Agency Welcomes Two New Regional Directors

We are excited to welcome Kathie Danielson (Des Moines Schools) and Mark Crady (Norwalk Schools) to our administrative team as regional directors. We look forward to them joining us this summer as they help us in our mission to improve learning and well-being for central Iowa students.

Reminder: RtI Learning Session on May 10

On May 10, Heartland AEA will host Dr. Kevin Feldman, a leader in the field of Response to Intervention (RtI), for a one-day professional learning opportunity. Dr. Feldman will provide opportunities for participants to deepen their understanding of the key components necessary to implement RtI as well as the skills needed to coach quality implementation. The registration deadline is next Friday (May 3).

Leading RtI with Kevin Feldman
May 10, 2013
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
FFA Enrichment Center, DMACC Campus (1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny)
Activity Number: SI015699111301

Curriculum Network: May 3 Meeting

Go to the Google Site link below to find the Curriculum Network agenda and handouts for next week’s meeting. The meeting will be held on Friday, May 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.

Curriculum Network Google Site: https://sites.google.com/a/aea11.k12.ia.us/curriculum-network-aea-11/home

Assessing Academic Rigor Course for Fall 2013

We have scheduled an Assessing Academic Rigor Course for next fall. This course is required for school administrators and other educational leaders responsible for evaluating educators who are renewing their licenses. Details for the course are below.

August 1, 2, September 24 & October 8, 2013
8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Johnston REC
Activity Number: AD013992111401
*Note: 100% attendance is required for credit.

Technology Summer Academy at WGHS

This year’s Technology Summer Academy, Technology for the 21st Century Learner Summer Academy: Making Connections, will be held at the Woodward-Granger High School on June 10 and 11, 2013. This can be taken for 1 credit (but not required). The academy will explore tools that teachers use to infuse technology for the 21st Century Learner to make critical connections. Tools to support the critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication in the classroom settings will be shared. Participants will be expected to begin working in these tools and share a product that can be used with students. Moodle will be the class repository.

There are many sessions to choose from.  Find out the session options at: https://sites.google.com/a/aea11.k12.ia.us/summer-institute-2013/overview-of-sessions

Technology Summer Academy
June 10 & 11, 2013
Woodward-Granger High School
Activity Number: DR362471101401

Use the sharing functions below to email this post to interested teachers or post on your professional blog, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.

May Edition of Each and Every Child Newsletter

Click here to find a link to the May 2013 edition of "Each and Every Child" brought to you by the Iowa Department of Education’s Bureau of Student and Family Support Services. The e-newsletter is designed to enhance communication between parents and teachers. Please forward it to your parents in your district and use the stories as opportunities for discussion. This issue has a story on how two high schools in a whole-grade sharing agreement built one supportive environment.

DIBELS Support for 2013-2014

Heartland AEA will again provide assessment materials and access to the DIBELS website at no cost to your district (https://dibels.uoregon.edu/) for the 2013-2014 school year. Given the timeline of implementation of the new system the Department of Education has recently announced, we will review DIBELS support annually as we monitor usage and the implementation of the new statewide system.

DIBELS assesses literacy skills and assists teachers and literacy teams in identifying those students who may be in need of additional instruction. Questions regarding administration and scoring, training and/or use of the DIBELS can be directed to your regional director.

April 2013 Edition of AEA Impacting Lives Update

All of Iowa’s AEAs have received great letters of support from parents who are grateful for the services their children have been provided by AEA staff. For this month’s Impacting Lives update at http://aeas4iowa.wordpress.com/, we are sharing some letters we’ve received. Thank you to all who have showed support to the AEA system. We are truly honored to provide the services that impact so many students’ lives in Iowa. Four stories come from the Heartland area: Aiden, Brooklyn, Alex and Aedyn.

April 2013 AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online Blog Updates

The AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online April Blog Update is now available. Go to www.aeapdonline.org or www.aeak12online.org for updates. For real time updates, follow AEA PD Online on Twitter @aeapdonline or on your mobile device by accessing our app at myapp.is/aeapdonline.

AEA PD Online's issue includes:

• Preparations for 2013 Back-to-School Online Training
• New Online Trainings
• Tool of the Month: Visual Ranking
• AEA PD Online: Live
• Upcoming Courses
• External Partner Webinars

AEA K-12 Online issue includes:

• A View from the Field: Blended Learning & Flipped Classrooms
• Blended Learning Seminar Series
• Amy Burns Explains How She Uses SoftChalk with Students
• A View from the Field: Conceptual Teaching and the Iowa Core

UI-Hoover Institute for Civic Engagement for Secondary Teachers

Secondary principals may have received this message sent in February by the University of Iowa. The U of I wished us to post it here in order to reach a wider audience.

Dear Principal,

The University of Iowa and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association have joined together to create the UI-Hoover Institute for Civic Engagement for secondary teachers. It will meet June 24-26, 2013 on the UI campus in Iowa City and the Hoover Library in West Branch. Participants will receive guidance and support in developing and carrying out civic engagement projects within their schools. Scholarships will be awarded to those selected to participate.

We invite you to recommend a team of two teachers from your school to apply for admission and scholarships to participate in this Institute. We are seeking teachers who take the initiative, provide enthusiastic leadership in their discipline, are committed to developing and teaching 21st Century Learning Skills, and want to create outside-the-classroom opportunities for their students to engage and improve their communities.

Participants earn two semester hours of University of Iowa graduate credit (included in the scholarship) as they learn to create civic engagement projects for their students. The Institute provides instruction as well as time to develop and receive feedback on their project ideas, and an ongoing community of Institute participants for advice and encouragement after they return to school in the fall.

Participation in the Institute benefits your school in a number of ways. It equips your teachers to carry out projects that implement:

• the Iowa Core Curriculum’s Social Studies goal of motivating students “to participate in civic and community life as active and informed citizens”
• the Iowa Core’s 21st Century Skills’ goal of promoting students’ “civic literacy” and developing their skills in problem solving, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, effective communication, analysis, and imagination
• a process that enriches your student body’s educational experience as they engage and build connections with their own communities

Every secondary school in the state of Iowa is invited to have teachers apply, but space is extremely limited – only fifteen schools (of two teachers each) will be able to participate in the inaugural edition of the Institute. We are accepting applications on a rolling admissions basis, so please act promptly to identify those teachers who you would like to apply to the Institute. You will find more information on the Institute and the application page for your teachers on our website at: UI-Hoover Institute for Civic Engagement.

We welcome any questions you or your teachers might have, and look forward to receiving your teachers’ applications. Send your questions to Cary R. Covington at cary-covington@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.

Iowa Youth Survey Results Available

The Iowa Youth Survey results are in!! The state report is available here. Other reports (county, AEA, etc) are available at www.iowayouthsurvey.iowa.gov. Superintendents (or a designee) may request local results. 

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.

DMACC Surplus Available

The DMACC Campus has the following surplus supplies available: 

6 yellow chair/desks

6 black swivel chairs

20 black chair/desks 

26 padded, sled based chairs 







If interested, please contact Julie Klocke, DMACC Purchasing, at (515) 964-6386 or jaklocke1@dmacc.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.

April Educator Connection with World of Media Now Available

Click here for the latest issue of the Educator Connection with World of Media. The interactive, online e-magazine allows you to search by keyword, download pages and print specific pages. You'll find information about the following:

• K-8 literacy support with Tales 2 Go audiobooks (with links to the Iowa Core)
• Posters to support science teaching
• Hundreds of resources to support the K-6 unit on the states or regions
• A tool to help parents combat summer reading loss
• Primary sources--finding them and using them
• Professional development classes

Iowa Barnstormers to Host Educators Appreciation Night

The Iowa Barnstormers, in conjunction with Heartland AEA, would like to invite all teachers, administrators, school staff and their family members an “Education Appreciation Night” for the team’s June 1 game against the Tampa Bay Storm. 

The Barnstormers are offering discounted prices on all of their ticket levels, with some tickets as low as $9.00 each! Those who purchase Education Appreciation Night tickets will be entered into a drawing to win 1 of 8 $25 gift cards from the Learning Post in Urbandale. What a perfect way to celebrate the end of a great school year with your colleagues! 

Click here for an order form that includes ticket prices. You must fill out the order form and mail it to the Barnstormers’ team office or e-mail it to Tony Goldenstein, Account Executive, at tgoldenstein@theiowabarnstormers.com or Tony at (515) 564-8458 to receive discounted prices. Family and group ticket purchases are welcomed and encouraged.

The Next Generation Science Standards Released

The final Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a new set of voluntary, rigorous and internationally benchmarked standards for K-12 science education, were released earlier this week. You may review the final NGSS at http://www.nextgenscience.org/. Learn more about NGSS in the video below.
Why NGSS? from Achieve on Vimeo.

Deepening Your Understanding of PBL Workshop

The two-day workshop on June 20­21, 2013 at Grant Wood AEA will engage participants in learning the principles for designing, assessing and managing standards-focused projects. Learn how students are the center of the learning process in a personalized and engaging environment. Discover how students are involved in complex, real-world applications where they apply their knowledge through an inquiry-based approach. Click here for more information.

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.

Resource on Safe and Successful Schools

Click here for the attached resource on Safe and Successful Schools. This is a joint framework from:

American School Counselor Association

National Association of School Psychologists

School Social Work Association of America

National Association of School Resource Officers

National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Secondary School Principals

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/Solution Tree PLC Institute is Now Open

Registration for the Implementing Professional Learning Communities Institute is now open.  The event will be held at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center--Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines on July 30, 31 and August 1, 2013.  This 3-day session is designed for school administrators and teacher leadership teams. Participants will enhance their understanding of the philosophy and key concepts inherent in professional learning communities with the goal of applying those concepts, as well as specific processes, to create and sustain effective, efficient and high-functioning PLCs in their own schools.

Throughout the three days, Paul Farmer and Heather Friziellie, PLC associates from Solution Tree, will facilitate both large group common learning as well as break-out opportunities based on specific schools' stage of implementation and grade level (i.e. elementary or secondary). The afternoon of day 3 is for administrators. The focus will be on the leadership essentials or "musts" to ensure quality implementation and strategies to effectively support and sustain PLCs.

Click here for more information and to register. Use the sharing functions below to email this post to interested teachers or post on your professional blog, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.

Reminder: Fine Arts in the Iowa Core

Seats are filling up fast for the Fine Arts in the Iowa Core course we posted last week. Be sure to encourage interested teachers to register soon.

Fine Arts in the Iowa Core
June 25, 2013
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Summit Middle School (9500 Windsor Parkway, Johnston)
Activity Number: FA021632311401

Our Kids Summer Institute Registration Now Available

The 2013 Our Kids Summer Institute will be held June 18-19, 2013 at the Waukee High School. The institute will provide participants with the opportunity to network with other educational professionals and to discover new strategies for working with English Language Learners throughout Iowa. Click here for a flyer that can be distributed to interested district staff. Registration is available at http://bit.ly/XFVlEz.

April 2013 School Leader Update

Click here to download the April 2013 issue of the School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education. This edition includes a note from Director Glass underscoring his support for the important work of Iowa Core implementation and news about a new advisory council made up of award-winning teachers.

Northwest AEA’s Broadening Horizons Open to All Iowa Educators

Northwest Area Education Agency's Broadening Our Horizons conference is open to parents, teachers, administrators and others who live in Iowa and work with students who have a disability, including an emphasis on Autism Spectrum Disorder. The conference will be in Sioux City on June 6-7, 2013. Click here for more information.

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.

Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition

In partnership with Ernst and Young, the Jacobson Institute is hosting a Quick Pitch Biz Competition. The competition is open to any Iowa high school student. Students don’t need a business background to compete; they need motivation, passion and a good idea! They can compete using a new or existing business or a business idea or build off an innovation developed from an existing program, for example:

• First Tech Challenge
• First Lego Leauge
• A World in Motion
• Kid Wind
• Fabulous Resources in Energy Education

Deadline to submit the Application and one-page Executive Summary is Sunday, April 14, 2013.

$4,500 in cash prizes will be given away!

Ways to Promote:

• Encourage entrepreneurial/creative/business-minded students to apply
• Print and display poster (either 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14)
• Distribute Guidelines to Compete
• Announce the competition and prizes over the PA
• Use social media to promote competition
• Encourage all teachers to make classroom announcements

Prizes:

• $1,500 - 1st Place       
• $1,000 - 2nd Place      
• $500 - 3rd Place       
• $250 - Honorable Mention (3)

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize winners will compete for an additional $1,000 the week of May 6. The school with the most finalists will receive a $500 grant. The school with the most applicants will receive a $250 grant. The grants are to be used to support entrepreneurship education.

Competition information, promotional materials and the online application are at the following link:
http://www.jacobsoninstitute.org/bizplan/

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.

Between the Lines: The Writing Experience

Hosted by The International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, Between the Lines (BTL) invites students 16-19 years old from the USA, Russia and 12 Arabic-speaking countries to meet and explore each other’s cultures through two weeks of programming that include creative writing workshops, a world literatures seminar, cultural exchange activities and more. Participants live and learn on the University of Iowa’s campus, staying in dormitories staffed with trained counselors and being taught by respected authors from both the US and abroad. BTL offers young writers the chance to experience other cultures and campus life at a major university via a small, structured program run by experienced staff. By the end of each session participants will be part of a tight knit community of friendship and creative support that continues beyond their time in Iowa City, and beyond their own city limits. Students who attend BTL grow not only as writers, but as citizens of the world.

Between the Lines is now accepting applications for the following 2013 summer sessions: Arabic/English from June 22-July 6, and Russian/English from July 13-27. Deadline for US applications is April 20, 2013. The majority of activities will be conducted in English, so any US student who loves to write is encouraged to apply even if they do not speak Arabic or Russian. Four full tuition scholarships for US students, along with some travel funds, will be given to accepted applicants with demonstrable financial need. More information about the program, the application process and tuition can be found at: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/programs/between-the-lines, www.facebook.com/btlwriters, or by emailing the Programs Coordinator at kelly-morse@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.