Curriculum Network: January 3 Meeting

The next Curriculum Network meeting will be held on Friday, January 3 in Rooms 13 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) and will begin at 8:30 a.m. The agenda and handouts will be posted on the Curriculum Network Google Site.

Save the Date: January 7 HAA Meeting

The next HAA meeting will be held from 9:00-11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7 in Rooms 13 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive).

Does your District Want Feedback on its TLC Grant Application?

Is your district submitting a Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) grant application at the end of January? Do you want feedback from knowledgeable AEA staff and districts who are applying? Do you want feedback from a process that is consistent with the process the TLC Commission plans to use? If so, Heartland AEA has an opportunity for your district to get valuable feedback on your grant.

Heartland AEA will hold a feedback process session for districts on January 13 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. The TLC grant planning session on that day will only run from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Interested districts can reserve a spot by contacting Kevin Fangman at kfangman@heartlandaea.org by Monday, January 6. Participating districts will need to submit a draft of their grant to Kevin by Thursday, January 9, and commit to sending one or two people to review sections of grants for other districts. There will be one or two simple directions regarding how grant application drafts will need to be submitted so the process can be organized efficiently. This will be sent out to participating districts on Tuesday, January 7. 

The process will be modeled after the structure that the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System plans to use to score grants. District and AEA reviewers will be assigned to read one or two sections of the grant, along with the abstract, and then fill out a structured feedback form. All 10 sections of a district's application will be reviewed, and all feedback will be sent home with districts at the end of the day.

If you are interested in participating, you will need to contact Kevin Fangman know by Monday, January 6. Kevin can be reached at kfangman@heartlandaea.org.

Learning Management System Day, Jan. 17

Heartland AEA will be hosting a Learning Management System (LMS) "Shootout" on January 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Johnston REC. The day is primarily targeted at curriculum directors, technology directors, tech integration specialists and K-12 administrators.

Vendors will give a 50-minute presentation that provides an overview of their LMS product. Most vendors will present 4-5 times on this day. A full presentation schedule will be distributed in early January, once all invited vendors have indicated if they plan to participate. Districts should be able to easily see 4-5 presentations on this day if they are interested in that many different options. There will a lunch break, and there are multiple restaurants within easy driving distance.
 
Confirmed vendors/presenters include: Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Infinite Campus. Other sessions include Can Google be used as a Learning Management System?

Registration is free and available through Heartland AEA PD catalog. Click here to register.

LMS vs. SIS
A Student Information System (SIS) is primarily a student record-keeping system, recording information such as attendance, grades, behavior, contact information, etc. A Learning Management System (LMS) focuses primarily on delivering/facilitating instruction, and it includes features such as document storage, discussion boards and online quizzes. The information contained in an LMS and an SIS overlaps to some degree (such as student names and ID numbers), and some SISs (such as Infinite Campus) are adding in features that normally appear only in an LMS.

A great resource to look at prior to and after the LMS Day is the Heartland AEA tech consultant team’s online comparison of Learning Management Systems, which is available at:
https://docs.google.com/a/heartlandaea.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AodmIe5QMX6MdDRTdlZIMG5tZTNDM1F1WWMyRXhjWWc&usp=sharing#gid=0

We look forward to seeing many teams from districts and schools on the January 17. Please contact Lance Wilhelm at lwilhelm@heartlandaea.org if you have any questions at this time.

Drug Impairment Training for Educators, Jan. 20 & 27

Due to popular demand, we are again offering our "Drug Impairment Training for Education Professionals" course. This course is intended to make educators competent and confident in evaluating and documenting those individuals suspected of abusing drugs in the school setting with the eventual goal of making the school a safer and better learning environment. The class will be held January 20 and 27, 2014 and will be taught by Craig Porter, retired police officer. Click here to register.

Important Dates and Information about I-ELDA Testing

Click here for more information on administrative guidelines and timelines for this year’s I-ELDA Testing.

Capitol Girls Opportunity for 9-12 Grade Girls

Capitol Girls is a great opportunity put on through the Iowa Dept. of Human Rights and the Girl Scouts of America. This event is for girls in grades 9-12 to take an in-depth look at our state government by shadowing lawmakers. Please distribute the flyer to interested students. 

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.

Phyllis Yager Memorial Diversity Teaching Award

Phyllis Yager received a Master of Arts in 1953 and a doctorate in 1983 from the UI. She is the late wife of Science Education Professor Emeritus Robert E. Yager, who also received a Master of Arts in 1953 and a doctorate in 1957 from Iowa. Phyllis Yager devoted her career to advocating multicultural opportunities and gender-affirming activities through her work as a teacher in the Iowa City School District and later as a consultant to the Grant Wood Area Education Agency.

Named in honor of Phyllis Yager, the Phyllis A. Yager Memorial Commitment to Diversity Award recognizes educators who go above and beyond the required curriculum to increase diversity awareness. Recipients receive a stipend to further diversity initiatives or professional development, and are asked to make a presentation to the College of Education community during the College of Education Diversity Committee’s annual Beyond Tolerance Diversity Conference on April 17, 2014.

If you are interested in applying for the grant, applications and further description of award amounts can be found through the College of Education Diversity Committee website:
http://www.education.uiowa.edu/committees/diversity-committee

The deadline for the applications is March 14, 2014 and can be mailed to College of Education Diversity Committee, Office of the Dean, 459 Lindquist Center, Iowa City, Iowa 52242.

Any further questions can be addressed to Marcus Alt, the College of Education Diversity Committee Graduate Assistant at marcus-alt@uiowa.edu.

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.

Happy Holidays!

Click here for an e-card (with sound) from chief administrator Paula Vincent wishing you all a happy holiday season.

ISFIS School Budget Workshop to be Held Jan. 29

The AEAs have once again partnered with Iowa School Finance Information Services (ISFIS) to provide school budget workshops for public school district administrators. The Heartland AEA workshop will be held on January 29, 2014. Click here for more information and to register.

Like in past years, the workshop day will be split into two sessions:
 
Morning Session: New Budget Managers
The morning session will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and are reserved for newer superintendents and business managers that haven't been through the budget process or need a little extra guidance. You are not required to have anything completed prior to attending.

Afternoon Session: Veteran Managers
The afternoon session will run from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and are reserved for superintendents and business managers that have been through the budget process several times. Participants must complete the following worksheets BEFORE the session:

•  FY13 Worksheet 1 and Worksheet 2
• FY14 Re-estimated Worksheet 1 and Worksheet 2

Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) Winter 2013 Statewide Paper Buy

Paper copies were sent to schools via AEA van mail during early December.
Order forms are posted online for immediate download. Order Deadline is January 10, 2014. Complete ordering information is available at: http://www.iec-ia.org/pages/IEC/Office_Classroom/Paper/Winter_Buy

Bid Features Include:

• Wide variety of paper weights, colors and sizes
• Additional discounts for orders of 440 cartons or greater
• Letter and catalog envelopes

Holiday Office and Van Schedule

All Heartland AEA offices be closed December 24, 25 and 31 and January 1 of the holiday season. Please take note of the following schedule as you plan to send and receive items through our van mail. 

• December 20-January 3 No Van Delivery
• January 6, 2014 Regular Van Delivery Resumes

Additionally, there will be no Administrator Connection blog update on December 27.

Additional Early Literacy Guidance/CBE Final Report

Message from Iowa Department of Education

Dear Administrator:

I am writing to notify you of two items regarding recently enacted Iowa Code Section 279.68 on Early Literacy Progression.  Both items require action on your part.  First, in order to obtain your district’s share of the $8 million appropriated by the legislature for implementation of the Early Literacy Progression law, you need to submit a brief application at www.iowagrants.gov.  This process is similar to the process used to distribute the Teacher Leadership and Compensation planning grant funds earlier in the school year. The grant opportunity is currently open, and I urge you to submit your information as soon as possible.  Instructions for accessing the grant application are attached in the link below.

Second, due to the scope of the law, the Iowa Department of Education will be offering a series of technical assistance opportunities throughout the next year to support districts with implementation. The first installment will occur in the next two weeks.  The Department will sponsor one face-to-face meeting and two webinars during which representatives from the Department will review new guidance on Iowa Code §279.68 and the rules recently noticed by the State Board of Education in IAC 281—62. Two guidance documents, both attached in the link below, include information on the new requirements for Iowa’s school districts and tips on how districts may wish to use the funds allocated for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements.  There will be ample opportunity for questions. Dates and times offered are below.

December 18
Webinar: http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/r6o0lfof3zc/
2:00-4:00 p.m.

December 19
Webinar: http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/r6o0lfof3zc/
7:30-9:30 a.m.

December 20
Grimes Building, 400 E 14th St., Des Moines (Room - Basement 100)
2:00-4:00 p.m.

Please forward this information to others in your district who may need to know.

I look forward to working with each of you as we continue to improve literacy results for all of our children.  I hope this note finds you well and that you and your family enjoy a wonderful holiday season.

Cordially,
Dave Tilly

If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

Test your connection: http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html

Link to attachments: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByfBML663TIENExxNHdOOERwSEk&usp=sharing

Iowa students encouraged to apply for State Board of Education position by Jan. 31

The State Board of Education is seeking applications for its student member position. The application deadline is Jan. 31.

Each year, the Governor appoints a student to serve as a non-voting member of the State Board of Education.

The next one-year term runs from May 1, 2014, through April 30, 2015. The State Board of Education meets at least seven times during that term, with most meetings taking place in Des Moines.

Applicants must be full-time 10th or 11th grade students enrolled in a public high school. Eligible students also must have:

- A grade-point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 3.75 on a 5.0 scale.

-  Attended their present high school for at least the past two consecutive semesters (or equivalent thereof).

-  Demonstrated participation in extra-curricular and community activities, as well as an interest in serving on the State Board of Education.

-  Student applications must be approved by their school districts. The number of applicants from any one school district is limited as follows:

• If district enrollment for grades 10 through 12 is fewer than 400 students, there may be no more than one applicant from the district.
• f district enrollment for grades 10 through 12 is from 400 to 1,199 students, there may be no more than two applicants from the district.
• If district enrollment for grades 10 through 12 is 1,200 students or more, there may be no more than three applicants from the district.

Application materials are available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website: https://www.educateiowa.gov/about-iowa-state-boards-education#Student

Happy Holidays!

Click here for an e-card (with sound) from chief administrator Paula Vincent wishing you all a happy holiday season.

Changes Made to Agency Website—New Special Ed Tab Created, About Us Content Shifted

Based on feedback we’ve received, a new Special Education tab has been added to the main navigation bar on our agency website. Check it out at www.heartlandaea.org!

The name of the tab is “Special Education Services” and in the drop-down menu under it are four main categories:

• Getting Started With Special Education 
• Guidance Documents 
• Program Supports to Schools 
• Student & Family Services

Under Student & Family Services you will find the specific services provided to students and families such as assistive technology, hearing, occupational therapy, school social work, etc.

With the creation of the new tab, we have shifted the “About Us” information down on the page. Click on the “About Heartland AEA” link for information about agency leadership, board of directors, office locations and schools we serve.

We hope you find this change helpful. Please contact the Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org if you have any questions.

Substitute Authorization Updates

Effective November 10, 2013, individuals with a Substitute Authorization may sub no more than 10 days in one month in one classroom. This is in addition to the rule of no more than five consecutive days in one classroom.

Busteed to Focus on Gallup Research and “Economics of Human Development, Feb. 4

After decades of focus on standardized testing and school accountability, American schools still trail much of the world on international measures of student performance. Amidst a time of globalization, disruptive technology and new demands in the workforce, are we educating our students in the right way?

Learn what Gallup research has to say about the “economics of human development,” and what should become a New Bill of Rights for All Students. Brandon Busteed, Executive Director of Gallup Education, will take you through a whirlwind of the most important research informing how we can get our education system back on the path to winning again. Gallup’s insights will change everything you think you know about education.

February 4, 2014
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston REC, Rooms 13A & B
Audience: Superintendents, principals, district administrators and curriculum directors. It will be a great opportunity for superintendents or principals to bring in school teams.
Activity Number: AD015292111401

Additionally, Mr. Busteed will hold a presentation for superintendents during the Heartland Administrators’ Association Meeting that morning.

Learn more about Mr. Busteed here.

English Language Learner Task Force Report Now Available

The ELL Task Force Report has been finalized and vetted through the Iowa Department of Education. The final report is published on the Department of Education website and is available here.

Heartland AEA Provided Internet Connectivity and Security

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 42 of our school districts and several of our private schools.

By aggregating through Heartland AEA, participating schools save close to $1 million in connectivity costs. We place a high priority on reliable service and quick response time when contacted about problems. We know our districts rely on their Internet working efficiently 24/7/365.

Commitment to high quality service
Recent months have been particularly challenging. While the Agency’s network is “up” over 99% of the time, the networks in some of our districts have been the subject of attacks from hackers from various parts of the world, including China and Eastern Europe. These have generally been what are called “denial of service attacks.” For example, imagine you run a telemarketing firm, and one of your competitors programs their computers to call all of your phone lines every 3 seconds. That’s essentially what a denial of service attack does to an Internet connection. The network is working, but because of all of the extra traffic from hackers, it slows down considerably, sometimes to the point where it is essentially unusable. Attacks of this nature can slow down the network not just in the targeted district, but other districts as well.

In the past couple of years, service has also been interrupted or significantly slowed down due to Heartland AEA router issues, Internet filter issues and fiber optic lines being accidentally severed. Other AEAs and Internet service providers have also been the targets of denial of service attacks and similar problems, causing similar frustrations in their parts of the state.

In order to increase the reliability and security of our network, Heartland AEA is taking several steps, and considering the implementation of other safeguards. These include:

• Purchasing a new router and higher-capacity Internet content filter.

• Increasing bandwidth from the ICN from the current 3.0 Gb to 4.0 Gb after the first of the year.

• Hiring an outside firm to conduct a network penetration test - such a test identifies security holes in a network and leads to recommendations to strengthen it against outside attacks or hackers.

• Purchasing and implementing more robust network monitoring software than the Agency currently uses.

• Providing training in network security and troubleshooting for IT staff members at the AEA and district levels.

• Testing network circuits in each district/school to which the Agency provides Internet aggregation. Gathering these baseline data while the network is working well with help identify problems when troubleshooting is necessary.

We are confident these steps will help to improve our network performance, and we look forward to working together to strengthen our network security. If you would like additional information, please contact Lance Wilhelm, Director of Technology, at lwilhelm@heartlandaea.org or Tuan Dao, Network Administrator, tdao@heartlandaea.org.

Training Sessions on E-rate Form 471 Announced

The deadline for filing E-rate form 471 applications for the 2014-2015 school/funding year has been announced. E-rate form 471 may be filed online starting at 11:00 a.m. CST on Thursday, January 9, 2014. The deadline for completing Form 471 is 10:59 p.m. CST on Wednesday, March 26, 2014.

Because form 470 MUST be filed no less than 28 days before filing form 471, this means that E-rate form 470 must be filed no later than February 26, 2014.  However, you are strongly urged to file form 470 now!  You don't need to wait until January or February to file for 470.  If you missed the training webinar on filing form 470, contact Lance Wilhelm at lwilhelm@heartlandaea.org.

The Form 471 is being revised and all applicants are encouraged to participate in training. Training sessions for Form 471 are as follows:

Completing Form 471:  (select one)
Wednesday, January 15, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Thursday, January 16, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 28, 10:00 a.m.-noon
Wednesday, February 5, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

To participate in any of the above sessions, go to http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/e-rate/ and select “enter as a guest.”  There is no need to sign up in advance for any session.

Heartland AEA Website Goes Mobile

In response to the ever-growing population of mobile users, Heartland AEA is pleased to debut its new mobile website! This website will automatically load on a web browser (Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc.) when it is accessed on a smartphone or tablet device. It is specially designed to be mobile-friendly and features large buttons to tap with your fingers instead of small text-based links that you are accustomed to clicking when using a computer.

The mobile site is not a full recreation of our main website—it features those items that we know our clients use most often: 

• Professional Development Catalog 
• Reserve Materials 
• Online Resources 
• News 
• Calendar (coming soon!)
• Careers 
• Staff Directory 
• Locations 
• Contact Us

Some of you may be wondering why we chose to do a mobile site over an app since apps are so popular right now. Here are a few reasons why: 

• Heartland AEA didn’t need to go through Apple or Android to have an app approved, and we don’t need to go through them to have it updated, so we have control over and easy publishing rights to the content on the site. 
• Mobile sites are easier to find than apps that have to be searched for on the App Store or Android Market. 
• A mobile site doesn’t have to be downloaded to your device as an app would, so it does not take up valuable data on your phone or tablet. Updates don’t have to be downloaded, either. 
• Mobile websites are always available for users to return to them. 
• Mobile websites are accessible across platforms and can be easily shared among users and search engines.

We encourage you to take out your mobile devices and check out the mobile site! Send your feedback to comms@heartlandaea.org. Please spread the word about the site to your educators, students and families!

Agency Exploring Purchase of Full-Color, Short-Run Digital Envelope Printer

Heartland AEA is exploring the purchase of a digital envelope printer to enhance the products that Creative Services can provide. New features of this printer would include:

• Full-color printing on envelopes that will be an exact match to your letterhead
• Personalized addressing of envelopes
• No minimum order quantity
• Various envelope sizes and styles

If this sounds like something you would take advantage of, please contact our Creative Services Department at creativeservices@heartlandaea.org to let them know your interest. Our goal is to make this an available option by second semester.

Heartland AEA Creative Services Shaves Up a Good Incentive

Our creative services staff were able to help out Pleasantville Elementary with a reading incentive for students. Read more about the incentive below and don't hesitate to contact creativeservices@heartlandaea.org for things we can create to help motivate your students! Special thanks to Pleasantville Elementary for sharing your fun photos.

From the principal:

"Students earned a mustache each week they read a certain amount of minutes each week. The number of minutes read was recorded on a calendar. While we encouraged students to read at home daily, students had all week to meet the assigned number of minutes.

The goal was for each grade level classroom to earn a minimum of 60 mustaches by the end of the month. As a reward for meeting the goal of 60 mustaches, their teacher wore a mustache all day."

December 2013 School Leader Update

Click here to find a link to the December 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.

SchoolReach Webinar on Teen Depression

Click here to register for a webinar with Dr. Scott Poland on teen depression taking place on Thursday, December 12. Dr. Poland, a former president of the National Association of School Psychologists and a school crisis prevention expert, will speak on the causes of teen depression and what school leaders can do to help teens who are struggling. 

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.

Superintendents: December 3 HAA Meeting

The next HAA meeting will be held from 9:00-11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, December 3 in Rooms 13 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive). As there is no Administrator Connection next week, the agenda will be emailed to superintendents before the meeting.

Curriculum Network: December 6 Meeting

The next Curriculum Network meeting will be held on Friday, December 6 in Rooms 13 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive) and will begin at 8:30 a.m. The agenda and handouts will soon be posted on the Curriculum Network Google Site.

Busteed to Focus on Gallup Research and “Economics of Human Development," Feb. 4

After decades of focus on standardized testing and school accountability, American schools still trail much of the world on international measures of student performance. Amidst a time of globalization, disruptive technology and new demands in the workforce, are we educating our students in the right way?

Learn what Gallup research has to say about the “economics of human development,” and what should become a New Bill of Rights for All Students. Brandon Busteed, Executive Director of Gallup Education, will take you through a whirlwind of the most important research informing how we can get our education system back on the path to winning again. Gallup’s insights will change everything you think you know about education.

February 4, 2014
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston REC, Rooms 13A & B
Audience: Superintendents, principals, district administrators and curriculum directors. It will be a great opportunity for superintendents or principals to bring in school teams.
Activity Number: AD015292111401

Additionally, Mr. Busteed will hold a presentation for superintendents during the Heartland Administrators’ Association Meeting that morning.

Learn more about Mr. Busteed here.

Community of Practice for Iowa Fine Arts Teachers

All Iowa fine arts teachers are invited to join in a Creative Community of Practice starting December 11 and offered jointly by AEA PD Online and Prairie Lakes AEA.

This blend of onsite and online workshops will create a community of practicing art teachers interested in elevating the value of creative thinking in our schools. Together they will explore and create ways to integrate creativity into the learning experience of all students- and make it a valued component of all content areas as students move to more authentic tasks and relevant performance indicators.

Click here for more information.

ICLC Reimbursement Form Due Nov. 29

If your district had participants attend the Iowa Culture and Language Conference and Preconference November 11-13, please complete the claim form attached in the Administrator Connection blog and return it via the Heartland AEA van mail by November 29, 2013 to the following:

Pat Latham, ESL Consultant
Heartland AEA Adel Office
Van Route # 1.13

TLC Grant Planning Workshop, Dec. 2

The next Teacher Leadership and Compensation System Grant Planning Workshop will be Monday, December 2, 2013. The workshops are full, but new districts can attend via Adobe Connect. You may access the Google Site with directions to connect with Adobe Connect, agendas, planning tools and other guidance by clicking here.

State Report Shows Inconsistencies in Reading Instruction

Click here for a report released Wednesday by the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC). The report shows inconsistencies in literacy instructional practices in Iowa schools, which may be contributing to stagnant reading trends reported among Iowa’s students for the past several years.

About the Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC)
The Iowa Reading Research Center’s purpose is to apply current research for the development of literacy across Iowa. The IRRC is action-oriented and initiatives include reading assessments, data reporting system, evidence-based interventions and teaching strategies, early literacy framework, summer reading program, professional learning, and parent resources and information. Please visit www.iowareadingresearch.org.

Schools Recognized for Reducing Gaps in Achievement Among Students

Congratulations to Carroll High School and Northeast Elementary (Ankeny) two of six schools from across the state honored by the State Board of Education for significant progress in closing gaps in student achievement.

The Breaking Barriers to Teaching and Learning Award was created by the State Board of Education. Each year, the award recognizes successful efforts to eliminate achievement gaps among students who face challenges. This year’s award-winners were recognized for having the highest proficiency rates statewide in math and reading among a specific subgroup of students, such as students who do not speak English as their native language and students from low-income backgrounds. Data from three years were examined to confirm a positive trend for each school.

The schools that met this criteria include:

• Kennedy High School, Cedar Rapids: Latino students (92.3 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 58.8 percent).
• Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls: African American students (84.7 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 46.3 percent).
• South Tama County Elementary, Tama: Native American students (75.8 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 59.3 percent).
• Carroll High School, Carroll: Low socioeconomic status (86.4 percent proficiency rate in reading and math; statewide average for this subgroup is 61.3 percent).
• Northeast Elementary, Ankeny: Students on Individualized Education Programs (75.8 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics; statewide average for this subgroup is 32.3 percent).
• Lenox Elementary School, Lenox: English language learners (86.4 percent proficiency rate in reading and math; statewide average for this subgroup is 42.6 percent).

Interviews with school principals revealed a common thread between the honored schools: the use of evidence-based practices, a staff-wide commitment, high expectations and substantial teacher collaboration. Reducing the achievement gap is one of the State Board of Education’s top priorities.

Quick Pitch Biz Competition for Business-Minded High School Students

The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship is running a Quick Pitch Biz Competition for high school students in grades 9-12. Students don't need a business background or existing business.  All they need is an idea to compete!

Competitors need:

• Motivation
• Passion
• Good idea
• Read about past competitors

Students can compete using a new or existing business/invention/innovation idea OR build off an innovation developed from an existing program.

Click here for more information. Deadline to submit Application and 1-page Executive Summary is Friday, November 29.

November 2013 AEA PD Online & AEA K-12 Online Updates

The November 2013 AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online updates are now available. For real time updates, follow AEA PD Online on Twitter @aeapdonline or download our app at http://myapp.is/aeapdonline.

AEA PD Online
•    Moodle Updates: Introducing the "Awesome" Bar
•    Tool of the Month: Are you "Kahoot"-ing?
•    Upcoming Courses
•    AEA PD Online: Live!
•    External Partners

AEA K-12 Online
•    Accessing AEA K-12 Online's Moodle Hosting Services and E-curriculum

ICLC Reimbursement Form Now Available

If your district had participants attend the Iowa Culture and Language Conference and Pre-conference November 11-13, please complete the attached claim form and return it via the Heartland AEA van mail by November 29, 2013 to the following:

Pat Latham, ESL Consultant
Heartland AEA Adel Office
Van Route # 1.13

Tell Us Your Good News!

We know that our staff have great partnerships with families, educators and partner organizations that ultimately improve the learning outcomes and well-being of central Iowa's children and youth. We need to get the word out about these great things so that the work of the AEAs does not go unrecognized. Any piece of good news would be much appreciated! Click here for a form to let us know about the celebrations we could share!

Thanksgiving Holiday Office & Van Delivery Schedule

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, all Heartland AEA offices will be closed on November 28 and 29. Our van delivery schedule will be as follows:
•    Regular delivery Nov. 25-26
•    No delivery Nov. 27-29
Additionally, there will be no Administrator Connection update on November 29.

E-Rate Training and Updates

Pam Jacobs, Iowa E-rate Coordinator, will hold a virtual E-rate training for completion of Form 470 for the 2014-15 school/funding year on Tuesday, November 19 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. To participate, go to http://iowa.adobeconnect.com/e-rate/ and select “enter as a guest.”

The USAC Board has determined that the Form 471 "window" for 2014-15 school/funding year will open no sooner than January 8, 2014. The window closing/deadline has not yet been established but will likely be sometime in mid to late March. One reason for the uncertainty of dates is that there will be a new version of Form 471 and that form must be tested in the online system before the window opens.

Dates for the Form 471 training will be posted in December (first Form 471 training session likely to take place the week of January 13). Because of the new Form 471, it is recommended that newcomers and seasoned veterans participate in one of the trainings.

Iowa Commission on the Status of Women Announces the 30th Annual Write Women Back Into History Essay Contest

The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education and the State Historical Society of Iowa, invite Iowa’s youth to gain a deeper and more relevant appreciation of women’s roles in history and celebrate March as Women’s History Month by participating in the Write Women Back Into History Essay Contest.

This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage and Commitment.” Though women have always made significant contributions to these fields, historically those contributions have not been recognized as publicly as those of men. Here is a chance for Iowa’s youth to change that and learn more about women in these fields.

The contest is open to students in grades 6–9. Winning essayists will be awarded prizes and recognized at a special ceremony at the State Capitol during Women’s History Month, and each finalist will receive a certificate signed by the governor. They also will be introduced in the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives. All winners will receive some cash prize, names will be released to the press and a special effort will be made to inform media outlets in the students’ communities of their honors. 

The best essay on Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math will receive book prizes and cash prizes as well.

The deadline for entries is January 24, 2014. Guidelines and entry forms can be found at http://www.women.iowa.gov/about_women/womens_history/essay_contest.html. Contact Sanjita Shrestha at ICSW for more information at (515) 281-4219, (800) 558-4427 or women@iowa.gov.

November 2013 Iowa Board of Educational Examiners News Update

Click here to find the November 2013 News Update from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. The BoEE produces this quarterly newsletter for Iowa educators and it is being passed on for your information.

Iowa Children's Museum Field Trips

The Iowa Children's Museum in Coralville has updated their schedule to include K-6th grade field trip packages to match the Iowa Core standards. Click here for their field trip offerings.

UNI Iowa's Geological Resources Workshop for Teachers

Click here for a copy of the Iowa's Geological Resources Workshop for Teachers brochure. Please distribute this electronic copy of the brochure to middle and high school earth, environmental or geological science. This course begins with an online component in the spring to prepare teachers for a hands-on-workshop (July 13-15, 2014) where they will be visiting various geological sites and preparing curricular materials.

Flyer for Iowa ASCD’s 4th/5th Grade Teacher Conference

Click here for a flyer that can be shared with fourth- and fifth-grade teachers to attend the Iowa ASCD’s Teacher Conference on December 4, 2013. With four teacher registrations, the principal comes free.

Around the World Schools Need to Respond to the Disaster in the Philippines

This message was sent to Dr. Vincent from the Dept. of Psychology at UCLA.
 
Schools need to respond because news of a disaster anywhere in the world can have an impact on their students, families, school staff, and communities.

Reaction to the news of the disaster may stem from having relatives and friends who have been directly affected or because the media images they experience trigger feelings of empathy, anxiety, fear.

Whenever there is a major disaster, schools can mobilize to provide support to those affected directly and indirectly by the event.

For example:
•    For those at school who have relatives in the impacted country, schools can consider providing appropriate opportunities to share what they know about the situation, what concerns they have, how they might address those concerns (e.g., up-to-date information, ways their families/communities are reaching out to find/support friends and relatives, what plans are underway for recovery).

•    For those at school who have strong emotional reactions to the news reports (e.g., are anxious that such a disaster might occur in their community), schools can mobilize those facets of their emergency aftermath plans to provide appropriate supports.

•    To help with disaster relief, schools can follow the lead of and connect with those organizing such relief (e.g., the Red Cross, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, etc. – see How to help: Organizations offering relief to Typhoon Haiyan survivors – http://www.cnbc.com/id/101189935).

•    Schools can also tie the responses into their efforts to promote social-emotional learning, character building, etc.

•    And, as always, schools should review school crisis plans and encourage families to involve their children in understanding what to do if there is a disaster, where to get help, etc.

For more resources related to crisis response and trauma, see our quick find topic page http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/p2107_01.htm

Iowa’s NAEP results show some gains, need for improvement

Iowa’s student results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress show some gains in math and reading since 2011, but stagnation over the long term remains a challenge statewide.

“We see some bright spots in today’s results, but they largely underscore the need to continue pushing forward with our education priorities,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said.

Iowa has participated in NAEP assessments since they were first administered in 1990. Today’s NAEP results cover math and reading for grades 4 and 8. Iowa’s results show small growth from 2011 in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and fourth-grade math. The long-term trend remains flat in reading at both grade levels, with small growth in math.

The results also show no single demographic group stands out for Iowa’s relative stagnation. White students, who make up 81 percent of Iowa’s student population, are behind their white peers nationally across all tested grade levels and subject areas.

Significant gaps in achievement also remain for black and Hispanic students, students who do not speak English as their native language, students from low-income backgrounds and students with disabilities.

Click here for additional information.

November 2013 School Leader Update

Click here to find a link to the November 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.

Flyer for Iowa ASCD’s 4th/5th Grade Teacher Conference

Click here for a flyer that can be shared with fourth- and fifth-grade teachers to attend the Iowa ASCD’s Teacher Conference on December 4, 2013. With four teacher registrations, the principal comes free.

DMACC Surplus Available

DMACC has eight of the instructor stations available for pick up after December 1 at the Hunziker location in Ames. Click here for pictures and more information. These surplus items are free to the first school to ask for them. Please contact Julie Klocke at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu if you are interested.

SchoolReach and CyberBully Hotline to Hold Webinars in November

Bullying in Schools: What Can We Do?
Tues. Nov. 19th @ 10:30-11:30 a.m. Central
Register here: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/540564623

Join a free webinar in a professional development series featuring anti-bullying author and speaker, Stan Davis. Stan will discuss strategies for reducing bullying in schools AND for reducing the harm that bullying can cause, based on a recent large national research project.

Attendees of this webinar will learn:

• Ways to talk about bullying with youth that make it both less frequent and less damaging
• Ways to broaden your focus beyond just stopping mean behavior to also building community, inner strength and helping behaviors
• Strategies for empowering peers to give effective, safe support to bullied youth
• How adults can best support bullied youth to reduce emotional harm

Reunification Plans for Schools
Thurs. Nov. 21st @ 10:30-11:30 a.m. Central
Register here: https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/384218335

Join retired police officer, School Resource Officer, and School Safety expert, Gary Sigrist, Jr. as he discusses reunification plans for schools. Many schools prepare for emergencies, but many are not prepared for the reunification that happens following an emergency. Reunification occurs when events at the school or in the neighborhood demand students are physically returned to parents. In the event of criminal activity, injury or death, additional time may be needed for law enforcement interviews or crisis counseling.

Attendees of this webinar will learn:

• How to choose a reunification site
• How to manage the reunification process
• Where to direct parents who come to pick their children up
• Who's allowed to pick students up
• Where to stage students
• How to reduce parents' drama and anxiety
• What to anticipate regarding medical issues

Reminder About Iowa Alternate Assessment for Homebound Students and Students on Shortened School Days

This is a reminder that homebound students (usually for medical reasons) and students on shortened school days who receive educational services from a district are required to be tested for NCLB.  

Homebound students take the same assessments as if they were in a school building. Iowa Code does not provide exemption of assessment for students on shortened school days. For homebound/shortened school day students where instruction and assessment on the Iowa Alternate Assessment requirement of 15 items per content area assessed may be problematic, IEP teams must convene and come to consensus that a reduction of the requirement is warranted and then submit a request to the Department. The Department will then make a determination on the number of rating scales required for assessment.

If you have questions about IAA requirements, contact your regional director or Angela Calhoun at acalhoun@heartlandaea.org.

Superintendents: November 5 HAA Meeting

Click here for the updated HAA agenda for next week’s meeting. The meeting will be held from 9:00-11:50 a.m. on Tuesday, November 5 in Rooms 13 A & B of the Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center (6500 Corporate Drive). Meeting topics include a session with SAI Legal Counsel Matt Carver about school safety and related legal issues and breakouts dealing with district-wide technology and negotiations.

Assessing Academic Rigor, Spring 2014

Spring dates for Assessing Academic Rigor courses are set! If you are looking to renew your Administrative License, one of the courses you may want to take is Assessing Academic Rigor. The spring dates are January 23, 30, February 20 & 27 at Heartland AEA. Click here to register.

Teacher Leadership and Compensation Model Google Site

Heartland AEA has a Google Site of resources to support schools as they plan their teacher leadership and compensation model. The site can be accessed here. One key resource listed under the October 30 meeting documents is the planning template. Districts that attended the first planning workshop really found this template helpful.

Background Checks Requirements for School Employees

This guidance is from Iowa Department of Education website. 
Under Iowa Code section 279.69, the Legislature has closed the gap on the requirement for school district employees to have background checks. The newly passed law requires that all school district employees have a background check conducted in compliance with various Iowa laws by July 1, 2014. This legislation includes other school employees such as cooks, custodians, paraprofessionals, and administrators who are not licensed with the Board of Educational Examiners. These employees must have a background check upon initially being hired and then every five years on the anniversary date of the employee. The law requires the school district to review information in the Iowa court information system, the sex offender registry, the child abuse registry, and the central registry for dependent adult abuse for information regarding the applicant. The school district must pay the costs of the checks and maintain documentation of compliance with this law. Click here for an ISFIS report for guidance with the new background check law.

November-December 2013 Each & Every Child Newsletter

Click here to for a link to the November-December 2013 edition of the Each & Every Child newsletter from the Iowa Department of Education. This issue introduces you to the school that is simply the best in the state when it comes to bringing their students on Individualized Education Plans up to grade-level achievement. Take a bow, Northeast Elementary in Ankeny!

Superintendents: November 2013 HAA Agenda

Click here to download the agenda for the November 5 HAA meeting. Meeting topics include a session with SAI Legal Counsel Matt Carver about school safety and related legal issues and breakouts dealing with district-wide technology and negotiations.

October 2013 AEA PD Online & AEA K-12 Online Updates

The October 2013 AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online updates are now available. For real time updates, follow AEA PD Online on Twitter @aeapdonline or download our app at http://myapp.is/aeapdonline. 

AEA PD Online 
• Find out how Moodle 2.5's Drag and Drop Feature makes adding images and files easier 
• Now Available: AEA PD Online Training System Level One Investigator Training 
• Upcoming Courses: November 1-December 15, 2013 
• External Partner Webinars and Events 

AEA K-12 Online 
• Connected Educator Month: Network to Learn, to Collaborate, and to Innovate 
• A View from the Field: Angie Emerick

Iowa ASCD to Host 4th/5th Grade Teacher Conference

Are you looking for opportunities for your fourth- and fifth-grade teachers to see quality implementation of the Iowa Core? Are you wanting to impact the learning of your teachers and their students? Register your teachers now so they can learn from practitioners - other fourth- and fifth-grade teachers - and go home with ideas, tools, strategies, information, and networking opportunities. (And be sure to watch the tweets from @IowaASCD - lots of tips for fourth- and fifth-grade teachers of reading!) 

Iowa Teachers will provide learning opportunities around these 3 strands: 

• Teaching for Understanding – Curriculum Strand: What do all students need to learn, know and be able to do? How do we in our building/grade level connect our teaching with the students’ learning expectations identified around “the core”?  
• Assessment for Learning – Assessment Strand: How do we know that students have learned? How do we use assessments to assess and diagnose our students’ progress in learning? How do we adjust our instruction based on the results of the formative assessments to implement the Iowa Core?  
• Teaching for Learner Differences – Instruction Strand: How do we plan and deliver instruction so that we meet the needs of all learners in our classroom? How do we respond if students struggle or don’t learn and how do we respond when students have already learned?

Iowa ASCD and ISEA are sponsoring this conference: 

• Date: December 4, 2013; Registration is from 7:45-8:30. Starting at 8:30 .
• Location: Prairie Meadows Conference Center in Altoona, IA (just east of Des Moines)  
• Fee: $100 for members of Iowa ASCD or ISEA; $150 for non-members

Four ways to register: 

• Register on line with a credit card at https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1317768  
• Mail a check/purchase order with names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith, Room 123, Drake University School of Education, 3206 University, Des Moines, IA 50311  
• Email with attached purchased order with names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at bridget.arrasmith@drake.edu.  
• FAX purchase order with names of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at 515.271.2233.

And - if you send four or more teachers to the conference, you attend the conference free.

ESL Family Literacy/Parent Involvement Mini-Grant Opportunity

Districts with ESL students are eligible to write for additional money to support sustained activities that promote family literacy and/or parent involvement of their ESL students and families. Please consider submitting a proposal. Click here to view the guidelines. If you have any questions, contact ESL/Diversity Consultants Stephaney Jones-Vo (sjones-vo@heartlandaea.org) or Pat Latham (platham@heartlandaea.org).

2013-14 Staff & Schools Directory Now Available

Click here to download the 2013-14 Staff & Schools Directory. Updates to our PeopleBox database and the conversion of staff to new email addresses delayed the completion of the directory, but it is finally complete!

Schmidt Named 2014 Teacher of the Year

Jane Schmidt, a longtime teacher known for her leadership, her ability to connect with students, and her commitment to improvement, is the 2014 Iowa Teacher of the Year. 

“Great teachers make a world of difference for their students, for their colleagues and for their communities,” Branstad said. “The Lt. Governor and I congratulate Jane Schmidt, who is a true role model for both students and teachers.” 

Schmidt, a 33-year teaching veteran from Delmar, is an eighth-grade literacy and language arts teacher at Maquoketa Middle School in the Maquoketa Community School District. 

Schmidt’s leadership extends well beyond the classroom. She serves as a teacher mentor at her school and, in a new role this fall, she coaches educators, refines curriculum and gauges the effects of teaching practices across the school district. Schmidt also will help her school district craft a teacher leadership and compensation plan, an opportunity made available by the education reform law adopted by Iowa legislators this year. 

“I love schools, and I’ve never been tired of teaching,” Schmidt said. “It’s always been my passion, and it’s always given me purpose. I think that’s all we ask of a career – that, and a commitment to continuous improvement.” 

Schmidt works with her students to nurture not only a love for reading and writing, but also a deep understanding of the importance of literacy. She recently shared with her students a study on college dropouts that showed a link to an inability to keep up with the reading. 

Schmidt’s classes also emphasize communicating effectively, both in small groups and one on one. “In this era of texting, that face-to-face communication doesn’t always take place and it’s important,” she said. 

“We hear from employers that kids don’t know how to communicate, how to talk, so it’s something we have to focus on.” 

Schmidt says she was inspired to become a teacher as a teenager, when she volunteered at a summer camp for children with special needs during high school and then volunteered at a laboratory school as a freshman at Illinois State University. Her teaching roots began in special education. Through that experience, she developed a love for literacy instruction and went back to school to earn endorsements in reading and language arts.

Schmidt’s spirit of self-improvement never waned. She earned National Board Certification in 2004, after witnessing a dramatic impact the credential had on one of her own children’s teachers. In May, Schmidt earned a second master’s degree. She also has learned how to use video and other technology to incorporate digital storytelling into her classes. 

“This ‘digital immigrant’ feels strongly that our instruction must include technology if we are to relate to the ‘digital natives’ in our classrooms and prepare them for the 21st century,” Schmidt wrote in her Iowa Teacher of the Year application. 

Schmidt started her teaching career at a special education cooperative in Valparaiso, Ind. She taught special education in the Davenport Community School District for seven years before coming to Maquoketa in 1989. She also has been a special education consultant at Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency in Davenport. Schmidt has taught language arts and reading at Maquoketa Middle School since 1997. 

Finalists for the Iowa Teacher of the Year award are: 

• Aaron Maurer, a gifted education teacher and instructional coach at Bettendorf Middle School in Bettendorf  
• Kari Murray, a science teacher at Carlisle High School in Carlisle  
• Jon Parrott, an 8th grade social studies teacher at Urbandale Middle School in Urbandale  
• Kristi Wickre, a special education teacher at Smouse Opportunity School in Des Moines (Des Moines Public Schools)  
• Elaine Wolf, a culinary arts teacher at Central Campus in Des Moines (Des Moines Public Schools) 

Schmidt was chosen by a committee that includes representatives from the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa State Education Association, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Iowa Association of School Boards, the Parent Teachers Association, the Area Education Agencies, the Iowa Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and 2013 Teacher of the Year Tania Johnson.

Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant Planning Meetings

Heartland Area Education Agency has been working with West Wind Education Policy to develop a series of workshops to help districts develop their Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grants. Click here for more detailed information including where to register.

The purpose of this workshop series is to prepare local districts to make informed decisions about teacher leadership and compensation models. The goals are to enable each participating district team to submit a compelling and competitive plan to implement a local teacher leadership and compensation system to the Iowa Department of Education and be well positioned to implement their plans, if funds are awarded.

Teacher Leadership and Compensation System Planning Sessions

Workshop 1: Gather Information  
October 30, 2013     
Johnston Office, Rooms 13A & B

Workshop 2: Consider Designs 
November 13, 2013    
Johnston Office, Rooms 13A & B

Workshop 3: Craft Your Plan
December 2, 2013
Johnston Office, Rooms 13A & B

Workshop 4: Organize Your Application              
January 13, 2014
Johnston Office, Rooms 13A & B

All workshops will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.  The lunch break will be short and food will be provided by Heartland AEA.

Registration will close on Thursday, October 24.  If you have any questions, please contact Kevin Fangman at kfangman@heartlandaea.org or (515) 201-3744.

Network Maintenance Scheduled Oct. 24

On Thursday, October 24, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m., the ICN and Heartland AEA will be installing a new network switch and will transition the PK-12 school traffic to a new 10Gb interface.

During this maintenance window, some of the school Internet services will be restored sooner than the others, but we will try to keep the downtime for each school to a minimum. This upgrade will also affect Heartland AEA web services during the scheduled hours.

We apologize for the inconvenience, but appreciate your patience as we do this necessary upgrade. Please contact Tuan Dao, Network Administrator, at (515) 473-6702 if you have any questions.

IEC partners with Vintage Tech to Offer FREE Electronics Recycling

Vintage Tech is one of the leading electronics recycling and asset recovery companies in the industry. As an e-Stewards, R2, and ISO 14001 certified electronics recycler, Vintage Tech guarantees the highest level of service and compliance. The Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) is pleased to partner with Vintage Tech to offer yet another useful service to Iowa schools.

Click here for a form to list your equipment counts and arrange a recycling pickup. Completed sheets can be submitted to Brendan Wittry bwittry@vintagetechrecyclers.com.

Vintage Tech Recyclers will arrange a pickup at your facility so you don't have to transport your recycled items.  This service is FREE unless you are requesting specialized audit or data destruction services.

Accepted items include: computers, wires and cables, scanners, laptops, computer parts, microwaves, CRTs and LCDs, battery back-ups, cell phones, monitors, computer mice, CD/VCR/DVD players, printers, keyboards, stereo equipment, televisions, MP3 players, fax machines, PDAs and video game consoles.

Follow the links below for more information:
Data security
Certifications and Affiliations
Recycle Your Apple Equipment

Upcoming IEC Ordering Dates

Mark your calendars for the below ordering dates available through the Iowa Educators Consortium.

Health & First Aid
Now-Dec. 31

Light Bulbs & Ballasts
Oct. 14-Mar.

Copy Paper
Nov. 25-Jan. 10

IASL Books
Jan. 2-Feb. 14

Hold the Date: Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant Planning Meetings

Heartland AEA will be hosting planning meetings to support districts that are applying for Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grants.  The meetings will be held on the following dates: 

October 30, 2013
November 13, 2013
December 2, 2013
January 13, 2014 

Districts will be able to send up to four participants and are encouraged to bring representation from stakeholder groups on their district planning team. Meeting outlines and registration will be released next week. If you have any questions, contact Kevin Fangman at kfangman@heartlandaea.org.

“One Nation, Many Voices,” the Iowa Culture and Language Conference

Register now for the Iowa Culture and Language Conference, "One Nation, Many Voices." This year's conference will be held November 11-13, 2013 at the Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.

For more information about the conference and to register go to:
 
http://www.nwaea.k12.ia.us/en/programs_and_services/iowa_culture__language_conference/ 

Heartland Title III funds will support attendance by reimbursing your district for registration and substitute pay for the pre-conference and/or conference. Your district will also be reimbursed a total of $100 as a travel stipend.

Participants should register following your district's policy. After the conference, your district will submit one claim form for registration, sub pay and the travel stipend. Title III will reimburse directly to the district, not individuals. The claim forms will be made available in the Administrator Connection at the conclusion of the conference.

We encourage teams of classroom teachers, administrators and ESL teachers to attend.

Invitation to the Administrator Connection

If you are interested in having the Administrator Connection sent to other personnel in your district in addition to the superintendent, principal and curriculum coordinator, please email the Heartland Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org with the subject line of "Add to Administrator Connection List." Please include the person's name, title (assistant principal, activities director, etc.) and email.

October is Connected Educator Month

Online communities and learning networks are helping hundreds of thousands of educators learn, reducing isolation and providing “just in time” access to knowledge and opportunities for collaboration. To learn more about getting involved in the national movement, go to http://connectededucators.org/.

Part of being connected is through social media. Heartland AEA and the statewide AEA system have been active users of Facebook and Twitter for several years. Also announced this year was the Iowa's AEAs Pinterest page which is a collaborative effort amongst Iowa’s nine AEAs and is maintained by AEA consultants from all over the state who specialize in different curriculum and instructional areas. Please connect with Heartland AEA and the statewide AEA system on social media!

Facebook
Heartland AEA: http://twitter.com/HeartlandAEA
Iowa's AEAs: http://twitter.com/iowa_aea

Twitter
Heartland AEA: http://www.facebook.com/heartlandaea
Iowa's AEAs: http://www.facebook.com/iowaaea/

Pinterest
Iowa's AEAs: http://www.pinterest.com/iowaaea

Impacting Lives Blog Showcases AEA Services

View the latest Impacting Lives update at http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/ for stories about the many ways Iowa's AEAs are making a difference. In this issue, read more about the work being done to improve early literacy in Iowa as well as a check-in on a child that receives services from her local AEA.

Iowans Invited to Give Feedback on Science Standards

On September 18, the Iowa Department of Education launched a public opinion survey of Iowans regarding the Next Generation Science Standards. The survey is part of a broader state effort to seek input on the new science standards, which represent a multi-state effort to develop a common set of learning expectations for students in kindergarten through high school.
The standards are internationally benchmarked and identify science and engineering practices and content with a focus on preparing K-12 students to go to college or to enter the workforce. To read the Next Generation Science Standards, visit http://www.nextgenscience.org/.

The survey will be open through Friday, October 11. To participate, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JBQM56P.

For more information about the Next Generation Science Standards Task Force, visit http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2951&Itemid=5238.

Wanted: Your Input on Extended Learning

Learning doesn’t take place just in a classroom. It can happen before school, after and during the summer.

Called in educational circles “extended learning,” it enhances students’ overall educational experiences. The best programs, research shows, involve both school and community involvement.

And to that end, the Iowa General Assembly directed the Iowa Department of Education to produce a report due Dec. 15 on best practices for extended-learning opportunities in the state. To accomplish this, the Department and the Iowa Afterschool Alliance are seeking input from Iowans on extended learning, both in the form of a survey as well as a series of meetings hosted around the state.

The report for the extended learning pilot model comes from funds appropriated by the 2013 Iowa General Assembly in House File 215.

The survey can be accessed here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/extendedlearningIA2013.

For specific information on the individual state meetings, go to http://educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2962:wanted-your-input-on-extended-learning&catid=666:headlines

October 2013 School Leader Update

Click here to find a link to the October 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education.

Changed Tab on Web IEP Reporting System

Click here for an important announcement about the Required System Data (RSD) Tab on the Web IEP program. This memo was sent yesterday to district/school special education staff. Please ensure that your special education staff members received it.

Weighted Enrollment Factor Matrix Available

Click here to download the Weighted Enrollment Factor (WEF) Matrix which has been revised and was released in the Special Education Procedures Manual on July 25, 2013, on pages 500-501. All IEPs with a Prior Written Notice will be weighted using the WEF matrix. If interested in learning more about applying the WEF matrix to an IEP, click here to find information on completing the AEA PD Online Moodle Weighted Enrollment Factor Matrix Training. Please contact the regional director for your district if you have any questions regarding a student’s IEP weighting.

Considerations for Special Education Records

Important questions have been recently raised regarding progress monitoring and special education records. Click here to download a document that provides additional information to assist us in supporting our districts with this information.

Changes to Homeschool Instruction for Students Entitled to Special Education Services

In 2013, legislation was passed and signed by the Governor that significantly changed the homeschooling options in Iowa. These changes are indicated in the 2013-14 Private Instruction Handbook; however, these changes are not reflected in the current Statewide Procedural Manual dated July 25, 2013. Additional guidance documents have been developed to support AEA and LEA staff in meeting the new requirements and to assist with ensuring the appropriate paperwork is completed for students who are entitled to special education services.

Below are links to three additional guidance documents related to this topic: 

• Click here for the Heartland AEA Guidance Private Instruction Requests for Special Education Entitled Individuals
• Click here for the CPI Worksheet
• Click here for the 2013-14 Private Instruction Handbook which includes Form A, referenced throughout the guidance

If you have any questions regarding this information, contact Keri Steele, Regional Director/Assistant Director of Special Education, at ksteele@heartlandaea.org or Sara Mercer, School Psychologist, at smercer@heartlandaea.org.

Heartland AEA PEC to Host Transition Times Workshops this Fall

The Heartland AEA Parent & Educator Connection (PEC) Coordinators together with Des Moines Public School professionals have organized two fall workshops to benefit families and educators of 7-12th grade students who are served on an individualized education plan (IEP). Below is information on the two upcoming workshops.

ASPIRE Transition Times Workshop
October 1, 2013
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Ames AEA Office
ASPIRE is a parent-led support group for parents, educators and professionals who have or work with children who have special needs. Click here for more information for our co-sponsored Transition Times workshop that feature a panel of persons with disabilities who will share their success stories and what helped them along the way.

Transition Times Workshop
October 3, 2013
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Johnston REC
Click here for more information on the Transition Times Workshop on October 3, 2013. A panel of experts will describe job-seeking skills. Discover how to build on your child’s/student’s current skills. Join us for an interesting discussion with time for questions.

Ed Tech Expert Mancabelli to Speak About Globally Connected Classrooms on Oct. 1

There are still opportunities to attend a session with national educational technology expert Rob Mancabelli on Oct. 1! We'd love for you, your school leadership teams and your school board members to take advantage of this opportunity!

Rob has fifteen years of experience working in schools, working as a teacher before accepting roles as a Chief Technology Officer. He sits on the Educational Advisory Boards of Dell Computer and Acer Corporation, and he is a columnist for leading education publications. Rob is also an education entrepreneur, and he has earned an MBA in innovation and global leadership from MIT.

Heartland AEA will host Rob for three speaking engagements on October 1, 2013. See below for information on each session.

Superintendent Presentation
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston REC, Rooms 13A & B
Audience: Superintendents only
No registration required.

Presenter Rob Mancabelli will present during the Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) meeting. He will share information about the partnership between Heartland AEA and BrightBytes to collect and analyze information about how technology is being used to impact teaching and learning in districts.

Globally Connected Classroom
Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Johnston REC, Rooms 13A & B
Audience: Principals, technology coordinators, district administrators and curriculum directors. It will be a great opportunity for superintendents or principals to bring in school teams.
Activity Number: AD014992111401

Presenter Rob Mancabelli will share ideas on how to create globally connected classrooms, implement powerful project-based curricula and introduce students to tools and technologies with transformative potential.

Overview of the Globally Connected Classroom
Time: 6:00-6:45 p.m.
Location Change: Eastview School Cafeteria (1600 North Avenue, Norwalk)
Audience: Superintendents and their school board members.
Activity Number: AD015047971401

Presenter Rob Mancabelli will share information about the role of school board members and impacting teaching and learning in districts.