Best of Impacting Lives

January is a perfect time to reflect on past accomplishments and look forward to the future. Go to the Impacting Lives blog for a list of our favorite stories. If an AEA has made a positive impact in your life, please share your story with us here.

Standards-Based Grading with Rick Wormeli, April 8

Heartland AEA is pleased to host a standards-based grading learning opportunity on April 8, 2013 with featured guest, Rick Wormeli. The intention of this professional learning opportunity is for participants to build upon a foundation of knowledge, moving toward support of systemic implementation.

Focus of the session:

• Participants will deepen their understanding of the principles related to standards-based assessment and grading.
• Participants will understand how standards-based assessment, grading and reporting practices to support the implementation of the Iowa Core.
• Participants will be equipped to provide leadership and coaching for exploration, study and possible implementation of standards-based assessment and grading practices in a school/district.

Click here for a flyer that can be distributed to interested school/district leadership teams, instructional coaches and teacher leaders.

Click here to register or register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and put activity number SI014299991301INV in the correct field.

Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework with Doug Fisher, April 12

Heartland AEA will host Douglas Fisher, Professor of Language and Literacy Education at San Diego State University, in a session on the Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework model. Participants should have background in this framework and will build on their knowledge and proficiency.

Participants will be able to:

• Troubleshoot typical problems and possible solutions in implementation at systems level and individual teacher level
• Understand how the framework can by applied to support various content areas and grade levels within the Iowa Core
• Understand how the framework can be differentiated to support the needs of diverse learners (advanced and struggling learners)
• Coach teachers’ implementation to maximize student learning

Click here for a flyer that can be distributed to interested school/district leaders who support Gradual Release of Responsibility framework implementation in their district/school and have background knowledge of the framework through prior study and/or implementation.

Click here to register or register through the Heartland AEA Professional Development Catalog and put activity number SI014399111301 in the correct field.

January AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online Blog Updates

AEA PD Online's January blog update is now available. Go to www.aeapdonline.org/ for updates or click on the direct article links below. For real time updates, follow us on Twitter @aeapdonline.

Recent Updates:

• Interested in Becoming an AEA PD Online Instructor?
• For AEA PD Online Instructors: Moving from Moodle Version 1.9 to 2.2 in May 2013
• Tool of the Month: Diigo
• Upcoming Online Course Offerings
• AEA PD Online: Live!
• External Partner Webinars

AEA K-12 Online's January blog update is now available. Go to www.aeak12online.org/ for updates or click on the direct article links below. For real time updates, follow us on Twitter @aeapdonline.

Recent Updates:

• Better Together: Iowa's Communities of Practice (CoPI)
• Upcoming CoPI Events
• CoPI: A View from the Field by Bridgette Wagoner

I-ELDA Testing & ESL Updates

It is the time to prepare for administering the Iowa English Language Development Assessment, the I-ELDA, to the English language learners in your district. 

To access archived Adobe Connect training sessions on ordering, administering, and returning the I-ELDA, visit the Iowa Department of Education ELL page for live links to these trainings.

Visit the Northwest AEA I-ELDA website for testing materials and other information.

Heartland AEA schools (which do not include Des Moines schools) have reported approximately 2,800 English language learners for the 2012-13 school year. To meet Federal Title I and Title III guidance, it is imperative that all English language learners (ELLs) take the I-ELDA to measure growth and proficiency in their language learning process. Each district may choose when to test during the state determined testing window of February 1, 2013 to April 30, 2013.

According to the 2012 Fall BEDs report, the number of English language learners has grown to approximately 25,000. This significant increase in ELLs signals a growing need to support teachers and staff as they strive to improve their knowledge of appropriate strategies imperative to the success of the English language learners in their classrooms.

•  Heartland’s next ESL professional development opportunity is a class, Engaging Middle School ELLs in the Math Core, ES007092111301 on February 2 & 16, 2013.  Participants will earn a stipend and receive useful resources.
• The next ESL Advisory/Networking meeting will be February 5, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. in Room 13B of the Johnston REC. All Heartland districts are invited to send a representative(s).

If you have any questions please contact the ESL consultant for your region.

Stephaney Jones-Vo
(515) 270-0405 ext. 14680

Pat Latham
(515) 993-4596 ext. 11228

Iowa ASCD Legislator Advocacy Workshop

The Iowa ASCD Board is hosting a professional opportunity on February 6, 2013 in which participants will learn how to leverage change with legislators. Registration is $50 for members of Iowa ASCD and $90 for non-members. Upon registration you will receive access to tools for advocacy and influence, including talking points for major issues (e.g., competency-based instruction, readers by third grade, kindergarten readiness, instructional time, teacher and principal evaluation), sample letter and telephone script for contacting your legislators, and a rubric to evaluate your skills in advocacy. Iowa ASCD will also provide contact information about your legislators so that you may schedule visits "on the hill" as part of this opportunity.  You will also receive a $50 coupon for future event of your choice at Iowa ASCD.

Register online for the Learn to Advocate with Impact workshop on the Iowa ASCD website: https://iowaascd.org/index.php/events/event-registration/ 

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.

UNI to offer Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at a Distance

The University of Northern Iowa's Continuing and Distance Education is accepting applications through Wednesday, May 1, 2013 for a Master of Arts degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), scheduled to begin June 2013.

TESOL provides preparation for helping others improve their abilities to use English. The program is designed for individuals who wish to teach overseas, at community colleges, in intensive English programs and for K through 12 teachers wishing to upgrade their skills and employability. 

Courses meeting via Adobe Connect, an interactive desktop video conferencing system, in the fall and spring semesters will be taught in eight-week modules on Thursday evenings.

Recent graduates of the program are now teachers of English in the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and Asia; K through 12 teachers in the U.S.; English teachers in community colleges and in intensive English programs in the U.S. and abroad; and professionals in government agencies and on projects developing curricula and evaluating English teaching programs.

For additional information about the program and additional offerings through Continuing and Distance Education, visit www.uni.edu/continuinged or call (319) 273-2121 or (800) 648-3864.

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.

St. Cecilia School Principal Opening

St. Cecilia School in Ames, IA, seeks a full-time Administrator for a 240-student, PK-5 program for the 2013-14 school year. Candidates must be a practicing Catholic and hold an Iowa administrator license, or be eligible for the administrator license. Previous administrative experience preferred. The successful candidate will be a visionary leader committed to the formation of tomorrow’s Catholics and academic excellence. St. Cecilia School is a high performing, dynamic Catholic elementary school located two miles from Iowa State University and within 35 miles of Des Moines. The successful candidate will serve in excellent school facilities. Send letter of application, resume and completed application form (see website) by February 8, 2013 to Search Committee, 2900 Hoover Ave., Ames, IA 50010. For more information about the position and the school, go to www.stcames.org/school.

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.