Our Mission

To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.

Our Goals

• Increase learning growth for students

• Decrease gaps in achievement

• Increase annual graduation rates

• Increase gateways to post-secondary success 

Message from the Chief Administrator: Update on the Status of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization

Many of you are aware that that Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA-sometimes referred to as No Child Left Behind) is finally moving through Congress and appears to be on a path for reauthorization by the end of the year.

I encourage you to read this update from Noelle Ellerson (AASA/AESA) and to contact members of the Iowa delegation to urge passage of the bill yet this year. While the final bill language is still unknown and there will likely be elements that are less favorable than we would like, it is a significant improvement over the current federal law.

Paula Vincent
Heartland AEA Chief Administrator

Heartland Administrators’ Association Meeting Reminder

The Heartland Administrators’ Association (HAA) will meet Dec. 1 at 9:00 a.m. at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center in Johnston. An agenda will be forthcoming.

HAA Meeting
Dec. 1, 2015
9:00 a.m.
Heartland AEA Regional Education Center
6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston

Thanksgiving Holiday Office Hours & Van Delivery

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, all Heartland AEA offices will be closed Nov. 26 and 27. Our van delivery schedule will be as follows:

• Regular delivery Nov. 23-24
• No delivery Nov. 25-27

Regular delivery resumes Nov. 30. Additionally, there will be no Administrator Connection on Nov. 27.

Assessment & Intervention for Students with Visual & Multiple Impairments Course Coming in December

Dec. 9, 2015 and Feb. 23, 2016

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Heartland AEA Johnston Regional Education Center
Register Now

Target Audience: Teachers, parents, associates, administrators and AEA staff who work with students whose intellectual, conceptual and functional skills are in the 0 to 2-year range of development. The assessments and interventions require a great deal of collaboration in order to determine how the materials should be applied for a given student, so it is recommended a student’s learning partners – parents, school and AEA staff – attend the training as a team.

Iowans Sought for Social Studies Standards Writing Team

Iowans are invited to apply to serve on a state team that will rewrite Iowa’s social studies standards for public review and possible adoption statewide. Any Iowan may apply to serve on the social studies standards writing team, but priority will be given to applicants who have a background in K-12 or higher education. Applications are due Dec. 11. To apply, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VXWX6L7.

For more information, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.

State Board of Education Acts on SBAC Rules

The State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt administrative rules (IAC 281.12) that implement the Smarter Balanced Assessments as Iowa’s state accountability assessments beginning in May 2017. It’s important to note that the rules are subject to review by the Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee before they can take effect.

The Board filed notice of intended action to amend the administrative rule in September. The proposed rules were then published in the Administrative Rules Bulletin in October and a process of public input concluded in early November. The next step is a second review by the Administrative Rules Review Committee on a date that has not yet been determined.

To help navigate the process and the rules, please read the FAQ and Talking Points provided by the Department.

For more information, contact David Tilly, Deputy Director, Iowa Department of Education, at (515) 281-3333.

Last Call! Take the DE/AEA Customer Survey!

The deadline is quickly approaching for educators to complete the annual DE/AEA Customer Survey. This is your opportunity to provide valuable feedback about AEA services. The survey is open until Nov. 25, 2015. Please share with your staff. If you have any issues accessing the survey, contact Dr. Gary Dannenbring.

High School Principal Search - Fort Dodge, IA

The Fort Dodge Community School District is conducting a search for a High School Principal. Questions can be directed to Dr. Doug Van Zyl at 515-574-5638.

Superintendent of Schools Search - Wahoo, NE

The Wahoo Public School District is conducting a search for a Superintendent of Schools. Questions can be directed to Dr. Roy Baker at (402) 470-1321, Dr. Craig Pease at (402) 610-0702 or Ed Rastovski at (402) 430-5837.

Our Mission

To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.

Our Goals

• Increase learning growth for students

• Decrease gaps in achievement

• Increase annual graduation rates

• Increase gateways to post-secondary success 

Call for Presentations Now Open for One-Day Literacy Event

Does your school or district have literacy successes or interventions you’d like to share with other educators? If so, you’re invited to apply to be a presenter at “Celebrating Iowa’s Success,” a one-day literacy event sponsored by Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K), a collaborative comprised of the Iowa Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and Iowa districts.

Applications to present are due Nov. 20.

Registration for the event is due Dec. 18. District and building administrators, reading specialists, classroom teachers and instructional coaches are invited to attend.

For more information, contact Mary Jane Stites or Mark Crady, coordinators of C4K Training Cadre, at (515) 270-0405.

American Education Week, Nov. 16-20, 2015: “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility”

Nov. 16-20 marks the National Education Association’s 94th annual celebration of American Education Week. The AEW festivities will honor the team of people who work in the nation’s public schools, everyone from the bus driver and classroom teacher to the cafeteria worker and administrative staff, plus countless others. The celebration is also an opportunity for school and community leaders to renew their commitment and support for quality public education for all students.

For more information about American Education Week, visit www.nea.org/aew.

Students Encouraged to Enter Library of Congress Reading & Writing Contest

Letters About Literature (LAL) is a reading/writing contest sponsored by the Library of Congress that challenges students in grades 4 through 12 to become independent readers. Young readers respond to the work they have read (fiction or nonfiction, a short story, poem, essay or speech) by exploring the personal relationship between themselves, the author, and the work’s characters or themes, and then write a personal letter to an author explaining how that author’s work changed their way of thinking about the world or themselves.

Letters are judged on state and national levels and students are eligible to win cash awards and submission for judging at the national level. Grades 9-12 letters must be postmarked by Dec. 4, 2015 and grades 4-8 must be postmarked by Jan. 11, 2016.

Complete information about the 2016 Letters About Literature program (classroom teaching guide, how LAL helps meet the Iowa Core, entry coupons, judges’ criteria) is available on the Iowa Center for the Book website.

**Please forward this email to language arts, gifted/talented and other teachers in your schools who emphasize reading and writing in their disciplines.

Differentiated Accountability Focuses on Need

Differentiated Accountability is a system designed to replace the former mandate of on-site visits every five years by the Department. The short concept of Differentiated Accountability, or DA, is that site visits are now focused on need. If a district is performing well, it may receive no visit, enabling districts with more needs to receive more coaching. Instead of a prescriptive, top-down list of corrective actions, the school will be an active participant in determining what’s working well, what needs improvement, and how to remedy it.

For more information, visit the Iowa Department of Education website.

Our Mission

To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.

Our Goals

• Increase learning growth for students

• Decrease gaps in achievement

• Increase annual graduation rates

• Increase gateways to post-secondary success 

How Are We Doing? Take Our Survey!

As you reflect back on the 2014-15 school year, and specifically on the Heartland AEA services you used last year, you’re invited to participate in the annual statewide AEA/DE Customer Survey. It only takes a few minutes!

Take the Survey!

Thank you in advance for your participation! Your feedback helps us to evaluate and improve upon our services to you.
The survey is open until Nov. 25, 2015. If you have any issues accessing the survey, contact Dr. Gary Dennenbring.  

AEA Purchasing Foodservice Newsletter

The Nov. 2015 AEA Purchasing Foodservice Newsletter includes topics such as professional standards requirements for school nutrition staff, cafeteria functionality and ServSafe® certification.

Nominations Sought for I.O.W.A STEM Teacher Award

Administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, students and other STEM advocates are invited to nominate an inspirational science, technology, engineering or mathematics teacher for the 2016 I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Award, sponsored by Kemin Industries and the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.

Formally known as The STEM Education Award for Inspired Teaching, this award is dedicated to honoring one teacher from each of the six STEM regions for their contributions and dedication to STEM education in Iowa. Each winner will receive $1,500, as well as another $1,500 to be used in their classroom.

For more information or to make a nomination, visit the 2016 I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Award website or contact Taylor Rookaird or Carrie Rankin.

BoEE Newsletter

The Iowa BOEE's Nov. 2015 newsletter includes topics such as the Teach Iowa recruitment website, coaching endorsement, cooperating teacher renewal unit, STEM teacher award and more!

Superintendent of Schools Search – Kearney, Nebraska

Kearney Public Schools is conducting a search for Superintendent of Schools. Questions can be directed to Ed Rastovski at (402) 430-5837, Dr. Roy Baker at (402) 470-1321 or Craig Pease at (402) 610-0702.