Administrator Connection: 2019

Friday, December 20, 2019

Happy Holidays!

Heartland AEA Holiday Office Closing & Van Delivery Schedule

In celebration of Winter Break
Heartland AEA offices will be closed to the public Dec. 25, 2019 - Jan. 1, 2020. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

Regular van delivery: Dec. 23-24
No van delivery: Dec. 25 -Jan. 1
Regular van delivery resumes: Jan. 2

Jan. 3 Curriculum Network Meeting Reminder

The Heartland AEA Curriculum Network meeting will be held on Jan. 3 at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston, from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. The Zoom link is listed at the top of the agenda. Video links for each agenda item will be posted in the agenda by Jan. 7.

Agenda Presenters and Topics:

Dave Tilly and Kristin Orton - Review of Dyslexia Task Force recommendations
Jay Pennington - Review how ESSA designations are determined and what is included in the Iowa School Performance Profile
Iowa Testing Programs and the Iowa Department of Education - ISASP administration and any changes for spring testing

Have you checked the Heartland AEA Curriculum Network Google Community lately? Some of your colleagues have posted questions.

Jan. 7 HAA Meeting Reminder

The next HAA meeting will be held on Jan. 7 at Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston, from 9 - 11:30 a.m. Review the agenda here.

Join Us for Standards-Based Learning Framework Friday on Jan. 3

EdCamp-style workshops will be held throughout the 2019-20 school year to provide additional learning, collaboration and conversation for those interested in Standards-Based Learning (SBL) including Grading and Reporting. The workshops coincide with specific strands of the Standards-Based Learning Framework developed by Heartland AEA. You can attend whatever sessions are of interest to you; you do not need to attend all nine.

Standards-Based Learning Framework Fridays
Next Session: Jan. 3
12:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Visit our website to learn more and register

National School Leader Tammy Heflebower to Present Standards-based Learning Targets, Scales & Rubrics

Coming in April: Transforming School Culture with Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D.

Explore the dynamics of school culture from a sociological, psychological, anthropological, political, historical and economic lens, using the Transforming School Culture framework. The framework helps educators and simplifies the work of transforming school culture by understanding patterns of behavior that either support or undermine the development of school culture.

Transforming School Culture experts will help you examine the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and habits that comprise your school’s culture, to ensure a productive and functional environment. Work with our experts to develop the ability to properly respond to challenges and adversity.

Transforming School Culture: Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Necessary Change Featuring Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D.
April 23, 2020
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn, 8600 Northpark Drive Johnston, IA

Registration
Register by April 20, 2020 at this link: http://bit.ly/2MEyMyA using course #181933
$50 per person. Lunch included.
Registration is limited to 125. There is no waiting list for this event.

All educators are invited!

Friday, December 13, 2019

Happy Holidays!

Heartland AEA Holiday Office Closing & Van Delivery Schedule

In celebration of Winter Break
Heartland AEA offices will be closed to the public Dec. 25, 2019 - Jan. 1, 2020. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

Regular van delivery: Dec. 23-24
No van delivery: Dec. 25 -Jan. 1
Regular van delivery resumes: Jan. 2

Prepare Your District Budget During the ISFIS Budget Workshop on Jan. 29 at Heartland AEA

2020 ISFIS Budget Workshop Heartland AEA Jan. 29

Each year, ISFIS partners with Piper Jaffray and Iowa's Area Education Agencies to provide face-to-face budget workshops for business managers and superintendents. These hands-on workshops are an opportunity for leaders from each district to prepare their individual budgets in one highly productive day.

ISFIS Budget Workshop at Heartland AEA
Jan. 29, 2020
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Heartland AEA, 6500 Corporate Drive in Johnston

Cost to attend is $250 per district.
Register online at www.iowaschoolfinance.com/Budget_workshops.

For more information, contact Jen Albers at (515) 251-5970 ext 4.

Library & Digital Newsletter

The Library & Digital Resources newsletter is now available. Make sure to follow the newsletter and share it with your colleagues!

In this issue...

AASL national standards and Google CS First Curriculum
Native Voices in Culture Grams
Media Literacy in the Climate of Fake News
Iowa Social-Emotional Learning Standards

Iowa’s AEAs to Host Legislative Education Advocacy Event in Feb. 2020

Register now for the 2020 Legislative Education Advocacy Event sponsored by Iowa's Area Education Agencies. This event will bring together school administrators from across Iowa to learn the most up-to-date legislative insight, and meet with legislators face-to-face at the Capitol. Check out the event plans and register at this link: https://www.smore.com/qe4y5.  

Missed Shannon Suldo’s Learning Sessions on Dec. 10? No Worries! Here are the Slides and Handouts

Morning Session

Afternoon Session

Presentation: Fostering Optimal Conditions for Learning: Healthy Teachers and Classrooms

Packet: The VIA Classification of 24 Character Strengths

Friday, December 6, 2019

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

Reminder: HAA Meeting and SEBMH Workshops with Shannon Suldo to be Held Next Tuesday

The regular meeting of the Heartland Administrators’ Association will be held on Dec. 10 at DMACC in Ankeny beginning at 9 a.m. with the business meeting and partner updates.

Then, Shannon Suldo, Ph.D., will present two workshops; a morning session for superintendents and an afternoon session for any educator. Suldo’s focus will be to guide participants in gaining an understanding of the importance of promoting student’s complete mental health within a Multi-Tiered framework. This learning session will focus on interconnecting school mental health, social emotional learning and positive behavioral supports and interventions in an effort to promote student’s well-being through school wide and class wide prevention efforts.

AGENDA - Dec. 10, 2019
9 - 10 a.m. Regular Heartland Administrators' Association Business Meeting and Partner Updates
10 - 11:30 a.m. Superintendent Session with Shannon Suldo, Ph.D.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch on your own
12:30 - 4 p.m. Afternoon Session for All Educators

REGISTRATION
Register at no cost at this link with course #180605. Select a section to attend.

LOCATION
Des Moines Area Community College Student Center, Bldg 5 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny

Meet Hamish Brewer: The skateboarding principal who is transforming schools

Nationally Distinguished Principal, Author and TEDx Speaker will present in Ankeny on March 3, 2020

Sometimes you have to hear the things you don’t want to hear in order to move forward, to be better and to get results. Hamish Brewer will take you on a hard-hitting journey that will challenge to rethink your practices, to disrupt the norm and change the game. Find out if you have or are willing to go one more round, if you’re willing to advocate for every single person and child. Find out if you’re willing to take your school or organization to the next level.

Brewer has over 20 years of experience serving as a classroom teacher, administrator, international education director and an educational consultant in the United States and abroad. He is high octane in his approach to children, teachers and his community. He is currently a principal in Prince William County, one of the largest divisions in the country, helping in best practices and advances in the implementation and use of technology.

Be Relentless
March 3, 2020
Des Moines Area Community College, Student Center, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd. Ankeny, IA

9:00-10:00 a.m. Keynote Message
10:00-10:30 a.m. Q&A
10:30-11:00 a.m. Book Signing with Hamish Brewer**

Register for this event at bit.ly/2VLliHt using Course #180607

This is a no cost event! Bring your administrative team! If you missed him at IASB, see him here!

**Mr. Brewer will be personally autographing his book, Relentless: Changing Lives by Disrupting the Educational Norm. Be sure to purchase the book in advance, bring it with you, meet the author and get your copy signed!

Iowa’s AEAs to Host Legislative Education Advocacy Event in Feb. 2020

Highly Sought-After School Leader Tammy Heflebower to Present Standards-based Learning Targets, Scales & Rubrics

Tammy Heflebower, Ed.D., will focus primarily on the creation of proficiency scales and their place in the broader, upfront work of deconstructing standards and the understanding and development of aligned assessments. Dr. Heflebower will speak of how proficiency scales fit into the instructional cycle and into the learning partnership between teacher and students. The work of creating proficiency scales is a seismic shift from our past practices of using a 100-point grading scale which converts points given to percentages.

Heflebower brings vast educational experiences in urban, rural and suburban communities throughout The United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Great Britain and The Netherlands. She has served as an award-winning classroom teacher, building and district leader, regional professional development director, national and international trainer, and leadership consultant.

Strand of SBL Framework: Learning Targets, Scales & Rubrics
Feb. 27, 2020
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
FFA Enrichment Center, DMACC Ankeny Campus, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy., Ankeny, IA

Registration link: http://bit.ly/2pd2GAT
Bring teams!

Coming in April: Transforming School Culture: Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Necessary Change with Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D.

Explore the dynamics of school culture from a sociological, psychological, anthropological, political, historical and economic lens, using the Transforming School Culture framework. The framework helps educators and simplifies the work of transforming school culture by understanding patterns of behavior that either support or undermine the development of school culture.

Transforming School Culture experts will help you examine the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and habits that comprise your school’s culture, to ensure a productive and functional environment. Work with our experts to develop the ability to properly respond to challenges and adversity.

Transforming School Culture: Understanding and Overcoming Resistance to Necessary Change Featuring Anthony Muhammad, Ph.D.
April 23, 2020
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn
8600 Northpark Drive Johnston, IA

Registration
Register by April 20, 2020 at this link: http://bit.ly/2MEyMyA using course #181933
$50 per person. Lunch included.
Registration is limited to 125. There is no waiting list for this event.

All educators are invited!

Heartland AEA Offers Professional Learning to Educators Around the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Program

The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Program, developed by the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), is a one-day training that provides the opportunity for educators to obtain initial certification in CPI's "Nonviolent Crisis Intervention" program or renewal certification for individuals who are not eligible for the recertification training (e.g., expired certification). Participants will receive an introduction to crisis prevention focusing on non-physical strategies, including non-verbal, para-verbal and verbal techniques that can be used to assist in de-escalating behavior.

Participants will receive instruction, role-playing, practice and feedback in using personal safety techniques, such as blocking, moving and releasing to avoid or minimize injury when interacting with an individual who is escalated. This training also includes instruction, role-playing, practice and feedback in the use of physical restraint strategies, transport techniques and team strategies to maintain safety when an individual engages in escalated behavior that is dangerous to self or others.

Please note:

The strategies taught in this training are not intended to replace behavior intervention plans (BIP) for individual students, but rather to provide strategies for school staff to use to maintain safety during unusual situations or circumstances not addressed in a BIP.
To maintain certification, individuals are required to participate in the CPI's "Nonviolent Crisis Intervention" re-certification training at least annually.
Trainees must be employed by a school district in Heartland AEA’s service area.

Registration:

Initial Training
Registration Link
Use course #180648 and select a section

Intended Audience: District staff who work with individuals 3-21 years who engage in problem behaviors that have the potential to result in injury to self or others.

Refresher Training
Registration Link
Use course #180315 and select a section

Intended Audience: District staff who have been through the CPI: Nonviolent Crisis Intervention 1-day-training within the past year and who need to receive recertification.

For more information or questions, contact the Heartland AEA Regional Director who serves your district or one of the CPI trainers at Heartland AEA:

Region 1: Lauren Vanderhorst, Jenny Henscheid
Region 2: Becky Tigges, Sue Klein
Region 3: Aimee Schuppe, Stacey Warren
Region 5: Todd York
Region 6: Gina Koehler
Region 7: Chris Rial, Amanda Jefferson
Region 8: Brenda Gerdes, Amanda Khader

Share This Networking and Support Opportunity with Your Parents and Caregivers of Students with Special Needs

Parents and caregivers of students with special needs: join us for “Conversation & Coffee,” our monthly morning coffee group! Learn about community resources and upcoming events and network with parents who have similar experiences and challenges.

Mark your calendar for these 2019-20 meeting dates!

Dec. 19, 2019
Jan. 16, 2020
Feb. 20, 2020
March 12, 2020 (due to Spring Break)
April 16, 2020
May 21, 2020

Conversation & Coffee meets the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 - 11 a.m. at the 100th Street Corner Café in Urbandale.

RSVP appreciated but not necessary: Kari Paulsen, Family & Educator Coordinator, Heartland AEA, at kpaulsen@heartlandaea.org or (515) 270-9030 ext. 14493.

Eric Curts to Lead Professional Learning on Collaborative Learning Environment for All

This professional learning opportunity is designed to help educators find ways to integrate collaboration into their classrooms. It includes a webinar with nationally-known blogger Eric Curts (Control Alt Achieve), as well as blog posts and podcasts from other educational leaders.

Study begins online Dec. 19 with a webinar with Eric Curts on Jan. 9. Register at this link: http://bit.ly/2OLj3O7 course 181854.

There is no book to accompany this track; we will be using Curts’ blog, Control Alt Achieve.
All work is done via Canvas and can be done on your own time!

Wait! There's More!
Check out ed tech face-to-face workshops, online courses and webinars coming up in the next couple of months in the latest Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Newsletter.

Iowa Board of Examiners Superintendent Monthly Update Dec. 2019/Jan. 2020

The Dec. 2019/Jan. 2020 BoEE Superintendent Update is now available. In this issue:

Pre-service Substitute Authorization
Checklists for Hiring Out of State Applicants
Pathways to Licensure
Helpful Hints for School Administrators and HR Directors
Conditional Licensure
Hiring December Graduates
Fall BEDS Staff Report

Deadline for Fall Staff BED Has Been Extended

You may have seen the announcement on the website portal. The deadline has been extended until Dec. 13. Thank you for your patience!

Iowa Dept. of Education Releases New Social-Emotional Learning Competencies; Implementation to Begin Next School Year

The Iowa Department of Education (DE) has released Iowa’s Social-Emotional Learning Competencies, which are organized around the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) 5 Core Competencies:

Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship skills
Responsible decision-making

The release of the competencies is a soft launch, meaning the DE is not currently implementing a comprehensive communication plan, or a roll-out plan--they are simply making the competencies available. The DE will continue to garner feedback throughout this year, developing supports for scaling through C4K (Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids).

The real push from a statewide perspective to support implementation will begin during the 2020-21 school year. For additional resources, you may also visit the DE’s School Climate Transformation Grant webpage.

 If you have questions or need additional information, contact Jadie Boens, Director of Special Programs, at ext. 14512.

Dec. 2019 School Leader Update

The Dec. 2019 School Leader Update from the Iowa Department of Education is now available.

Friday, November 22, 2019

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

Heartland AEA Holiday Office Closing & Van Delivery Schedule

In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday
Heartland AEA offices will be closed Nov. 28 and 29, 2019. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

Regular van delivery: Nov. 25-26
No van delivery: Nov. 27-29
Regular delivery resumes: Dec. 2

In celebration of Winter Break
Heartland AEA offices will be closed to the public Dec. 25, 2019 - Jan. 1, 2020. Van delivery schedule will be as follows:

Regular van delivery: Dec. 23-24

No van delivery: Dec. 25 -Jan. 1

Regular van delivery resumes: Jan. 2

Prepare Your District Budget During the ISFIS Budget Workshop on Jan. 29 at Heartland AEA

Highly Sought After National School Leader Tom Schimmer to Lead Professional Learning in Standards-Based Learning Framework - Belief System and Implementation Considerations

Get your teams registered for additional learning opportunities in Standards-Based Learning with Tom Schimmer!

Schimmer returns to Heartland AEA in December to take participants into a deep dive into SBL Belief System and Implementation Considerations. This is a great opportunity to work through a game plan to shift beliefs around grading at your school!

Schimmer is author of:

Standards-Based Learning in Action: Moving from Theory to Practice (A Guide to Implementing Standards-Based Grading, Instruction, and Learning)
Grading from the Inside Out: Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through a Standards-Based Mindset.

Strand of SBL Framework: Belief System and Implementation Considerations
Dec. 3, 2019
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
FFA Enrichment Center, DMACC Ankeny Campus, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy., Ankeny

Registration link: http://bit.ly/33XkM8S

Administrators: Handle Iowa Alternate Assessment Results As You Do ISASP Results

Similar to what is required for ISASP, results of the 2018-19 Dynamic Learning Maps test for students assessed through Alternate Assessment need to be sent to parents and also maintained in the cumulative folder. Special education teachers have access to the reports through the KITE teacher portal. District assessment administrators should advise teachers of students tested through Alternate Assessment of the procedure to follow to share and maintain individual student DLM test performance results.

5th Annual Emerging Educators Academy to be Held at Simpson College in Jan. 2020

Emerging Educators Academy informational image

The Outstanding Educators’ Academy of the Iowa Department of Education in partnership with the Iowa State Education Association, Simpson College and its Department of Education is hosting the 5th Annual Emerging Educators Academy on Jan. 30, 2020 at Simpson College in Indianola, IA.

The conference is for all Pre-Service and 1st through 3rd year teachers as well as their mentors.Participants will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with outstanding Iowa educators, professional leaders, and Department of Education consultants to focus on recruiting and retaining effective educators.

This year educators will explore "Perspectives in our Practice” and breakout sessions will focus on building classroom community, mental health and loving teaching. Participants will also spend time with both student and teacher panels exploring different perspectives in teaching. There will be several special keynote addresses as well as time for teams to discuss learning and plans for success in their schools. Teams of beginning teachers and mentors are encouraged to attend together. The intent of this conference is to provide support and encouragement to all educators.

Registration is limited to 150 people. The link to conference information and registration can be found by clicking HERE.

Friday, November 15, 2019

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

Shannon Suldo Returns to Iowa: Gain Understanding in Promoting Students’ Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health

Shannon Suldo, Ph.D., will guide participants in gaining an understanding of the importance of promoting student’s complete mental health within a Multi-Tiered framework. This learning session will focus on interconnecting school mental health, social emotional learning and positive behavioral supports and interventions in an effort to promote student’s well-being through school wide and class wide prevention efforts.

Dr. Suldo is Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of South Florida. Her research focuses on youth happiness, and she has completed numerous studies to understand factors that explain differences in students’ levels of happiness.

AGENDA - Dec. 10, 2019
9 - 10 a.m. Regular Heartland Administrators' Association Business Meeting and Partner Updates
10 - 11:30 a.m. Superintendent Session with Shannon Suldo, Ph.D.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch on your own
12:30 - 4 p.m. Afternoon Session for All Educators

REGISTRATION
Register at no cost at this link with course #180605. Select a section to attend.

LOCATION
Des Moines Area Community College Student Center, Bldg 5 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny

Highly Sought After National Educational Leader Tom Schimmer Continues Professional Learning in Standards-Based Learning Framework - Belief System and Implementation Considerations

Get your teams registered for additional learning opportunities in Standards-Based Learning with Tom Schimmer. Skinner returns to Heartland AEA in December to take participants into a deep dive into SBL Belief System and Implementation Considerations. This is a great opportunity to work through a game plan to shift beliefs around grading at your school!

Schimmer is author of:

Standards-Based Learning in Action: Moving from Theory to Practice (A Guide to Implementing Standards-Based Grading, Instruction, and Learning)
Grading from the Inside Out: Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through a Standards-Based Mindset

Educator Feedback Needed by Tuesday for Mental Health Website

Iowa's AEAs are developing a website to support mental health in Iowa children ages 0-21, to be launched on July 1, 2020. This site is designed to be a one-stop shop for students, educators, caregivers, families and community partners to find mental health resources to assist all communities in the state of Iowa. We need feedback from educators. Please share this with your colleagues and take a moment to complete the Iowa AEAs Mental Health website survey by Nov. 19.

Tech Integrationist and Google for Education Certified Trainer to Lead Webinar on Collaborative Learning Environment for All

This class is designed to help educators find ways to integrate collaboration into their classrooms. It includes a webinar with nationally-known blogger Eric Curts (Ctrl Alt Achieve) as well as blog posts and podcasts from other educational leaders. This is the third course in Heartland AEA’s webinar series, designed to assist teachers in developing innovative methods of using technology to foster the 4C’s (Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication).

If you would enjoy working in a collaborative network of teaching and discover ways of using technology purposefully, this is the class for you!

Begins online Dec. 19. Register at this link: http://bit.ly/34savSh

Wait! There's More!
Check out ed tech face-to-face workshops, online courses and webinars coming up in the next couple of months in the latest Heartland AEA Instructional Technology Newsletter. Here are some highlights:

Computer Science Workshop - No cost event! A day designed for school leaders to get the lowdown on Iowa's computer science standards, K-12 frameworks, district-level resources and upcoming opportunities! Dec. 6, 2019 from 12:30 - 3 p.m. at Heartland AEA in Johnston. Sign up here!

Take advantage of our Girls Who Code partnership and launch a FREE Club! We are partnering with Girls Who Code to bring free computer science opportunities to students across our community and would love for your school to host a Club! Girls Who Code Clubs are FREE programs for 3-5 or 6-12 grade students to join collaborate with supportive peers and role models and use computer science to change the world. To learn more about Girls Who Code programs, you can sign up for a Girls Who Code Webinar here.

5th Annual Emerging Educators Academy to be Held at Simpson College in Jan. 2020

The Outstanding Educators’ Academy of the Iowa Department of Education in partnership with the Iowa State Education Association, Simpson College and its Department of Education is hosting the 5th Annual Emerging Educators Academy on Jan. 30, 2020 at Simpson College in Indianola, IA.

The conference is for all Pre-Service and 1st through 3rd year teachers as well as their mentors. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with outstanding Iowa educators, professional leaders, and Department of Education consultants to focus on recruiting and retaining effective educators.

This year educators will explore "Perspectives in our Practice” and breakout sessions will focus on building classroom community, mental health and loving teaching. Participants will also spend time with both student and teacher panels exploring different perspectives in teaching. There will be several special keynote addresses as well as time for teams to discuss learning and plans for success in their schools. Teams of beginning teachers and mentors are encouraged to attend together. The intent of this conference is to provide support and encouragement to all educators.

Registration is limited to 150 people. The link to conference information and registration can be found by clicking HERE.

Friday, November 8, 2019

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