Superintendents: September 4 HAA Meeting

Download a PDF or Word Doc of the September Heartland Administrators Association meeting agenda. The meeting will be held from 9:00-11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4 (the day after Labor Day) at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) in Room 13A and B.

At this meeting a representative from the College and Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA), Chris Jackson, will present from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. This is an assessment that is intended to help a school learn how well students are learning how to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems and write well. While superintendents are welcome to invite other leaders from their district to attend the meeting with them, there will also be an option to listen to the session via webinar. Below is the information to join via webinar. If you are having trouble connecting please contact Aaron Cook at (515) 270-9030.

To join the meeting go this URL:
http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/cwra/

Curriculum Network: September 7 Meeting

Click here to find the Curriculum Network Google Site with the agenda and handouts for next week’s Curriculum Network Meeting. The first meeting will be held on Friday, September 7, 2012 in Rooms 13A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) and will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Curriculum Network Meeting Dates for 2012-13
September 7, 2012
October 5, 2012


November 2, 2012


December 7, 2012


January 4, 2013


February 1, 2013

March 1, 2013


April 5, 2013


May 3, 2013

Upcoming Gifted and Talented Opportunities

Heartland AEA offers gifted and talented learning opportunities and support for administrators, curriculum staff and teachers. See below for upcoming learning opportunities.

Orientation for Teachers New to Gifted Education
This day-long session will provide an introduction to gifted and talented programming, Heartland AEA services and resources related to gifted and talented education and tips on surviving your first year in gifted education. Registration is free, but please register by September 15 to ensure that all participants receive materials.

September 20, 2012
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, Room 14

Click here to register or go to the through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and enter Activity Number GT007192110101 in the correct field

Round Table Discussion for GT Coordinators and Oversight Administrators
This session will provide an opportunity for those who coordinate or oversee gifted and talented programming to share their questions, concerns, and successes. Participants will be provided with information about Iowa Code for gifted, including rules for categorical funding along with tips for success in their roles. There is no cost for this session, but attendees are asked to register by October 1 to ensure all participants receive materials.

October 5, 2012
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, Room 14

Click here to register or go to the through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and enter Activity Number GT008292111301 in the correct field.

If you have questions about either session or other issues related to gifted and talented programming and services, please contact Mary Schmidt, Gifted Education Consultant, at mschmidt@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-0405 ext 14375.

Professional Learning Opportunities for School Counselors

Please pass on the below listed opportunities and events to your school counselors. Items with the asterisk (*) are eligible to be packaged for one LR or grad credit for Counselor Connection 2012-13. Participants need to register and attend 15 hours of workshops designated and complete reflections (form provided) for each. Contact Sue Schirmer at sschirmer@aea11.k12.ia.us for any questions about these school counselor opportunities. Register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog.

*Preparing for a DE Site Visit
If your District is scheduled for a DE Site visit this year or next, come to find out best practices to be prepared. Join Sue Schirmer and Beth Happe as they walk through the requirements for review of the School Counseling and At-Risk programs.
September 5, 2012
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m
Activity Number: CN005292111301

*IHAPI/Financial Literacy Workshops
Join Tracy Havener for a look at changes and updates to I Have a Plan Iowa. Then come back in the afternoon for a Career Counseling workshop!

Beginner
October 1, 2012
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Activity Number: CN004692111301

October 3, 2012
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Activity Number: CN004692111302

Advanced
October 2, 2012
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Activity Number: CN004792111301

October 4, 2012
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Activity Number: CN004792111302

*Career Counseling
Why is career counseling important, what should it look like and how can we as counselors make it happen? These questions and more will be discussed at these workshops.

October 1, 2012
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Activity Number: CN004892111301

October 2, 2012
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Activity Number: CN004892111302

*ASCA Model 3.0
The new and updated ASCA National Model is out! This one-day workshop is designed to highlight the changes in the 3rd edition of the ASCA National Model as well as some of the lessons learned and ideas for transforming your school counseling program. Bring your team and administrator to this engaging, active workshop.

October 8, 2012
8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Activity Number: CN006392111301

School Counseling Program Refinement
K-12 School Counseling programs in the state of Iowa are required to be articulated and sequential. They are also required to be comprehensive in scope, preventive in design, developmental in nature, driven by data and integral to the school district's curricula and instructional program. This course is designed to assist teams of school counselors to analyze their current programming, determine gaps and create plans to fill those gaps.

October 9, 2012 & January 10, 2013
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m
Activity Number: CN005392111301

*Counseling Needs of Special Populations
Counselors know that each student has different needs, but for those populations especially at risk, how do we ensure their social-emotional needs are on par with their academic needs? Join us as we explore this issue together with several community collaborators. Student populations specifically targeted in this one-day session include ELL, TAG, At-Risk, Low SES and Special Education.

January 22, 2013
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m
Activity Number: CN006492111301

*Bullying 101
Bullying and Harassment tend to be some of the current buzzwords in schools. What is truly in the legislation, what is considered bullying and harassment, how do you recognize and identify true bullying situations and what do you do about it? All of this will be covered in this one-day session.

February 14, 2013
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m
Activity Number: CN006592111301

*Mental Health Needs in School
Experts estimate that over 40% of students in schools experience mental health issues. What are these issues and how can we support.

March 8, 2013
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m
Activity Number: CN006692111301

Other dates to keep on your calendar!
Risky Business – October 15, 2012
ISCA State Conference – November 4-6, 2012
Governor’s Bully Prevention Summit – November 27, 2012 (https://preventbullying.iowa.gov)

The Best of Both Worlds: Iowa PowerSchool/SchoolReach Webinars

SchoolReach is an Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) approved vendor and wants to help your school. The best of both worlds come together as SchoolReach, the nation's best notification system, is now embedded in PowerSchool, the nation's best student information system. With PowerSchool, there are no tricky redirects and you'll get instant full detailed results for every message and every contact.

Benefits include following:

• Create and save custom content lists
• No file exports, uploads or transfers
• Manage parent portal and contact changes...all without ever leaving the PowerSchool interface

Register for a special webinar session now by clicking a date below. These webinars were specifically created for Iowa PowerSchool users.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 10:30-11:00 a.m. CDT

Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:30-11:00 a.m. CDT

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Mobile attendees
Required: iPhone®/iPad®/Android™ smartphone or tablet

RosettaStone Licensing through the IEC

RosettaStone is continuing their partnership with the IEC for a third year offering you the opportunity to continue or create language learning in your school with Rosetta Stone Version 3 Classroom Online Software.

World Language Initiatives

• Flip the classroom
• Provide a resource to your existing teachers
• Fill a gap or a void if you have lost a teacher or are in the process of trying to find one

English Language Learning

• New alignment to the WIDA PRIME standards at http://prime.wceruw.org/instructionalMaterials/index.aspx (scroll down to K-12 resources, look for Rosetta Stone Version 3 English)
• Continue language learning outside of time with teachers
• Ongoing skill assessment

The time to order is now! RosettaStone will process orders September 1-21, 2012. Please contact Elizabeth (Liz) Binghham at embingham@rosettastone.com or 1-800-788-0822 ext. 5930 for more information and to order.

Apply Now for STEM Scale-Up Programs

What do designing robots, solar cars, aircrafts, wind turbines, creating with Legos, performing experiments on earth materials and diagnosing diseases have in common? Answer: They have the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focus of the educational curriculum/training available for FREE implementation by LEAs or after-school organizations!

Iowa has selected 12 STEM programs to coordinate with and to enhance your current curriculum. These programs are designed to increase students’ interest and achievement in STEM fields through a focus on students use of problem solving and creative, collaborative and critical thinking skills.

For this program, the applying organization can be an entire district, a single school, a grade-band, an individual classroom, a PTA, 4H or Girl Scout group or an after-school program. In order to implement one (or more) of these programs, schools/organizations apply to the Regional Hub. Click here for the Regional Hub Map. Regional Managers for the Heartland AEA area are the following:

Jay Staker, North Central Regional STEM Manager
jstaker@iastate.edu
(515) 294-8417

Beth Kulow, Southwest STEM Regional Manager
Kulow@bvu.edu
(641) 782-1520

Kari Webb, Northwest STEM Regional Manager
kwebb@ilcc.cc.ia.us
(712) 3620-8341

If the LEA/organization is awarded program implementation, all aspects of the program (including professional development and curricular materials) will be provided FREE to you and your school/organization. All funding will be coordinated between your Regional STEM manager and the program provider.

A brief description (including the website) of each program can be found at http://www.iowastem.gov/.

Benefits of the programs:

• There are different programs available for elementary, middle and high school students
• Many of the programs can be implemented during the school day and some are best suited for before or after-school programs
• The programs all provide either stipends for teachers/coaches or curriculum materials or both
• Many of the programs also provide a level of training related to the provided materials

It is an exciting time for math and science in Iowa. The application is relatively simple and can be found online at http://www.iowastem.gov/educators-stem-scale-application#overlay-context=node.

The application deadline is September 14, 2012. Those educators selected to receive programming will be notified by October 1, 2012 and can implement the programming immediately this fall.

CWRA Representative to be at First HAA Meeting Sept. 4

The first Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) meeting for superintendents will be held on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. At this meeting Chris Jackson, representative from the College and Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA), will present from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. This is an assessment that is intended to help a school learn how well students are learning how to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems and write well. While superintendents are welcome to invite other leaders from their district to attend the meeting with them, there will also be an option to listen to the session via webinar. Watch next week's Administrator Connection for the full agenda for the meeting and the link to tune into the CWRA session.

Reminder: Continuing Education for New School Nurses

Heartland AEA is offering an exciting online learning experience for new school nurses. Beginning September 3, the Moodle-based class will be open to all school nurses hired August 2011 or later. Registration is mandatory but the class is free. Credit toward nurse license renewal is optional for a flat fee of $15 dollars. Topics to be covered include:

• Nursing delegation of health procedures to paraprofessionals
• Instruction on how to write an individual health plan (IHP)
• Instructions on how to conduct health evaluations and screenings for special education
• Understanding special health services and the IEP
• Medicaid billing and the role of the school nurse
• Section 504 and the nurse as a team member
• Heartland AEA resources available to assist nurses

Please pass on this opportunity to new school nurses. They may register here or go through our Professional Development catalog and enter activity number DR346899991301 in the correct field.

Preschool Support Workshops for Administrators

These workshops are intended for administrators new to supporting early childhood programs or would like a refresher course. Register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development catalog.

Early Childhood Administrative Introduction to Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS)
This workshop is designed for principals and/or administrators that are new to early childhood (preschool) programs or would like a refresher course in the Iowa Quality Preschool Programs, the Iowa Early Learning Standards and the verification process. The focus for this workshop will be to inform administrators of the basic information needed to ensure their preschool programs are implementing quality preschool standards as outlined by the Department of Education.

October 11, 2012
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Dr., Johnston)
Activity Number: EC010892111301

Early Childhood Administrative Introduction to Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD
This workshop is also designed for principals and/or administrators that are new to early childhood (preschool) programs or would like a refresher course on Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies GOLD. The focus of this workshop will be to inform administrators on the curriculum and assessment being implemented in the preschool classroom.

October 11, 2012
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Location: Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Dr., Johnston)
Activity Number: EC010992111301

Implementing a Quality ESL Program: A Day Seminar for Administrator/Teacher Teams

All administrators working with Title III (ELLs) are invited to bring a team of ESL and content/grade level teachers to this full day seminar to meet the new Title III director and hear from a number of experts. Title III will provide reimbursement for substitute teacher costs (up to five), and ELL-specific resources will be available to districts. Click here for more information.

September 26, 2012
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center, Rooms 13 A & B

Click here to register or register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and put activity number ES006892111301 in the correct field.

Correction: TELPA Study and TELPA Ordering Guidelines

Once again schools across the state are being asked to join the TELPA study. The TELPA is an ESL screening instrument used to determine whether or not a student who speaks or hears a language other than English at home should receive ESL (Title III) services.

Schools in the Heartland AEA area must order and pay for their own TELPA tests from Measurement Inc. (MI). Click here for the reimbursement form which should be printed, completed and sent to Kevin Fangman at Heartland AEA. This form must contain an original signature.

TELPA Ordering Guidance

TELPA materials orders may be placed at any time. When placing an order with MI, you will be required to either enter a purchase order number or indicate that no purchase order number is required. Your district will be billed directly for all TELPA materials ordered.

To access the ordering web site, navigate to the following link and enter the User ID and Password below.

https://state2.measinc.com/TELPAMaterials

Enter the User ID and Password that is specific to your district. To get or reset your district password, contact the ELDA/TELPA Help Line at ELDA @measinc.com or 1-888-612-0180.
 

The TELPA is locally administered and scored so you will have immediate results to help you place your students. Once you do this, you will need to transfer your students’ scores to a Bubble Answer Sheets (BAS) Scantron sheet. You will send these to Northwest AEA so the test results can be entered into an assessment database for evaluation. Contact Stephaney Jones-Vo at sjones-vo@aea11.k12.ia.us or Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us for BAS Scantron sheets, not Northwest AEA or the DE. The BAS Scantron sheets will be sent to you by Heartland van mail.

Invitation to Participate in the TELPA

Dr. Jobi Lawrence, Title lll Education Program Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, would like to invite you to participate in a study of a placement test that assesses the ELL students entering your district. The study is to confirm the alignment of the Tennessee English Language Placement Assessment (TELPA) with the Iowa English Language Development Assessment (I-ELDA).

The results of this study will determine if the TELPA will be used to replace the LAS and the IPT, which are currently in use. If this assessment is adopted, the test will define an entry level English Proficiency when the student enters the district so we can capture the first year growth.If you would like to participate in the study please have your superintendent fill in the consent to participate form (found by clicking here) and send it back to:

Iowa Department of Education

Attn: Mary Smith

Grimes State Office Building

400 E. 14th St.

Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146

or
By e-mail to Mary Smith

Mary.Smith@iowa.gov

If you choose to participate in this study the test materials will be of no cost to your district. Testing materials will only be of no cost to districts while the study is being conducted.To obtain TELPA BAS Scantron sheets please contact your AEA consultant with the number needed in K-2, 3-12 grade spans.

• Click here to read the directions for filling out front page of BAS Scantron
• Click here for the directions for returning TELPA BAS Scantrons to Northwest AEA (not Heartland AEA 11)

Learning Forward Seminar to Advise on Becoming a Skilled Facilitator in a Learning School

Learning Forward will hold a seminar on October 11 which will give participants an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in becoming a skilled facilitator in a learning school (PLC). The focus will be on learning and practicing the essential skills needed to facilitate effective leadership and collaborative learning teams. Emphasis will be on building a foundation for effective teams, preparing and organizing teams, defining team expectations, conducting effective team meetings and monitoring and assessing team progress. Click here for a brochure. This is a perfect session for teachers who are asked to facilitate Learning Teams or PLCs.

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.

Heartland AEA Provided News Clips

Each morning, the Heartland Communications Department provides links to local and national education news headlines. We call this service "news clips." If you would like to receive the news clips via email, please email the Heartland Communications Department at comms@aea11.k12.ia.us with the subject line of "Add Me to News Clips."

Some media sources require digital access subscriptions. News clips receivers are responsible for setting up their own digital access for these media sources. Heartland AEA is unable to provide this digital access for our news clips receivers. We thank you for your understanding.

Meet the New Heartland Area Superintendents

Before the first Heartland Administrator Association Meeting on Tuesday, September 4, we thought that we would introduce you to some new faces. Below are the new superintendents starting this year in Heartland AEA's area.

Thomas Ahart
Des Moines CSD
Education
BA in communications from University of Denver
MPA from Drake
K-12 Admin. Certificate from ISU
Ed.S. from Drake
Currently completing doctorate at Drake

Past Work Experience
Taught high school language arts in Glenwood Springs, CO, and Denison, IA; School Improvement Consultant with Heartland AEA 11; Director of Instruction for Marshalltown Community Schools; Director of Human Resources for Ankeny Community Schools; Principal of Harding Middle School, DMSP; Associate Superintendent for Teaching & Learning for DMPS; Interim Superintendent for DMPS

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
I am passionate about the students in Des Moines and the outstanding team of educators we have serving them. It is a diverse district in a great city, rich with challenges and therefore rich with opportunities.

What is your vision for your district?
I see DMPS as continuing to improve the ways we serve our ELL students, to continue to expand innovative ways for teachers to access the highest quality professional development, and to continue to encourage teachers to be innovators in how they connect with students to make learning meaningful.

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy exercising, reading, music and theater.

Deron Durflinger
Van Meter CSD
Education
Advanced Studies Certificate, University of Northern Iowa
Master of Science, Buena Vista University
Bachelor of Arts, William Penn College

Past Work Experience
Van Meter Schools, Secondary Principal, 2009-present
Cardinal Community Schools, Principal, Teacher, Coach, 2002-2009
Charter Oak-Ute Community Schools, Teacher, Coach 1997-2002

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
I have been the Secondary Principal at Van Meter for the past three years. I love what we have been able to do in our building, and I wanted to increase my circle of influence within the district. Van Meter is a great community, located near Des Moines, with a school district willing to do whatever it takes to see students be successful. I wanted to continue to be a part of the wonderful traditions established in our district, so the progression to the superintendency was natural.

What is your vision for your district?
The vision for Van Meter Community School District is to empower students to be learners who:

• Communicate
• Collaborate
• Create
• Innovate
• Solve Problems
• Think Globally
• Live Ethically

A more detailed description of my vision can be found here: http://bit.ly/OWYGGB

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
I have four kids aged 14, 12, 10, and 8, so most of my free time is spent with my wife at our kids' activities. However, I do find some time to golf in the summer, and I am a strong supporter of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Pittsburg Steelers, and St. Louis Cardinals, so I enjoy watching each of them when I get a chance.

Brad Jermeland
Ogden CSD
Education
Specialist in Education, Drake University
Master of Science in Educational Administration and Supervision, Drake University
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, Luther College

Past Work Experience
Associate Superintendent, Indianola Community School District, 2005-2012
Building Principal, Indianola Community School District, 1999-2005
Special Education Zone Coordinator, Heartland AEA, 1995-1999
Building Principal, Carlisle Elementary, 1993-1995
Principal, Manson Northwest Webster Elementary, Mason City Community School District, 1992-1993
Teacher and Unit Leader - Grade 5, Hoover Elementary, Mason City Community School District, 1991-1992
Special Education Teacher in Behavior Disability Program, Madison Elementary, Mason City Community School District, 1987-1991

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
Ogden is a community that has a strong tradition of supporting education and its schools. The school district has a dedicated, visionary and supportive school board. The district has a dedicated and professional staff that is committed to providing quality educational experiences for students. The building principals are all new to their positions, and they are student-centered and dedicated leaders for their buildings.

What is your vision for your district?
Through the interview process two opportunities became evident as focus areas. The first is to develop a long-range plan that will lead to quality programs for student learning and the second would be to develop a plan that would market the school district and attract families to the Ogden Community School District.

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and two daughters. They are a wonderful support system. I also enjoy going to Iowa Hawkeye football games, golfing (though I am bad at it), and supporting students in their co-curricular and extra curricular activities.

Bruce Kimpston
Ankeny CSD
Education
Doctor of Education – Drake University (2001)
Master of Science in Education – Drake University (1995)
Master of Science – Drake University (1991)
Bachelor of Arts – Iowa Wesleyan College (1986)

Past Work Experience
2009-Present –Ankeny Community Schools
1995-2009 – Waukee Community Schools
1992-1995 – West Des Moines Community Schools
1990-1992 – Dowling Catholic High School
1986-1990 – Martensdale-St. Mary’s Community Schools

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
Prior to moving to the superintendent position, I was the Associate Superintendent of Schools in Ankeny. This allowed me to see all facets of the district and how our schools function as a system. I accepted the position because of the people I have encountered in our buildings during the past three years. They care deeply about our students and work hard to help all students succeed.

What is your vision for your district?
My vision is to develop personalized learning for each child in the Ankeny Community School District. This can only be accomplished if we commit daily to provide differentiated learning experiences in all classrooms, as well as engage our teachers in professional collaboration and development in our professional learning communities.

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy reading, gardening, and attending activities in which my children are involved in college.

Ottie Maxey
Ballard CSD
Education
B.A. Coe College, Major Course of Study – Economics, 1989
B.A. University of Northern Iowa, Major Course of Study – Social Science Teaching, 1994
M.S. Drake University, Education Administration, 1999
Advanced Studies Certificate in Superintendency, UNI, 2011
Doctoral Program, UNI, 2011 – Present

Past Work Experience
Social Studies Teacher/Coach – West Des Moines, 1995 – 2001
Social Studies Teacher/Coach – Cedar Rapids, 2001-2003
Dean of Students/Coach – Cedar Rapids, 2003-2005
Associate Principal – Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 2005-2009
Superintendent – Postville, 2009-2012

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
I considered Ballard a great opportunity for a variety of reasons. The Board of Education is very cohesive and supportive, the administrative team is experienced and forward-thinking, staff members are exceedingly dedicated and put students first, students value their education and are respectful of themselves and one another, and the communities of Cambridge, Huxley, Kelley, and Slater are committed to providing students with the resources and facilities for a great educational experience. In addition, the location of the district between Ames and Des Moines provides access to great resources, activities, and events.

What is your vision for your district?
Ballard’s vision is “Empower all learners” and it’s one I wholeheartedly embrace. As students progress through their education, we must provide an experience that enables them to become increasingly responsible for directing their learning. When they graduate our students will be confident they have the ability to succeed in their post-secondary pursuits.

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
My wife, Melissa, and I have two sons. Hersch is a seventh grader and Willie is in fourth grade. I enjoy coaching them in athletics, and they love attending school events like most administrators’ kids. When vacationing, we enjoy snowboarding and spending time in the mountains. Around Iowa, we try to find time to go hunting, fishing, and golfing when the kids aren’t involved in activities. Also, I try and read as much as possible, but there never seems to be as much time for that as I’d like.

Susie Meade
Winterset CSD
Education
BA - Secondary Education Family and Consumer Science, University of Iowa
MS - Special Education, Minnesota State at Mankato
PhD - Educational Administration, Iowa State University

Past Work Experience
Secondary FCS - Faribault, Minnesota, 1989-1991
Elementary Behavior Disorders - Fort Dodge, Iowa, 1991-1993
Secondary Special Education - Algona, Iowa, 1993-1995
Elementary Special Education - West Des Moines, Iowa, 1995-1998
Principal - Saydel, Iowa, 1998-2000
Director of Special Education - West Des Moines, Iowa, 2000-2006
Principal - Mesa, Arizona, 2006-2008
Assistant Superintendent - Ankeny, Iowa, 2008-2012

Why did you decide to pursue the superintendent position at your district?
Winterset is committed and invested in providing innovative learning opportunities for students. The Board of Education is invested in doing "whatever it takes" to fulfill our vision. The district recently participated in a strategic planning process which produced a mission, vision, values and goals much aligned to the initiatives supported by the state as well as my own philosophy. Additionally, when we moved back to Iowa my husband's position was based in Winterset. He had four years to preview the community, and we knew it was a great match for us.

What is your vision for your district?
To engage the community in developing a learning community whereby every student in Winterset is prepared for their next journey in life whether it be college or career.

What are your hobbies or things you like to do in your free time?
Reading, travelling, spending time with family and friends

Welcome Back

On behalf of Heartland Area Education Agency, I’d like to extend a warm 'welcome back' to all of you. I hope you join me in my excitement for the start of another school year, and look forward to the opportunity to partner together to make a positive impact on students—all 140,000 of them in Heartland’s service area.

I invite you to take interest in this Heartland AEA Administrator Connection blog. The Administrator Connection is updated every Friday (excluding holidays and summer vacation) to inform area superintendents, principals, curriculum directors and other school leaders of important announcements, agency news, professional development opportunities and other key information items. Please consider using the Administrator Connection as a means of exchanging ideas, offering feedback and sharing information with each other.

To our superintendent colleagues, we invite you to join us for our monthly Heartland Administrator Association (HAA) meetings. The meetings are a time to learn together, collaborate and exchange information around contemporary educational issues. The meetings are held at the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center from 9:00 to 11:50 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. This year’s first HAA meeting will be on September 4, 2012.

At Heartland AEA, we will do our best to be a valued partner with you in our joint efforts to assure quality outcomes for those we serve. Please do not hesitate to contact your regional director or me with questions, comments and suggestions at any time.

Best regards,

Paula Vincent

Chief Administrator

Heartland AEA's Annual Progress Report Now Available

The Agency's Annual Progress Report (APR) for the 2010-2011 school year is now available. Click here for the report. You can also access the report via the Agency's website by clicking on the "About Us" link in the upper left-hand side of the homepage and then scrolling down to “Annual Progress Report.”

New Heartland AEA Comic Video Highlights Services

The graphic/comic book novel approach has generated super high "readership" for Web-based documents. We took that approach to make a short video that highlights how Heartland AEA makes an impact for the teachers we serve. Click here to see the video. Please help us share this video with teachers, parents and community members wanting to know a little more about how our Agency works with educators.

Internet Connectivity Through Heartland AEA

Heartland AEA area schools are relying more and more each year on Internet connectivity to provide a 21st Century education to their students, and their need for bandwidth is growing exponentially. An important service provided by Heartland AEA is Internet access, which is offered free to all of our districts. While some districts choose to use other providers, Heartland AEA and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) work together to provide Internet access to 45 of our school districts and several of our private schools. 

As noted earlier, the demand for bandwidth has been increasing rapidly over the past decade. For the 2012-2013 school year, Heartland will be providing 2.5 gigabytes of Internet bandwidth at no cost to the participating schools, more than triple the 800 megabytes provided in 2011-2012.

If you would like to learn more about this service, contact Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology, at lwilhelm@aea11.k12.ia.us or (515) 270-9030.

U.S. Dept. of Education Memo on Sequestration

Click here for a memo from the U.S. Department of Education regarding fund sequestration. The memo was e-mailed to area superintendents earlier this summer.

Iowa Dept. of Education to Offer TransAct® Notification System for all Iowa School Systems

The Iowa Department of Education is pleased to provide all school systems in Iowa with free access to the TransACT® parent notifications. Click here for more information. Click here for a schedule of basic user training sessions that were designed specifically for Iowa school districts.

Reminder: Users of Online Training Encouraged to Log In During Non-Peak Times

This year we have had a 125% increase in the number of users taking trainings on the statewide online training system. Unfortunately, this unexpected increase in usage has put a strain on our system and led to a frustrating user experience for district employees as the server is slow to respond. On Monday evening, we made some changes on the system to help with the issue, but the user experience has still been very slow. 

We have set a limit on the number of concurrent users to 100. For those who are logged in, the system will then run at a regular pace. However, once the limit has been met, users attempting to log in will see a screen informing them of the limit. We encourage users to complete trainings during non-peak times such as in the evening or weekends. Traditionally, the number of participants tapers off in two weeks (week of August 27), which would then be an easier time to log in and complete the trainings. 

Districts that have planned on having their entire staff complete the trainings together during beginning-of-the-year in-service dates are encouraged to make alternative options available to their staff. 

We thank you for your patience.

HEART Training for Administrators, August 23

We will hold a HEART Overview for Administrators training on August 23, 2012. The training is intended primarily for school administrators and/or clerical/technical staff who will have responsibility for managing the HEART database for their school/district. The training will cover the basics of using the HEART system to summarize data, security management, data importing, data cleanup and other issues related to managing the system. Training is intended for those new to the job, but is open to anyone who would like a refresher. Please pass this information on to those in your district who would benefit from the training. 

HEART Overview for Administrators 

August 23, 2012 1:00-3:30 p.m. 

Johnston REC, Computer Lab 

Click here to register or register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and put activity number AS003792111302 in the correct field. 

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Connor Hood at chood@aea11.k12.ia.us or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14506.

Continuing Education for New School Nurses

Heartland AEA is offering an exciting online learning experience for new school nurses. Beginning September 3, the Moodle-based class will be open to all school nurses hired August 2011 or later. Registration is mandatory but the class is free. Credit toward nurse license renewal is optional for a flat fee of $15 dollars. Topics to be covered include:

• Nursing delegation of health procedures to paraprofessionals
• Instruction on how to write an individual health plan (IHP)
• Instructions on how to conduct health evaluations and screenings for special education
• Understanding special health services and the IEP
• Medicaid billing and the role of the school nurse
• Section 504 and the nurse as a team member
• Heartland AEA resources available to assist nurses 

Please pass on this opportunity to new school nurses. They may register here or go through our Professional Development catalog and enter activity number DR346899991301 in the correct field.

Inspire Children to Love Learning through the Project Approach

The Project Approach is an engaging and powerful way to teach children how to love learning. This four-part series, sponsored by the Mid-Iowa Chapter of Iowa AEYC, the Science Center of Iowa and Des Moines Business/Education Alliance, is designed to lead teachers step-by-step through the implementation of the Project Approach in the classroom. Graduate credit and teacher license renewal credit are available. Click here for a flier of dates and details.

Click here to register or register through our Professional Development catalog and enter activity number EC007899991301 in the correct field.

Student Invitation to the United State Senate Youth Program

“The 50th anniversary United States Senate Youth Program’s Washington Week was the most incredible week of my life.”
 - Scott Syroka (2011-12 Iowa Delegate from Johnston Community School District) 

 “The light we as delegates saw during the United States Senate Youth Program has motivated us to make change to bridge the divides within our society, and has ultimately inspired us to become tomorrow’s public servants.”
- Blake McGhghy (2011-12 Iowa Delegate from Keokuk Community School District) 

The state of Iowa has accepted an invitation 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. 

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 2012-13 school year.

Each high school may nominate up to three students. Student application materials are available on the Iowa Department of Education website at http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=939:ussenateyouthprogram&catid=671:advanced-learning-opportunities&Itemid=2738.

Completed applications should be submitted to Chris Jeffryes at Heartland AEA 11, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston, IA 50131 by 4:00 p.m. on October 5, 2012. Nominees will take a qualifying examination on October 15 at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room 13A at the Johnston AEA Regional Education Center on the U.S. Constitution and government. The award recipients will be announced in December. 

Contact Chris Jeffryes (chris_jeffryes@aea11.k12.ia.us) or Cheryl Mullenbach (Cheryl.Mullenbach@iowa.gov) for information.

Iowa DE Invitation to TELPA Study and TELPA Ordering Guidelines

For the 2012-13 school year, all schools across Iowa are invited to enroll in the Tennessee English Language Placement Assessment (TELPA) study. (See invitation below.) The TELPA is an ESL screening instrument used to determine whether or not a student who speaks or hears a language other than English at home should receive ESL (Title III) services.

Schools in the Heartland AEA area must order and pay for their own TELPA tests from Measurement Inc. (MI). Click here for the reimbursement form which should be printed, completed and sent to Kevin Fangman at Heartland AEA. This form must contain an original signature.

TELPA Ordering Guidance

TELPA materials orders may be placed at any time. When placing an order with MI, you will be required to either enter a purchase order number or indicate that no purchase order number is required. Your district will be billed directly for all TELPA materials ordered.

To access the ordering web site, navigate to the following link and enter the User ID and Password below.

https://state2.measinc.com/TELPAMaterials

UserID: StateIA

Password: 123456

The TELPA is locally administered and scored so you will have immediate results to help you place your students. Once you do this, you will need to transfer your students’ scores to a Bubble Answer Sheets (BAS) Scantron sheet. You will send these to Northwest AEA so the test results can be entered into an assessment database for evaluation. Contact Stephaney Jones-Vo at sjones-vo@aea11.k12.ia.us or Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us for BAS Scantron sheets, not Northwest AEA or the DE. The BAS Scantron sheets will be sent to you by Heartland van mail.

Invitation to Participate in the TELPA

Dr. Jobi Lawrence, Title lll Education Program Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, would like to invite you to participate in a study of a placement test that assesses the ELL students entering your district. The study is to confirm the alignment of the Tennessee English Language Placement Assessment (TELPA) with the Iowa English Language Development Assessment (I-ELDA).

The results of this study will determine if the TELPA will be used to replace the LAS and the IPT, which are currently in use. If this assessment is adopted, the test will define an entry level English Proficiency when the student enters the district so we can capture the first year growth.If you would like to participate in the study please have your superintendent fill in the consent to participate form (found by clicking here) and send it back to:

Iowa Department of Education

Attn: Mary Smith

Grimes State Office Building

400 E. 14th St.

Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146

orBy e-mail to Mary Smith

Mary.Smith@iowa.gov

If you choose to participate in this study the test materials will be of no cost to your district. Testing materials will only be of no cost to districts while the study is being conducted.To obtain TELPA BAS Scantron sheets please contact your AEA consultant with the number needed in K-2, 3-12 grade spans.

• Click here to read the directions for filling out front page of BAS Scantron
• Click here for the directions for returning TELPA BAS Scantrons to Northwest AEA (not Heartland AEA 11)

Save the Dates for ELL/ESL Opportunities

We wanted to make you aware of some upcoming events and opportunities that focus on the unique needs of ELL/ESL learners. Click here to subscribe to the English Language Learner/Diversity listserv to get timely information on ESL/ELL opportunities. 

ESL Advisory/Networking Meetings 

All Heartland AEA area districts are invited to send a representative(s) to quarterly ESL Advisory/Networking meetings. Participants identify professional development needs and provide input on Title III support for the school year. They also find out firsthand about mini grant opportunities for implementation in their districts. 

Dates: September 5, 2012; December 4, 2012; February 5, 2013; May 7, 2013 

Time: 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. 

Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive), Room 13B 

Implementing a Quality ESL Program: A Day Seminar for Administrator and Teacher Teams 

Date: September 26, 2012 

Time: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 

Location: Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive), Rooms 13A/B 

Click here to register or register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and put activity number ES006892111301 in the correct field. 

Special Education Considerations for English Language Learners with Cristina Sanchez-Lopez 

Dates: October 12-13, 2012 

Time: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Location: Zion Lutheran Church (4300 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines) 

More information to come. Please join the ESL Listserv. 

Mid-TESOL (Regional Conference for Administrators and Teachers)  

Dates: October 19-20, 2012 Time: 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Location: Iowa State University 

More information to come. Please join the ESL Listserv. 

Iowa Culture and Language Conference 

Dates: November 11-13, 2012 

Location: Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville, IA 

More information to come. Please join the ESL Listserv. 

The Pearson SIOP for Teachers Virtual Institute 

Title III will reimburse the registration fee and provide the text, Making Content Comprehensible for English Language Learners, for participation in the Pearson Virtual SIOP Training for Teachers. A $200 stipend will also be awarded to participants who complete the requirements of the institute and receive the certificate of completion. Teachers are encouraged to form study groups around this training and submit an electronic course proposal for license renewal or Drake credit. Please contact Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us with any questions. 

Dates: October 15-November 5, 2012 or November 13-December 11, 2012 

Location: Online Learning 

Go to http://siop.pearson.com/ to register for the Virtual Institute. 

Contact Pat Latham at platham@aea11.k12.ia.us for any questions about these ELL/ESL opportunities.

Concept-Based Teaching & Learning for Instructional Teacher Leaders & Coaches

Where: Prairie Lakes AEA, 824 Flindt Dr., Storm Lake, IA 

When: 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m., October 30, 31 & November 1, 2012 

Cost: $900 per person which includes three days of training, a light breakfast & lunch each day, workshop materials, permission to use basic PowerPoint slides developed by Dr. Lanning and Dr. Erickson to use in coaching teachers 

Presenters: Lynn Erickson, Ed.D. and Lois Lanning, Ph.D. 

Participants will: 

• Gain a solid understanding of concept-based curriculum
• Complete a quality concept-based unit to use as a model
• Learn how to develop strong concept-based lesson plans that meet the deeper intent of the Iowa Core 
• Receive basic PowerPoint slides for facilitating future unit and lesson design
• Approach teacher coaching from a practical perspective – how to know what to look for in a teaching lesson 
• Learn how to develop concept-based graphic organizers that engage the conceptual thinking of students
• Discuss other topics of concern to instructional coaches 

Click here for more information and click here for a registration form. 

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.

Drake Online Fall Course Offerings

Click here to find a flier that promotes the three online courses developed by Drake University Extension Education (Anti-Bullying, Human Relations, and Teacher Leadership Strategies). All three are offered this fall and still have seats available. Teacher Leadership Strategies is the newest course and will be offered for the first time starting on October 15. All of these courses are offered for three hours of EDMA credit and are affordable ($550, not including the text). For more information about these and other online offerings, please visit Drake's online course web page at http://www.drake.edu/edex/distance/Online_Courses.php.

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.