Requested Action: Input Needed for Heartland AEA Service Decision-Making

As you know, Heartland AEA will be facing challenges with our budget in the coming school years as will all school districts in Iowa. When making decisions about programs and services and the implications for our budget, it is essential for us to have input from districts. At the Superintendent Advisory Committee (SAC) this week, the SAC decided to use a portion of the March Heartland Administrators Association meeting to give superintendents an opportunity to provide input for Heartland AEA decision-making about programs and services. The SAC also suggested that each superintendent gather data from their administrative team prior to this meeting. Partnership Directors will be contacting superintendents to provide instructions for data collection and to offer to assist with facilitation. The Curriculum Network will engage in a similar activity at their March meeting. We are very grateful for the time that local administrators spend in providing us this vital input. If you have questions, please contact your Partnership Director.

Vincent Selected as Next Chief Administrator of Heartland AEA

Heartland AEA is pleased to announce that Dr. Paula Vincent has been hired as the Agency’s new chief administrator. She will succeed Sheila King, who has been Heartland AEA’s interim chief administrator since July 1, 2009.

Vincent is currently the superintendent of the Clear Creek Amana Community School District in east central Iowa. She was previously the associate superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, a director of special education at Grant Wood AEA and a classroom teacher in suburban Kansas City and rural Iowa. She is a member of the board of trustees at McPherson College, in McPherson, Kansas, and also serves on the board of directors of the Grant Wood Regional Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Dr. Vincent is known for her work in personalizing learning for each child, use of innovative systems to support teacher learning and incorporating the principles of interactive design and quality improvement into the daily work of schools. She received an undergraduate degree at McPherson College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

We look forward to Dr. Vincent's arrival at Heartland AEA.

Informational Meeting for Newly Awarded E2T2 Grant

Heartland AEA has been awarded a new E2T2 grant for 2009–2012 called, Aligning Math/Science Instruction to the Iowa Core Curriculum. The focus of the new grant will be 8th–12th grade teachers and administrators who support mathematics, science, technology and students with differing learning needs. Much of the workshop delivery will be during summers and thorough electronic options during the school year.

An informational meeting for school/district administrators, technology coordinators and math and/or science lead teachers will be held on February 22 from 8:30–11:30 a.m. in Rooms 3 & 4 at the Johnston Office. The meeting will also be available via webinar.

At this meeting we will explain the direction of the new project, demonstrate some of the tools and software we hope to incorporate, define timelines and share possible options for purchase or reimbursement for teachers (schools/districts) that are part of the project. Cohort A will begin Spring 2010 and Cohort B will begin Spring 2011.

Click here for an abstract for the new grant project. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Thuente at (515) 270–0405 ext. 14372 or kthuente@aea11.k12.ia.us.

Next Steps for Cy Pres Microsoft Settlement

The following is a summary of the December 2009 ICN session with John O’Connell and Gary Phye. Contact the Heartland AEA library if you’d like a copy of this session. For more information on the settlement, go to http://www.iowaschoolmicrosoftsettlement.com.

Eligible schools have until May 11, 2010 to file their application and complete the budget sheet at http://www.edinfo.state.ia.us. Approval of the application by the Iowa DE does NOT mean approval of expenditures. Schools should U.S. Mail the completed assurances letter on or before May 11, 2010 to the following:

John O’Connell
MS Settlement
Grimes State Office Building
400 E 14th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146

General reminders
Two types of vouchers will be issued: general purpose (hardware, IT installation, general conversion, PD, etc.) and software; there is a 50-50 split. Thirty percent of the general purpose voucher must be used for professional development (PD) services. In-kind can be used for PD. If the school has purchased an eligible product since August 17, 2009 that fits the outcomes in the plan, the invoice may be submitted.

This is a four-year project/commitment. If the school spends the full voucher amount the first year, it still needs to report each year. Schools can build in a planning year—so can apply now (before May 11) and implement at a later date. Schools may want to consider using ARRA and other funds first.

The school’s program must be linked to the Iowa Core Curriculum in one of the five areas. Funding is meant to supplement the Core by providing additional technology for enhanced implementation (funding goes to August 15, 2013).

Evaluation component

• The effectiveness of the program has to be assessed by a norm-referenced test, and schools are required to test in the spring. It is recommend that ITBS be used for grades 3-8 and MAP or Iowa End of Course for 9-12.
• Testing costs could come from general purpose voucher funds.
• Schools must test every spring for all funding years.
• There will be a brief online reporting evaluation component for participating teachers and principals (to be announced at a later date).
• Principals are encouraged to use data from eWalk.

American History in Video: A Resource for the Classroom

American History in Video provides the largest and richest collection of video available online for the study of American history. Heartland AEA recently purchased access to this streaming video database. It will be invaluable as students learn about history, particularly the civil rights movement. American History in Video was highly recommended by Booklist, Library Journal and a group of Iowa history teachers who piloted the collection last fall.

Visit the American History in Video website at http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com. You'll find one-of-a-kind videos with powerful features that include the following:
• synchronized, scrolling transcripts that run along side the video
• keyword searches for every video in the transcript to jump directly to the section you want to see
• transcripts that can be copied and printed
• ability to view the video full-screen
• ability to create playlists of video clips
• embed URLs
• visual table of contents with thumbnail images taken every 15, 30, 60, etc. seconds

Preview of Heartland AEA 2010-2011 Calendar

Click here for a copy of the Heartland AEA Agency Calendar of Major Events. This calendar contains the major events and start dates for Heartland AEA staff. We are currently working to schedule all professional development opportunities for next year. An expanded calendar should be available early in March.

21st Century Learning Leadership Institute at Bedford Community School District

You and a team from your district are invited to attend a 21st Century Learning Leadership Institute sponsored by Bedford Community School District. It is an opportunity to see and hear how schools are achieving academic excellence by putting technology in their students' hands.

Consider going to a 21st Century Learning Leadership Institute at Bedford Community School District on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the program will go from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The agenda includes discussion on how technology changes learning, the impact of professional development, key success factors, funding and the digital tools today's students use to create knowledge. You will hear from schools currently using technology in innovative ways to make a difference, have the opportunity to see a laptop learning initiative in action and interact with students, teachers and administrators.

For more information and to register go to http://edseminars.apple.com/event/2339.

Creating an Accepting Future: 5th Annual Governor’s Conference on LGBT Youth

The 5th Annual Governor’s Conference on LGBT Youth is themed Proud to Change the World: Creating an Accepting Future. The conference will be held on February 18, 2010 at Drake University. The mission of the Annual Governors Conference on LGBT Youth is to a) engage and educate students, educators, parents, community leaders, youth-serving professionals, policy makers and others concerned about issues relevant to the LGBT community and b) encourage networking and activism to inspire our communities to promote diversity, equality and social justice.

This year’s conference is expected to gather several hundred educators, parents, students, social workers, counselors, psychologists, policy makers and others concerned about the safety of LGBT youth in Iowa. It is important to address the different barriers facing LGBT students including discriminatory policies, homelessness, HIV risk, bullying and harassment and suicide risk.

The Keynote Address will be given by Lt. Dan Choi. Lt. Choi has garnered national fame when he said on the March 19, 2009 episode of The Rachel Maddow Show; “I am gay.” Since coming out, Lt. Choi, a West Point graduate and Iraq veteran fluent in Arabic, has been notified that discharge proceedings have been brought up against him. He was one of only eight soldiers from his graduating class who majored in Arabic.

In addition to Lt. Choi, Governor Chet Culver, Lt. Governor Patty Judge and Congressman Leonard Boswell have been invited to give an address at the conference.

Workshop Topics this year will include HIV/Aids, Transgender Transitioning, Sexting/Social Networking, Communities of Faith, LGBT Youth Homelessness, anti-bullying programs for schools and several others related to LGBT youth and youth-serving professionals.

There will also be exhibitor booths showcasing such topics that include Iowa-based resources, organizations, communities of faith, corporations and other important information for anyone working with LGBT students and students from LGBT families.

Educators, administrators, community members, parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend. Student registration is $10 and adult registration is $35.

For more information and to register, please visit www.iowasafeschools.org and go to the Governor’s Conference Tab.

Superintendents: February HAA Minutes

Click here for the minutes from the February Heartland Administrators Association meeting. The next meeting will be March 2 at the West Des Moines Learning Center.