December Edition of “Impacting Lives” Newsletter

Go to http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/ to read the latest edition of "Impacting Lives." The blog newsletter is a statewide effort to communicate AEA success stories and services across the state. The newsletter is sent to all school administrators, legislators (in-session) and AEA staff in Iowa. The issue includes:

• Discover the Savings through the Iowa Educators Consortium
• Twin Rivers Makes SMART Use of Technology
• Student Improvement Through Relationship Building
• New Teacher Center: Developing Teacher Leaders and Instructional Coaches

Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council Information

Click here for information about the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council that was shared earlier this month at the December HAA meeting.

Holiday Office & Van Route Schedule

Heartland offices will be closed December 26, 27, 29 and 30 during the holiday season. Please take note of the following schedule as you plan to send and receive items through our van mail.

December 19-22, 2011 Regular Van Delivery
December 26-30, 2011 No Van Delivery
January 2, 2012 Regular Van Delivery Resumes

Additionally, there will be no Administrator Connection blog update on December 30.

Reminder: IEC Winter Paper Buy to End Jan. 6

Don’t miss your chance to save big money on your paper supply needs through the Iowa Educator Consortium (IEC). Supplying this winter’s supply is the Paper Corporation which offers excellent pricing on a large variety of paper weights, colors and sizes. Additional discounts are available for orders at or above 440 assorted cases, 880 assorted cases and 880 white only. Ordering and pricing information is available on the IEC website at http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/ART/4cea867abe0cf.

If you have questions regarding the IEC ordering process, contact Joni Puffett at jpuffett@iec-ia.org or (319) 268-9008.

Reminder: New Prices for Printing/Copying Services Effective Jan. 1

During the Fall 2011, Heartland AEA performed a cost analysis of our printing services. It was found that what was being charged did not allow the agency to recover the service, supply and labor cost when producing printed documents from the Print Center. In order to continue to provide printing services for the schools we serve, we needed to increase the prices. Our cost analysis findings were presented to area superintendents who approved the increased print prices. Click here for our revised print prices that will take effect January 1, 2012.

Despite the cost increase, the price per copy remains considerably lower than commercial printers and school copiers. We would be very grateful if you would pass the new pricing information on to teachers and other school staff who use our Print & Production services. If you would like information about the cost formula that was used to determine the revised printing costs, click here.

Urbandale Schools to host Langford Four-Day Quality Learning Seminar

The Urbandale Community School District is hosting the Four Day Quality Learning Seminar, facilitated by David Langford, June 11-14, 2012. At this seminar participants will learn to:

• Manage data-driven learning and improvement
• Create performance-based learning
• Create student-led learning
• Create and manage portfolio assessment
• Inspire passionate learners

This seminar has a tight alignment with the Iowa Core, as it focuses on student-centered learning. Cost for the seminar is $450. This includes continental breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day. The learning presented in this seminar lays the foundation for educational transformation and improvement.

For preliminary registration, contact Maggie Lichtenberg at lichtenbergm@urbandale.k12.ia.us. For more information, please see www.langfordlearning.com.

Reminder: Expert to Lead IPI Introductory Level Workshop, Jan. 5 & 6

The Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) Process is used to track useful data about student engagement and learning. Join Jerry Valentine, Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri and a leading expert on the IPI process, for an intriguing introductory level workshop at Hoyt Middle School (Des Moines) January 5 and 6. Click here for more information on the IPI process and the workshop being offered.

Iowa-English Language Development Assessment Training Opportunities in Jan. 2012

Training for the administration of the Iowa-English language Development Assessment will be repeated January 12 in Coralville and January 18 in Council Bluffs. To register for this training:

https://docs.google.com/a/nwaea.org/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGwtUU1SUWJvUTlCVXZIWlRxQndSeWc6MQ#gid=0

There are several changes that you need to become familiar with:

• Orders for the test materials will be done on-line here.
• You will need to complete a 504 or IEP accommodations' checklist on the front page of the answer sheet.
• This year form "2" that used the short-form format will be used.
• There will be a late fee for districts that do not submit their completed test prior to May 1.

You will still need to fill out the bar code template just as in the past. The form is also on the I-ELDA website and must be turned in at the same time as your Google order for materials. It is currently posted. Please expect all documents concerning I-ELDA to be updated on this site by January 2012. Visit the I-ELDA website.

It is strongly encouraged that new staff responsible for the administration of this test attend one of these training opportunities. Seasoned staff are also strongly encouraged to attend for a refresher. The one-year time lapse between the administration of these tests is sufficient to allow test administrators to forget or only partially remember the details involved with scoring the most difficult and technical portions of this test.

Happy Holidays from Heartland AEA

Best wishes to you for a very joyful holiday season. Please click here to view our holiday card.

Effective Jan. 1: Revised Pricing for Print Services

Heartland Print Center prices will increase, effective January 1, 2012. Heartland AEA has not changed the prices charged for color or black and white (b/w) copies for several years. As a result of the outdated pricing, the agency is not recovering service, supply and labor costs when producing printed documents from our Print Center.

Heartland AEA performed a cost analysis and presented its findings to the Heartland AEA Superintendent Advisory Council and Heartland Administrator Association during their November and December meetings. Both groups approved the revised printing prices found by clicking here.

The information below was used to determine the revised printing costs.

Cost formula: Service and supply costs (referred as a “click charge”) + paper costs + labor costs
Note: A "click charge" is defined as one 8.5 x 11 image, therefore . . .

• A 1-sided b/w or color 8.5 x 11 is billed as one "click"
• A 2-sided b/w or color 8.5 x 11 is billed as two "clicks"
• A 1-sided b/w or color 8.5 x 14 is billed as one "click"
• A 2-sided b/w or color 8.5 x 14 is billed as two "clicks"
• A 1-sided b/w or color 11 x 17 is billed as two "clicks"
• A 2-sided b/w or color 11 x 17 is billed as four "clicks"

Revised printing costs:

• A 1-sided b/w 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 image = $.005 (click charge) + $.005 (paper charge) + $.00722 (labor charge) = $.01722
• A 2-sided b/w 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 image = $.01 (click charge) + $.005 (paper charge) + $.0144 (labor charge) = $.0294
• A 1-sided b/w 11 x 17 image = $.01 (click charge) + $.01 (paper charge) + $.0144 (labor charge) = $.0272
• A 2-sided b/w 11 x 17 image = $.02 (click charge) + $.01 (paper charge) + $.0288 (labor charge) = $.0588
• A 1-sided color 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 image = $.043 (click charge) + $.01 (paper charge) + $.00722 (labor charge) = $.06022
• A 2-sided color 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 image = $.086 (click charge) + $.01 (paper charge) + $.0144 (labor charge) = $.11
• A 1-sided color 11 x 17 image = $.086 (click charge) + $.02 (paper charge) + $.0144 (labor charge) = $.12
• A 2-sided color 11 x 17 image = $.172 (click charge) + $.02 (paper charge) + $.0288 (labor charge) = $.22

The Heartland Print Center will continue to offer the schools we serve high-quality, cost-effective options for their printing needs. Despite the cost increase, the price per copy remains considerably lower than commercial printers and school copiers. We would be very grateful if you would pass the new pricing information on to teachers and other school staff who use our Print & Production services.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to fulfilling your printing needs in the future. If you have any questions about the revised prices, contact Steve Prall, Executive Director of Operaions, at sprall@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-9030.

Save Money During the Holidays with the IEC

Our holiday shopping days are dwindling! Before you pay full retail price for the latest gizmos and gadgets, be sure to check out the personal discounts in the Iowa Educator Consortium’s ‘Teacher & Student Buys’ section on the IEC website. All Iowa K-12 teachers, students, administrators and other school personnel are eligible for discounts on computer software, cell phone plans, digital cameras and camcorders and OfficeMax and Staples merchandise. For most offers, your school email address is your only needed proof of employment.

See what you can save through the IEC, an important and valued initiative of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.
http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Teacher%20%26%20Student%20Buys

United States Senate Youth Program Selects Local High School Delegate

Congratulations to Scott Syroka, Johnston Community School District, on being selected as one of the two delegates from Iowa to participate in the U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP), sponsored by the William Randolph Heart 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 Heart Foundation pays all expenses. In addition, the two Iowa high school representatives each receive a $5,000 scholarship. The other Iowa student is Blake McGhghy, Keokuk High School.

Selection of the two Iowa high school representatives is based on the outstanding ability and demonstrated leadership qualities of elected junior and senior high school student officers for the 2011-12 school year.

Dr. Wilkerson Honored with ISU Alumni Award

Congratulations to Dr. Dave Wilkerson, Superintendent of Waukee Schools, who recently earned the Virgil S. Lagomarcino Laureate Award from the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University. Click here for more information.

Simulcast Available for Dec. 15 Iowa Assessment Workshop

Heartland AEA will host a simulcast of the Iowa Assessments (formerly ITBS/ITEDS) workshop that is being held next Thursday, December 15 at 12:30 p.m. This simulcast is intended to offer another option for those unable to attend face-to-face sessions which are being held across the state. The session will be approximately three hours in length and will cover how the Iowa Assessments are used to measure progress of the Iowa Core, monitor student growth and track student readiness. The link for the video session is below.

https://aea111.eduvision.tv/SchoolLiveSchedules.aspx

The session will go live approximately 10 minutes prior to the actual 12:30 p.m. start time to allow time for participants to log in. There is no registration; simply join the session.

Unfortunately, there will not be an option for interaction during discussion time with this webinar (unless there are multiple people at your site). We are working on a way to make materials available, but at this time it is unclear if materials will be available in time for the session.

Heartland AEA to Host School Budget Workshops, Feb. 1 & 17

Heartland AEA will once again be hosting school budget workshops for area school district personnel. The budget workshops will run differently this year from feedback we received last year. Two days will be offered this year and both days will be split in two sessions, one for experienced managers and one for new managers. Please choose which day works best in your schedule and which session would best fit your abilities.

Larry Sigel and Margaret Buckton will facilitate all sessions in the computer lab at the Johnston Regional Education Center at 6500 Corporate Drive. Click here for session descriptions and registration information for this year’s budget workshops.

Check Out What's New in Professional Development

There are LOTS of professional development classes to check out on our PD blog including The Art and Science of Classroom Management, Using Iowa AEA Online Databases in the Social Studies Classroom, Exceptional Learner, Verbal Behavior Teaching Strategies, Examining: Bullying from Both Sides and much more. To find more detailed descriptions and to register, visit the PD blog by clicking on the link below.

http://pdblog.aea11.k12.ia.us/

IEC Winter Paper Buy to End Jan. 6

Don’t miss your chance to save big money on your paper supply needs through the Iowa Educator Consortium (IEC). Supplying this winter’s supply is the Paper Corporation which offers excellent pricing on a large variety of paper weights, colors and sizes. Additional discounts are available for orders at or above 440 assorted cases, 880 assorted cases and 880 white only. Ordering and pricing information is available on the IEC website at http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/ART/4cea867abe0cf, and information will be sent to schools the first week of December.

If you have questions regarding the IEC ordering process, contact Joni Puffett at jpuffett@iec-ia.org or (319) 268-9008.

Print & Production Holiday Scheduling

During winter break, we encourage staff to spend valuable time with friends and families and so we will have limited Print and Production staff on hand. If your district uses our print services for monthly newsletters, please send in your newsletter draft by December 9 to ensure that we have enough time to complete your order. Thank you for your understanding during the busy holiday season, and please contact our Print Center or graphic designers if you have any questions.

Local Education Blueprint Town Hall Meeting, Dec. 10

Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds have scheduled an education town hall meeting on Saturday, December 10 at 11:00 a.m. in the DMPS Central Campus Multi-Purpose Room (1800 Grand Avenue, Des Moines). The event is free and open to the public and provides a great opportunity to learn about the plan that was released in October and provide your feedback.

Superintendents: December 6 HAA Meeting Agenda

Click here to download the December Heartland Administrators Association meeting agenda. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 6 in Room 13 A/B of the Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) and will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Expert to Lead IPI Introductory Level Workshop, Jan. 5 & 6

The Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) Process is used to track useful data about student engagement and learning. Join Jerry Valentine, Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri and a leading expert on the IPI process, for an intriguing introductory level workshop at Hoyt Middle School (Des Moines) January 5 or 6. Click here for more information on the IPI process and the workshop being offered.

Final Notice for Title III Mini-Grant Opportunity

The Title III Mini-Grant to Support Districts in Providing Access to the CORE through Differentiated Materials for Content Classes and the Development of Language mini-grant deadline is Tuesday, December 6, 2011, by 5:00 p.m. Each district serving ESL students are eligible to apply for additional funds to help support the education of their ESL students in core classes. Click here for more information and here for the proposal format.

UNI Courses Help Improve Mathematical Instruction

The University of Northern Iowa Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics (CTLM) is supporting elementary math teachers by offering "Making Sense Professional Development" courses. These high quality, research-based courses are intended to improve teacher practice in order to enhance student learning.

To create these classes, a team of course developers from across Iowa collaborated to discuss the many factors that create a quality education. All courses are aligned with the Iowa Core, Common Core State Standards and Iowa Professional Development Model. The CTLM also provides training for principals to ensure support of teachers working to improve mathematical instruction.

Through these courses, teachers develop a deeper understanding of mathematics, increase knowledge for teaching, implement practices based on the current standards for mathematical practice and improve their own means of instruction. As a result, students also develop a deeper understanding of mathematics and improve their own level of achievement.

To register for any of these courses, visit www.uni.edu/ctlm. For additional information, contact Melissa Reade, assistant director of communications and operations at the CTLM, at melissa.reade@uni.edu (319) 273-3820.

The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.