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 the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
It is no secret that principals play a critical role in the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards. But many administrators still need tools and resources to help them envision the full range of supports that students and teachers need.
We are pleased to share with you the "NGSS Overview for Principals." This overview is designed for school leaders and was developed in consultation with states, districts and principals.
The resource underscores the principal's crucial role in promoting quality science education and offers practical strategies that can be incorporated into existing school plans. It highlights key NGSS instructional and conceptual shifts and contains links to additional implementation information, based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education.
As the school year winds down, so does our weekly Administrator Connection. Today is our last planned weekly update until August. We’ll communicate any important information via email during the summer.
If you’re leaving your district, contact the Heartland AEA Communications Department at comms@heartlandaea.org with your successor's name and email address (if known). We won't take your email address out of our email distribution list until after July 1.
Have a very enjoyable summer!
Digital citizenship is a fundamental aspect of being a student, teacher and administrator in PK-12 schools. To that end, Heartland AEA is hosting a Digital Citizenship Day on Sept. 13. Breakout sessions throughout the day will provide attendees with ideas, information, resources and inspiration to help guide their schools through the many facets of digital citizenship. Ryan Wise, director of the Iowa Department of Education, will provide opening remarks.
Information will be provided in the next month about the tentative schedule and how to register for this free event. In the meantime, save the date and pass the information on to your colleagues.
Heartland AEA supports student mental health and one way we are doing that is by offering a one-day Youth Mental Health First Aid certification course beginning in Sept. 2016. Additional dates will be considered if the need arises; however, we do not have the capacity to fulfill in-district course requests at this time.
Through the Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) curriculum, participants will learn:
- The prevalence of various mental health disorders impacting youth
- Warning signs or mental health problems that may impact a youth’s mental health and resiliency
- Utilizing and practicing the five-step (ALGEE) plan to support youth and help youth in crisis connect with appropriate evidence-based treatment
- Appropriate school interventions/supports and community resources
Dates and Registration Links (select one)
- Sept. 12, 2016 Registration
- Nov. 8, 2016 Registration
- Jan. 9, 2017 Registration
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Audience: District staff within the Heartland AEA area who work primarily with youth age 12-18
This course provides an overview of best practices and evidence-based strategies in the area of school-based mental health across levels of support (universal, targeted, and intensive) including how to:
- Support school systems in building protective factors in all students to promote mental health
- Promote student resiliency and school connectedness
- Begin developing an interconnected system of comprehensive behavioral mental health supports, and information on suicide prevention and threat assessment
Dates: Aug. 10-11, 2016
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register here
The DMACC Ankeny Campus has the following surplus supplies available. If interested, contact Julie Klocke at jaklocke1@dmacc.edu to arrange pick up.
3 computer tables 72 x 30
1 laptop computer cart
Attached is the June issue of School Leader Update. Read Director Wise’s thoughts on his extensive travels throughout Iowa visiting dozens of schools and districts. Legislative Liaison Shan Seivert wraps up the session with final thoughts for the year. And Attorney Nicole Proesch gives you a little bit about a lot of important legal matters.
