Friday, February 28, 2014
Superintendent: March 4 HAA Meeting
Click here for the agenda for the March 4 HAA Meeting. Please be reminded that due to the HVAC remodeling project at our Johnston REC, this meeting, as well as the April and May meetings, will take place at the Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus (815 8th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265).
Curriculum Network: March 7 Meeting
The next Curriculum Network meeting will be held on Friday, March 7 in Room 209 of the Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus (815 8th St, West Des Moines) and will begin at 8:30 a.m. The agenda and handouts will be posted on the Curriculum Network Google Site.
Don't Miss This Great Opportunity on March 29 -- Diverse Learners Resource Fair!
Central Iowa families, educators, community and agency staff and others who support children with special needs are cordially invited to attend our annual Diverse Learners Resource Fair! The Resource Fair is a FREE event that focuses on linking families of children and youth with special needs to valuable community and agency resources. The fair is hosted by Heartland Area Education Agency’s Parent & Educator Connection. Please pass on the flyer to any teacher, parent or student who may be interested in attending.
Diverse Learners Resource Fair
March 29, 2014
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus
815 8th Street, West Des Moines, IA
Diverse Learners Resource Fair
March 29, 2014
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Heartland AEA West Des Moines Campus
815 8th Street, West Des Moines, IA
June Session on Improving Transition Plans for Secondary Students
Join us June 23 & 24 for a session on how to successfully build transition plans for secondary students. This course would be beneficial for secondary staff, teachers, counselors and AEA staff who wish to learn more about ways to better identify strengths and needs in order to successfully transition students from high school to employment and post-secondary education.
Improving the 4 Gs Transition Network for Students with IEPs - Growth, Gap, Graduation and Gateways
Dates: June 23 & 24, 2014
Location: Johnston REC, Room 13 A/B
Credit: Drake EDEX Graduate Credit (1 hour) and/or License Renewal (1 hour)
Activity Number: DL013492111501
Click here to register.
Questions may be directed to Sue Severson, Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, at sseverson@heartlandaea.org.
Improving the 4 Gs Transition Network for Students with IEPs - Growth, Gap, Graduation and Gateways
Dates: June 23 & 24, 2014
Location: Johnston REC, Room 13 A/B
Credit: Drake EDEX Graduate Credit (1 hour) and/or License Renewal (1 hour)
Activity Number: DL013492111501
Click here to register.
Questions may be directed to Sue Severson, Professional Learning and Leadership Consultant, at sseverson@heartlandaea.org.
Reminder: Heartland AEA/Drake ESL Endorsement Meeting, March 4
Date: March 4, 2014Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Location: West Des Moines Heartland AEA Campus, 815 8th street, West Des Moines, Iowa, Room 117
Register here: ES007592111402
The purpose of this meeting is for participants to explore the possibility of participation in the ESL endorsement partnership between Heartland AEA and Drake University. Participants should bring copies of their college transcripts. Classes would begin June 2014, and finish summer 2015. It includes six courses. You may need fewer based on transcript analysis.
Use the sharing functions below to email this post to interested teachers or post on your professional blog, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.
Update on English Language Proficiency Standards
Click here for the document/procedure to follow if you have exempted any ESL students from the reading part of the Iowa Assessments. (attachment)
The following text is a direct message from Dr. Jobi Lawrence at the DE.
Esteemed Colleagues,
On behalf of the Iowa Department of Education, I am pleased to provide official notification that the Iowa Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards created in collaboration with CCSSO and the consortium of English Language Proficiency Assessment 21st Century (ELPA21) states. The ELP Standards were originally presented to the Board of Education in November and were posted for public comment for 60 days prior to that meeting.
The newly developed and adopted standards are currently in the process of being vetted for posting on the Department website and then will be widely distributed with specific training instructions very soon. The new ELP standards will begin to be implemented in the 2014-2015 academic year, with initial training to be provided statewide beginning in late spring and early summer of 2014.
***Please note: Districts are not required to fully implement the ELP standards until the 2015-2016 academic year, however, we anticipate intensive training and district level "unpacking" and "linking" work to begin during the 2014-2015 academic year. Iowa is proud to have been a lead state in the development of the new ELP Standards and look forward to supporting implementation of the College and Career Ready linked standards in the field.
Should you have further questions or concerns related to this notification, please don’t hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.
Collaboratively,
Jobi B. Lawrence
Director, Title III
Education Program Consultant
Iowa Department of Education
The following text is a direct message from Dr. Jobi Lawrence at the DE.
Esteemed Colleagues,
On behalf of the Iowa Department of Education, I am pleased to provide official notification that the Iowa Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards created in collaboration with CCSSO and the consortium of English Language Proficiency Assessment 21st Century (ELPA21) states. The ELP Standards were originally presented to the Board of Education in November and were posted for public comment for 60 days prior to that meeting.
The newly developed and adopted standards are currently in the process of being vetted for posting on the Department website and then will be widely distributed with specific training instructions very soon. The new ELP standards will begin to be implemented in the 2014-2015 academic year, with initial training to be provided statewide beginning in late spring and early summer of 2014.
***Please note: Districts are not required to fully implement the ELP standards until the 2015-2016 academic year, however, we anticipate intensive training and district level "unpacking" and "linking" work to begin during the 2014-2015 academic year. Iowa is proud to have been a lead state in the development of the new ELP Standards and look forward to supporting implementation of the College and Career Ready linked standards in the field.
Should you have further questions or concerns related to this notification, please don’t hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.
Collaboratively,
Jobi B. Lawrence
Director, Title III
Education Program Consultant
Iowa Department of Education
Opportunity for Teachers of ELLs
Please share the upcoming opportunity with your math and ESL teachers:
Empowering ELLs in the Middle and High School Mathematics Core is a new class that will be offered on April 12 and 26, 2014 at Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston. Taught by collaborating math and ESL experts, the class will share strategies to develop math content knowledge, skills and abilities while also promoting English language development. ESL teachers and math teachers are encouraged to bring a team. Teachers completing course requirements will receive a stipend of $200 through Title III. Click here to register.
Empowering ELLs in the Middle and High School Mathematics Core is a new class that will be offered on April 12 and 26, 2014 at Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston. Taught by collaborating math and ESL experts, the class will share strategies to develop math content knowledge, skills and abilities while also promoting English language development. ESL teachers and math teachers are encouraged to bring a team. Teachers completing course requirements will receive a stipend of $200 through Title III. Click here to register.
Blog Showcases Impact of Iowa's AEAs
AEA Customer Survey to Launch March 3
Next Monday, March 3 you and your staff will receive an email asking to complete the 2014 AEA Customer Survey. The survey will be available March 3 through April 4, 2014.
The survey provides us with your insight on how to improve our services to your school(s) and students. The more feedback we receive, the more comfortable we will feel making program decisions that benefit all schools in the Heartland area.
We will send reminders later this month and early April to ensure that all district staff have a chance to participate. Since the survey responses are anonymous, we have no way of knowing who has contributed and who has not. You are only asked to fill out the survey once. After you complete the survey, you may disregard the reminder notices.
Please encourage your staff to participate. We look forward to your input!
The survey provides us with your insight on how to improve our services to your school(s) and students. The more feedback we receive, the more comfortable we will feel making program decisions that benefit all schools in the Heartland area.
We will send reminders later this month and early April to ensure that all district staff have a chance to participate. Since the survey responses are anonymous, we have no way of knowing who has contributed and who has not. You are only asked to fill out the survey once. After you complete the survey, you may disregard the reminder notices.
Please encourage your staff to participate. We look forward to your input!
March 2014 Each & Every Child Newsletter
In the May issue, the Department would like to feature your thoughts on how to prevent the summer education slide. Ideas? Success stories? Send them to jim.flansburg@iowa.gov.
STEM Opportunities for Iowa Educators
Applications are now being accepted for summer externships in industry for secondary math, science and technology teachers. Click here for more information.
2014-15 STEM Scale-Up Programs
Announcing STEM scale-up programs for the 2014-15 year, K-12 educators welcome. Click here for more information.
2014 Statewide STEM Conference
Iowa's third annual statewide STEM conference will be held March 28, 2014 and is free and open to educators and the public. Learn updates on tactics of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council including STEM Schools, STEM teaching license, STEM professional development, STEM curriculum and much more, as well as input opportunities for attendees to shape the future of the initiative. Agenda and registration at http://www.iowastem.gov/2014-statewide-stem-conference
Please make sure to check out these sites!
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.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Heartland AEA/Drake ESL Endorsement Meeting, March 4
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Location: West Des Moines Heartland AEA Campus, 815 8th street, West Des Moines, Iowa, Room 117
Register here: ES007592111402
The purpose of this meeting is for participants to explore the possibility of participation in the ESL endorsement partnership between Heartland AEA and Drake University. Participants should bring copies of their college transcripts. Classes would begin June 2014, and finish summer 2015. It includes six courses. You may need fewer based on transcript analysis.
Use the sharing functions below to email this post to interested teachers or post on your professional blog, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.
Accessing AEA Digital Resources for Close Reading, March 6
This webinar is a follow-up presentation to the webinar from last school year, Text Complexity and the Iowa AEA Online resources. The archived session of the text complexity webinar can be found at the same site used for registration. Text Complexity and Close Reading are closely intertwined, so attendees may wish to review last year's webinar as a precursor to attending the upcoming session.
The webinar will be held at two different times, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. and 3:45-5:00 p.m. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/IAwebinars. To register, go to http://tinyurl.com/n2olxwz.
Use the sharing functions below to email this post to interested teachers or post on your professional blog, Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.
Edgenuity Workshops Scheduled for March 10
Morning Workshop
March 10, 8:30-11:00 a.m.
Click here to register.
Lunch will be provided by Edgenuity from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Workshop
March 10 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Click here to register.
Keystone AEA Opens TIC Registration to All Iowa PK-12 Educators
Registration for the two-day conference is just $99 before May 1. Recertification credit is also available.
Click here for the promo video, keynote bios and all of the details.
Now Taking Orders for 2014-15 School Planners!
Basic planners will have a plastic cover and coil binding and will contain intro pages, planner pages, note pages and different calendars. The planners include a full-year calendar to accommodate extended year schedules.
Three sizes are available:
• 5.5” x 8.5”
• 8.5” x 11”
• 7” x 11” *New size this year!
Choose your preferred cover, intro pages, planner pages, note pages and calendars from our set styles for basic planners (see Planner Guide). Optional pages can be added for an additional fee (student handbook, activities calendars, etc.). Order quantities must be a minimum of 50 planners.
Standard Planner Prices
• 5.5” x 8.5” - $1.50 per planner
• 8.5” x 11” - $2.60 per planner
• 7" x 11" - $2.90 per planner
Click here for the Planner Guide (shows options for covers, intro pages, calendar pages, etc.) and here for the Planner Order Form. Please have your planner orders placed by May 15, 2014 and approved by June 2, 2014 so they will be ready for the beginning of the school year.
For more information or to ask about personalizing your school's planners, contact our Creative Services at creativeservices@heartlandaea.org or (800) 255-0405 ext. 14368.
Revised School Counseling Framework Available
Friday, February 14, 2014
February 2014 AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online Blog Updates
The February blog updates for AEA PD Online and AEA K-12 Online are now available. Go to www.aeapdonline.org and 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.
Issues include:
Issues include:
- Tool of the Month: Vocaroo
- Upcoming Courses: March 1-April 15, 2014
- External Partners
- Ten Steps to Choosing Digital Curricula for Blended Learning
- EduCanon: Creating Interactive Videos for Your Online or Blended Classroom
Story Highlights AEA/Colo-NESCO Partnership
TIER Technology Requirements
DE Presents Vision for 21st Century Teacher Librarian
The Iowa Department of Education website now has a new vision for school libraries posted at https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/learner-supports/school-library. The vision statement is accompanied by brief PSA videos created in schools around the state.
Hazelden Bullying Seminar, Feb. 27
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
New Organization Committed to Increasing School-Based Mental Health Supports
Please Pass the Love Upcoming Events
High school students are invited to a student group on Monday, February 17 at 6:00 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church to have an opportunity for safe space to talk with other high school students about the challenges of mental illness in a high school setting as well as a call to action to combat the stigma.
Also, on Monday, March 3 there will be a community of practice for educators/counselors/administrators at Plymouth Congregational Church, Waveland Hall Room 4 at 6:00 p.m. This will be an opportunity for persons in the educational community to have a voice in the challenges of mental illness in schools.
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.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Edgenuity Workshops Scheduled for March 10
Morning Workshop
March 10, 8:30-11:00 a.m.
Click here to register.
Lunch will be provided by Edgenuity from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Workshop
March 10 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Click here to register.
Course to Assess Mental Health in Schools
Pamphlet Paints Picture of AEA System Legislative Priorities & Services
Click here
to read a pamphlet about the AEA system that highlights our legislative
priorities and our increasing demands for service and gives a snapshot
of our current services.
Heartland AEA Calendar Up and Running on Website
Quarterly Journal of School Improvement Released
Iowa BOEE February 2014 Newsletter
EyesOpenIowa Provides Sex Education Curricula Trainings
We can help school districts by offering:
- Teacher Trainings - trainings with Heartland AEA continuing education and nursing credits options
- Curricula - Iowa Department of Education approved curriculums are listed on our website~ www.eyesopeniowa.org
- Evaluation Tools - Establish implementation monitoring to ensure success
- Technical Assistance - Development of an individualized technical assistance program for your teachers
- Resources - We will provide you with the supplies you need to successfully deliver your programming
Additionally, EyesOpenIowa offers topic trainings such as HIV/AIDS 101, working with LGBTQ youth, answering sensitive questions and self-disclosure, and teaching techniques for sexual health educators. We can also customize trainings to your school’s needs including offering them at your location if enough participants are available. We are also happy to provide any technical assistance, curriculum review, policy assessment and parent sessions.
These opportunities are available at a sliding scale fee with scholarships available to school districts Heartland AEA works with.
On our website you will find further details on the services, trainings and curricula that EyesOpenIowa offers at www.eyesopeniowa.org / bobbiejo@eyesopeniowa.org or contact our office at (515) 276-6788 if we can be of any assistance.
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.
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