creating a welcoming state that not only embraces differences in its population but provides opportunities for its people to take their talents and ambitions as far as they want to go while infusing Iowa with economic vitality.

Featured general conference speaker, Michael Sidney Fosberg, will present Incognito. This story of intrigue and mystery unfolds as Fosberg searches for his biological father. As Fosberg shares the story of his history and identity, he takes the audience on their own journey of discovery about themselves and their perceptions of identity and stereotypes.

There will also be the addition of the Eagle Summit: Dialog for Leaders to this year’s Conference. This stimulating, thought-provoking program is specifically designed for leaders in government, business and diversity. The Eagle Summit agenda will feature speakers, Julius Pryor III, and Dr. Edward Hubbard, an award presentation, and round table discussion designed to identify collaborative actions we can take to make Iowa a welcoming place of opportunity.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION - Register online at www.iowamosaic.org.

• Register by this Sunday, October 10 for the early bird discount.
• Eagle Summit early bird registration - $150.00/person. (Registration will include access to general conference activities following the Eagle Summit). This session is reserved for business and government leaders, and diversity professionals.
• General Conference early bird registration fee - $100.00/person
• College and high school students’ registration fee - $35.00/person. A limited number of scholarships are available on a first come, first served basis. Please email your request to shirley@avinsandinc.com.

Questions can be directed to Alice Vinsand at (515) 225-1051.

State PEC Transition Conference relocated to Polk County Convention Center

The location of the Parent & Educator Connection Transition Conference, Great Expectations, has been changed to the Polk County Convention Center (501 Grand Avenue in Des Moines). The conference will still be held October 27 & 28, 2010. This move is necessary as the original location, the Scheman Center in Ames, is not yet available due to flood damage.

There is no fee to attend this year due to a special grant, but registration is required. To register, go to http://www.iowa.gov/educate/calendar/calendar.html#/?i=1 and click on October 27: Secondary Transition Conference. Click here to download a complete program of the conference.

Creating Microsoft Settlement Reporting eWalk Templates

Some school administrators have asked if the state would be creating an eWalk template for evaluating the implementation of learning strategies and integration of technology purchased with Microsoft dollars. Because Microsoft Settlement applications vary widely by building, a standardized statewide template will not be created. As a result it will be necessary for each district/building to create eWalk templates for their Microsoft Settlement reporting.

According to John O'Connell, Iowa Microsoft Settlement Consultant, "The eWalk template at a minimum should contain all the teaching strategies that were listed in the application along with any other items the principal or designated observer would be looking for during their walk-throughs. This is a requirement for all that would be using eWalk for their observations in their application.”

Also, per John O’Connell, eWalk licenses were purchased through June 2011. Please note that you may use Microsoft General Purchase Voucher dollars to purchase additional years' licensing (about $40 per year) as well as hardware. Please remember to look at the product eligibility list before purchasing hardware and software, as applicable to your application. The iPad has recently been added to the Product Eligibility list. The IEC will try to work with the mxMobile company to see if a reduced license cost can be purchased. We will let you know the details if an agreement is reached.

Please contact Toy Waterman, Heartland Instructional Technology Consultant, at twaterman@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-0405 ext. 14541 if you need assistance creating a template for your MS Settlement reporting. She will be able to assist you if you wish to create other templates for your district as well.

Iowa Educators Consortium Update: Adobe Dropping K-12 Teacher & Student Discounts

Adobe is ending the K-12 student licensing program that allows teachers and students to buy Adobe software at very low prices. Orders can be placed until October 28, 2010 at the IEC software store managed by Journey Education. To order, follow the directions at http://www.journeyed.com/select.

Sample prices --

Creative Suites 5 Design Standard
Retail: $1,299
EC Student/Teacher price: $209.95

Creative Suite 5 Production Premium
Retail: $1,699
IEC Student/Teacher price: $369.95

Please share this information with students and staff that may be interested in purchasing Adobe software.

Student Opportunity: National History Day in Iowa

National History Day (NHD) in Iowa has undergone many changes to comply with state budget restrictions, but thanks to all of the hard-working students, teachers, parents and volunteers, NHD in Iowa is still afloat and is planning for the upcoming contest season. State contests will be held on Monday, April 25, 2011, for the senior division and Monday, May 2 for the junior division. Youth division showcase will also be held on Monday, April 25, in conjunction with the senior division contest.

Instead of physical mailings, information will be distributed primarily via e-mail this year. The 2010-2011 contest theme is Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, and Consequences.

Click here to download the updated 2010-2011 rulebook to review with students before starting projects. One of the most notable changes, the website category, will be split into individual and group categories this year, rather than all websites competing together. That should garner applause from many of the web site participants! Student entries MUST be created through the Weebly portal located on the NHD website at http://nhd.org/CategoryWebsite.htm. Websites created with other programs or on other sites (including the public access to Weebly) will not be eligible for judging at the district and state levels of NHD in Iowa contests.

The “Iowa Sample Topics List” is posted at www.iowahistory.org along with other useful information about entering district and state contests. To find Iowa NHD information, go to the State Historical Society of Iowa webpage, click on “Education and Outreach” at the top of the page and then look for the “NHD in Iowa” tab on the left side of the page.

Questions can be directed to Millie Frese in the NHD office at the State Historical Society of Iowa. She can be contacted via email, millie.frese@iowa.gov; phone, (515) 281-6860; or cell, (515) 868-7248.

For program-related updates throughout the year, join the NHD in Iowa listserv by sending a blank e-mail to join-teacherupdate@lists.ia.gov.

Internet Service Interruption Saturday, October 9

Heartland AEA is transitioning our ICN equipment, routers and servers from a data center with overhead sprinklers and cooling problems to a secure data bunker with dry fire suppression, conditioned power and controlled temperature. We will need to disconnect the power to the current server room between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. this Saturday, October 9. During this maintenance window, you will not be able to access the Internet from your school district for approximately one hour between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Heartland's email, web and phone services may be down for the entire four hours.

There will be another period of down time on October 23. Additional information will be provided closer to that date. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Superintendents: October HAA Minutes

Click here to download the minutes from the October HAA meeting. The minutes and handouts are also posted on Heartland's Web site in the Heartland Networks link under the Leaders tab, http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/leaders/ldr/admin.html.

During the learning portion of the meeting the use of online tools to increase engagement of stakeholders was investigated. Links to all of the resources including articles, examples of acceptable use policies, and online Google resources are available at the Superintendent Academy Google site at https://sites.google.com/site/superintendentacademy/ (Clicking on the link will take you directly to the site.)

Please contact Sharon Kurns at skurns@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions or suggestions for future sessions.

Superintendents: October HAA Meeting

Download a Word Doc or PDF version of the of the October Heartland Administrators Association meeting agenda. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 5 at the West Des Moines Learning Resource Center from 9:00-11:50 a.m.

We are trying something new this year with our HAA meetings. The first hour of each meeting (from 9:00-10:00) will be devoted to professional learning. We are calling it, “Superintendent Academy”. The theme for this year is Linking Leadership to Student Achievement.

At our first session we introduced the research findings from the Learning Project: Investigating Links to Improved Student Learning. The executive summary for this study can be downloaded here. More information and resources about the study can be found here.

At the upcoming session next week, we will be exploring one of the major concepts of the study. Engagement of stakeholders is a key leadership activity linked to student achievement. We will be investigating ways that Google Apps can be used to collaborate and gather input from a wide variety of stakeholders. We will also be reviewing an article from District Administration (available here) during the session. Please bring a laptop to the meeting if you have one available. If not, we will have laptops available for use.

A Google Site has been developed to make all of the materials and resources from this professional learning very accessible to participants. Please visit https://sites.google.com/site/superintendentacademy/.

School Counseling Program Refinement

Does your district K-12 school counseling program need a little polish? If so, this two-day "mini-academy" is for you! We will review the state required components of a K-12 articulated, sequential school counseling program, identify gaps and work on closing those gaps. Participants are encouraged to come in K-12 teams with representation from each level. Ideally, all counselors in the district would participate. Please register through the Heartland Professional Development Catalog at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH. The activity number is CN005392111101.

Contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us if you have any questions.

ESL Learning Opportunity Reminders

Pearson’s SIOP for Teachers Virtual Institute
Application for the $450 mini grant to use towards participation in Pearson’s SIOP for Teachers Virtual Institute is due October 8, 2010. Click here for more information and here for the participation application.

TESOL Virtual Seminar
The first TESOL Virtual Seminar will be held October 6. If you haven’t registered, please do so ASAP via the Heartland Professional Development Catalog at https://prodev.aea11.k12.ia.us/4DCGI/YYYYYYYYYYYYYYSRCH. We hope you can take advantage of these free seminars.

Why Are We Still Teaching the Wrong Grammar the Wrong Way?
October 6, 2010 from 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Activity Number: ES005692111101

The Multilevel ESOL Class: A Multitude of Opportunities for Language Development
October 27, 2010 from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Activity Number: ES005692111102

A Focus on Academic Oral Language and Vocabulary Instruction in Language Learning
November 10, 2010 from 9:30-11:00 a.m.
Activity Number: ES005699991101

Title III and ICLC
Even though the Early Bird rate for ICLC has passed districts can still take advantage of the Title III funding opportunity. Title III will still pay the early bird registration rate of $125, sub pay, and the travel mini-grant if your school district will pick up the difference.

ESL Family Literacy, Parent Involvement and Adult Early Literacy Grant
Don’t forget the opportunity to apply for the ESL Family Literacy/Parent Involvement or the ESL Adult Early Literacy grant. Click here for more information on these grants. Click here for the ESL Family Literacy/Parent Involvement grant and here for the Adult Early Literacy grant. Both applications are due November 30.

If you questions about any of these opportunities, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14680 or Pat Latham at (515) 270-04405 ext. 14681.

Reminder: Heartland AEA & DMACC Hosting Immigration Forum Oct. 5

You and all of your staff members are cordially invited to our Third Annual DMACC & Heartland AEA co-sponsored Immigration Forum on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 from 2:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the DMACC Urban Campus. There is no cost or registration required to attend the Immigration Forum. All are welcome to come and learn.

For more information, contact Stephaney Jones-Vo at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14680, Gilmara Mitchell at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14679.

Kirkwood Community College to host Distance Credentialed Counselor Training, Nov. 5-6

As distance methods have grown in popularity, the need for standards of practice and specialized counselor training has also grown. To address these issues, Kirkwood Community College will host a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC) Training Workshop on November 5-6, 2010. ReadyMinds and the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE) will facilitate the training.

Please encourage your district/school counselors to attend. Click here for an informative flyer about the training. Learn more about ReadyMinds and the DCC program at can be found at http://www.readyminds.com/training/dcc_cert.asp.

Heartland Earns Full Accreditation From State Board of Education

Heartland AEA is pleased to announce that it has earned continued full accreditation from the Iowa State Board of Education. The State Board met on September 16, 2010, and unanimously approved the Iowa Department of Education’s recommendation for full accreditation.

The Department conducted a site visit at the Agency earlier this year, analyzing programs and services data in the Agency's new online Service Tracker database and interviewing dozens of Heartland staff members and local educators for feedback about the Agency. Iowa’s nine AEAs receive accreditation site visits every five years; Heartland AEA’s next visit will be in 2015.

The Department’s report states, “The central purpose of the accreditation visit is to help AEAs improve the quality and focus of their services, which will in turn assist schools and school districts to improve learning for students. Iowa’s AEAs are a critical part of the support structure for schools and ultimately for children. With so much at stake, maintaining high standards or quality in programs and services is a top priority.”

Heartland was assessed on the following AEA standards for service:
1) School-Community Planning
2) Professional Development
3) Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
4) Diverse Learner Needs
5) Media
6) School Technology
7) Multicultural, Gender Fair
8) Leadership

Areas of strength that the Agency was praised for included the following:
• Incorporating technology into professional development
• Heartland Educational Assessment Resource Toolbox (HEART) database
• Content Area Capacity Building (CAB) projects
• Model of delivering services closer to districts/schools

The Department noted that no recommended areas for improvement were found in the Agency’s Media and School Technology service areas.

Areas identified for improvement included the following:
• Communication to districts/schools about survey data the Agency gathers
• Clarification and communication of the partnership director role to all district/school staff
• Communication with parents of children with special needs
• Establishing more support for “at-risk” students

The Agency will incorporate these and other recommendations into its Comprehensive Improvement Plan, which will be submitted to the Department by April 1, 2011.

A thank-you goes out to our district/school staff who provided feedback to the Department about our programs and services. We appreciate the time they took out of their busy schedules to assist us in our accreditation process.

Click here to download the entire accreditation report.

Iowa School Counselor Association Counselor of the Year Nominations

At the annual ISCA conference, elected counselors are recognized with Counselor of the Year awards at each of four levels – elementary, middle school/Jr. high, high school and multilevel. Counselors are typically nominated by their peers or administrators. If you work with a counselor who you feel is exemplary and deserving of this recognition, please consider nominating him/her for this honor.

To nominate a school counselor, write a letter of recommendation and include the award category (elementary; middle school/junior high; high school or multilevel). Also include a statement describing the program, activity and/or contribution demonstrating the individual‘s worthiness to receive this award.

Nominations can be mailed to:
Sue Farran
Prairie Point Middle School and 9th Grade Academy
401 76th Ave. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

You could also fax your nomination to Sue Farran at (319) 848-5515.

The deadline for all nominations is October 18, 2010