Our Mission
To improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth by providing services and leadership in partnership with families, schools and communities.
Our Goals
- Increase learning growth for students
- Decrease the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Registration is open for the 13th Annual Our Kids Summer Institute for educators and administrators of English Learners, June 13-14, 2017 at Waukee High School in Waukee. Network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa and meet national and local experts to enrich practices for increasing EL achievement.
Featured speakers include:
Trudy Arriaga, Ed.D. - Administrator leader and advocate for ELs, first female superintendent of Ventura Unified School District where she began as a bilingual paraeducator
Fern Westernoff, Ph.D. - Speech language pathologist who earned her doctorate in ELL and merged two areas of expertise to inform her work in Toronto, the world’s largest K-12 EL population
Amy Hewett-Olatunde, Ed.D. - Minnesota’s 2015 Teacher of the Year
Major Sean Quinlan - Retired Major United States Marine Corp, ROTC Instructor at Des Moines’ North High School and former football coach featured with his team on ESPN during the 2017 Super Bowl and,
And, our amazing students!
Sessions will focus on:
- Serving English Learners with Disabilities
- Newcomer Considerations
- Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices
- ELs and Literacy Support
- Enhancing EL Instruction through Home Language Connections
- High Yield Strategies for ELs
- Successful District Programs
- First-person student voices
Registration
Registration is $150 and includes lunch, snacks, Go To Strategies, OELA Newcomer Toolkit and OELA English Learner Toolkit. Seating is limited to the first 500 registrants on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring a team! We hope to see you there!
Register by June 4 at this link
Note for Teachers and Administrators in the Heartland AEA area: Title III will refund the cost of registration ($150), plus an honorarium of $200 (totaling $350) to off-contract individuals for full attendance and participation. Claim forms will be available at the event.
Note for Districts implementing Corrective Action Plans (CAP) for English Learners: These districts are required to send a team in accordance with the Technical Assistance Requirement under Title III. Contact your AEA Title III Consultant for additional information and financial support.
The University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center & Heartland AEA have developed a professional learning opportunity in response to a growing need by in-service teachers and teacher leaders to receive additional preparation in serving an increasing EL population.
The In-service Teacher Leadership of English Learners Program is open to 40 interested in-service teachers or teacher leaders (non-ESOL endorsed and might not prefer the full ESL endorsement) who are currently serving ELs in their classrooms, while potentially feeling underprepared to meet the linguistic, cultural and academic needs of their students.
The program uses a blended approach of six face-to-face workshops, field experiences and additional learning opportunities. The first workshop begins on Sept. 7, 2017 and the program ends at the Our Kids Summer Institute in mid-June 2018. Participants successfully completing the program will receive the following benefits/incentives:
- Five licensure renewal credits
- A credential verifying enhanced EL expertise
- Reimbursement of all program, online and conference registration and textbook expenses, plus a $400 individual honorarium
For detailed program information and to register online, visit the University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center.
Any questions contact Heartland AEA ESL/Diversity Consultants Janet E. Hiatt, Ph.D., at jhiatt@heartlandaea.org or Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. (TESL), at sjonesvo@heartlandaea.org.
Heartland AEA with support from the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Board of Educational Examiners is pleased to pilot an additional course option for administrators and/or evaluators who want to renew their evaluator license. The Collaborative Leadership Institute will be held on June 19-20, Oct. 3 and Dec. 5, 2017 at the Heartland AEA Regional Education Center in Johnston. The pilot is open to anyone in the state and seating is limited to 50 people. Registration is now open at this link.
Collaborative Leadership Institute
Dates: June 19-20, Oct. 3 and Dec. 5, 2017
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register at this link
Heartland AEA is hosting two Instructional Practices Inventory Workshops in the fall for teachers who want to enhance their practice of collecting and collaboratively studying student engagement. Both workshops will be facilitated by Jerry Valentine, IPI Developer and Lead Trainer at the University of Missouri’s Instructional Practices Inventory group.
Instructional Practices Inventory Level I Workshop
The IPI workshop will begin with an overview of the IPI categories and the protocols for data collection and transitions to a local school to make observations in a classroom setting.
Dates: Oct. 4, 2017
Times: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Van Meter Community School District, 520 First Ave., Van Meter
Register at this link
Instructional Practices Inventory Technology Workshop
During the workshop, participants will develop the skills to document student engagement through the use of technology and learn how to use the profiles to engage faculty in collaborative learning conversations about engagement, instructional change, technology integration and school-wide instructional goals.
Dates: Oct. 5, 2017
Times: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register at this link
